9 Games like NYT Tiles & NYT Tiles Alternatives [2025]

NYT Tiles is one of the popular games developed and published by the New York Times. It is a tile-matching mind game where you have to simply match the tiles with similar designs and continue to make combinations to keep your chain ongoing.

Moreover, it only offers one free play per account each day, and if you wish to try more times, then you have to subscribe and unlock Zen mode. Now, those who could, went ahead with the subscription, but other users are currently searching for more similar games.

Indeed, the Internet will show you a big list of games to try out, but which of them are truly worth your time and are fun? If you don’t know, then continue reading because this article includes a well-sorted list of the best games like NYT Tiles currently trending in the market.

List of Games like NYT Tiles:

Tiles Unlimited NYT

Platform(s): Web

Tiles Unlimited NYT might be the ultimate game you are looking for. It is entirely similar to NYT Tiles, but with the twist that it is a free and unlimited version where you can try the puzzle as many times as you want in a single day, without subscribing or paying a single penny.

Additionally, it lets you test your abilities in making combinations and pairing elements, changing the complexity level with every new puzzle. Now, it does have some vibrant-looking tiles compared to NYT Tiles single colored, but the designs are almost similar and fun to match.

How to Play?

Analyze the puzzle and start matching similar designs.
Once you make a combination, the number of current combinations and the longest combination you have had will be recorded below the puzzle box.
Likewise, continue making combinations to complete the puzzle, and you always have an option of switching to a new game or restarting the same.

Unlimited Tiles

Platform(s): Web

Unlimited Tiles is practically a website that offers multiple different tile games, along with a few other mind games. While it has tiles games with similar tiles to NYT Tiles, it also has some other designs and elements with similar gameplay, in case you want a change.

Moreover, Unlimited Tiles has a similar combination system as you see with NYT Tiles, with similar combinations of skill requirements, and an identical theme, which you can change by opting for another tile game from the same website.

How to Play?

If you are trying the balloon element tile game – then you only have to find the pairs and match them.
Click on tiles and combinations will be made, and the current combination along with the longest combination will be recorded below the puzzle box.
The game will also tell you how many parts are left before the puzzle is over, so, continue to match till it’s over.

Mahjong

Platform(s): Web, Android, and iOS

When it comes to matching tiles, many people would have already thought about Mahjong — one of the classics we have been hearing about since our childhood. It used to be already installed in our monitors before and now you can try it on a web browser as well as download the free apps.

Additionally, although the structure of tiles and the theme of Mahjong are different from what you see in NYT Tiles, they share the core similarities of gameplay where you have to match two tiles, make a combination, and progress. Yes, the scoring and statistics system might also differ, but the game is worth a shot.

How to Play?

Analyze the puzzle and start making pairs – making sure you check the symbol correctly and also which tiles are available for matching.
Continue to match, and you can check your scores and the time passed solving the puzzle if you’re playing on the Web.
Lastly, in case you get stuck somewhere, you can either ask for a shuffle of tiles, get a hint, undo your last action, and start a new game.

Tile Match Flowers

Platform(s): Web

Tile Match Flowers is another interesting time-matching game where you get similar designs to match. It comes with a similar combination and chain system where you can go for 2 tiles, but creating a chain will get you extra points and your score will increase.

Additionally, Tile Match Flowers doesn’t come with a time limit, but it does count the time you spend on solving a single puzzle and has a ton of puzzles to be solved, each coming with different difficulties and complexity levels.

How to Play?

Analyze the grid of flowers and also the patterns behind them.
Start by matching pairs, and if 2 tiles don’t have flowers anymore, try to match the tile pattern with another similar pattern, even if the tile has a different flower on it.
Similarly, increase your pace if you can and match the pairs, create combinations to complete the level.

Tile Match: Zen Master

Platform(s): Android

Tile Match: Zen Master Comes with a bit of a unique concept – a triple-match puzzle that is one step ahead of all the games you have read about so far and has addictive yet peaceful gameplay. Here, instead of matching pairs, you have to crush three tiles at once to progress.

Also, Tile Match: Zen Master Comes with plenty of levels where difficulty only increases, and its core similarities with our main game could be that they both offer matching tiles as gameplay, although Tile Match: Zen Master goes a bit deeper when it comes to themes, boosters, scoring, etc.

How to Play?

Analyze the grid carefully, because tiles will be kept on one another and only the ones on the above line will be available to match.
Match 3 same elements to move ahead, and you can also try different game modes to have different gameplay experiences.
Similarly, continue to match and you can also use the boosters if you have any, whenever you are stuck.

Triple Tile

Platform(s): Android

Triple Tile comes with an exciting, epic adventure of matching puzzles, where the game offers multiple thrilling experiences in challenges and brain-panicking fun puzzles to test your match-3 puzzle skills.

Here, you are provided with tiles one on the other, whose complexity levels fluctuate with every new puzzle game, and similar to what you see in NYT Tiles, you have to match the tiles and progress, although this game asks for 3 matches instead of 2.

How to Play?

Analyze the puzzle carefully, and you will only have 7 blocks to fill in 3 same elements and match.
If you want to match an element, tap on it, and it will be transferred to the block mentioned below the puzzle, then tap on the other 2 elements to make a match.
In case you get stuck at some point, then, if you have any boosters, you can use them and complete the level.

Tile Crush

Platform(s): Android and iOS

Tile Crush is another brain-exercising triple-match puzzle video game where the gameplay only revolves around you matching the same tiles at a time to progress. Additionally, you get different challenges with every new puzzle and can also enjoy weekly events.

Overall, Tile Crush and NYT Tiles share the same similarities of matching tiles to progress, but why you don’t see any proper hints or boosters while playing NYT Tiles, Tile Crush comes with preferably a better experience if you want to try some better than just matching tiles.

How to Play?

Analyze the puzzle grid.
You will have 7 blocks that will be filled with every tap, so tap on only those tiles that have similar tiles available to match.
Similarly, make 3 matches, and you can also use boosters if you get stuck.

Match 3D

Platform(s): Android and iOS

Match 3D is also a matching game where you have to match 3 elements to progress like in NYT Tiles, but here’s the catch – instead of giving you a grid of puzzles, Match 3D simply throws all the elements in front of you and you have to look for similar elements to match.

Indeed, Match 3D brings in a totally new experience and it is something more than just matching tiles to progress. It does have a scoring system as you see in NYT Tiles, but things are a bit more serious here than in NYT Tiles.

How to Play?

Analyze all the elements you can clearly see in the crowd.
Start finding the pair for all the available items.
Continue to match 3 elements, and if you get stuck, you always have an option of using boosters, if you have any.

Tile Master 3D

Platform(s): Android

Tile Match 3D brings in another 3D experience – claims to be a royal match master puzzle video game in the 3D realm of grocery collection. Here, as you might have guessed, you will meet with a different matching theme and the elements will come in the form of different groceries.

Also, the game has multiple different layouts for you to try and refresh your mind from the usual matching tile style, and although this game doesn’t have any core similarities with NYT Tiles, we still recommend it for its concept, cheerful theme, and addictive gameplay.

How to Play?

Instead of a grid of elements/tiles, you will be given multiple different elements thrown on the screen.
From that crowd, you have to find 3 same items, like a sandwich, volleyball, burger, pizza, cake slice, etc, and match them.
You will only have 7 blocks that will be filled with every tap you make on any item, so analyze carefully, and make moves.