Gemlane

Gemlane is a falling-gem puzzle that runs in your browser. Columns of three gems drop down a tall board. You slide each column left or right, change the order of its colors and drop it where it helps, aiming to line up three or more gems of the same kind. Matches flash and disappear, and the game ends when the stack reaches the top.

How to play

1. Press Play, then pick Easy, Medium or Hard on the level screen. A Controls box explains the keys; press OK.
2. Wait for the GO! message. A column of three gems starts falling from the middle of the top.
3. Move it with the left and right arrow keys, one column per press. The board is 12 gems wide.
4. Press Space to change the current colors, and the down arrow to drop the column faster.
5. Line up three or more gems of the same kind to clear them. Your score goes up and the clock keeps counting down.
6. When the stack reaches the top, the Results panel shows your score and level. Choose Restart to try again.

What you see on screen

• Score: top left. The scores we saw in our test runs were 15, 30, 35 and 45.
• Next: a small box at the top right that shows the column that will fall after this one.
• Time: a clock that starts at 60:00 and counts down.
• Level: a number under the clock, and a yellow pause button next to the Next box.
• Gems: five kinds in our test: red square, blue square, yellow diamond, green pentagon and grey diamond.
• Top Score: on the start screen. It was still there after we reloaded the page, so it is kept on your device.

Game features

• Falling columns of three gems on a 12 by 19 board
• Three levels with a meadow, a desert and a canyon backdrop
• Next-column preview, score, level, clock and pause button
• Keyboard and touch controls
• No sign-up and no ads inside the game

Controls

• Left and right arrow keys: move the column one place
• Down arrow: drop the column
• Space: change the current colors
• On a touch screen: tap to change colors, swipe left or right to move, swipe down to drop

Tips

• Do not drop every column straight down. In our 9 runs doing only that, the board filled in 7.5 to 9.4 seconds and 6 of the 9 runs scored nothing.
• You start in the 7th column from the left: 6 steps reach the left wall and 5 steps reach the right wall.
• Use the free time. A column falls about one row every 2 seconds by itself, so there is time to move it before it lands.
• Look at the Next box and plan where the following colors will go.
• Read our falling gem puzzle tips for the numbers behind these tips.

Frequently asked questions

How do you play Gemlane?

Move each falling column of three gems with the arrow keys, change its colors with Space and drop it with the down arrow. Line up three or more gems of the same kind to clear them.

What ends a run?

The run ends when the stack of gems reaches the top of the board. The Results panel then shows your score and level.

How big is the board?

We counted 12 columns and 19 rows. The column you control starts in the 7th column from the left.

Is my top score saved?

Yes. The Top Score on the start screen was still there after we reloaded the page, so it stays on your device.

Do the three levels fall at different speeds?

Not at the start of a run, as far as we could measure. A column fell about 20 pixels per second on Easy and about 22 on Medium and Hard, a difference of about 10 percent.

Is Gemlane free?

Yes. It is free to play in your browser on Yes This Game, with no download and no sign-up.

Can I play it on a phone?

Yes, in landscape. Turn the phone sideways: tap to change colors, swipe left or right to move and swipe down to drop. Held upright, the game asks you to turn the phone.