Manor Cafe Beginner’s Guide: Tips, Tricks & Strategies to Complete Levels Faster and Build The Restaurant of Your Dreams

Turkish game studio Gamegos has a new entry in the classic match 3 puzzle game space, called Manor Cafe. This mobile game appears to draw a lot of inspiration from already established titles in the match 3 category including Homescapes or Gardenscapes. Despite obviously sharing a backbone with the mentioned games, the developer did quite a good job at adding enough tweaks and variations to make Manor Cafe a fun and challenging alternative.

In Manor Cafe, the player has just acquired an old derelict mansion which they wish to see transformed into a deluxe restaurant. The main goal is to bring the manor’s old glory back by decorating and re-opening all its areas including the bar, dining hall, garden and more.

The game starts off by introducing Meg – your restaurant manager – and Bruno – the old grumpy chef. However, as players make headway in the game, they will unlock numerous other characters who have their own descriptions, as well as personalities. In addition, the game is also about discovering new and savory recipes for the café’s menu.

Perhaps unlike similar games you’ve played before, the story in Manor Cafe is a bit more elaborate – couples come together, characters develop friendships and even dislikes for one another. So while it’s totally possible to skip the renovation aspect of the game and just focus on completing match 3 levels, we think that it’s the story which actually makes the game stand out from the crowd.

Manor Cafe also seems to be more generous when it comes to serving up redecoration options, so it makes it easier to revamp the mansion according to your unique tastes. While the standard with most games of this kind is to offer 3 alternatives to choose from, Manor Cafe can, at times, give you up to 5 options.

Getting started with Manor Cafe is easy as pie. The game is built around a simple principle – match at least 3 similar titles to make them disappear from the board. Every level has its own set of objectives, for example, clearing a number of certain tiles off the board, which need to be completed before players can unlock the next stage. You also have a limited amount of moves to finish a stage, but not timer. Each time you beat a match 3 level, you earn a star, which is the currency needed to unlock decorations in the manor.

Like you’d expect, in the beginning levels are quite easy to solve, but by the time you’ve reached higher stages, things suddenly get a lot more complex, so you might require a few tries before clearing the customs.

Not to worry! We’re here to lend a helping hand, which is why we’ve created this Manor Cafe beginner’s guide designed to provide you with all the tips and tricks you need to be able to pass any level with ease and make your restaurant a popular attraction in town and beyond.

1. Aim For Tile Matches Of 4 Or More

Like it’s the case with many games in this genre, matching only 3 pieces at a time can only get you so far. This is why matching 4 or more tiles as frequently as possible is strongly recommended, especially during the tricky levels.

These combo matches are important because they unlock Power ups called Blasters, which sometimes hold the key to subdue the board. In order to keep winning in Manor Cafe, we advise that you make an effort and learn which combinations produce which Blasters by heart. We have listed all of them below in order to give you an idea of what they do and how to use them.

Fireworks: Players can make Fireworks by combining four tiles of the same color. This Blaster will clear an entire column or row, depending on how it was created. This is to say that if you matched a column of tiles, then you’ll have a horizontal blaster, whereas if you matched a row of titles, the result will be a vertical blaster. You can activate Fireworks – and all other Blasters for that matter, either by double tapping on them or swapping them with another tile. This ability, which is not present in every match 3 game, can sometimes be a matter of being able to finish the level or not.

Bomb: This type of Blaster can be created by matching five tiles of the same color in a L or T shape. A Bomb will have the effect of clearing quite a significant area on the board, including obstacles, so it comes in handy during many levels.

Missile: Missiles can be made by matching four tiles of the same color in a square pattern. Upon releasing a Missile on the board, it will clear four tiles in a cross pattern. After which, it will take off and perform one last act of annihilation by removing another tile, usually a locked piece or a level target.

Disco Ball: This is probably the most powerful Blaster you have at your disposal. It can be created by matching five tiles of the same color either horizontally or vertically. When swiped with a tile, the Disco ball will clear all the tiles of the same color off the board. Before rushing to use this Blaster, try assessing the situation and ask yourself – which tiles should you get rid of in order to make progress on the board? A special feature of the Disco ball is that it can be swapped with another Blaster and when that happens, it will multiply that Blaster across the board and in doing so will create a chain reaction of massive proportions.

Once you’ve made these Blasters, it’s a good idea to abstain from using them right away. Take your time to decide when it’s the right time to make use of their power. Weigh your strategy carefully before you proceed. Sometimes, when using the Disco ball for instance, it might be worth waiting until you can swap the Blaster with a specific type of tile. While in some cases you might be in luck and find that the exact tile you want is sitting next to the Blaster, other times you might have to perform a few matches in order to get the right piece in the desired spot.

There’s another reason why you might want to hold off from using Blasters immediately and we will detail the reason why below.

In the conclusion of this section, we should also note that if you have any leftover Blasters at the end of a level, they will be converted into coins which you can then spend on buying Power-ups and other stuff.

2. Combine Blasters To Solve Harder Levels

During tricky levels, your main goal should be to make as many Blasters as possible, and then try to combine them. Combining Blasters creates an incredible powerful effect that can be of tremendous help, especially when you’re racing to complete objectives.

You can combine any two Blasters, but keep in mind that a combo of two identical ones can also yield spectacular results. For example, merging two Bombs will clear away a much larger portion of the board than if you were using just one Bomb. Alternatively, merging two Fireworks will have the effect of cleaning the pieces both from columns and rows by using the combined force of the two.

Of course, we’re not saying to limit yourself to merging only identical Blasters. We suggest you give all combinations a shot and see which one works best for you, depending on situation. Below you can find all the possible options:

Fireworks + Bomb: If you swap a Bomb with a Firework a large explosion will be produced, and the Firework will clear away either a double column or row.

Fireworks + Missile: The Missile will hit a target and then the Firework will clear the column/row where the target was positioned.

Fireworks + Disco Ball: One of the most powerful combinations of the game, the Disco ball will multiply the Fireworks all over the board resulting in serial tile removals.

Bomb + Missile: If you swap a Missile with a Bomb, the Bomb will be taken to the Missile’s target where it will produce the explosion.

Bomb + Disco Ball: The Disco ball will multiply the Bomb Blaster all over the board eliciting a potential complete wipe out of all the tiles of the board.

Missile + Disco Ball: The Disco ball will multiply the Missile across the board resulting in several regions of tiles being wiped out.

Some levels make it easier for you to combine Blasters. For example, the ones that feature Trays of Blasters. To release some on the board you’re required to match items under these Trays. If you want to ensure you get a steady flow of Blasters during the level, you will need to clear the area under the Tray as often as possible. Once the Blasters are out and about, find a way get at least two of them in close proximity so you can combine them.

3. Make Use Of The Helping Tools Available If You’re Still Stuck

Other times the game doesn’t make it easy to create Blasters. The tiles don’t find themselves in the right arrangement or you don’t have a lot of space to create the right matches, so you’re forced to find other ways to untangle the board. In such cases, it might be a good idea to use the additional helping tools the game puts at your disposal.

For one, you have the option of equipping so-called Boosters before a game starts. This includes Disco balls, Double Missiles and Bomb/Fireworks combos. You can get these Boosters by completing levels, participating in special events, and through the reward system that grants Power ups as you progress in the game.

Boosters give you a nice little advantage during a level, as you will start off with some Blasters already present on the board. If you run out of them, you can always use the coins you’ve accumulated up to that point to purchase additional ones.

Still don’t think you can win? Don’t lose hope. At any stage in a level, you can go ahead and use Mallets or Rainbow Mallets. These tools are displayed on the left side of the screen and can be activated with a single tap.

Mallets are items that can clear a piece from one tile. They work on regular tiles or on obstacles such as Crates or Chains. Plus, you also have Rainbow Mallets which can remove all the pieces of a certain color from the board. This tool is extremely useful, especially during levels when the objective is to clear a set number of tiles of a given color.

How do you get Mallets? Well, it’s possible to obtain some just by visiting the game on a daily basis and taking advantage of the daily sets of rewards or by completing milestones. Alternatively, you can buy some using in-game money.

4. Constantly Tweak Your Strategy Depending On The Level You Are Playing

Manor Cafe is an inexhaustible source of challenging levels, and while they are all quite varied between them, they can still be classified based on the types of obstacles or special tiles they make use of.

Based on the kind of level you are playing, you will need to devise different strategies as you won’t be able to apply the same tactic over and over again. The easiest levels contain no special tiles and can be solved fairly easily. The best plan here would be to start creating matches toward the bottom of the board. This way the incoming tiles from above will automatically create matches and maybe even supply you with a Blaster or two.

The majority of levels in Manor Cafe, however, feature some sort of obstacles that need to be cleared away one way or another. These can be things like Chains (which lock a tile into position), Crates or Honey which need to be removed before you can make full use of the board. Additionally, other levels feature special items which need to be collected including Cupcakes, Ice cream, Coffee cups, or Coconuts.

In any case, before you start your work on a board, always keep in mind that you need to create as much free space as you possibly can. This will increase your chance of making Blasters, and we already detailed in sections 1 and 2 how important they are, especially as the complexity of the games rises.

Make sure you explore, through trial and error, how you can use Blasters to your advantage on various obstacles. To give you a few examples, some Blasters are great for collecting Cupcakes (which come in trays). It’s faster to collect them using Bombs and Fireworks. So when playing a level in which you need to clear Cupcakes, make sure you focus on making and utilizing these two types of Blasters. Once the Cupcakes are removed, you will have a lot of free space so that you can form new Blasters to clear the remaining obstacles.

Alternatively, Fireworks aren’t so efficient when playing a level with Coconuts, as they won’t be able to clear a whole row/column, instead they will only destroy the first Coconut they encounter in their path.

In general, we suggest you use Blasters on obstacles that are hard to collect or to reach such as Popcorn or Candles, instead of using them on obstacles that can be removed through matches only. But depending on the number of moves you have left, using a Bomb to blow up a few easy obstacles could prove to be the winning solution.

Jam is another special kind of obstacle in the game, as it spreads across the board if left unattended. However, during such levels the best solution is not to get overly obsessed with removing it. One can complete a level without clearing all of the Jam (unless it’s stated as an objective), provided that you have enough spaces to make moves.

Another type of challenge you’ll encounter during levels is to find and release certain items like Juice bottles which are hidden under other tiles. Players can collect Juice bottles by matching in the near vicinity of Ice buckets and exploding them. The faster they explore and reveal the Juice boxes the fastest you can solve the level. We recommend you don’t leave this task until the end, because some bottles can be completely out of sight, so you will need to explore the whole board to find them.

5. Join A Club

Like in any mobile game, players will do well to collect as many resources as possible. In Manor Cafe, gold is essential and you can acquire it simply by completing levels. However, the game gives you a lot more chances to boost your finances.

One thing you should do, if you don’t ever want to worry about not having enough resources is join a club. From the main menu find the Club icon on the left part of the display and search for a club (or start one yourself). Check to see if it is full and if it isn’t tap to join it.

Once you are in, you can start reaping the benefits. Being part of a club is useful for several reasons. First off, you can claim gifts once other club members start completing challenges in the game. These can range from coins to Power-ups like Mallets. At some point, club members can also ask for your help if, for example, they run out of lives. Give them a hand and in return you will get more coins.

Fortunately, Manor Cafe is not the sort of game where players routinely run out of lives. You start off with five of them, and if you lose a game, a life will be extracted from that total. However, from our experience you rarely end up not being able to play a level due to the lack of lives. If it happens, you can always ask a friend (but you’ll need to Log in with Facebook for that) or the club for help.

Additionally, clubs come in handy because they host Yacht races. These are events that happen occasionally throughout the game. Players are enrolled in races automatically, and by clearing stages they stand to receive points in the form of red flags. Obtain enough flags and you’ll be able to unlock several chests. A lower tier chest can contain a single Mallet, but a higher tier one can unlock 60 minutes of unlimited life, a Disco ball and two Mallets. You can compete for several leagues ranging from Copper to Master with rewards getting better and better as you make your way to the top.

6. Take Advantage Of The Special Events

Find yourself in need of more coins or Power-ups? Make sure to be on the lookout for the special events that keep popping up throughout the game. When such events are ongoing, it is recommended that you log in and play because that’s when you can have your fill of gifts and chests filled with goodies.

To give you an example, during Juice Frenzy players are challenged to fill the pitcher by squeezing oranges in exchange for rewards. One can squeeze oranges by making and using Blasters during a level. Gather 40 and you will be able to unlock a small gift box, while 400 will get you a bigger one. Each event expires in approximately three days, so be sure to jump on board with them whenever they are available.

Other events are exclusively focused on getting you extra Blasters. For example, during one such occasion, players are awarded Blasters at the beginning of each level, and if they can embark on a winning streak, the number of Blasters offered is increased.

There you have it! This wraps up our Manor Cafe beginner’s guide and hopefully your strategy will become a lot more effective once you’ve read it all. Even if the game is not that different from others in the same genre, Manor Cafe still manages to offer quite a stimulating and rewarding experience. If you have played the game for a while now and know some extra tips or strategies that haven’t been touched upon in this guide, please don’t hesitate to leave us a comment!