By now many of us have heard of and perhaps have played the game Candy Crush Saga released by the developer King, which is available to play on Facebook and mobile devices. This match-three puzzle game is fun, cute, colorful and free to play. This highly popular game has over 46 million average monthly users. That’s a whole lot of people.
Believe it or not, I was hypnotized by the game after being innocently lured by my own mother and older sister through Facebook. Yes I was a victim! The sweet music, images of candy, cartoon-like characters, its claims of being free…oh the humanity!
I was hoodwinked, bamboozled, led amuck. I didn’t land on Candy Crush Saga, Candy Crush Saga landed on me!
This clever game is designed by having each level as a game board filled with different colored candies and containing obstacles. There are jelly beans, lozenges, lollipops, Swedish fish, lemon drops and special ability pieces. Basic principle of the game is to move the pieces horizontally or vertically to create sets of the same color. The idea is to clear the objectives that are set within the amount of moves allowed. The key being “within the amount of moves allowed”.
This is how I was nailed to the wall. I’d get so close but end up running out of moves. Then a clever window would appear and ask if I’d like some more moves. Of course I would thank you. Ha! Well if you want it, you need to pay for it with REAL money.
Okay $.99 here, $1.99 there, wow not too bad. I’m leveling up, now I encounter, “Oh wait you want to move on, you need to pay or sucker someone else in”. This endless tit for tat game play would ultimately appear on my monthly cell phone bill received by my fiancé.
Cue in Darth Vader theme.
I am scolded as if a child for my numerous purchases of “some game”. Apologies are made and we move on.
I attempt to play this game, that now has a voice inside my head calling my name, without paying for moves or extra abilities. Anyone who has played can tell you that you can literally be stuck in your current position for a very, very long time. This can be irritably frustrating.
So what happens?
I caved in. I bathed in the luxurious sugar coated world and played, unlocking my extra moves and special candies. I unlocked levels, boards, only to result in my own demise.
On a sad day in January of our current year I entered an At&t store with my fiancé to inquire about saving some money on our cell phone bill. What was said after the review of my account activity is a bit hazy right now but what I can say is that my Candy Crush Saga was cock blocked by my fiancé .
My dear man suggested a wonderful rehabilitation center at Five Guys afterwards where I indulged in a bacon cheeseburger, fries and Cherry Dr. Pibb but it wasn’t the same. Perhaps the suggestion of playing with my gummy bears may seem silly but it only results in sour tears as I try to match the colors instead of eating them.
