Play a round
Turn over two cards at a time. Match each animal with the clue that describes it. Win, and the species joins your Terrarium.
Playing for , level
Attempts: 0 Pairs found: 0 Time: 00:00
How to play
- Choose a species, or let us surprise you with one you have not collected yet.
- Pick a level. Bronze is a warm-up, Silver adds look-alikes from the same group and Gold is the hard one.
- Turn over two cards. An animal card and the clue that describes it make a pair and stay up.
- A wrong pair turns back after 1.5 seconds. Turn on Slow mode if you want 4 seconds to read.
- Match every pair to win. Your medal is the level you won.
You can play with a mouse, a finger or only a keyboard. Use the arrow keys to move between cards and Enter or Space to turn one. If you prefer less movement, your device setting for reduced motion is respected and cards turn instantly.
The three levels
- Bronze, 3 pairs. The other animals on the table come from other groups. Animal cards show a name and a picture. Clues are easy: habitat, size and diet.
- Silver, 6 pairs. The other animals come from the same group as your species. Animal cards show the name only. Clues are medium: adaptations and behavior.
- Gold, 8 pairs on a 4 by 4 grid. The other animals are look-alikes. Animal cards show the name only. Clues are hard and tell similar animals apart.
Every round draws new clues and new neighbors, so a second round is never the same game.
Medals, seals and the Terrarium
Each species keeps the highest medal you have won for it: Bronze, Silver or Gold. A medal always carries its name in text, so color is never the only clue. The Sharp Eye seal goes to a win with 1.5 attempts per pair or fewer. Collect all nine species of a group to earn that group's seal.
Winning at any level also keeps the species' full article open on this device. Everything lives in the Terrarium, an album of all 45 species.
No daily limit
There are no lives, energy bars, cooldowns or daily streaks. "Play again" is always right there. The timer is only information: you can hide it, and no round ever ends because of it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I win a round?
Turn over two cards at a time. If one shows an animal and the other shows a clue that describes that animal, they stay face up. Match every pair on the table to win.
What counts as an attempt?
Each time you turn over two cards, that is one attempt. Fewer attempts is better, but nothing ends because of mistakes or because of time.
Is there a daily limit?
No. Play as many rounds as you like, whenever you like. There are no lives, no energy bars, no countdowns and nothing resets at midnight.
What do I get for winning?
A medal for the level you won, the species in your Terrarium and its full article open on your screen. Win with 1.5 attempts per pair or fewer to earn the Sharp Eye seal, and collect all nine species of a group to earn its seal. These are for fun only: no prizes, no money.
Where is my progress saved?
Only in this browser, on this device. There is no account and we never receive it. You can erase it from the Terrarium page.
Why are some clues so short?
Cards are small, so clues are simplified hints. The article for each species has the full story, with sources.
Limits of the game
Species Match is an educational game. Clues simplify, conservation status changes over time, and your progress is saved only on this device. For the full picture of any animal, read its article. Details about what the game stores are on the privacy page.