Candy Crush Full Review: Story, Game play, Graphics & More
It seems that I downloaded Candy Crush some years ago on my phone while I was waiting for a delayed bus. At first, I planned that I will spend no more than ten-fifteen minutes playing it, but in several hours I found myself completing dozens of levels and wondered how all this time passed.
And that is more or less how I can explain the popularity of Candy Crush among players - because it is very easy to play, yet difficult at the same time. You can play it during your lunch break, before going to bed or when you just need to fill in some time while you travel, and it is easy to get hooked to this colorful puzzle game.
Having spent many years playing the game on different smartphones and even once or twice on Facebook, I have seen both its bright sides and some not so bright moments. Let me provide you with a complete hands-on review of this game, covering its storyline, gameplay, graphics, difficulty level, tips and other information about it.
What Is Candy Crush?
Candy Crush Saga is a puzzle game where your major aim is to get matched three candies or more of the same color. Each level is set with different objectives for you to accomplish. Some levels ask you to find certain types of candies, eliminate jellies, destroy chocolate bars, or get ingredients to the bottom of the grid.
It seems quite easy in the beginning.
The first twenty or thirty levels seem quite relaxing. After that, the game introduces new challenges, and now it's realized that planning your actions plays a greater role than just matching random candies.
This is when the game gets really interesting.
Story Review
In contrast to games with stories, Candy Crush is not much about the storyline.
You move around a colorful world where the environment is full of desserts, chocolates, cookies, ice creams, cakes, and even candy forests.
Each chapter provides cute characters such as:
Tiffi
Mr. Toffee
Yeti
Bubblegum Troll
Odus the Owl
The main purpose of the storyline is to provide entertainment to the players when playing thousands of levels.
I never played Candy Crush for its storyline, but the cute characters always made me enjoy the game.
Gameplay Experience
This is where Candy Crush really scores.
The controls can't get any easier.
Just slide one candy to switch it with another. When you match three like candies, they disappear. New candies will drop down from the top, sometimes producing chain effects and clearing up half of the board.
Along with the gameplay progress, you will face some new elements:
Jelly tiles
Chocolate pieces
Bomb candies
Locked candies
Magic mixers
Frosting
Licorice
Rainbow candies
Candy frogs
Every new mechanic changes your approach.
One mistake that I used to make was trying to clear anything that seems easy right away. Then, after playing Candy Crush for a while, I understood that it's better to concentrate on the mission than to make random matches.
For instance, if the level requires you to clear jellies, don't use your moves for collecting candies that won't help.
Special Candies Increase the Fun of Playing
The best thing about Candy Crush is the creation of special candy combinations.
My top choices among them are:
Striped Candy
Removes either an entire column or row.
Very helpful when you face hard puzzles.
Wrapped Candy
It explodes twice, and all nearby candies are removed.
Perfect when there is very little room.
Color Bomb
The favorite one of everyone.
Just combine it with any candy, and all candies of that color will disappear immediately.
Color Bomb + Striped Candy
This combination produces one of the most powerful explosions.
I always smile whenever I produce this combination since it helps me solve seemingly unsolvable levels.
Graphics and Visual Design
Despite the absence of realistic graphics, Candy Crush doesn’t require them.
All images are colorful, glossy, and incredibly smooth.
Animations in this game are delightful.
Observing how candies burst, how special effects activate, and how chain reactions occur is fascinating.
Even after thousands of levels, the graphics stay amazing.
Each new world offers new backgrounds, which makes the progress even more enjoyable.
Sound Effects and Music
The cheerful soundtrack fits the game perfectly.
Here is what you’ll hear:
Glossy background music
Explosions of candies
Sounds of rewards
Sounds of victory celebration
All of these sounds are surprisingly addictive.
However, having played many levels for a long time, I usually turn off the music and listen to my own playlist.
Difficulty Increase
What Candy Crush does really well is how it increases difficulty over time.
Initially, the levels are meant to teach you some mechanics.
At some point, the game will try to test your patience.
Some levels required only one try.
While others took almost twenty attempts.
In some cases, I closed the game and reopened it when I had enough lives to retry the same level again. To my surprise, I won many times with just two or three tries, after giving myself some rest. Sometimes, it is just about being too frustrated to think about the strategy.
Boosters: Useful but not Always Needed
The game features various boosters.
These are among the most common boosters:
Lollipop Hammer
Free Switch
Extra Moves
Coconut Wheel
UFO Booster
They are pretty handy when playing a challenging level.
But there is one piece of advice I would give:
Do not use boosters on all the hard levels.
Some levels can appear to be incredibly difficult at the beginning, but they become very easy once you learn the board structure.
Can You Play Without Spending Money?
Of course!
Hundreds of level completed without spending any money.
However, some elements in the game do motivate the user to spend money on:
Additional lives
Gold bars
Boosters
However, all of them are completely optional.
Patience plays a bigger role than any spending in this game.
It is possible to play most of the game without spending money if you are able to wait till the time when the game gives you new lives.
Playing on Various Devices
I tested this game on different platforms.
On Android
Game works smoothly and touch control feels quite natural.
iPhone
Works exceptionally good, loading times are extremely fast.
Tablet
Most likely my favorite one due to the bigger screen size.
Why Do Players Come Back?
Candy Crush had long run the risk of becoming boring by now.
However, the game creators continuously update it with:
New levels
Weekly events
Daily bonuses
Seasonal events
Team events
Time-limited contests
It looks like there is always something else to do.
That is why many people still keep on playing the game despite how long it has been around.
My Favorite Things About This Game
Having played Candy Crush for some time, I can say what I like about the game most:
User-friendly
Beautiful graphics
Relaxing gameplay
Continuous content updates
More than 3,000 levels
Comfortable controls
Quick levels ideal for short breaks
Does not need any advanced hardware
Things that Can be Frustrating
Every video game has its imperfections.
There are some disadvantages to this game.
Lack of Lives
Lack of lives can hinder you from progressing.
Some Levels Are Hard
In some levels, luck is as important as skills.
Buying Offerings
The game offers you many chances to buy boosters.
These aren't necessary and may become a bit frustrating.
Internet Connection Required
Internet connectivity is required to participate in events and rewards.
Helpful Tips
The following tips really helped me in increasing my success rate.
1. Always Check The Bottom
Creating matches in the lower section usually helps to initiate chain reactions above.
2. Don’t Hurry
Think for a few seconds before doing anything.
It will make even difficult levels easy for you.
3. Consider The Goal Of The Level
Don’t do unnecessary matches.
Remember that your goal is always your priority.
4. Keep Your Boosters For Future
Never use your boosters at the start.
Sometimes you may need them in the end.
5. Learn Combinations Of Special Candies
Learning candy combinations like Color Bomb + Wrapped Candy will make your levels a piece of cake.
Mistakes Made By Beginners
I made all of the mistakes mentioned below when I was new to this game.
Making matches randomly
Not considering level objectives
Using boosters without any reason
Giving up easily on levels
Forgetting to make special candies
Multi-tasking
Is Candy Crush Good for Children?
The game is considered safe and family-friendly because it does not include any violent elements or inappropriate topics.
Parents need to be careful about younger players, however, since the game features in-app purchases. To avoid any issues with money, parents can limit those purchases.
Is Candy Crush for You?
Candy Crush will suit your needs if you:
Like to play puzzles in a relaxed environment.
Are interested in short and quick gaming sessions.
Like level-based progression.
Do not like complicated mechanics.
Are looking for an entertaining game for commuting.
If you seek action and interesting plot in a game, Candy Crush may disappoint you. But if you prefer simple yet fun puzzles, you should give this game a try.
Should You Play Candy Crush?
It’s been many years since the appearance of this game, but it still remains very good in quality terms. The game itself is easy to understand, it’s quite pretty and the tasks that the game offers make it non-boring. One can play it for some time or spend an hour playing it.
The game isn’t perfect. It may be difficult to complete some levels even using boosts. Besides, the game always tries to make you buy something in app. But you don’t have to do that in order to continue playing the game.
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