Stars

Stars are a fundamental element in Candy Crush Saga, present in all levels. In each level, stars can be earned by reaching certain score targets. A player can earn up to a maximum of 3 stars on each level. There are currently a total of 2,955 stars that can be earned from 635 reality levels and 350 dreamworld levels: 30 stars for episodes 1 and 2, and 45 for the rest of the episodes.

Reaching a level's target score will award you one star. If you get a score that is a certain number of points over the target score depending on the level, you will be awarded two stars. When you hit the top of the star meter you are awarded three stars. You can tell how close you are to the next star by looking at the meter on the upper left hand side of the screen.

The number of stars you win depends on your score when you complete the level. Let's say you have a level that requires you to score 50,000 points to acquire the first star. If you get anywhere between zero to 49,980 (as points are a mulitple of twenty) points, you fail the level. Let's say to get two stars, you have to acquire 100,000 points or more. If you get anywhere between 50,000 to 99,980 points, you stay with one star. If the level requires you to gain 125,000 point to reach three stars and you get anywhere between 100,000 to 124,980 points, you will still be at two stars. Getting beyond 125,000 points will not reward you with any other additional stars.

When you go back to the level selection screen, your level stars will show on the level button and it will tell you how many points you needed to get the next star. If you got one star, a green star appears. If you got two stars, a green star and a red star is seen, and if you got three, a green, a red and a yellow star is seen.

Your friends can see how many total stars you've collected and if you have collected the most stars out of all your friends in a particular Episode, you will be given the Champion Title for that episode.

Trivia

 * Some levels are very easy to score three stars (level 252), while others are next to impossible (level 297 and level 289 (Dreamworld)).
 * It is impossible to receive anything fewer than 3 stars on level 11, as the 3 star requirement is 3,000 points; bringing down an ingredient earns 10,000 points. Same applies for level 22, level 30, level 281, the 2nd version of level 578, level 2 (Dreamworld) mobile and level 276 (Dreamworld).
 * In mystery quests, stars do not appear. Instead, a key in the shape of a colored cane appears.

Hardest episode to earn 3 stars
A poll is being conducted to determine the hardest episode to earn 3 stars.

Hardest level to earn 3 stars
A poll is being conducted to determine the hardest level to earn 3 stars for the Reality levels. Another poll is being conducted to determine the hardest level to earn 3 stars for the Dreamworld levels.