Level 297

Level 297 is the seventh level in Jelly Jungle and the 29th timed level. To pass this level, you must score at least 11,000 points within 15 seconds. When you complete the level, Sugar Crush is activated.

Difficulty

 * Losing is almost impossible because of the provided colour bomb. However, if you combine the provided colour bomb with a striped candy, it is ironically much harder to win.
 * The given timer is very low.
 * The player is required to earn at least 740 points per second (11,000 points / 15 seconds = 733.33 points per second).

Strategy

 * Simply free up the colour bomb from the marmalade, use the colour bomb on almost any candy or special candies (except striped candies), and you are guaranteed to pass the level.

Earning More Stars

 *  difficulty: Very hard
 *  difficulty: Very hard

Reason

 * The presence of five colours makes it easy to create special candies. However, it is not that useful due to high two and three star target scores.
 * The player is required to earn at least 10,000 points per second (150,000 points / 15 seconds = 10,000 points per second) for two stars and at least 13,340 points per second (200,000 points / 15 seconds = 13,333.33 points per second) for three stars.
 * 15 seconds make it hard for the players to decide the best moves.
 * This level is dependent on tons of luck and cascades. However, cascades will consume time and the player cannot make a match until the cascades end. Hence, cascades alone can result in time up if a minimum of one +5 second candy is not collected among the cascades.
 * The use of colour bombs can cause cascades which can last longer than 15 seconds. If a minimum of one +5 second candy is not collected among the cascades, the time will be up.
 * The candies do not fill the entire board at the start of the game. This can result in the creation of special candies if the player is lucky. All these can result in a point boost. However, the high two and three star target scores negate this advantage.

Possible Strategy

 * Create large cascades as fast as possible. Remember, every match which subsequently results in three cascades will drop a +5 second candy. If the cascades are still in progress, a +5 second candy will come down after every four cascades. While doing that, ensure that at least +5 second candy is matched by those cascades.
 * While colour bombs are key to getting the two and three star target scores quickly, other special candies are needed for even larger combinations. Aside from luck, making quick, accurate, and effective matches is the key for getting a high score.
 * Do not create a colour bomb + striped candy combination or a colour bomb + colour bomb combination. It will take several seconds to detonate the stripes or clear the board, and they give fewer points than combining a colour bomb with a normal candy. Thus, try to create colour bomb + wrapped candy combinations. However, keep the fourth point in the reason section in mind.
 * A wrapped candy + striped candy combination clears a large area and scores more points in a move, but usually cannot sustain long cascades and can take a while for the combination to complete. Hence, the probability of spawning +5 second candies is decreased.

Trivia

 * This level has the shortest time limit at 15 seconds.
 * This is one of those levels where the candies are not in settled position.
 * Despite being the easiest level in this episode, this is considered the hardest level to earn three stars in this episode. In fact, it used to top the Hardest Level In Reality To Earn Three Stars poll until later levels such as levels 713 and 734 caused this level to be downgraded to very hard and removed from the poll.