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. :)
