description Shariki Overview
Shariki is a 1994 puzzle game developed by Eugene Alemzhin for MS-DOS systems, recognized for establishing the core mechanics of the match-three genre. In the game, players swap adjacent colored balls on a grid to form horizontal or vertical lines of three or more identical items, which then disappear and award points. This swap-and-match design directly inspired highly successful later titles such as Bejeweled. The game was built for early personal computer users seeking accessible, logic-based entertainment.
help Shariki FAQ
How do you make a match in Shariki?
Swap two adjacent colored balls to create a horizontal or vertical line of at least three identical balls. The matched balls disappear, new balls fall from above, and every valid swap must produce a match.
What computer was Shariki made for?
Eugene Alemzhin wrote Shariki in 1994 for MS-DOS. Later listings also associate it with Windows, but MS-DOS is the platform tied to its original release.
Why is Shariki important to match-three history?
It is often cited as one of the earliest digital match-three games and a direct predecessor to later titles. PopCap Games' Bejeweled, released in 2001, popularized a closely related swap-and-match formula.
What happens when no moves remain in Shariki?
The game ends when the board has no possible swaps that create a match. Its original 1994 MS-DOS objective is to keep scoring until no match-producing move remains.
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