Candy Crush Saga's gameplay is similar to Bejeweled, where you have to mix and match various candies together in order to gain points and fulfill various objectives to beat a level. Depending on how much or what types of candies you put together, special effects can happen.
To play Candy Crush Saga, the player must match three candies of the same color in order to remove them and bring more onto the screen. Each level has a different shaped grid filled with candies many different colors, and occasionally, obstacle. In order to win, the level's objectives must be met before the player runs out of moves/time.
The Basics
Levels
Candy Crush Sega is separated into various themes, with multiple levels making up seach section. The themed sections usually introduces a new unique obstacle for that section, and future levels, with introduction levels.
In order to pass each level, the player must fulfill the criteria of the level in order to advance. If the player fails to meet the criteria, they must redo the entire stage and lose a Life.
Life System
Lives in Candy Crush Saga allow the player to start a level. The player starts with 5 lives, with lost lives regenerating every 30 minutes. If the player fails a level, a life is taken. If all of their lives are lost, they must wait for one to regenerate or purchase one with real money.
Chains
When you swap two candies' positions to align three candies of the same color, causing them to disappear, the candies above them will drop into the space left behind. This will often result in chain reactions with the longer the chain the more points are earned.
Types of Objectives
Moves/Score
In Move/Score, the goal of these levels is similar to normal play, where the player is given a limited number of moves. In order to beat these types of levels, the player must reach the minimum score before running out of moves. If they do not reach the score within the move limit, the game is lost.
Jelly
In Jelly, the candies are encased in jelly. In order to win, the player must combine candy in an effort to remove the jelly of surrounding candies within a set number of moves. If the player cannot, then the game is over.
Ingredients
In Ingredients, special ingredients appear on the board. The player must bring these special ingredients to the bottom of the grid in order to win. A menu will appear on the screen with a list of ingredients that are needed to be delivered. The player must also deliver the ingredients within a specific number of moves.
Timed
Just like any timed mode, the player must match candies in an effort reach the minimum score within a set time limit. In this game mode, the player will see a new piece on the board. These peices aid the player in adding more time to the clock if necessary.
Candy Order
Candy Order is a game mode where the player must create special candies. The player must mix and match candies within a set number of moves in an attempt to collect the specified number of candies.
Special Candy
Striped Candy
Aligning 4 candies of the same color in a row creates a stripped candy. A striped candy will clear an entire row or column depending on the direction of the stripes (this is determined by the direction in which you swiped to create the candy). Striped candies can be combined with other candies in the following ways:
| Combination | Effect |
| Striped candy + Striped Candy | Both striped candies are activated horizontally and vertically |
| Striped candy + Wrapped Candy | Makes a giant striped candy that takes up a 3x3 area. It will clear all candies vertically and horizontally. |
| Striped candy + Color Bomb | Turns every candy of that color (including special candies) into a striped candy in a horizontal-vertical pattern from the top left along the rows and then activates them all. |
| Striped Candy + Jellyfish | Causes three striped jelly fish to swim onto the screen like normal. The difference is every candy they land on will be turned into a striped candy that is then activated |
| Striped Candy + Coconut Wheel | The striped candy is activated. After that, up to three candies on each side of the coconut wheel are turned into striped candies and activated in the opposite direction of the switch. |
Color Bomb
Aligning 5 candies in a row will create a color bomb. When dragged on top of another candy will clear any candy of that color.You'll also get an additional 200 points from creating it. Color bombs can be combined with other candies in the following ways:
| Combination | Effect |
| Color Bomb + Striped Candy | Turns every candy of that color (including special candies) into a striped candy in a horizontal-vertical pattern from the top left along the rows and then activates them all. |
| Color Bomb + Wrapped Candy | The color bomb will destroy every candy of the color the wrapped candy was. Then it will destroy the most plentiful color. |
| Color Bomb + Color Bomb | Clears every candy on the board. |
| Color Bomb + Candy Bomb | Same effect as a regular color bomb, only you are given much more points.
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| Color Bomb + Jellyfish | Causes three dotted jelly fish to swim onto the screen. Every candy they land on will be turned into a jelly fish, then the same effect will happen with up to 12 jellyfish. |
| Color bomb + Coconut Wheel | The color bomb will activate. After that, the coconut wheel will scroll in whatever direction was made and makes a full line of vertical/horizontal striped candies. |
Wrapped Candy
Aligning 5 candies of the same color into an "L", "T", or "+" shape will create a wrapped candy. These special candies will remove all candies in the 3x3 space around it. You will also earn 200 additional points from creating the candy. Each time it explodes the surrounding 8 candies, you'll earn 540 points. Wrapped candies can be combined with other candies in the following ways:
| Combination | Effect |
| Wrapped Candy + Striped Candy | Makes a giant striped candy that takes up a 3x3 area. It will clear all candies vertically and horizontally. |
| Wrapped candy + Wrapped Candy | Clears 24 candies in a 5x5 grid around each wrapped candy. Its second explosion will occur individually by each of the two wrapped and once again explode in a 5x5 grid. |
| Wrapped Candy + Color Bomb | The color bomb will destroy every candy of the color the wrapped candy was. Then it will destroy the most plentiful color. |
| Wrapped Candy + Jellyfish | Causes three wrapped jelly fish to swim onto the screen. Every candy it lands on will be turned into a wrapped candy which then activates.
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| Wrapped Candy + Coconut Wheel | The coconut wheel will follow it's full path horizontally of vertically (depending on the way you switched it). It'll also turn the whole row or column into wrapped candies which then activate. |
Jelly Fish
Jelly fish are pre-placed on the board only in jelly levels and unable to be created unless you use a jelly fish booster. When matched with two other candies of the same color, the fish will swim off the board and bring back 3 of his friends onto the board. The 3 jelly fish will then eat 3 random pieces of jelly. If there are no jellies to eat, the fish will just eat random candies. Jelly fish are a great help whenever you need to clear jelly, always make sure to use them when you can. Jelly fish can be combined with other candies in the following ways:
Note: If a jelly fish lands on a blocker, nothing will happen.
| Combination | Effect |
| Jellyfish + Striped Candy | Causes three striped jelly fish to swim onto the screen like normal. The difference is every candy they land on will be turned into a striped candy. |
| Jellyfish + Wrapped Candy | Causes three wrapped jelly fish to swim onto the screen. Every candy it lands on will be turned into a wrapped candy. |
| Jellyfish + Color Bomb | Causes three dotted jelly fish to swim onto the screen. Every candy it lands on will be turned into a jelly fish, then the same effect will happen with up to 12 jellyfish. |
Coconut Wheel
Coconut wheels are pre-placed on the board only in ingredients levels and can only be summoned by the coconut wheel booster. To activate, all you have to do is switch it with the candy next to it. The coconut wheel will activate, start spinning and turn the next three candies in that direction into stripped candies which will immediately activate. Coconut wheels can be combined with other candies in the following ways:
| Combination | Effect |
| Coconut Wheel + Striped Candy | The striped candy is activated. After, up to three candies on each side of the coconut wheel are turned into striped candies and activated in the opposite direction of the switch. |
| Coconut Wheel + Wrapped Candy | The coconut wheel will follow it's full path horizontally of vertically (depending on the way you switched it). It'll also turn the whole row or column into wrapped candies which then activate. |
| Coconut Wheel + Color Bomb | The color bomb will activate. After that, the coconut wheel will scroll in whatever direction was made and makes a full line of vertical/horizontal striped candies. |
| Coconut Wheel + Coconut Wheel | The two wheels will activate like normal separately. |
Boosters
Boosters are items that can be both unlocked through normal play, as well as purchased in-game via the Yeti Shop. They are basically in-game cheats that will give the play an advantage in a level, such as extra moves or starting a level with certain Special Candies. Boosters aren't required in order to finish any of the levels in the game and only have a certain number of charges before they disappear.
