Match-three has been confirmed as the biggest subgenre in the US iOS market, representing 21 per cent of the market's revenue.

That's according to GameRefinery's match-three genre snapshot report, which also stated that 81 per cent of the top-grossing 200 match-three games are more than two years old.

Player motivations for picking up and sticking with match-three titles were found to be thinking and solving, completing milestones, improving skills.

Additionally, consistent live events in-game were found to be imperative for player retention and engagement.

Evergreen rules

"Evergreen hits like Candy Crush Saga, Toy Blast and Candy Crush Soda Saga continue to be major contributors to Match3 games’ success," said GameRefinery US chief game analyst Erno Kiiski.

"These mature titles represent a more 'traditional' approach as they focus solely on core gameplay, i.e. crunching candies and tiles. However, the second wave of Match-threes lead by titles like Gardenscapes and Homescapes have brought deeper meta layers to the mix, gaining a significant foothold in the charts."

Playrix's Gardenscapes dethroned Candy Crush Saga for monthly global consumer spend in April 2020, the first time the sweet puzzler has missed the top spot since November 2012.

One title that will be looking to make its mark on the match-three market will be Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells from Zynga, which recently debuted its first trailer, giving glimpses of iconic locations from the world of magic.