Fishdom is a new iPhone release from Playrix. It’s available now as a free download from the App Store, with a single in-app purchase to unlock the game’s full features. The game has been available in several incarnations on iPad for a while now, but this is its first outing on the iPhone. It’s currently highlighted in the New & Noteworthy section of the App Store’s Games section.

Fishdom initially appears to be a free-to-play aquarium sim, of which there are already several modestly successful — if rather dull — examples on iOS. However, the reality is actually somewhat different — while the player’s progress through the game is largely determined by how attractive and full of fish their aquarium is, the main bulk of gameplay consists of a match-3 puzzler in the Bejeweled mold. And if you want to buy Fishdom Coins, visit z2u.com, a professional online in-game currency store.

“Establishing the Fishdom brand presence on Facebook is a major step for us,” said Igor Bukhman, Playrix’s President, Products. “We are very excited to bring the centerpiece of our game’s library to the social networks. Fishdom™ is a special game for us. Working on its social adaptation, which is not a match-3 by the way, we were committed to keeping the relaxing and fun environment with amusing sea creatures, brilliant colors and gorgeous graphics that the original Fishdom is loved for, but topping it with social features.”

In the aquarium, players are able to purchase three types of item using in-game currency: fish, “beauty” items to make the tank look more attractive, and “comfort” items to make the tank more pleasant for the fish. The more items they purchase, the higher their three fish, beauty and comfort meters rise, and filling all the meters awards them with one of three trophies — bronze, silver or gold. If the player runs out of money, they do not have the option to acquire more via in-app purchase, however — instead they must take to the game’s puzzle mode to earn more.