I've been studying Candy Crush lately, looking for reasons why it is successful beyond so many other Swap games (Is there a better description for the genre?) it is similar to. After a while, I started realising that they put pressure making the parts that are proven fun as good as any other, and added features to really keep you pulled back in.

Here are some of the things I've come up with, but I'm hoping to increase the perspectives on this, and also what you hate about it (try to keep the positive and negative specific please :).

1. The basic swapping of adjacent tiles to connect a pattern of 3 is a pattern that the human mind is incredibly capable of doing.

- It is a satisfying experience, the player can see what they can do, and constantly prove it out.

- The training level is minimal, the simplistic nature of the game allows you start fast, and apply easily.

2. Unlike many other Swap Games, Candy Crush, provides a variety of challenges.

- Some pieces can't move, and must either have patterns made next to it, or have it be part of a pattern to be destroyed.

- The jelly forces combinations in particular areas of the map, assigning more value to completing the puzzle in that area.

- Some required destruction areas are inaccessible to patterns of three. I.e. you must make power pieces that have larger effects on the board.

3. Lasting Power Pieces give more abilities. (Wipe out a line, blow up an area, etc.)

- In other similar games I've played, the powerups were uncommon, but these pieces give added power by their use in normal puzzles.

- They also offer more power if you can combine power pieces, including only in pairs.

- - They missed Bomb + donut. I'm betting that seemed too powerful to convert every similar color into a bomb. Any other thoughts on why that was skipped?

4. Slow but fast menus.

- I've payed games where is takes more than 10 seconds to navigate menus, even though its just one menu. I.e. level loading time took a while, menus where just unresponsive.

- their menus are fast, and it seems like it helps force a cool down on the mind. Despite the menus being fast, there are still many of them.

5. Limited Lives

- this makes sense from a monetary stand point, but increasing the lives cost 99 cents. 5 lives.. They have really pushed the envelope with prices, but it worked. Personally, I haven't spent a dime. but I can see the constant reasons that pressure us into wanting to to pay. More lives, more turns, more time, power up pieces, 1 click fixes I.e. we are so close, I only need to spend 99 cents and I could complete this level. As the lives dwindle down, they become more precious.

- It seems like on your last round they could have milked more out of their customers by pointing out you are on your last life when you start the round.

I have a lot of other ideas on this, but I have to go to my day job. Please let me know your ideas on this. What works and why? (preferably avoid the rants, but it is candy crush, so I understand that might not be avoidable. :)

Marketing.

^ This.

A combination of marketing, consumer ignorance (since mobile games like this are targeting a demographic less familiar with consumer friendly monetisation models), luck, and a certain amount of critical mass.

...but mostly marketing.

s there a better description for the genre?

I think the official name for this genre is "Match 3".

Why is is so successful. Probably the same reason Bejeweled was. Bejeweled and Bejeweled Blitz were massive a few years ago with tons and tons of games being played over facebook. Candy Crush is just Bejeweled with more features. Better Social integration, more Achievments, more game types and of course In App Purchaes.

Marketing

I don't actually remember seeing any Candy Crush marketing.

To just accredit it to marketing is simplifying it a bit too much I think.

If so, what kind of marketing?

Accrediting it to consumer ignorance is a bit condescending... I'm sure even candy crush players are fully capable of deciding if they enjoy doing something or not, and where, when and how they want to do it.

You could analyse it from many angles, though I don't think there is much point in going into specific game features.

Here's a few random thoughts.

It's a good choice of genre for a mass market game, it's proven that many enjoy match-games.

Plus square grids are familiar from popular pen-and-paper games such as sudoku and crosswords.

They have identified a large target group, which not many other game makers have targeted, (females between 25 and 45) and they have worked a lot on making the game more attractive to this group.

(social integration is a part of that)

They have made sure to make the game very replayable, it takes a long time to solve all the puzzles and variations, this means more player time, which means more opportunities of friends getting curious, which help with marketing...

I don't actually remember seeing any Candy Crush marketing.

Here in Italy there was also a TV spot. I haven't a device capable of playing CCS, but I know the game! This is marketing

It's successful because people want to be on top in things that they think they are good at, even when they know they're not on top....

Basically it goes like this...

Bejeweled comes out...

Bejeweled get's popular...

There is an undisputed top player in Bejeweled...

All players beneath that player have varying levels of whether they can beat that top player...

Bejeweled clone comes out...

Lower ranked players from Bejeweled who recognize they can't reach the top start playing the clone...

The clone becomes popular...

Competitive players start playing the clone

A top player in the clone is set

And the cycle starts again. Also sometimes the top player moves on to set a new top rank in a new game cuz they like to do that, they are looking for new competition, or they are looking for a new challenge...when it's not any of those things the top player may still play just so they can psychologically not believe they were suckered into wasting their money along with other people and another defense strategy is to bring more people in as if more people spent money on the trash then it must hold value, even if you think it is trash you can say, "I was fooled by everyone else saying it was different/good"

Not really all that difficult... there are more factors, but that's probably the main thing that happens.

Buster2000, on 18 Mar 2014 - 12:23 PM, said:

Dan Violet Sagmiller, on 18 Mar 2014 - 11:13 AM, said:

I don't actually remember seeing any Candy Crush marketing.





Here in Italy there was also a TV spot. I haven't a device capable of playing CCS, but I know the game! This is marketing ph34r.png

Here in the UK it is also marketed on TV but, the comercials didnt actually come out until after it had been massive and then started to die down.

Thanks for all the replies. I have to agree with Buster. I've seen a commercial once, but it was well after they were pulling in massive finances from player interactions.

Buster2000, on 18 Mar 2014 - 12:23 PM, said:

Dan Violet Sagmiller, on 18 Mar 2014 - 11:13 AM, said:

I don't actually remember seeing any Candy Crush marketing.





Here in Italy there was also a TV spot. I haven't a device capable of playing CCS, but I know the game! This is marketing ph34r.png

Here in the UK it is also marketed on TV but, the comercials didnt actually come out until after it had been massive and then started to die down.

The commercials are likely a result of trying to support their BS attempts at trying to trademark/copyright Candy or Saga depending on what country.