Candy Crush Saga

Candy Crush Saga, often referred to as Candy Crush is a video game for Facebook that was released on April 12, 2012 and smartphones that was released on November 14, 2012. It is the sequel to Candy Crush. 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. iPhone and Android.

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:
 * Moves Levels: Introduced at level 1, the player is given a set number of moves and must meet the minimum score before running out of moves. If finished with extra moves, random candies will become either vertical or horizontal striped candy and activates them. [1 move = 1 striped candy(1 striped candy = 3,000 points)]
 * Jelly Levels: Introduced at level 6, the player is given a set number of moves and must meet the minimum score before running out of moves and destroy all jelly-filled spaces by making a move with the candy above it. If finished with extra moves, jelly fishes will appear and eat the candy (1 move = 3 jelly fishes), earning the player 1020 points each for the fish (only in iOS and Android versions)
 * Ingredient Drop Levels: Introduced at level 11, special unmatchable game pieces (cherries and hazelnuts) 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 and get the minimum score before running out of moves. A menu appears on screen to tell the player how many ingredients are needed to win the game. If finished with extra moves, random candies will become either vertical or horizontal striped candy and activates them. [1 move = 1 striped candy(1 striped candy = 3,000 points)]
 * Timed Levels: Introduced at level 20, the player must reach the 1 star score within a set time limit. Special pieces (+5 candies that gives additional 5 seconds) appear on the board to add time to the clock. If there are still +5 candies, they will explode like a wrapped candy but if a special candy hit the +5 candy, they will disappear without exploding.
 * Candy Order Levels: Introduced at level 126, the player must collect a specific number of colored candies, special candies, or special candy combinations using a set number of moves and at least get 1 star. If finished with extra moves, random candies will become either vertical or horizontal striped candy and activates them. [1 move = 1 striped candy(1 striped candy = 3,000 points)]

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.

Levels are organized into "Episodes" of 15 levels each, except for the first two episodes, Candy Town and Candy Factory, which have 10 each, with the background themed to a certain setting. Also, the episodes are organized into "Worlds" of 6 episodes each. In episodes after Candy Factory (or in the case of iOS, Lemonade Lake), a ticket is needed to unlock the next episode. Similar to getting more lives, the player has the option of asking friends for tickets, buying tickets using Gold bars or money, or completing Mystery Quests.

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 180px-Candy-crush-matches-273x300.jpges 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,  T or a + 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 color 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 Wrapped 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, any tile that currently has candy on it will be 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, or blockers also appear in levels. These include the unmatchable and resistant-to-special candies licorice swirls, the expanding Chocolate, the bomb candies that end the game if they are not cleared before their move count runs out, and the icing that require multiple matches to eliminate. The board will also contain locked candies, which are 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 in December 2012.

Candy Crush Saga is popular on Facebook having more than 55 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.

Trivia

 * The map on Candy Crush Saga is meant to resemble the classic board game Candyland.
 * All characters are made of cardboard, and are controlled. (Only in Facebook version, though)
 * There is a popular fake Candy Crush movie trailer made by nigahiga on YouTube.
 * In the Nickelodeon television series, Sam &amp; Cat, the episode, Brain Crush, it could've been a rip off of Candy Crush Saga.