Candy Crush Saga

Candy Crush Saga is a video game for smartphones and Facebook that was released on November 14, 2012. It was developed by King.com. As of March 2013, "Candy Crush Saga" surpassed FarmVille 2 as the most popular game on Facebook, with 45.6 million average monthly users. It is a variation on their browser game Candy Crush.

Gameplay
The game is a variation of "match three" games such as Bejeweled. Each level has a different shaped grid filled with candies of three to six different colors and sometimes obstacles. The basic move of the game consists of swapping two candies' positions to align sets of three of the same color, whereupon they disappear, causing candies above them to collapse into the space left behind, often resulting in chain reactions. Moves and alignments must be horizontal/vertical. The level's objectives must be met before the player runs out of moves (or time on timed levels); in each case, the player must earn enough points to get the first star (out of 3) in the scoring system.

Types of Levels
There are five different types of levels: If the player succeeds in reaching the goal in the Jelly, Ingredients, or Candy Order levels, the game does a "Sugar Crush", starting an automatic bonus round where the player's remaining moves are used to increase the score through creating various special candies on the board. If the player does not gain 1 star from his or her score, a life is deducted. The player is given a default number of five lives, with each life restored after a half hour. The player has the option of asking friends for more lives, buying a life restoring item, or buying a special item that expands the number of lives the player has by default.
 * Target Score Levels: The player is given a set number of moves and must meet the minimum score before running out of moves.
 * Jelly Levels: Some if not all of the candies on the board are encased in "jelly" and the player must match the candies to eliminate one or two layers of jelly from the board using a set number of moves.
 * Ingredient Drop Levels: Special unmatchable game pieces (cherries and chestnuts) appear on the board and the player must clear the pieces beneath them to get them to a delivery point using a set number of moves. A menu appears on screen to tell the player how many ingredients are needed to win the game.
 * Timed Levels: The player must reach the 1 star score within a set time limit. Special pieces appear on the board to add time to the clock.
 * Objective Levels: The player must collect a specific number of colored candies, special candies, or special candy combinations using a set number of moves.

Levels are organized into "Episodes" of 15 levels each, with the background themed to a certain setting.

The special candies are created when combinations of four or more candies of the same color are matched together. Other various "Boosters" can be purchased, such as the Lollipop Hammer, which can clear one candy from the board, or the increased time or moves boosters.
 * When four same-colored candies are matched in a row a Striped Candy is created. The orientation of the stripes depends on the way the four candies were aligned. When this piece is matched, it will clear all of the candies in either a horizontal or vertical direction.
 * When five same-colored candies are matched in either an L or T shape formation a Wrapped Candy is created. When this candy is matched it explodes twice in a row, clearing a 3 by 3 box around itself each time.
 * When five same-colored candies are matched in a single line a Color Bomb is created. When this candy is swapped with any other candy, all candies of that color are removed from the board.
 * When a Striped Candy and Wrapped Candy (of any color) are swapped together, a giant super candy is created. Upon creation it moves in a horizontal direction and then a vertical direction, clearing 3 rows of candies and then 3 columns of candies.
 * When a Color Bomb and Stripped candy are swapped, it will convert all candies of the same collar as the stripped one into other stripped ones and detonate them all at once.
 * When a Color Bomb and a Wrapped Candy are swapped, it will clear all the candies of the color as the stripped candy and then clear another color at random.
 * When two striped candies are swapped, it will clear a vertical column and horizontal row, even if they face the same direction.
 * When two wrapped candies are swapped, the blast radius is doubled to form a 5 by 5 box around it.
 * When two color bombs are swapped, the entire board is cleared.
 * Jelly Fish can also appear (or be purchased), and if they are matched they will clear 3 candies at random from the board.

Obstacles also appear in levels. These include the unmatchable Licorice candies, the expanding Chocolate candies, the Bomb candies that end the game if they are not cleared before their time runs out, and the Whipped Cream candies that require multiple matches to eliminate. The board will also contain locked candies, candies in licorice "cages" that cannot be moved until they are matched, and Marmalade, which holds a special candy.

Popularity
The game has had over ten million downloads.

Candy Crush Saga is popular on Facebook having more than 20 million likes on the application page. It is the most popular app on Facebook and the highest-grossing app in the Apple and Google app stores.

The game makes a cameo in Psy's music video "Gentleman".

Candy Crush Saga has received particular attention in the Hong Kong media, with reports that one in seven Hongkongers plays the game, that a city bus driver was spotted playing the game while working, that it may improve or hinder interpersonal relationships, cause neck strain due to improper posture while playing the game, or even cause anxiety in those who cannot pass a certain level.