# Matching Story - Merge & Match — Design gardens & solve puzzles > Merge and match items to build and decorate a fantasy island, solving puzzles. (iPhone/iPad app by VERTEX GAMES PTE. LTD..) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/matching-story-merge-and-match/id1558803930 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [VERTEX GAMES PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652468982) - Category: Games, Casual, Puzzle - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.90/5 from 161,410 App Store ratings · 2,696 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 13.0 · 546 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2023-11-08 - Data updated: 2026-08-26 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/matching-story-merge-and-match/id1558803930/reviews.md ## What is Matching Story? Step into a magical world of matching games and puzzles, where casual match-3 mechanics, rich story progression, and relaxing tile matching come together! Experience the perfect blend of classic puzzles, immersive storylines, and creative merge gameplay in one addictive adventure. Enjoy one of the best puzzle games for adults designed for casual players. Whether you enjoy matching games, puzzle solving, or fun decoration games, this adventure delivers everything you love—classic match-3 fun, a heartwarming story, and relaxing garden renovation in one place. FEATURES - Classic Match-3 Gameplay Experience the timeless fun of puzzle games and tile matching. Swap, match, and clear levels with satisfying effects and cleverly designed puzzle layouts. - Powerful Boosters & Tools Unlock a wide variety of exciting boosters. Use rockets, bombs, and special power-ups to clear difficult levels and create amazing combos. Strategic gameplay makes every match more rewarding. - Rich Storyline Adventure Follow an engaging story filled with drama, mystery, and heartwarming moments. Each puzzle level you complete unlocks more chapters and deepens your journey. - Merge & Renovate Enjoy relaxing merge gameplay. Combine items, upgrade tools, and unlock new resources to expand your world and restore a beautiful garden. - Decorate Your Dream Space Use rewards from puzzle levels to decorate and transform your garden into a blooming paradise with customized designs. - Fun & Relaxing for Everyone Perfect for casual players and fans of relaxing puzzle games for adults. Relax your mind, think strategically, and enjoy stress-free gameplay. - Daily Rewards & Events Get bonuses, special rewards, and participate in fun limited-time challenges every day. Frequent seasonal events keep the casual experience fresh and exciting. HOW TO PLAY - Swap and match 3 or more items to clear the puzzle board. - Complete level objectives to advance the narrative in this engaging story game. - Use powerful boosters and props to solve tricky puzzle levels. - Merge items on the board to unlock garden upgrades and tools. - Collect resources to decorate your dream garden your way. - Unlock new chapters and dive deeper into the grand adventure. Looking for a relaxing, immersive story and puzzle adventure? This game combines everything into one perfect experience. Start your adventure today to match, merge, and explore while building your dream garden. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MatchingStory Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/merge-match/home/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://sites.google.com/view/merge-match/home/terms-of-service ## Key features - Merge items to upgrade - Solve match-3 puzzles - Decorate your island - Unlock treasure chests - Explore new islands - Collect cute critters - Play offline ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | A Basket of Diamonds | $14.99 | one-time | | Clone Bubble Gift | $3.99 | one-time | | Welcome Bundle | $1.99 | one-time | | Fairy Pass | $9.99 | one-time | | A Pile of Diamonds | $1.99 | one-time | | A Bag of Diamonds | $7.99 | one-time | | Endless Pack | $2.99 | one-time | | Flora's Offer | $6.99 | one-time | | Resident Pack | $9.99 | one-time | | Explorer Pack | $5.99 | one-time | | Builder Pack | $19.99 | one-time | | Clone Bubble Gift | $1.99 | one-time | | 24H Merge Booster | $0.99 | one-time | | AnniversaryPack | $4.99 | one-time | ## Chart rankings - #97 in Top Free · Casual (US App Store) - #94 in Top Free · Puzzle (US App Store) - #77 in Top Grossing · Games (US App Store) - #29 in Top Grossing · Casual (US App Store) - #33 in Top Grossing · Puzzle (US App Store) ## What do users think of Matching Story? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 🚀 No ads - 👍 Addictive and fun gameplay - ✨ Cute and colorful graphics - 🕹️ Relaxing match-3 and merging mechanics **Cons** - 🤯 Levels become increasingly difficult and frustrating - 💰 In-app purchases required to progress - 🔁 Repetitive gameplay with limited variety - 🗑️ Misleading advertisements not reflective of actual game **Commonly reported bugs** - Occasional crashes and freezes - Syncing issues with saved progress **Most requested features** - More frequent level updates - Option to save progress across devices - Improved team/social features ## Recent user reviews (10 of 2,696) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/matching-story-merge-and-match/id1558803930/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Matching With Love *2026-08-23, version 1.72.02* Nice Relaxing Game. The Levels are The Business ### 5/5 — Great game *2026-08-22, version 1.72.02* I’m in my 70’s and find it brilliant ### 1/5 — Just a money grab *2026-08-22, version 1.72.02* Fun to play at first when the algorithm allows you to win games. At the higher levels, you will play the same board 20 or more times unless you spend money. I would rather watch a short ad than be stressed out by something that is supposed to be fun. Each update makes it harder to get rewards, and the developers have admitted that they don’t give the same options to everyone. If I had known all of this upfront, I would have deleted this game early on. ### 3/5 — Great game but always hangs *2026-08-22, version 1.72.02* Im playing this game for quite some time now it is great but just so annoying when it hangs and all the effort plus the superball is gone. You need to fix this much more if we’re paying. ### 2/5 — What happened? *2026-08-21, version 1.72.01* I’ve been playing this game for awhile and now the friends section is gone so I cannot visit anyone to get daily treasures. ### 1/5 — Ad *2026-08-21, version 1.72.01* The abusive videos you create to advertise your games are despicable. Stop using abuse of women and children to see your games 😡 ### 1/5 — Used to love it…not so much anymore *2026-08-21, version 1.72.01* Maybe if you’re just starting the game now, you might enjoy it. But changes made in last couple weeks are not for me. I had been happy the game added a new section so that there were two areas to play. But now they freebies from friends are gone. There is an increased “cost” for items as well. I spent a good amount of money over the last year and had no issue with it. I really enjoyed the adventure. I was drawn in. ### 2/5 — Ummm update 👎🏾 *2026-08-21, version 1.72.01* Why when I go to my friends worlds now I am not able to collect treasures. Only a one friend pick and treasure per day is crazy lol !👎🏾 😡 ### 1/5 — Misleading *2026-08-21, version 1.72.01* The video that advertises this game made it look quite interesting upon trying the game. It’s nothing like the advert. ### 5/5 — Visiting neighbors *2026-08-21, version 1.72.01* I am sososo upset that you took away our 9 visits. I got so many friends to delete other games to play this one. This is so unfair. Are yall that money hungry? ## Frequently asked questions about Matching Story ### What is Matching Story? Matching Story is a free-to-play mobile game that combines merge mechanics with match-3 puzzles. Players merge items to create gardens and castles, unlock treasure chests, and solve puzzles to decorate and expand their own fantasy island. ### What are the key features of Matching Story? Key features include merging items to upgrade, solving over 3000 match-3 levels, decorating your island, unlocking treasure chests, exploring exciting stories and characters, and playing offline. You can also collect and merge cute critters. ### Is Matching Story free to play? Yes, Matching Story is a free game. However, it does offer in-app purchases for players who wish to acquire items or boosters more quickly. It also contains ads. ### Can I play Matching Story offline? Yes, a significant advantage of Matching Story is that it can be played offline. This means you can take your fantasy island adventure with you wherever you go, without needing a Wi-Fi connection. ### Who is the protagonist in Matching Story? The protagonist in Matching Story is Emma. Players embark on a new journey with her to save, explore, solve puzzles, match, and merge items to progress through the game's story chapters and build their dream island. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.72.02 — 2026-08-22 - Improved user experience. ### 1.72.01 — 2026-08-17 Are you ready for the new update? - 50 NEW LEVELS to challenge!!! - Great news! Unlock new land and long-awaited new items! - Bug fixes and performance improvements for a better game experience! ### 1.71.01 — 2026-08-03 Are you ready for the new update? - 50 NEW LEVELS to challenge! - New land areas are now open for you to explore! - Bug fixed and performance improvements for a better game experience! ### 1.70.03 — 2026-07-24 - Improved user experience. ### 1.70.02 — 2026-07-20 - Improved user experience. ## Apps similar to Matching Story | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Storyngton Hall: Match 3 games](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storyngton-hall-match-3-games/id1481222315) | 4.7 (11,052) | Free | Games | | [Cookie Jam: Match 3 Games](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cookie-jam-match-3-games/id727296976) | 4.7 (494,645) | Free | Games | | [Cradle of Empires・Match 3 game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cradle-of-empiresmatch-3-game/id738480930) | 4.6 (35,079) | Free | Games | | [Tropical Forest: Match 3D Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tropical-forest-match-3d-game/id1311512241) | 4.7 (10,049) | Free | Games | | [Dating Love Story Games \| PUA](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dating-love-story-games-pua/id1281475072) | 4.8 (10,241) | Free | Games | | [Piggy Kingdom - Match 3 Games](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piggy-kingdom-match-3-games/id1635337354) | 4.9 (75,249) | Free | Games | ## More apps by VERTEX GAMES PTE. LTD. - [Pixel Coloring-Color by Number](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-coloring-color-by-number/id1449679883) - [Bingo Frenzy™-Live Bingo Games](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bingo-frenzy-live-bingo-games/id1487911239) - [Word Card: Fun Collect Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-card-fun-collect-game/id1518963006) - [Bingo Voyage: Live Bingo Games](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bingo-voyage-live-bingo-games/id6615077767) All apps by VERTEX GAMES PTE. LTD.: https://appshunter.io/developer/1652468982 ## Related topics [matching games story](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/matching-games-story) · [match 3 story games](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/match-3-story-games) · [matching story](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/matching-story) · [free merge games for offline play](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/free-merge-games-for-offline-play) · [match games story](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/match-games-story) · [fun matching games](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/fun-matching-games) · [free match games story](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/free-match-games-story) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*