Villain, the indie game publisher that brought us the fantastic MMO-FPS Archtype on the iPhone has just released its first casual game for iOS devices, and of all things, it’s a match-3 game called Matchlings. With Matchlings, the company aims to deliver an addictive gaming experience to gamers of all ages. Check out the press release below for more details:


Villain Launches Lively Match-3 Game Matchlings: Archetype Publisher Launches First Casual App with Fast-Paced Matching Game Starring Interactive and Energetic Little Monsters

Cary, NC – July 11, 2011 – Villain™, an independent publisher of fiendishly entertaining mobile titles,  today launched its new casual iOS games initiative with the release of Matchlings, a fun, fast-paced matching game featuring in-your-face cartoon monsters as the puzzle pieces. The puzzle game is now available in the App Store for iPhone and iPod touch for US $0.99 while Matchlings HD for iPad and iPad 2 is $2.99.

In Matchlings, the monsters interact with each other using special abilities that aid in clearing levels while scoring bonus points. The little beasts laugh, cry, and even act bored if gamers are slow to act. Players can play three different modes, all of which feature ‘match 3’ horizontal and vertical matching.

“Matchlings delivers an addictive matching experience for gamers of all ages with a fun twist as the little monsters come alive to help players rack up huge scores,” said Dane Baker, CEO of Villain. “The deceptively simple gameplay brings a new level of in-your-face action to the match-3 genre, whether it’s a three-minute Dash session or a three hour Endless quest for an all-time high score.”


Players tap or swipe any two Matchling neighbors to get three in a row. When a star is earned from matches, gamers can double-tap any Matchling to unleash its special powers. Players can experiment with each monster’s unique abilities to rack up the most points.

Game characters include the shaggy Beast who can spin other characters to make them disappear, the tree monster Logoos who stretch out their branches to create complex match structures, the peg-leg tiger Pirates who march other characters out of the way to create a line of Pirates, and four additional cartoon personalities with unique abilities.

Matchlings and Matchlings HD have the following features:

  • Three entertaining modes: timing-based Dash, move-based Snare, and unlimited Endless
  • Earn stars to use power-ups to combine characters for massive points
  • Seven unique character types, each with special abilities
  • Share high scores with friends via Facebook
  • Game Center support with global leaderboards

For more information on Matchlings, visit villainhq.com/matchlings.