Merge Dragons!

Almost everything in Merge Dragons! can be combined into something better. Three saplings become a young tree, three trees become a grove, and the same simple rule runs through the whole game: drag matching objects together and they evolve into a stronger version. It is set in Dragonia, a green vale in the clouds that has been cursed by creatures called Zomblins, and your job is to heal it piece by piece.

Dragons do most of the work. You match eggs to hatch them, and each new breed — there are 37 to discover, with eight growth stages — flies around your camp harvesting plants, coins, and treasure for you. Matching Life Essence lets you push back the dead land, and matching the Gaia statues buried in each level is how you clear its puzzle.

There is a lot of it, too. More than 180 puzzle levels hide nearly 900 quests, plus secret levels tucked away for anyone who explores. Between levels you build up your home camp, clearing the fog as your dragon power grows. Events roll around every couple of weeks, daily quests keep small rewards coming, and you can join a Den to compare camps with friends.

It is a gentle game, best played in short relaxed sessions, and it works happily without an internet connection. Merge Dragons! is free to play with optional in-game purchases, including some random items. If you like match puzzles but want something slower and cosier than the usual timer-based games, this is a lovely pick.