Monday, June 24, 2013

Three Things They Absolutely Should Fix On Candy Crush Saga

I'm not much of a facebook user, but the mobile version of Candy Crush Saga has been a pretty addicting distraction for the last three months or so. It's just "snackable" enough to get in a couple of levels / attempts in those moments in between meetings. And I love the fact that the "random" drops of candies make it either impossible to use a walkthrough / video tutorial, and/or devious in that the game developer, King, can probably manipulate the player's pace of advancement to its liking.

Nonetheless, I'm deep on this game. I'm a little past level 300 right now, having succumbed to extend-play boosters only once (I paid $0.99 to get five more moves, and have been guilt-ridden by it since then). Beyond that momentary lapse of weakness, I've advanced through Candy Crush Saga only through guile and persistence and what I am guessing is a little help from the game every once in a while (sensing I'm about to be frustrated enough to stop playing, and knowing I'm not going to buy another booster again).

But if King wants to make Candy Crush Saga a better user experience, here's three suggestions they should definitely update in the game:

  • 1. Allow the game to rotate direction when the iPhone is on its side, but not rotate images when the iPhone is upside down. The gameplay is gravity-based, so it's important to know what is "up" and "down" while playing. But if they make the game like web pages in safari, in that the screen doesn't rotate when the iPhone is held upside down (it stays in the last horizontal position), then one would be able to play in bed with one's head on the pillow. Trust me, this would be key.
  • 2. Changing the language from "The bomb is about to explode!", when what it really means to say is "The bomb is out of time and will now explode!". When the bomb turns zero, you're fucked. So don't say "it's about to explode", because if that time hits zero, it's not like you can duck and run for cover, or make another move to address it. Game over. So just call it a spade. (Plus, if you win the challenge with your last move, but your bomb hits zero, you still lose the round--so just call it what it is. Timer hits zero = game over.) I thought this was because King was a European company, but it looks like the company is based on the UK, so one would have thought they'd understand the Queen's English.
  • 3. Add a Prince of Persia-like spin-back-time booster, to let the player erase moves that had bad unforeseen consequences. Again, I wouldn't use that gameplay booster (the only extra money I'm giving King through in-app purchases at this point--and it's not insignificant, given my progression--is the $0.99 for accessing another 15 levels of play), but it would be an easy way for King to make some extra monetization. Too often the candies / gems drop and something goes haywire. By spinning the clock back, one could "take that move back" and try a different combination.

Okay, I've gotta get back to playing.

10 comments:

Hideo Nomo said...

I finally beat Level 91, which I was stuck on for months. Now I'm stuck on 92.

BJ Killeen said...

I agree. I'm on level 311. Can you catch me?

QuadSevens said...

Currently stuck on level 147. The bomb phrasing has bugged me for a long time too.

Steve Sax said...

@BJ: Those are footsteps you're hearing

BJ Killeen said...

Now 312....bring it, Sax!

Steve Sax said...

@BJ: Those are now retreating footsteps you're hearing...

Steve Sax said...

Just opened up 306. And I can tell they're getting lazy, as "Savory shores" is the first area in which the second word isn't capitalized. Attention to detail, people!

Hideo Nomo said...

Maybe shores is a verb.

Steve Sax said...

Pauly Shores?

Steve Sax said...

I also wanted them to fix the bug in level 316, but it looks like they did.