A match-3 game lives or dies on its level progression. One level is easy to make. Three hundred is a content problem, a balance problem and a boredom problem all at once. Here is the structure I used for Instant Candy Pop, a free match 3 game that runs in the browser with no download.

Chunk the levels into worlds

I did not design 300 levels. I designed 6 worlds of 50.

Strawberry Sunrise

Citrus Carnival

Mintwater Falls

Grape Twilight

Chocolate Peaks

Rainbow Citadel

A world is the right unit of design. It gets a palette, a mood, and, most importantly, a teaching job . Fifty levels is enough to introduce a new idea, let the player get good at it, and then combine it with older ideas.

One new thing at a time

The obstacle list in Candy Pop is jelly, candy crates, chocolate, frosted candy, locked candy and cherries.…