Crystal Champions on WorldWinner: rules and scoring
By PlayWorldWinner Editorial Team
First published Reviewed How it is researched
Independent guide, not operated by WorldWinner. Disclosure
Crystal Champions is WorldWinner's three-minute match-3 game. You swap adjacent gems on an eight-by-eight grid to line up three or more of one color. A match scores 10 base points, chained matches climb to 210, and six levels multiply everything from x1.0 up to x3.5. Matches of four or five create Fire, Starlight, and Void Gems. A separate PowerUp mode adds Gold Frames, Rocket Gems, and Hyperspeed. Practice is free, and you can compete for cash prizes where available.
18+. Cash tournaments charge entry fees and prizes are not guaranteed. Disclosure
Verified facts
Facts last reviewed .
- Category
- Puzzle Games
- Genre
- Match-3, Puzzle, Timed
- Session
- 3 minutes per game (timed)
- Modes
- 4 modes
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android
- Practice play
- Yes, free
- Cash tournaments
- Yes, where available
How to play Crystal Champions
- Objective
- Score as many points as possible in three minutes by arranging gems into lines of three or more of the same color. Special Gems and Void Gems add bonus points, and scoring enough points advances the game through six levels, each with a higher multiplier. WorldWinner's overview sums it up as clearing all levels to spend the most time at the highest multiplier.
- Setup
- The game begins with an eight-by-eight grid filled with randomly placed gems. When gems are matched they disappear, the gems above fall to fill the gaps, and new gems drop in from the top so the board always holds 64. A timer at the bottom of the screen counts down from three minutes, and the screen also shows the score and the current level. When a level is reached, the grid is cleared and refilled, and any unused Special Gems and Void Gems carry over.
- Controls
- Choose two horizontally or vertically adjacent gems to swap them. The swap is only allowed if it creates a line of three or more identical gems; matches cannot be made diagonally. Live Swaps let the player swap other gems while earlier matches are still falling, which extends a chain. A Hint button highlights a gem that can be swapped, and a hint also appears automatically after 15 seconds of inaction. Either kind of hint costs 50 points.
- How a game ends
- The game ends when the three-minute timer runs out. If the board ever has no possible moves, it is refilled with new gems and play continues; WorldWinner states there is no scoring penalty for this, but it costs time.
What Crystal Champions looks like
How Crystal Champions scoring works
The values below are those published in WorldWinner's help center article for Crystal Champions (the standard mode), as of the review date on this page. Every value is multiplied by the current level multiplier. Values can change between releases, so see the in-game scoring table for current values.
| Action | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Match (base score) | 10 points | The first match made by a move. |
| Additional matches from the same move | 2nd 20, 3rd 30, 4th 40, 5th 60, 6th 80, 7th 110, 8th 160, 9th and beyond 210 | Counts matches made at the same time or through a chain reaction. |
| Gems in the match | 3 gems +0, 4 gems +10, 5 gems +20 | Added to the base score of that match. |
| Special Gems detonated during the collapse | 1st +20, 2nd +40, 3rd +50, 4th +60 | Running totals of 20, 60, 110, and 170. The bonus keeps rising by 10 for each additional Special Gem. |
| Starlight Gem detonation | +5 points per gem destroyed | A Starlight Gem clears its full row and column. |
| Void Gem swap | 75 for the Void Gem, 20 per normal gem, 60 per Special Gem destroyed | Swapping a Void Gem does not create a match. It removes the swapped gem and every gem of that color. |
| Level multiplier | Level 1 x1.0, Level 2 x1.5, Level 3 x2.0, Level 4 x2.5, Level 5 x3.0, Level 6 x3.5 | Applies to all of the point values above. |
| Level thresholds | Level 2 at 500, Level 3 at 1,475, Level 4 at 3,075, Level 5 at 5,450, Level 6 at 8,750 | Score needed to advance. |
| Hint | Minus 50 points | Applies to the Hint button and to the automatic hint after 15 seconds of inaction. |
| No possible moves | No penalty | The board is refilled, which costs time but not points. |
Worked scoring example
Suppose one swap on Level 1 lines up four gems. The match scores the 10-point base plus 10 for four gems, 20 in total, and leaves a Fire Gem behind. The falling gems then form a second match of three (20) and a third match of three (30). The move is worth 20 + 20 + 30 = 70 points at the x1.0 multiplier. The identical sequence on Level 4 is multiplied by 2.5 and scores 175, which is why WorldWinner's first tip is to level up quickly.
Skill and fairness
The decisions that separate scores are the player's: whether a swap sets off one match or a chain, whether a line of four or five is built to create a Special Gem, whether Special Gems are detonated together for the rising bonus, and how fast the level thresholds are reached so that more of the three minutes is played at a higher multiplier.
Chance is present. WorldWinner's rules describe a grid filled with randomly placed gems, and the gems that fall in after a match are not known in advance. Pace, pattern recognition, and Live Swaps are the repeatable skills that WorldWinner's own tips focus on.
WorldWinner's help center states that all players within the same tournament are provided with the same starting hand, board layout, or cards, and that larger tournaments such as Fixed Prize Unlimited Entry events may use different ones of similar scoring potential. The Crystal Champions rules article itself does not describe how the gems that fall in during play compare between entrants.
Opponents are matched by a per-game skill rating, and WorldWinner states that players never face bots. Prizes go to the top scores under each tournament's posted structure, and no outcome is guaranteed.
Cash play varies by location, device, and account, and eligibility is checked before entry to a paid tournament. Practice games are free.
Expert tips for Crystal Champions
- Level up as fast as possible. WorldWinner's first tip is that the multipliers for higher levels make a huge difference. The same 70-point move is worth 245 at Level 6, so early speed pays twice: once for the points and again for the time spent at a higher multiplier.
- Look for swaps that make several matches. The first match of a move scores 10, but the fifth scores 60 and the ninth and later score 210 each. WorldWinner recommends looking for single swaps that start a long sequence of matches.
- Swap while gems are still falling. Live Swaps let a player make another swap before the board settles, which extends the chain. WorldWinner's tip is not to wait for previous matches to finish resolving.
- Detonate Special Gems together. The Special Gem bonus rises with each one detonated in the same collapse: 20, then 40, 50, 60, and so on. A Special Gem destroyed by another one detonates too, so placing them within reach of each other pays more than using them one at a time.
- Know how each Special Gem is made. A line of four leaves a Fire Gem, which clears the three-by-three area around it. Two joined matches of three in an L or T shape leave a Starlight Gem, which clears its row and column. A line of five leaves a Void Gem.
- Use Void Gems when the board is stuck. A Void Gem can be swapped with any gem and removes every gem of that color. WorldWinner suggests using one when matches are hard to find, since clearing a color usually creates many new matches. Swapping two Void Gems together clears the entire board.
- Carry Special Gems across a level change. Unused Special Gems and Void Gems stay on the board when the grid is refilled for a new level. One held until just after the level change is scored at the higher multiplier.
- Treat the Hint button as a trade. A hint costs 50 points, and one appears automatically after 15 seconds without a move. WorldWinner notes that a paid hint can still be worth it when it saves time, but a steady pace avoids the automatic one entirely.
- In PowerUp mode, clear Gold Frames first. PowerUp levels are cleared by removing Gold Frames, not by reaching score thresholds. WorldWinner's tips are to upgrade a gem next to an existing Special Gem for an immediate Special Gem swap, and to use two Rocket Gems together for frames on the edges of the board.
Keep reading
- Crystal Champions Strategy: How to Score Higher
- Block Puzzle for Real Money: Block Trail Tournaments on WorldWinner
- Match 3 for Real Money: Crystal Champions and Puzzle Match on WorldWinner
- Looking for Bejeweled Champions? What happened to it
- Looking for Bejeweled 2? What happened to it
- Looking for SwapIt? What happened to it
Crystal Champions modes
Standard game
Available nowThree minutes on an eight-by-eight grid with six score-based levels, Fire, Starlight, and Void Gems, and a Hint button.
PowerUp
Available nowA game mode in which each level is cleared by removing the Gold Frames behind the gems. It adds Rocket Gems (made with a two-by-two match, clearing a line in the direction of the arrow), swaps between any two Special Gems, and a PowerUp Meter that, when full, lets the player double tap a gem to upgrade it one tier (Fire, Rocket, Starlight, Void). Clearing a level starts Hyperspeed, which doubles points and removes one gem color for its duration, and completing the final level keeps Hyperspeed active to the end. WorldWinner's announcement says PowerUp mode has no Hint button. WorldWinner lists PowerUp base scores of 10, 20, and 30 points per gem for matches of three, four, and five, and 20 points per gem destroyed by a Fire, Rocket, or Starlight Gem.
Practice game
Available nowA free game with no entry fee and no cash prize, useful for learning Live Swaps and Special Gem patterns.
Head-to-Head and multiplayer tournaments
Available nowPaid-entry tournaments against opponents matched by skill rating, with prizes going to the top scores under the posted payout table. Formats on offer vary by account and location.
Crystal Champions questions, answered
- How does Crystal Champions work on WorldWinner?
- It is a three-minute match-3 game on an eight-by-eight grid. The player swaps two adjacent gems to line up three or more of the same color, matched gems disappear, and new gems fall from the top. Points build through chains, Special Gems, and six levels with rising multipliers.
- How is Crystal Champions scored?
- WorldWinner's help center lists 10 base points for a match, with additional matches from the same move worth 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 110, 160, and then 210. Matches of four and five gems add 10 and 20, Special Gem detonations add a rising bonus, and everything is multiplied by the level, from x1.0 at Level 1 to x3.5 at Level 6. See the in-game scoring table for current values.
- How long is a game of Crystal Champions?
- Three minutes. A timer at the bottom of the screen shows the time remaining, and the game ends when it runs out. PowerUp mode is also played against a game timer.
- What are Fire, Starlight, and Void Gems?
- A line of four creates a Fire Gem, which clears the three-by-three area around it when matched. An L or T shaped match creates a Starlight Gem, which clears its row and column. A line of five creates a Void Gem, which removes every gem of the color it is swapped with. Two Void Gems swapped together clear the whole board.
- How do levels work in Crystal Champions?
- In the standard game, levels are reached by score: 500 for Level 2, 1,475 for Level 3, 3,075 for Level 4, 5,450 for Level 5, and 8,750 for Level 6. Each level raises the multiplier by 0.5, up to x3.5. The grid is refilled on a level change, and unused Special Gems and Void Gems carry over.
- What is PowerUp mode in Crystal Champions?
- PowerUp is a game mode within Crystal Champions. Levels are cleared by removing Gold Frames, and the mode adds Rocket Gems, swaps between any two Special Gems, a PowerUp Meter that upgrades a gem by one tier, and Hyperspeed, which doubles points between levels. WorldWinner's announcement says the Hint button is removed in this mode.
- Does using a hint cost points in Crystal Champions?
- Yes. WorldWinner states that the player is penalized 50 points per hint. That applies both to pressing the Hint button and to the hint that appears automatically after 15 seconds of inaction.
- Can you play Crystal Champions for real money?
- WorldWinner offers Crystal Champions in paid-entry skill tournaments where players compete for cash prizes where available. Winnings are never guaranteed, and availability varies by location, device, and account. Practice games are free.
- Are there cheats for Crystal Champions?
- No legitimate ones. WorldWinner bans multi-accounting and collusion. The legitimate edges are the ones in WorldWinner's own tips: level up quickly, chain matches, use Live Swaps, and detonate several Special Gems at once.
