Royal Match Boosters Guide: What Each Booster Does
Understand every pre-level and in-game Royal Match booster, the difference between boosters and power-ups, and when each tool is most useful.
By RoyalMatch.wiki Editorial Team
Boosters are limited-use tools that can change the starting board or solve a specific problem during a Royal Match level. They are different from power-ups you create by matching pieces, even when the two systems use the same Rocket, TNT, or Light Ball icon.
The game currently documents three pre-level boosters and four in-game boosters.
Booster quick reference
Booster: Rocket · When it is selected: Before the level · What it does: Starts the level with a Rocket placed randomly
Booster: TNT · When it is selected: Before the level · What it does: Starts the level with TNT placed randomly
Booster: Light Ball · When it is selected: Before the level · What it does: Starts the level with a Light Ball placed randomly
Booster: Royal Hammer · When it is selected: During the level · What it does: Clears one tile or one layer of a game element
Booster: Arrow · When it is selected: During the level · What it does: Clears a selected row and removes one layer from game elements in it
Booster: Cannon · When it is selected: During the level · What it does: Clears a selected column and removes one layer from game elements in it
Booster: Jester Hat · When it is selected: During the level · What it does: Shuffles all match items on the board
The official booster guide notes that using an in-game booster does not reduce the move count.
Boosters versus created power-ups
This distinction prevents a lot of confusion:
A created power-up comes from matching four or more pieces in a pattern.
A pre-level booster comes from inventory and places a power-up on the initial board.
An in-game booster comes from inventory and performs its effect without spending a move.
Created Rockets, TNT, Propellers, and Light Balls can be combined with one another. The three pre-level boosters place a created-style power-up on the board, so their value often depends on where the game places them and whether you can move them next to another power-up.
See Every Power-Up and Combination for those board mechanics.
Pre-level Rocket
Selecting this booster starts the board with a randomly placed Rocket.
When it helps
Consider using it when:
The level has targets spread along long rows or columns.
Power-up-only obstacles are visible at the start.
An early line clear can open a constrained board.
You are also using another pre-level booster and may be able to combine them.
Limitation
You do not choose its starting position or direction. On a fragmented board, the random line may not point toward the most important target.
Pre-level TNT
Selecting TNT places one randomly on the opening board.
When it helps
TNT favors:
Dense central obstacles.
Several target layers clustered together.
Boards that need space opened immediately.
Starts where a Rocket + TNT combination may be possible.
Limitation
Its effect is local. A randomly placed TNT can be less useful when targets occupy distant corners or disconnected sections.
Pre-level Light Ball
Selecting this booster starts the level with a randomly placed Light Ball.
When it helps
A starting Light Ball can:
Remove a target color.
Reduce the number of colors on an open board.
Set up a Light Ball combination.
Create an early cascade by clearing a common color.
Limitation
The Light Ball is strongest when it can reach the color or power-up you want. Barriers, narrow geometry, or an isolated starting position can limit the first move.
Royal Hammer
The Royal Hammer clears one selected tile or removes one layer from a selected game element.
Best uses
The Hammer is the precision booster:
Remove the final layer of the final target.
Clear one tile that prevents two power-ups from being combined.
Open a blocked space without spending a move.
Hit an element that would otherwise require a poorly positioned power-up.
Avoid wasting it
Before using a Hammer, check whether a normal adjacent match, an existing power-up, or an imminent cascade can clear the same tile. Precision is valuable because the Hammer affects only one location.
Arrow
The Arrow clears the selected horizontal row and removes one layer from each game element it hits.
Best uses
Several remaining targets share one row.
A horizontal clear can open multiple board compartments.
The row contains elements that require power-up hits.
You need to clear the support under several falling pieces.
Limitation
The Arrow is horizontal only. If the important targets align vertically, use the Cannon instead.
Cannon
The Cannon is the vertical counterpart to Arrow. It clears a selected column and removes one layer from game elements in its path.
Best uses
A falling target needs a clear route downward.
Several obstacles align in one column.
A vertical lane is blocked by power-up-only elements.
One column controls access to the lower board.
Limitation
It removes one layer per affected game element. A heavily layered obstacle may still require additional hits.
Jester Hat
The Jester Hat shuffles all match items on the board.
Best uses
The shuffle is most useful when:
The available matches do not advance the objective.
Useful colors are trapped away from matching partners.
You need a new arrangement to form power-ups.
The board is open enough for a shuffle to create meaningful alternatives.
Limitation
Jester Hat changes the arrangement; it does not directly clear a target. A new layout may be better, but the exact result is not chosen by the player.
A practical booster decision tree
Can the board be solved with a normal match? Save the booster.
Is exactly one tile the problem? Consider Royal Hammer.
Do the targets align horizontally? Consider Arrow.
Do they align vertically or need a falling path? Consider Cannon.
Is the match-item layout the problem rather than an obstacle? Consider Jester Hat.
Is the board difficult from the opening move? A pre-level booster may create space or a combination.
When to use boosters on a hard level
Playing once without boosters can reveal the actual bottleneck. For example:
If you repeatedly finish with one isolated target, a Hammer may be enough.
If the board never opens, pre-level TNT may be more useful than a late Arrow.
If targets form a vertical stack, Cannon directly addresses the layout.
If the level depends on large combinations, a starting Light Ball may provide the best setup.
This “diagnose, then spend” approach is usually more efficient than selecting every pre-level booster before seeing how the board develops. More tactics are covered in How to Beat Hard Levels.
Frequently asked questions
Does an in-game booster use a move?
No. The official Royal Match guide states that in-game booster use does not decrease the move count.
Can I choose where a pre-level booster appears?
The official description says the Rocket, TNT, or Light Ball is placed randomly on the board.
Is Propeller a pre-level booster?
The current official booster guide lists Rocket, TNT, and Light Ball as the pre-level boosters. Propeller is a power-up created on the board by matching four same-colored items in a square.
Which in-game booster is best for one remaining target?
Royal Hammer is the most precise because you select one tile. The correct choice still depends on whether the target has multiple layers or a special clearing rule.
Will Arrow or Cannon completely remove every obstacle in its path?
Not necessarily. Their documented effect removes one layer from game elements, so a multi-layer obstacle may remain.
Related guides
Official sources
Booster facts were checked on July 24, 2026:
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