Caves and Castles: Underworld

Really cute match-3 game. Nice concept with the dungeon crawling aspect. My only complaint is that it's not long enough. I hope there are more chapters to come!

Simple Match 3 game. It contains a small story that gets you going (earn money to rebuild a castle). There are 35 to 40 mines (levels) to explore; some of which are replayed after about 1h30 because you still need money. There's no possibility to select the level played. While very short, it's still a good game to kill time. Maybe my one complaint would be the "not too great" responsiveness of the purely match-3 part (moving tiles with the mouse) It ran without issue on Win7 64bit

This is a fun and interesting Match 3 game. Your character moves around a maze. They keep move until they reach an intersection. You then have a choice as to which way to go. Once you start in that direction, you cannot stop and turn around. You follow the path until you reach another intersection, the end of the path (which turns your character around and brings them right back to the intersection), an obstacle, or the exit. It's not free-roam. When they reach an obstacle, you use Match 3 basics to Match around the object and destroy it. This is where all of the Matching comes in. There are different obstacles and different ways to destroy them. Match around the object to destroy it, speed match until the bar reaches full, and drop keys to the bottom of the board. Defeat the hazard, and your character keeps going. There are items to find in the mazes. Animals to free, coins and chests to collect, essence to find, etc. Finding these items allows you to upgrade the castle. The challenge and puzzle solving is figuring out which may to go in the maze. You don't want to head to the exit before you've done everything else. So, while your character is moving, you kind of have to see the exit and figure out which way it leads ... then don't go that way until you are ready. Match 3 is fun, too. Overall, and interesting addition. It's not very difficult and the choices for upgrades will eventually all get picked. Still, it's a great casual time waster.

In this video I take a look at Caves and Castles: Underworld, a casual match three game from Alawar Premium. I was pleasantly surprised by this title. It has your usual casual game concept, complete a diorama with game play earnings, but it's implemented in it's own unique way and it's a nice change. The match three game play is incorporated through the use of cave exploration where you can collect items and animals as you pass match three barriers. The match three's main game play focus is removing obstacles by matching items adjacent but there are a number of variations like speed matching levels and getting items to the bottom of the grid. I feel this game has it's own identity making it a unique title that's a great addition to the casual game genre. I enjoyed my time playing it. Watch the video to see what the game is like..... https://youtu.be/dFZlhj0Rot8 Video curation, providing you with as many Let's Play's as we can. Thanks for watching. Please like comment and subscribe.

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Rating partly based on the price. It's a simple enough match 3 wrapped in a vaguely unique story idea and a concept of clearing the gems/blocks to allow a character to move through. If it's super cheap and you love match 3 games it might be worth a look.

애니팡+어드벤쳐=혼종?

Caves and Castles: Underworld is a relaxed, puzzle-focused adventure that blends familiar match-three mechanics with light progression and a gentle fantasy theme. Rather than aiming for complexity or high difficulty, the game is clearly designed to provide a steady, low-stress experience where small victories accumulate into visible progress. From the outset, it frames its puzzle gameplay within the simple goal of descending into underground caverns to uncover treasure while gradually restoring a ruined castle above, giving players a sense of purpose that extends beyond individual puzzle boards. The core gameplay revolves around match-three puzzles that feel immediately accessible. Players swap adjacent gems to create rows or columns of matching tiles, clearing obstacles and generating resources as a result. What makes this system more engaging than a purely abstract puzzle game is how each successful match ties directly into exploration and advancement. Clearing certain tiles opens new cave paths, breaks through stone barriers, frees trapped elements, or unlocks chests, creating the illusion that each puzzle is physically shaping the underworld beneath the castle. This connection between puzzle outcomes and environmental progress helps maintain motivation, even as the mechanics themselves remain familiar. As players move deeper underground, the puzzles begin to introduce more varied objectives. Some levels focus on collecting specific items, others limit the number of moves available, and later stages ask players to clear layered obstacles or fill progress meters within tight constraints. While none of these challenges drastically reinvent the match-three formula, they add enough variation to keep the experience from becoming completely monotonous. Difficulty increases gradually, ensuring that the game remains approachable for casual players while still requiring a bit of planning and foresight in later sections. Above ground, progression takes the form of castle restoration. Coins and resources earned from puzzle completion are used to rebuild structures, unlock new areas, and visually transform the once-crumbling stronghold. This aspect is largely linear and cosmetic, but it provides satisfying feedback by letting players see tangible results of their efforts. Watching the castle evolve as more of the underworld is explored adds a comforting sense of continuity and reinforces the feeling that every puzzle contributes to a larger journey rather than existing in isolation. Visually, Caves and Castles: Underworld adopts a colorful, hand-drawn aesthetic that suits its casual tone. The caves are bright and readable, with clearly defined tiles and obstacles that make puzzle objectives easy to understand at a glance. Animations are simple but expressive, and the overall presentation feels welcoming rather than overwhelming. The interface is clean and intuitive, making it easy for players to settle into longer sessions without feeling fatigued by clutter or excessive visual effects. The game’s pacing is deliberately gentle. There is no pressure to play quickly, no reflex-heavy mechanics, and no punishment for taking time to think through a move. This makes it well suited for players who enjoy puzzle games as a way to relax rather than compete. However, this same approach also defines its limitations. Exploration is largely symbolic, with movement through caves represented by selecting stages rather than actively navigating a world, and castle building offers little strategic choice beyond steady upgrades. Overall, Caves and Castles: Underworld succeeds as a cozy, accessible puzzle adventure that emphasizes consistency and charm over depth and innovation. It does not attempt to redefine the match-three genre, but instead refines a familiar formula by anchoring it to a light narrative of exploration and restoration. For players who enjoy casual puzzle games with a sense of progression and a friendly fantasy atmosphere, it offers a pleasant and undemanding experience that can be enjoyed in short bursts or extended play sessions alike. Rating: 5/10