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Ohana Island Beginner’s Guide: Tips, Tricks & Strategies to Solve More Puzzles and Unfold the Story

Ohana Island is a brand new match-3 adventure game from developer Mybo Entertainment Corporation. Fans of gardening and plants are going to love this mobile game, as it revolves around a young lady named Hannah who returns to her home town on the exotic Ohana Island and takes over the family flower shop business after her grandma mysteriously goes missing.

Hannah and nana’s old friend Lily team up and together they set out to revive the deteriorating flower shop. Players are invited to lend a hand and help solve match-3 puzzles so as to unlock the resources required to pay for the renovations.

ohana island guide

Ohana Island is a tap-to-blast kind of match-3 game. This means you aren’t required to swap pieces on the board to make matches. All you have to do is locate clusters made of 2 or more blocks of the same color and tap on them in order to destroy them.

Each level comes with its own objective which needs to be completed before moves run out. Like in any match-3 game, things start easy enough with simple goals tasking players to collect a given number of blocks of a certain color, but soon things become a lot more challenging. Once special elements are introduced the complexity of the game increases, which of course makes it more interesting to play.

ohana island hannah

These special pieces are often meant to be destroyed, but that’s not always the rule. Variety is a key aspect of any successful match-3 game, and Ohana Island excels at that, making sure to drop new elements constantly, in keep order to keep players interested.

After beating a level, players earn bills and coins which can unlock new puzzles and renovations in the game, thus moving the narrative along. Sometimes this is easier said than done, which is why we’ve put together this Ohana Island beginner’s guide that includes various tips and strategies designed to help your puzzle solving skills on this exotic island. Keep reading below, if you want to progress fast and effortless in this game.

1. Choose Where To Drop Boosters On The Board

Spotting matches in Ohana Island is pretty easy, and so is making in-game Boosters. The game marks block clusters that can be turned into power-ups with a relevant symbol and so players shouldn’t have any problem identifying them.

Once you locate a cluster, don’t rush to tap on it randomly. You should know that in tap-to-blast games such as Ohana Island it’s possible to select the position of the resulting Booster. Tap on the block where you’d like the power-up to be placed and the game will create it in that location. Of course, the Booster can’t be dropped outside the perimeter of blocks meant to become a power-up.

ohana island boosters

This trick is immensely useful, as it enables players to create Booster combinations more easily. Next time you notice two power-up clusters next to each other, make sure the resulting Boosters are dropped side by side to create a destructive explosion.

Booster combinations are highly effective and should be employed consistently, especially when dealing with more difficult levels. There are three types of power-ups that can be created on the board while playing Ohana Island, and each can be blended with the other types, as well as with each other.

ohana island booster combinations

Water Cannon – pop 5 matching elements to create this Booster. Take into account that the Water Cannon can change position and can work to destroy either a full row or column of tiles. If the Water Cannon doesn’t have the direction you want, do a quick match and the Booster will change its orientation just like that!

Sunshine Bomb – locate a cluster of blocks made of 7 elements to create a Sunshine Bomb. When activated this Bomb can remove all tiles in 3 x 3 radius.

Prism Gem – created by popping 9 pieces. The Prism Gem will obliterate all the tiles of the same color from the board. If you used a cluster of green blocks to make it, the Prism Gem will be green and will target green tiles on the board.

Now, as we’ve explained above Boosters combinations let you finish puzzles a lot faster. Combining a Sunshine Bomb with a Water Cannon is highly valuable, for example, as the combo allows you to clear 3 rows and columns of tiles in one go. Moreover, the Prism Gem is a very powerful power-up when mixed with another Booster. A double Prism Gem combo is perhaps the apex – as together they can obliterate all the tiles on the board.

2. Don’t Waste Your Moves

Moves should be conserved as much as possible while playing these puzzles. Don’t just start tapping at random on the board, once you’ve started a new challenge. Instead you should follow these steps:

selecting boosters in ohana island
  • Check the level objective: Make sure you know and understand what the level objective is and don’t lose track of it throughout the challenge. Prioritize interaction with those pieces that are part of the goal, above all else. This means, you shouldn’t just match for the sake of matching. Instead, make sure you’re taking steps towards completing the level objective. Sometimes, you might not even have to destroy ALL the obstacles on a board before hitting the goal. This is why knowing the level objective is so important, as it helps you avoid wasting any unnecessary moves.

  • Think with a few moves in advance:  Before popping a block cluster, ask yourself this: “Is this action helpful? Does it help me to reach my level objective faster?”. Try and think with a few moves in advance and visualize how the board will look like after you’ve destroyed that group of blocks. Does it help your strategy or not?

  • Use Boosters wisely: making and activating a Booster eats up two of your moves, so when you’re about to tap to create one make sure you really have to use it. Even if you needed to just remove a large cluster of blocks from the board by forming a new power-up, you can still resist the temptation of not setting it off, if it doesn’t bring you any major benefits and you’re running out of moves. Depending on your context, always vet if using moves on Boosters is the right thing to do.

At the end of each level, any moves you have left will be turned into Boosters that can increase the numbers of bills and coins you get. So pay attention, stay focused and make sure you spend your moves carefully.

3. Add Extra Boosters Before You Start Playing If Things Get Rough

If you tried all our suggestions above, but you still didn’t succeed in beating a level, don’t despair. Get some extra help by activating a pre-level Booster or two.

There are 3 types to choose from before a level starts. You can activate a Water Cannon, Sunshine Bomb or a 3 Extra Moves Booster and then begin playing with these power-ups already formed and waiting for you on the board (with the exception of the third one). The game will offer you a couple by default, so you can try them out and experience the boost they provide.

ohana island extra boosters

However, once you run out them, you’ll have to purchase more using real cash in the Store. If you don’t want to do that, you’ll just have to rely on unlocking game progress rewards and events to get your fix of free Boosters. Additionally, if you think you can spare some green bills, you can use them to purchase more pre-level Boosters, although they are quite expensive. For example, a single Sunshine Bomb will take you back with 840 bills.

Moreover, the game will offer a free pre-level Booster if you’re willing to watch an ad, for the first puzzles you play on a day. This offer runs out quickly, but will make a comeback the next day and so on.

4. Replay Hard Levels, Don’t Give Up Easily

Replaying levels is an essential match-3 strategy which helps you conserve your Boosters and other in-game aids, and you should apply it while in Ohana Island. If you can’t best a level from the first go, go ahead and try once again. You will lose a few Lucky tickets in the attempt, yes, but fortunately you can easily get more, so that shouldn’t be a big concern.

Replaying levels is an efficient strategy because the next time you take on a level, the tile loadout will be different. This means it will be easy to approach the board from a different angle, and you might even succeed in creating more Boosters this time around.

replaying levels in ohana island

Getting a fresh outlook on things might also benefit your strategy, which is why we encourage you to take breaks from the game when dealing with a though challenge. This way you’ll be able return with a new perspective and perhaps things will finally turn in your favor this time around.

There are a few things to consider here, though. Replaying a level costs a small sum of green bills the first time around, but this amount increases as you keep returning to the puzzle. Now, if your cash reserve is running thin, we recommend using some power-ups or other tools to help you beat the level once and for all. Additionally, you’ll also end spending extra Free tickets, but we’ll discuss more about them a little bit later.

5. Use The Extra Helping Tools To Finish A Level

The game also offers a bunch of extra helping tools which can be accessed from the right side of the display. These are best used in scenarios where you need an extra push to finish off a level. Let’s say, for example, that you are just two elements away from completing the level objective. In this case, you might want to use the Spade, which lets you remove a tile from the board without wasting a move.

The problem here is that you would have to use two Spades to actually clear the level. However, if the targeted elements are of the same color you can take advantage of the Laser Gun instead, which eliminates all pieces of the same color. Alternatively, if the two elements are shown in the same column or row, you can go ahead and throw in the Grass Mower to destroy all items in a line.

helping tools in ohana island

If you find that you’re getting super close to the finishing line, but you’re running out of moves, try the helping tools. Just make sure you don’t develop an over reliance on them or you risk running out of them way too fast. Like in the case of pre-level Boosters, you can get more of them through spending green bills, unlocking progress rewards or during events. Naturally, you can also purchase some from the Shop as part of miscellaneous bundles.

6. When To Spend Green Bills On Those Five Extra Moves

There will be plenty of occasions when you’re not going to be able to finish a level from the first go. While we advocate for replaying levels as often as possible, not everyone will have the resources to spend playing a level over and over again. As such, you can occasionally try throwing in some extra pre-level Boosters and starting the challenge with a bit of an advantage.

If that still doesn’t work, then you might want consider getting those five extra moves that are offered at the end of a level you’ve failed. Be careful, though, you should be absolutely sure you can finish that puzzle within those 5 moves, or else you risk wasting money for nothing.

getting extra moves in ohana island

You usually have enough green bills to go around, but if you start applying this method too often, you’ll soon run out of resources. A clever trick that allows you to conserve your cash reserve is to make use of the ad offers provided by the game during the first puzzles you play each day.

So if you’re stuck on a level and you don’t want to pay bills to get extra moves, hold off on achieving victory. Wait until the next day, and then replay the level so you can watch a quick ad and then get the extra moves for free.

7. Don’t Ignore The Story Aspect

Following the narrative is quite a crucial aspect of this game that shouldn’t be overlooked. While it’s possible to jump from one puzzle to the next and all but forget about Hannah and her friends, it’s not actually recommended to do so.

For starters, progress rewards can only be unlocked once you start the redecoration campaign of your flower shop and surroundings. These awards are super useful and usually consist of green bills, Boosters, as well as Free tickets. Free tickets refer to the currency you need to unlock a new puzzle (we’ll talk more about it in the next section).

ohana island story

In addition, as you perform certain tasks around the island your characters and shop’s customers will level up and bring more cash to the table. So make sure you combine puzzle-playing with unlocking new decorations on the island.

If you limit yourself only to the puzzles, you’ll miss out on important chances of grabbing power-ups and cash in more green bills.

8. Boost Your Daily Income

Your shop produces an hourly income. The source of these earnings are the business’ employees and customers. For example, Kahuna – the florist generates two Free tickets every hour. On the other hand, customers also generate revenue in the form of dollar bills by regularly visiting and shopping at your establishment.

ohana island daily income

This revenue is small at first, but by making progress in the game, you can level up your characters. For example, a level 5 Logan can spend up to 69 bills/per hour, while a level 2 Gwen only brings 27 bills/hour profit.

All these contributions are accumulated in the Money tab. You can then collect the cash from there every four hours. Don’t forget to visit this section, so you can boost your finances. You need all the green bills you can get your hands on.

9. Ran Out Of Free Tickets? This Is How You Can Get More

Free tickets are the equivalent of lives in Ohana Island. You require a small amount to unlock each puzzle, and so you won’t be able to move on to the next challenge if you run out of them.

You get 2 Free tickets every hour from Kahuna the florist, and you can get more through cracking open progress chests and other rewards. This should be enough to allow you to play comfortably, in most cases. But challenging puzzles have the effect of draining your Lucky ticket reserve quite quickly, especially if you’ve taken our advice and replayed the level a few times.

getting free tickets in ohana island

Should you find yourself in a position where you don’t have Lucky tickets anymore but you want to play, don’t despair! Make it a point to join a Team and ask your team mates to send you Free tickets. Find a group with a decent number of players so as to maximize your chances of someone actually answering your plea.

10. Use Events To Your Advantage

No match-3 game is devoid of in-game events, and Ohana Island is not an exception to the rule. Events are frequent occurrences and they offer the chance of scoring extra Boosters and helping tools.

ohana island event

Most of these happenings stretch over a period of several days, so there’s plenty of time to take advantage of them. For example, during Onisky’s Treasure Hunt, successfully completing levels in a row is rewarded with pre-level Boosters which are then placed on the board for your next challenge.

Be active during events and you’ll be able to make progress a lot faster than you’d normally would if you played in standard mode.

11. Go On Scuba Diving Expeditions

On the left part of the display, tap on the icon in the middle to start playing the Lucky Dive mini game. You can play twice a day for free and if you win you can redeem a bunch of Boosters and cash.

ohana island scuba diving expedition

All you have to do is crack open prize chests, but be careful which one you choose because if you uncover the Octopus all your progress will go down the drain and you’ll have to start all over again. If you want to play the Scuba Diving game again or to continue a game you’ve already started by lost you need to pay some green bills.

It’s worth paying at least once a day for an extra dive because the prizes are consistent. However, keep in mind that it’s not easy to maintain a winning streak. But keep trying and perhaps chance will smile upon you.

12. A Few Thoughts On How To Deal With Special Elements

The special elements you’ll encounter in Ohana Island are pretty standard. You can interact with most of them by popping matches in their vicinity or on top of them, but that’s not always the case as you will see below.

The majority of elements can be removed from the board with one match. However, the same elements can appear on the field in various instances. Once such example is Grass. Simple Grass can be removed by matching once on top of it, but Thicker Grass is harder to get rid of as it requires two additional matches. The same goes for Crates, which at first appear as simple elements that can get removed just by matching next to them.

ohana island strawberries

Then there are the elements which can release items that need to be collected. This is the case of Pudding which serves up Strawberries – an item that’s usually included in level objective. Depending on how soft or hard the Pudding is, it might take one to three matches to get these Strawberries free. When it comes to this kind of element, you have to match next to the Pudding to release the fruits.

The Pudding acts like an obstacle, so new tiles will have to go around it when they fall from the top. When playing levels featuring obstacles, it’s recommended that you prioritize getting rid of them first, as to be able to open up the board and have more room for maneuver. However, you should be very careful! Some level objectives will NOT ask you to destroy these obstacles in order to win, so make sure to check before wasting your breath on them.

If you want to ensure the removal of several pieces in one go, add and create as many Boosters as you possibly can. Make some on the board, combine them and if that’s not enough activate some pre-level Boosters too. Especially when dealing with levels that combine multiple special elements, these power-ups are a boon.

ohana island cocktail

Another type of special element you’ll encounter quite often in Ohana Island is the Cocktail. These are items which need to be collected by the end of the level. What that basically means is that you have to create a path for these items as to allow them to fall through the bottom of the board.

During these puzzles, Boosters like the Water Cannon (especially the horizontal one if on the same column with the special elements) are super handy, as they can instantly create the path you need for the item to fall. Power-ups aside, focus your efforts on matching at the bottom, so as to remove all the obstacles standing in the way of your Cocktails.

ohana island tape

Some elements can be held in place by Tape. This can be simple Tape or Multi-layered Tape which requires several matches before it can release the element. In this case, what you have to do is create a match using elements of the same type which should also include the taped item. Boosters can accelerate the process of removing Tape from elements, so if you can make some you are encouraged to use them as soon as possible.

Taped elements act like obstacles, so they might block your access to a certain part of the board. Therefore, it’s important that you remove them as quickly as possible. If you ever stumble upon Taped Boosters, keep in mind you will only be able to release them by using another Booster on them.

With this tip we conclude our Ohana Island beginner’s guide. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article and that you’ve found at least a few useful strategies that can be applied to your own gameplay. If you have any super tips to share with us, go on ahead and write them up in the comment section below!

Janene M

Friday 27th of August 2021

I’m on level 333, and I can’t for the life of me figure out how to release the orange butterflies on the right side! What do I do on the left side to unlock the right side?!