MatchDoku: a match-3 and Sudoku puzzle for the web

What makes MatchDoku different

Most match-3 games stop at clearing gems. Most Sudoku apps give you a fixed set of clues. MatchDoku links the two: you clear colored gems to generate numbers, then place those numbers on a standard Sudoku grid where rows, columns, and 3×3 boxes must each contain digits 1 to 9 with no repeats. The two boards are not independent. Your choices on the match board influence which digits enter your queue, and your Sudoku progress can feed back into the match side through row, column, and box rewards.

That hybrid creates a distinct tempo. You are not only looking for the next swap; you are also asking which colors will roll digits you still need, whether your queue has room for cascades, and whether the next placement keeps the Sudoku solvable. The game is designed to reward planning over mindless chaining, while still allowing satisfying combos when the board lines up.

Core gameplay loop

1. Match phase. When your number queue is empty, swap adjacent gems on the match board. Valid swaps form lines of three or more of the same color in a row or column. Clears can cascade; longer lines and combos add score and may add more tokens per clear.
2. Queue. Successful clears add digits to a limited hand. You must place or resolve those tokens before you can swap again, which turns the Sudoku into a pacing mechanic, not a separate minigame.
3. Place phase. Tap a queued digit, then a highlighted cell that respects Sudoku rules. Undo and redo apply to placements so you can recover from a mis-tap; match swaps are not undone.
4. Limit. Each full round of match place consumes from a match budget shown in the header. Running out while the grid is still incomplete ends the run, so efficiency matters across the whole puzzle, not only the final cells.

Difficulty, tutorial, and fair competition

Easy, medium, and hard modes mainly differ in how many Sudoku cells start filled (more clues on easier settings). The tutorial uses a fixed, gentler puzzle and on-screen guidance so you can learn the interface without leaderboard pressure. Only completed non-tutorial runs are eligible for ranked leaderboard entries; that keeps competitive tables comparable.

Leaderboard and display names

When configured, scores from winning runs can sync to a global leaderboard with daily, weekly, and all-time windows (periods use UTC). You set a display name in settings; that label is what others see next to your best results. See our privacy policy for how identifiers and scores are handled.

Practical tips for new players

• Use the color numbers legend: each gem color rolls digits from a fixed pool. Aim to clear colors that can still produce numbers missing from your grid.
• Before placing, check not only immediate legality but whether the digit forces a dead end later, especially when several queue entries compete for the last cells in a unit.
• Watch the match budget when the Sudoku still has many empty cells; plan matches before you are forced to stall with an empty queue.