Royal Match Review: A Royal Treat or a Royal Pain?

You've seen the ads. King Robert is drowning, freezing, or about to be chased by a giant monster, and only you can save him by solving a puzzle. Royal Match is one of the most heavily advertised mobile games out there, and it comes with a bold claim: no ads!

But is the game as fun as the ads make it look? And is it really ad-free? We downloaded it to find out. Here’s our honest review.

What is Royal Match?

At its heart, Royal Match is a match-3 puzzle game, just like Candy Crush or Gardenscapes. You swap colorful objects to make matches of three or more. When you do, you clear the tiles and complete the level's goal.

The "save the king" puzzles from the ads do appear, but they are short mini-games between the main levels. The main goal is to earn stars to decorate King Robert's castle.

The Good Stuff

There’s a lot to like about Royal Match, which explains why it's so popular.

• It Really is (Mostly) Ad-Free: The game keeps its biggest promise. You will not be forced to watch ads after every level. You can play for hours without a single interruption.
• Polished and Fun Gameplay: The graphics are bright and cartoony, and the puzzles are genuinely fun. The controls are smooth, and making big combos feels super satisfying.
• Engaging Events: The game keeps things fresh with regular events and side activities. These are a great way to earn extra coins and boosters.

I found that having no ads, especially in the beginning of the game when progress was fast was super nice and refreshing, but as I progressed and leveling up became more difficult, I felt more inclined to watch ads to speed up my progress.

The Not-So-Good Stuff

No game is perfect, and Royal Match has its downsides.

• The Difficulty Spikes are Real: Many players agree that the game gets incredibly difficult, very quickly. You’ll find yourself stuck on a level for days.
• Heavy on In-App Purchases: This is how the game makes its money. When you're stuck, the game heavily encourages you to buy coin packages and boosters. It can feel like the game is designed to make you spend money.

The Final Verdict

So, should you play Royal Match? We say yes, but with a warning.

It’s a high-quality puzzle game that is a lot of fun to play, especially since you aren't bombarded with ads. However, you need to be prepared for the aggressive difficulty. If you have a lot of patience, you can enjoy it for free. If you get frustrated easily, you might be tempted to spend some cash.

While you're matching your way through Royal Match, don't forget you can be earning rewards for your playtime with Cash Castle. Play your favorite mobile games, earn gems, and cash them out for real money via PayPal or gift cards!