The Lost City

A mystical stage run with boosters and, by design, no clock anywhere.

The Lost City - Match 3 game poster

The Lost City

The Lost City makes a deliberate choice and states it plainly: no time restrictions anywhere. Every stage is yours to study for as long as you like, which turns the run into a set of puzzles rather than a set of races.

That changes what the boosters are for. In a timed game a booster buys seconds; here it buys a way through, so the only question is whether the board in front of you actually needs one. The colourful field explosions from three-in-a-row clears are generous enough that many stages do not.

The mystical stages give the run its variety, and the absence of pressure makes it a reasonable recommendation for anyone who finds the genre stressful rather than relaxing — the game has removed the exact thing that usually causes that.

Controls

Click or tap two adjacent pieces to swap them.

How to Play

  1. Take as long as you like reading the board — nothing is timing you.
  2. Swap two neighbouring pieces to hit three in a row and set off the explosion.
  3. Use booster effects on stages that genuinely block you.
  4. Work through the mysterious stages at your own pace.

Tips & Tricks

Use the absence of a clock properly: before each move, find your second move as well. On an untimed board that costs nothing and turns a run of single clears into a sequence of chains.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a time limit?

No. The game removes time restrictions deliberately so you can play at your own pace.

What happens when I match three?

You get a colourful field explosion that clears the area around the match.

Are there boosters?

Yes, with colourful effects, and without a clock they exist to unblock a stage rather than to save time.

Is it free to play?

Yes, free in the browser here.