Project Makeover Beginner’s Guide: Tips, Tricks & Strategies to Solve Puzzles and Give Everyone Glamorous Makeovers

If you’re into mobile gaming, you’re probably familiar with Project Makeover. Its developer, San Francisco-based Magic Tavern has been heavily promoting their latest title through ads, so chances are you’ve stumbled upon it while playing other games.

Pegged as an “Editor’s Choice” game in the Google Play Store (it’s also available in the Apple App Store) Project Makeover is a match-3 game that puts a focus on overhauling peoples looks, as well as their lives. Most match-3 games are about redecorating decrepit mansions and estates, but Project Makeover is a bit more different when it comes to its storyline.

Instead, in this match-3 game you’ll be helping ugly ducklings turn into fully fledged swans. You’ll be spearheading a team of stylists and contractors in their quest to change lives by giving their clients a new shot at achieving their dreams, while completely changing how they look.

If that’s something that sounds good to you, you can go ahead and download the on your mobile device. On the other hand, its match-3 aspect follows the same outlines as other games from the category. There are no new mechanics at play, and so you’ll have to problem completing the first few puzzle levels. As expected, these get harder as you progress and new elements are added to the board.

To make sure solving puzzles won’t stand in the way of you unlocking new looks and homes for your clients, join us for this Project Makeover beginner’s guide as we detail some of the best tips and tricks so you can always be on top of the match-3 levels this game has to offer. We’ll provide you with insights on how to make sure that you always win, so that you can focus on the makeover part.

1. Spot The Larger Combos

Creating larger matches is an essential skill players need acquire in order to succeed in match-3 games. Project Makeover is no different in this respect, so what you’re encouraged to do is always survey the board attentively to make sure you’re not missing on any larger matches.

Larger matches is how you get Boosters. Even though the game puts already formed power-ups at your disposal as well, you’ll get the bulk from your own matching efforts on the playfield.  So don’t rush when choosing your next move on the board.

Don’t settle for the first match you spot. Look around some more, a better one might be out there. It might not pop out to you immediately, but luckily Project Makeover puzzles aren’t timed, so you have all the time in the world to decide what to do next.

Finding these better matches is also important because each level has a limited number of moves. Run out of them and you’ll need to restart it, thus losing a life (from the total of 5) in the process. In order to avoid that, you’ll have to take your time and consider which is the most beneficial thing you can do in order to achieve your goal.

Larger matches will provide you with the Boosters to reach that objective faster – provided you know how to use them. There are four type of Boosters in Project Makeover and this is how you can create them:

Rockets: Created by matching 4 elements of the same type in a line either horizontal or vertical. When set off, these Rockets will clear a full column or row of pieces.

Firecrackers: Players can make one by matching 4 pieces in a square pattern. When activated, the booster will destroy the elements in its close vicinity in a “+” pattern.

Bombs: Bombs are powerful powerups which are made by matching 5 pieces in a L or T shape. These can destroy all tiles in a 3 x 3 tile radius.

Rainbow: Rainbows are crafted from matching 5 elements in a line either horizontal or vertical. To activate the Booster, you’ll need to swap it with an adjoining element. When you do that the Rainbow will end up destroying all the other elements of the same color as the swapped piece that exist on the playfield. 

Now the thing about Boosters is this – they work best in pairs. While they’re pretty destructive on their own, it would be best to combine them for an even more massive effect. For instance, a Rocket and Bomb combo can obliterate 3 rows and columns of tiles in one go. Not to mention that if you can get two Rainbows mixed together – then you’d be destroying everything on the board at once.

Actually, combining any Rainbow with another Booster is also a splendid idea. When you do so, the Rainbow will replace all tiles of a certain color on the playfield with the said powerup. The effect is pretty devastating when they all blow up all at once.

Bottom line, try to create as many Boosters as possible and hopefully you can get two of them next to one another. You can even try and make efforts to get them to sit in adjacent positions. To do this you’ll need to actively work towards getting the tiles separating the two out of the way. This might prove harder than it sounds, but you can give it a try. Sometimes, you’ll get two Boosters in the right position just by sheer luck, so don’t sweat too much over it.

2. Replay Levels As Often As Possible

Just because you can’t beat a level the first time you’ve tried playing it, doesn’t mean you should give up and bring in reinforcements right away. Instead, try and replay the puzzle a few more times, don’t give up immediately. You might get lucky and get a more favorable tile loadout the next time around. Or you could try a different strategy, for instance, you can start matching in a different part of the board.

Occasionally, it might even be a good idea to try and take a break from the game in order to simply clear your head. When a few hours have gone by, go back into Project Makeover and try to solve the puzzle again. The break might all that you need to suceed.

Naturally, this won’t work all the time and as you advance to the upper levels of the game, you might find it harder and harder to beat the levels. If that’s the case with you right now, then perhaps you should apply the next tip.

3. Keep Your Eyes On the Prize (Aka The Level Objective)

The level objective is an important piece of information that you should always be aware of while playing a puzzle. Some people might be prone to believe that just because a puzzle contains various obstacles, they must surely be part of the level objective But that’s not always the case.

Knowing the level objective will help you avoid spending time and moves on removing certain items from the playfield, just to realize later on that destroying them isn’t part of the goal and you should have focused on something else entirely. The level goal is always visible throughout the level, and so if you’ve lost track of it you can easily refresh your memory by glancing on the left side of the display while you’re playing.

Remember – focus your efforts on the elements that need clearing away as per the level objective. Don’t make them a priority unless they are blocking a part of the playfield which contains pieces which are essential for you cracking the puzzle.

4. Activate All Four Pre-Level Boosters Before Playing A Really Hard Level

In Project Makeover most Boosters are created by players while they’re busy playing puzzles. But the game also gives you the option to start a level with a few already formed and waiting for you on the board.

You’ll need to activate them before a level starts – another reason to replay levels. This way you can make sure that you only activate these pre-level power-ups for a level that’s really though to pass, and not just for any puzzle. Pre-level Boosters are quite handy to have, but once you run out of them, you’ll need to buy them back using Gems – a scarce type of resource you’d do well to conserve instead of spend.

Anyway, there are four type of pre-level Boosters you can use in Project Makeover including Double Rockets and Firecrackers, Bomb and Rainbow. You can win them by playing the game and unlocking progress rewards, as well as from events and by redeeming the daily gift.

Even so, the influx of pre-level Boosters isn’t substantial. If you routinely use these Boosters before going into a puzzle, you’ll run out of them extremely quickly.

Which is why our advice would be to save them for really hard levels. In extreme circumstances we even recommend that you equip all 4 of them. This strategy usually solves the problem, so if you tried everything else to no avail, go ahead and give this tactic a try. Provided you still have at least one of each type in your inventory.

5. Replay A Hard Level First Thing The Next Day

An alternative to the tip above, which won’t cost you any Boosters is abandoning a hard level you can’t seem to be able to beat and taking it up again the very next day.

That’s because Project Makeover offers you the option to get additional moves onboard each day simply by watching a couple of ads. You can get 2 extra at the beginning of a level and then another 3 at the end if you fail to clear customs even with the additional moves.

Our advice is to use the ad watching opportunity at the end ONLY if you are sure that you can beat the level using the amount. If you have lots of items which needs to be removed still left on the playfield, we recommend that you try again until you either complete the puzzle on your own or you get really close to solving it.

Ad watching offers only show up a couple a times a day, so if you’ve been struggling with a level the night before, leave it for the next day and try to solve it with these additional moves on board. This way you’ll avoid spending unnecessary Gems on extra Boosters or tools. 

6. Use The Tools As A Last Resort

Tools are another type of aid the game puts at your disposal while playing puzzles. These can be found on the right side of the playfield. There are 3 of them to take advantage of including:

• Scissors: Snips a single space on the board without wasting a move.
• Hairbrush: Clears a column and a row without wasting a move.
• Perfume: Clears a 5×5 area without wasting a move.

Now, if you find yourself getting close to reaching the level objective, but you’re not quite there, you might want to use one of these tools. You shouldn’t waste these elements if you still have plenty of tiles to get rid of and very little moves left. It won’t do you any good and you’ll be wasting them for nothing.

Like in the case of the pre-level Boosters, tools cost Gems to buy and these resources aren’t easy to come across. Hence, you should use them in moderation and only when you’re absolutely sure you can hit the objective.

7. Use Gems Only To Acquire Extra Boosters

Gems are a premium resource in Project Makeover, one you will want to hold on to for as much as possible. You can do various things with Gems in Project Makeover including buying 5 extra moves at the end of a failed level, but our suggestion is to keep your Gems and spend them on getting additional power-ups.

We already told you above that if you start using pre-level Boosters and tools as aids during every level that’s a bit more challenging, you’ll run out of them at the speed of light. Even if abstained from using them for a long while, you will eventually end up using some of them, as you progress in the game and reach the hardest challenges.

While the game offers you the chance to win some Boosters here and there, the flux will by no means be enough to quench your thirst. This is where Gems come in handy, if you saved them up. If you’ve been collecting them since the very start of the game, then we have some good news for you – you can exchange them for Boosters.

Mind you they can be quite expensive, but if you’ve been stuck on a level for a while, then you’ll be glad to pay yourself out of a headache. To give you an idea of the prices, the 3x Bomb combo will take you back with 300 Gems.

8. Don’t Forget About The Event Rewards

Like most match-3 games out there, Project Makeover hosts a wide range of in-game events. These offer great opportunities for you to win extra Boosters, unlimited lives, Gems and Dollars (the currency you need to style your producer and their office space – mind you this has no bearing on whether you win at puzzles or not).

Players will be enrolled into most events automatically, so there’s nothing special that you need to do in order to take advantage of what they have to offer. Simply playing the game will unlock progress rewards for you in various events, and so make sure that you redeem them.

For instance, during Shopping Spree you’ll need to help Gigi shop by successfully completing puzzles. Finish enough levels and you’ll be able to unlock gifts that can contain Boosters, Gems and other goodies. These events usually last for a few days, so that you can have plenty of time to take advantage of them.

Don’t worry if you missed one though, that can happen. The good news is that Project Makeover is filled all kinds of events, so when one expires it’s immediately replaced by a new one. This way the game offers an incentive to keep playing, especially during various events when Boosters can easily become available.

9. Check Your Mail For More Rewards

Want even more rewards? Then don’t forget to check your mailbox from time to time. There might be a gift waiting for you in there. This happens from time to time, so don’t put all your hopes in these free rewards. But when they do show up, they are a very welcome addition. Especially if they bring a nice bundle of Gems with them.

Speaking of free Gems, don’t forget to watch the daily ads to get a free infusion of precious stones. Check in the lower right corner every day to take advantage of these offers. The game recharges them on a daily basis and so you’ll only be able to constantly take advantage of them.

10. Tips For Dealing With The Game’s Main Obstacles

Obstacles are constant presences of every level in Project Makeover, and it is your job to make sure they get destroyed or removed from the board. The nature of each of these obstacles varies and so you’ll need different strategies to deal with them. In this section we take a look at the most common ones and offer you some ideas as to how to best get rid of them.

But before we get to that, we should note one thing – you can interact with most of the obstacles in Project Makeover through matching in their vicinity. Whether matches can destroy or create byproducts when generated next to special elements depends based on the obstacles in question. But in most cases, what you need to do in order to conquer a level is to focus on creating a lot of matches next to the elements that are included in the level objective.

Shirts: Shirts are one of the first obstacles you’ll come across in Project Makeover. These appear in various tiers across the game ranging from flimsy to thick. In the case of the first variant, users need to create but ONE match in order to get rid of them from the playfield. But when it comes to the thicker types, they require 2 or 3 matches to be completely gone.

Destroying shirts is pretty simple, just match next to them. If you have some Boosters such as a Bomb, great! You’ll get to remove a whole chunk of them in one go. Sometimes Shirts will be blocking other parts of the board, preventing you from getting to other obstacles that need to be taken care of, and so it’s important that you focus your energies on getting rid of them as quickly as possible.

Sunglasses: These aren’t exactly obstacles, but more like hidden elements which you need to uncover in order to reach the level objective. Sunglasses usually hide underneath a layer of green carpet. Whenever the level objective features sunglasses, be sure to start digging for them as soon as possible. Start matching across the entire playfield, lest you miss one.

Again, Boosters can help a great deal, as they make it easier to uncover what’s underneath in various corners of the board. Remember, don’t just focus on a particular part of the playfield when you have to find Sunglasses, or else you risk not finding them all in time to finish the puzzle.

Combs: In a sense, Combs are like Shirts. You need to match next to them in order remove them from the board. The twist is that you can move a Comb to make a match, whereas the Shirts are immovable. Combs usually come in large groups, so if you could mix a Bomb with a Rocket that will destroy a lot of Combs all at once.

Cameras: Cameras are special elements which you need to remove from the playfield by clearing a path for them until they fall off through the bottom of the board. During levels with cameras, applying the old match-3 game technique of matching at the bottom can work wonders.

A nice Bomb or, even better, a combo of Bombs can immediately remove the Cameras by clearing everything standing in their way. The same goes for a vertical Rocket that needs to be activated on the same column as the Camera itself.

Lipstick: Lipstick is an item on the board that produces Kisses – which is the element you need to collect in order to beat the puzzle. What you need to do in order to release these Kisses is to match next to the Lipsticks. A lot of the times, Lipsticks will be blocked by other obstacles on the board and so you will need to work fast in order to remove them out of the way, so you can get to them the fastest as you can.

If you don’t manage to break through quickly, you risk running out of moves and failing the level. You can use Boosters on Lipstick, although a Bomb or a Bomb + Rocket combo would be recommended.

Belts: Belts cause blockages on the board and so your first task on the agenda when playing such a level is to release the pieces taken hostage by them. In order to break a Belt, you’ll have to create a match of the same color as the trapped piece.

Belts might need one or two matches before fully releasing the item. Fortunately, they respond well to Boosters including Rockets, Firecrackers and Bombs. If you have a Rainbow that can target tiles of the same color as the piece(s) the belt is holding hostage even better.

Spray Bottles: Spray bottles are quite unique elements in Project Makeover. They aren’t really included in the level objective, but you’ll need them in order to reach the goal. Match next to the bottles to fill them up. When finally activated, the Spray bottle will remove up to 5 elements that are part of the level objective. Using Boosters on them will get them to fill them much faster, so if you want to do that go right ahead.

With this we conclude our Project Makeover beginner’s guide. We hope that our list of strategies and explanations will help you get you on the right track to easily solving all the puzzles the game throws at you. The game is moderately difficult and it offers enough rewards after each level as to allow you to make fast progress with the makeovers and renovations.

We’re confident that these tips are just what you need to become a master at changing people’s lives for the better, but if you have an additional strategy which hasn’t been mentioned in this guide and you’d like to share, the comment section is yours for the taking!