I’m looking at various options to make my next game. I’m an experienced java developer, and my last two android games have been written in native (no framework) java. I’d like to look at other options for my next game so I can develop for iOS at the same time. I’d like to try to make a gem swapping game for my next game, but I’m not sure if Unity will be good for this sort of thing. I asked another developer recently and he didn’t seem to think Unity was the right engine. Is there any reason to think that Unity wouldn’t work for this type of game? Are there any examples out there of Unity based gem swapping games?
I think Unity could handle it (only “could” cause I’m no developer) but it may also be over-equiped for your project.
Best you should do is try your gameplay on the Unity free version and compare both respective amount of work on each solution to see if investing in the Unity android and iOs licences is worth the time you supposedly saved. Don’t forget that you’ll need a mac to export on iOS (yes it sucks).
As a 3D artist, I think one good quality you can find in unity is that you can buy the gems and other visual assets from other professionals like me who can guaranty precise and beautiful graphics since they would be made for an engine they already master.
I already own a mac 
Thanks for responding about the assets though, I’ll have to look through the store for gem assets, I hadn’t thought of that. I would definitely like to see some developer feedback about the feasibility of a gem swapping game using unity.
Very feasible. And quite easy, actually. I’ve already tinkered with a couple different “match 3” systems. And, since you’re on Mac, you’ll easily be able to build to both Android and iOS with just the click of a button (and maybe a tiny bit of tweaking).
I’ll enforce what khanstruct said. Extremely easy and also quick: for fuckthisjam I made a decent “kindof” match 3 game (The Hate Combinator) in 3 days and a half, coding graphics and all. Though you’ll need some good 2D plugin like 2D Toolkit or NGUI for the 2D parts.
P.S. I didn’t have the time to go for pixel-perfectness, but you surely can do that too with Unity
Somebody should also just mention the difference between java and US. I think anyway, perhaps, I guess.
i’m good, thanks.
There’s a Match 3 starter kit on the asset store. Could help in doing it even faster.
that does look like it would get my up and running faster, certainly. thanks for pointing that out!