Animal Link
Match two cute animals with a line of up to three straight parts.
How to play Animal Link
Animal Link is a fast matching game. The board is full of tiles with cute animals. Every animal appears an even number of times. Clear the board by removing matching pairs before the timer bar runs out.
Goal
Remove all the tiles to clear the stage. Each stage you clear gives bonus points for the time you have left, and the next stage starts with a fresh board.
Turn by turn
- Click or tap a tile. It lights up.
- Click a second tile with the same animal.
- If the two can be joined by a line made of at most three straight parts (so at most two turns), a line flashes between them and both tiles disappear.
- The line may only pass through empty squares. It may also run around the outside of the board, along the empty border.
- If there is no such line, you hear a buzz and the second tile becomes your new pick.
Stages that slide
From stage 2 on, the tiles move after every pair you take: they slide down, left, up or right, or close in from the sides. The name of the slide is shown above the board. Watch how the board shifts and plan with it.
Hints, shuffles and time
Hint lights up one pair that can be removed. Shuffle mixes the remaining tiles. You start with 3 hints and 2 shuffles and get one more of each for every stage you clear. If no pair can be removed at all, the board is shuffled for free. You can undo your last pair once.
End of the game
The game ends when the timer bar is empty. Your score is 10 points per pair plus the stage bonuses. The Level menu sets the board size: Easy has 60 tiles, Medium 96 and Hard 144. On a phone the board turns upright to fit the screen. Like matching games? Try Mahjong Solitaire or Memory Match.
Strategy tips
- Start at the edges. Tiles on the outside can use the empty border, so they are the easiest to link. Clearing them opens the inside.
- Look for neighbours first. Two equal tiles side by side always link. Take them quickly to save time.
- Do not break your last pair. When only two of an animal are left, make sure you do not block the only path between them.
- Read the slide. On stages where tiles slide, removing a pair pulls other tiles in. Take pairs that will bring matching tiles together.
- Save hints for the end. Late in a stage there are few tiles and few paths. A hint then saves the most time.
Animal Link FAQ
What counts as a valid link?
A line made of up to three straight parts, with no more than two turns, that passes only through empty squares. It can run around the outside of the board.
Is this like the Pikachu or Onet games?
Yes, it plays like those classic connect games. Animal Link has its own original animal tiles and stages where the tiles slide after each match.
What happens if no pair can be removed?
The game shuffles the remaining tiles for free, so you are never stuck. Your own Shuffle button is for when you simply cannot find a move.
Does the timer stop when I leave?
Yes. The timer pauses when you switch tabs or press pause, and your game is saved. When you come back, tap the board to go on.
