For the list of levels with this element, see here.
Properties
The UFO can be activated by switching it with any adjacent candy, or via the effects of special candies. However, it cannot be switched with liquorice swirls or ingredients.
Then it flies off the board and the three wrapped candies are activated.
When the UFO is activated by swapping it with another candy, that candy is removed. A layer of jelly is consequently removed from the two squares occupied by the UFO and by the candy. If the UFO is swapped with a special candy, no special effects are produced. Simply, the special candy is activated, then the UFO is activated. If the candy being swapped creates a colour match, that match is ignored: only the single candy is removed. (This behaviour is distinct from that of a colour bomb, where the candy switched with it can also form part of a colour match. It is closer to a coconut wheel, however.)
If you swap a UFO with a wrapped candy, the UFO will create 3 wrapped candies that will not only do a 3×3 blast, but will also clear the candies in the rows or columns that they blast in. This depends on which direction the UFO and Wrapped Candy were swapped in. It is similar to the effect of a Striped+Wrapped combination.
If you swap a UFO with another one, or with a coconut wheel, both will activate. In the latter case, the UFO will shoot 6 wrapped candies.
If multiple UFOs are triggered at the same time, they are activated one by one.
If there is a UFO left on the board when the player completes the level, it automatically activates during sugar crush.
In Jelly levels, UFOs have a higher priority of shooting near the jellies.
It has a higher chance of shooting near blockers as well.
Level 1375 was an example of a level that was harder due to the UFO being unable to turn liquorice swirls into wrapped candies. However, this isn't the case anymore. It is unknown if any other blockers that were previously immune to the UFO will become vulnerable to the UFO after an update or if there will be blockers that will never be affected by the UFO.
The UFO can be used to trigger the voice multiple times on the same move. If multiple UFOs are triggered on a move, the voice will activate when cascades end for one UFO, before the next UFO in the stack is activated. A notable example of this happens in level 1476.
Platform differences
Flash version
The UFOs lift off when activated and then shoot wrapped candies after the cascade.
The UFO will fly away at the same time those wrapped candies explode.
If there is a candy bomb with timer at 1 before a UFO is activated, the bomb will explode before the UFO lifts off, so that the player loses the game.
The UFOs start spinning when activated then lift off one at a time.
Newly created wrapped candies will only explode after the UFO leaves.
Before UFO leaves, if any of the wrapped candies gets matched, it will explode first before others do. This will cause an additional cascade phase (and possibly additional sugar drop).
Candy bombs only explode after all consequences (including UFO) have ended.
UFOs are not immune to chocolate. Be careful in levels such as level 876, 892 and 2624.
However, you don't have to be careful in level 846, since you'll activate the UFO in your first move anyway.
Trivia
This special candy is no longer a UFO. It is now an IFO, since the function of this candy is to replace three random tiles with wrapped candies upon being switched. If it lands on a blocker, it will instantly clear the blocker as well.
On the other hand, this element was featured as a glitch present just before the official release of this element. It was prematurely seen by Leethax users a while before it was released. These used to spawn in empty spaces only when Leethax was in use and did not do anything, simply disappearing when they were matched. At that time, the function and information of this element was largely unknown, and at that time it was a UFO.
The UFO appears to be based on the popular flying saucer candy sold in real life.
The UFO is the only special candy that cannot be created using matches or boosters.
UFOs appear in marmalade, as well as liquorice locks in their official debut episode. They appear in sugar chests in Coco Crossroads. Also, they make their debut appearance in a timed level in Mount Chocolympus. Note that all the while the UFO is charging up and activating the timer will still be counting down.
If it targets a locked object (candy or chocolate), it will turn the object below into wrapped candy while keeping the lock. Then, before the wrapped candy explodes, the lock will be shaken off.
It is the second feature in the game which can strike candies purely at random when activated, the first being the toffee tornado, until they were removed. Ironically, the UFO unofficially appeared in earlier levels because of the removal of the toffee tornado.
Mixed levels are the last level type to feature UFOs in chronological order.
UFOs have the tilemap code 061.
Notable levels
Level 419 - First unofficial appearance since the discontinuation of toffee tornadoes.
Please note that the element is no longer a UFO. It is an IFO, an identified flying object with a beneficial purpose on levels.
Candy Crush Saga - The UFO-0
At that time, the object was a UFO. All images here took place before or just after the time this element was released, and can only be seen using third-party tools. The function of this element was unknown, and was revealed by a glitch.
A glitch whereby UFOs were spawned while using Leethax. At that time, the UFOs did nothing. This glitch is now fixed.
The empty space was replaced by UFOs.
Glitched version of level 747 available for some Leethax users few days after Marmalade Meadow was released.
