Turn-based boards
When a match board has an opponent taking turns against you
Add an opponent to a match board and almost every habit from ordinary puzzles becomes a liability.
Last checked · 8 min readJewel board notes · Darwin
Jewel boards, and the rules sitting underneath them
Ostervaine covers the gem-coloured corner of casual puzzles, which is broader than it first looks: boards where an opponent takes a turn, boards you shoot at rather than swap on, and boards buried under three layers of obstacle. Different inputs, one set of underlying rules.
What this site does and does not do
Three commitments. They decide most of what appears here and most of what does not.
Mechanics are tested, not assumed
A rule goes on this site after it has been seen behaving the same way repeatedly. Where behaviour differs between platforms or versions, that is stated rather than smoothed over.
Official listings only
Every game link goes to the developer's own store page. No files are hosted here and no modified client is linked from any page, regardless of what it claims to offer.
No currency, no accounts, no giveaways
Ostervaine cannot add gems, gold or lives to any game and does not pretend otherwise. One PDF written here is for sale; every guide on the site is free and stays that way.
Start here
When a match board has an opponent taking turns against you
The board looks like an ordinary match grid. Then something on the other side of the screen takes a turn, and everything you know about clearing tiles has to be re-examined. The key insight is that you are no longer optimising your own progress, you are managing what you leave behind for someone else.
All guides
Four guides covering four different board shapes. Filter to whichever one is currently defeating you.
Shooter boards
Shooter boards: aiming, bank shots and what makes a cluster fall
Clearing colours is not the goal on these boards. Detaching the cluster from what holds it up is.
Last checked · 7 min read
Obstacles
Obstacle layers, and the order they have to come off in
Modern levels are rarely hard because of the matching. They are hard because of what is stacked on top of the board.
Last checked · 7 min read
Events
Daily events, streaks, and what they are actually for
Events are not extra content added out of generosity. Understanding what they are for makes them much easier to use on your own terms.
Last checked · 6 min readGames covered in these guides
All free to install in Australia, all with optional purchases inside the game. Links open the developer's official listing.
| Game | Studio | What the board asks for | Board style | Official listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gems of War |
505 Games | Match to fill ability meters while an opponent does the same | Square grid, alternating turns | Google Play App Store |
 Bubble Witch 3 Saga |
King | Fire at a hanging cluster until the goal falls | Hanging cluster, aim and shoot | Google Play App Store |
 Royal Match |
Dream Games | Clear layered obstacles to reach the stated goal | Square grid, swap two neighbours | Google Play App Store |
| Bejeweled Stars |
Electronic Arts | Score-driven boards with tile modifiers that persist | Square grid, swap two neighbours | Google Play App Store |
Ratings, download counts and prices change too often to be worth reprinting. The linked listing always shows the current values for Australia.
Written in Darwin · A$14
The Jewel Board Handbook
Four board families in one PDF: turn-order boards, shooter boards, obstacle layers and the event schedules wrapped around them, with diagrams the web pages have no room for. Requested by form, paid by transfer off the site, delivered by email.
Common questions
Is Ostervaine run by any of these studios?
No. It is an independent site written by one person in Darwin, with no connection to King, Dream Games, 505 Games, Electronic Arts, Apple or Google, and no ability to affect anything inside a game.
Can you send me gems, gold or lives?
No. Those exist only inside the games and only the games issue them. Any site promising them for an account login is attempting to take the account.
Why is there no rating column in the table?
Because ratings change weekly. A figure written here would be stale within a month, and a stale number pretending to be current is worse than none at all.
Do these guides apply to both app stores?
Yes for the board rules, which behave identically. Interface layout, event schedules and purchase flows can differ between platforms, and the guides flag it when that matters.
Are the games free?
All four are free to download in Australia and each sells optional extras. Some also carry advertising. Both facts are stated on the store listing before you install.
What is the handbook you sell?
A PDF I wrote, A$14, requested through a form and emailed after a bank transfer. It is the only thing sold from this site, and it contains writing rather than anything that exists inside a game.
Can you help with a charge or a lost account?
No. Charges are handled by Google or Apple, whichever store took the payment, and account problems go to the studio's own support. Neither runs through this site.