Merge Fables Beginner’s Guide: Tips, Tricks & Strategies to Quickly Build All the Fairy Tale Castles

MergeGames is an elusive indie publisher who recently made its debut on mobile with a game called Merge Fables. This title is a dead ringer for BigFish Games’ EverMerge, although this particular game features different characters and elements. In Merge Fables your job is to explore a mystical island on which you’re supposed to build you own fairy tale world. Players will join Dorothy and Toto (yes, the main characters from the Wizard of Oz) in their quest to uncover this fantastic land.

You’re in charge of helping the duo discover new fairy characters who are hiding around the island, as well as rebuild their magical castles from scratch.  This is a merge game, so the bulk of your activities in Merge Fables will consist of merging various elements in order to produce the resources needed to undertake all of your construction projects.

While it’s certainly easy to get a hang of Merge Fables and its mechanics, players will need to come up with an effective strategy in order to make progress quickly. Building castles is a pretty slow affair, but if you employ the right tactics you might be able to speed up the pace significantly. 

If you’ve recently started playing MergeGames’ first mobile game yourself, follow us in this Merge Fables beginner’s guide as we detail a series of tips, tricks and strategies that might help you take your budding merging skills to the next level. We’ll also explain everything there’s to know about this game, so you don’t have any doubts when heading into the land of magic.

1. Remember: Almost Everything Is Mergeable

Almost all elements you’ll stumble upon Merge Fables are mergeable. There are a few exceptions to this rule, of course, but you don’t need to worry about that too much. The basic gist is this – identical elements can be merged in pairs of 3, and this should be your main focus in this game – identifying matches of this sort.

Merging allows you to create higher-tier items which can then be merged again to unlock new elements until you reach the max level. Be sure to check the Merge book (in the lower right corner) to become acquainted with the complete progressions for each element.

For example, to get Jellybeans you’ll need to create a Jellybean tree, which is the max level element. You will have to start with Jellybean buds> Jellybean bush> Jellybean shrub. Merging 3 Jellybean shrubs will finally create a Jellybean tree which, in turn, produces the Jellybeans you need to prepare orders (more on that in section 3).

So in the initial stages of the game, try and merge all types of pieces and see what they can produce. Keep discovering new elements, and this way you can also collect some handy coins. Each time you’ve created a new piece, the game will unlock a small coin reward, so make sure you grab those by checking the Merge book frequently.

2. Always Merge 5 Items And Up

The basic recipe for merging is to use 3 identical pieces. This will create a single upper-tier element. Now, if you want to progress a lot faster, forget about the 3-piece merge and focus your efforts on creating larger mergers. The next in line is the 5-piece merge, which can create 2 items.

You can aim for progressively bigger matches, especially when you’re using basic elements such as the Yellow bricks or Ginger Snap. By merging 8 pieces you can get 3 new items, while 10 elements combined give yo 4 better ones. With 15 pieces of the same kind you can produce 6 new items, and so on.

Creating larger merges with more advanced elements might be difficult to do, because they take long to be crafted. However, you should have no issues in working towards bigger combinations with level 1, level 2 and level 3 items.

Our advice is to always aim for the larger combos when it comes to lower-tier items which can be made quickly, so you can produce higher-one types faster. These more advanced elements come with an additional caveat – they have to be built by Gnomes, and this takes time. This is not an issue for lower-tier buildings, because they can be made rather swiftly.

The good news is that you can skip over the last 30s of building time, and we recommend you always do that to cut waiting times. As for the more advanced constructions, Gnomes can take hours to complete them (unless you’re willing to spend Gems), while castle building projects extend over a whole day/night cycle.

3. Pay Attention To Orders And Tasks

The vast part of the world is Merge Fables lies hidden beneath a blanket of fog when you arrive on the mysterious island. To uncover new land, players need to find and collect Wands.

Wands are rewards that can be acquired by completing orders. All fairy tale characters you’ll come across in this game including Dorothy are constantly hungry and craving treats. They will request all kinds of sweets which can be made from the resources on the islands. For instance, Strawberry jam is made from Strawberry and Jellybeans.

Additional goodies are offered in exchange for orders including Copper ore which after rounds of merging can be turned into Coins of different value.  Moreover, sometimes players might also receive Amethyst chunks for making Gems.

It’s important to be constant in your order-making efforts. Keep producing them diligently, because you’ll need all the Wands you can get. Unlocking new parts of the island is also interlinked with leveling up. Keep merging to get XP until you unlock a new level. Then if you have enough Wands at your disposal, you can uncover a new piece of land.

While it might feel comfortable keeping all your merging activities in one place, you’ll soon run out of resources and space. The mines will eventually dry out and you won’t have room to drop new items anymore. This is why you need to work towards unlocking new parts of the island.

Like most things in this game, Wands are also mergeable, so if you have the patience to merge them, you’ll be able to grab more in one go. While a simple Wand actually contains 5 units, a second-tier Wand is worth 15 of them. Continue merging and you’ll be able to get your hands on more.

At the same time, make sure you don’t rush into a new area without having finished most of the projects in the current one. The world in Merge Fables is structured into areas – each inhabited by a different fantasy character with its own castle that you need to build. To simplify things, don’t de-fog a new area if you have unfinished business in the current area. This way you’ll avoid any confusion that might arise as you start getting new pieces from the next area mixed together with old types.

On top of orders, you also need to focus on the tasks the game sets out for you. You can find them on the left side of the display. Make sure you always do the Daily tasks for a range of rewards which includes Coins, Gems and eventually Chests. Additionally, pay attention to the extra tasks. They might bring additional benefits such as free Energy and XP points. So don’t skip them, they are really worth your time and trouble.

4. Get The Free Energy

Merge Fables has an energy system in place, which entails that players spend a small amount of Energy every time they mine for resources. Since mining is one of your chief focuses in this game, Energy resources will get depleted quite fast. Whenever that happens, players are supposed to take a break from playing and let Energy regenerate itself. The game alerts you, when the juice is available again so you can log back in.

For this reason, Merge Fables is a game that’s best played in sessions. You won’t be able to spend hours in it, but there are ways to extend the run a little bit. For starters, you need to visit the Shop. Locate the Energy bar in the game in the upper right corner, press on the “+” button next to it and claim some free energy.

Every 3.5 hours, you’ll be able to draw a free Energy bonus. Additionally, you can watch an ad in exchange for 30 Energy points. The offer is renewed in a few hours, so make sure you keep checking back in the Shop for additional stuff. Now, if you really really need some extra Energy because you’re just so close to finishing up a particular quest, you might consider paying 350 coins in exchange for 80 Energy points (+10). Here’s where having coins can really come in handy.

As we explained above, you can get Coins by completing orders and tasks. Don’t forget you can marge coins, and the more you do so the larger the sum which you ultimately get to redeem. Coins can also be purchased in exchange for Gems, although we don’t recommend players to do that.

5. Keep A Tight Leash On Gem Spending

Gems are premium resources in Merge Fables which can help you speed up the game considerably. Higher-tier constructions and deep mining take time to be completed, but it’s possible to cut the building time greatly by using your Gem stash.

The only trouble here is that Gems are quite rare, and so you shouldn’t be spending them on every task that takes a little longer. Gems can also be used to purchase missing items. For example, do you need extra Strawberries to complete a recipe? You can buy the extra ones you need with Gems and also complete the order instantly, if you have some to spare.

Gems are offered as rewards for completing tasks and you can also be created from Amethysts chunks which can occasionally be found in chests or emerge from your mining activities.

Our advice is to hold on to these Gems as much as possible. Spend them when you want to make progress fast and unlock a higher-tier building or take down the last part of a mine so you can access the resources within. For anything other than that, you should probably think twice before spending.

6. Get The Glowing Flying Dots

The glowing dots you see flying occasionally over your island bring free goodies. Whenever you notice them making their rounds, make sure you tap on them quickly before they disappear from view. When tapped, the glowing dots turn into level-1 items such as Wheat Shoots or Strawberry seeds. You can use these to create crops on your island and later harvest Wheat and Strawberry which are needed for recipes.

These glowing dots show up quite frequently in the game, so don’t worry if you haven’t managed to catch them in time. Keep your eyes open the next time around, and you will. Sometimes, the dots will be accompanied by a flying ad.

7. Opt For The Hammer Reward When Watching Ads

The game offers this up from time to time, so whenever possible take advantage of the opportunity, because at least at first, it’s your only avenue for obtaining Hammers.

If you put Hammers through their complete merging progression, you’ll end up creating a Super Gnome. These are super builders who can reduce build time by 1 hour. You’re normally assisted by normal Gnomes (initially you get 2 of those) which construct buildings at a regular speed.

Flying ads offer you the chance to grab Hammers (among other stuff), which are the building pieces for these super Gnomes. You’re supposed to choose from three options, and so we recommend that you always go for the Hammers. If the choice is not available, then select whatever object would benefit your gameplay instead. For example, a good idea is to opt for the Catalyst fragments, which is another useful level-1 element you can use to create a full Catalyst.

It’s possible to purchase fully-formed Super Gnomes from the store, although it’s quite an expensive thing to do. A 2-Super Gnome pack will take you back with a whopping 150 Gems.

Super Gnomes are best used on structures which have a large building time. Even if it takes longer than one hour to complete a certain construction, these handy Gnomes will subtract that hour from the total time, thus making the building available a lot faster.

Make sure you don’t use these Super Gnomes unless you have to, though. Don’t spend them on max level buildings either. Instead start construction on these types of structures when you’re ready to go to bed. This way, you save your Super Gnomes’ power, and will wake up the next morning to the new constructions ready and waiting for you. So don’t forget, let the standard Gnomes work through the night. Put them all to work and you can reap the benefits in the morning.

8. Use Catalysts To Quickly Build The Fourth Element For Your Castle

Your main mission in Merge Fables is to build castle for the fairy tale characters you encounter on the island. You will need a total of 4 maximum-tier pieces to start crafting the palace, but luckily the last one can usually be created a lot faster by using Catalysts.

These are magic crystals which you can create from Catalyst Fragments – level-1 items that can surface from Chests, as well as mining. Even more importantly you can get access to them by watching the sporadic ads that might be floating around your island together with the glowing dots.

The rule of aiming for larger merges applies here too. You can pair 2 pieces with a Catalyst to get one higher-tier element, but if you pair 4 pieces with a crystal the result will be 2 higher-tier elements. Make sure you use this knowledge, so you can take full advantage of your Catalysts

Just be careful not to overuse your Catalysts. It might be tempting to throw them in the mix whenever you’re trying to create any higher-tier building, but we strongly advise against that. The process of making new Catalysts can be a long one, because access to Catalyst Fragments is limited.

So our advice to you is to use the fully formed Catalysts only to create the fourth max level element that you need to start crafting a castle. Producing advanced pieces like this takes a lot of time, and the Catalysts allows you to speed up the process considerably.

9. Keep Your Space Organized

As you make progress in the game, the space on the island will inevitably get crowded. There’s only so much you can store on a piece of land, and this is one of the reasons why we encourage you to work hard to complete orders and get Wands so that you can uncover new stretches of land.

Constantly mining for resources and opening chests has the effect of scattering items all over the island. If your space looks quite messy too, we suggest that you start keeping things neatly organized. Group identical pieces of the same tiers in one place. This way you’ll be able to easily keep track of how many pieces of a certain type you have and so quickly figure out how many items you can produce from the current crop.

If you allow items to lay scattered across the space, you might lose track of some of them. Scan the board carefully to monitor your possessions at one given time. Then move the items that are far apart from their kin, and see if you have enough to start producing next-level objects.

10. Take Advantage Of The Shop Offers

Make sure to visit the Shop on a regular basis because you can find some really useful stuff in there. You can use the resources you’ve accumulated like Coins and Gems to purchase some of the items available in the game’s store. Here are things you should look out for in the Shop:

Free chests: every few hours or so, the game lets you grab free chests. These can range from Bonus chests to more exotic ones like the Mermaid chest.

Check the chest offers: you should regularly invest in buying Chests, as these contain a lot of useful items that can make your life easier while playing. A small Chest costs 55 coins, but if you want the better Deluxe one you’ll have to pay with Gems. Luckily, if you’re short on precious stones, you can purchase lower-tier Chests instead and then merge them to produce a fancier one.

Check the buildings offers: you can buy buildings of different tires from the shop. This can speed up your progress considerably, but it will also cost a lot of gold. For example, the Emerald Tower (the max level piece for Dorothy’s castle) costs 1250 gold coins – which is quite a hefty sum. Consult your finances, and if you feel like you have enough to make the investment, go for it.

Get more coins: If you don’t have enough coins, you could trade some of your Gems in exchange for some cash. A Pile of coins is 35 Gems while a Chest of Coins will take you back with 545 Gems.

Check out the Specials: these offers vary the most, so make sure you keep an eye out on what’s new in this section. Here you can find objects like the Chest of Tales which you can have for 80 Gems. If you’re looking to make more Catalysts, then you can purchase Catalysts Fragments from this section in exchange for 75 coins. Super Gnomes are also available here, if you have even more Gems to spare.

This just about covers everything that we have for you in our Merge Fables beginner’s guide. We hope that every bit of the tips and strategies we’ve shared with you in this article will prove useful to you as you embark on a quest to unlock fairy tale characters and build their castles. If you’ve been playing the game yourself and chanced upon something we have not included in this article, do not hesitate to share them with us via the comment section below!