Candy Splash - Blast Sugar - Yuan Chen

This review of Candy Splash - Blast Sugar was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 7 March 2019.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of Candy Splash - Blast Sugar contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

Our Reviewer played up to level 31.

App description

Candy Splash – Blast Sugar is a “match three” game where players must match 3 or more identical symbols on a grid of multiple other symbols. Matching is achieved by pressing and swiping a symbol into the desired direction – vertical or horizontal (there are no diagonal matches as with other Connect 4 style games). When a match occurs, the matched symbols disappear, allowing other symbols to fall from above and take their position in the grid. Matching 4 symbols creates a bomb and 5 symbols create a special bomb that will take out all relative symbols on the whole grid. Players can also combine bombs together to create a giant blast. The aim of the game is to clear the designated amount of symbols for that level (e.g.; 30 beans, 35 eggs, etc.).

Reviewers comments

This game is almost identical to Candy Crush – one of the first and most popular ‘match-three’ games. The difference is that the game is pitched at a young girl demographic, using female children in the graphics as well as young female voices during game play. Whilst patient players can play this game for free, other players may purchase in-app currency with real money in order to get past challenging levels (e.g., you can get 5 extra moves for 32 coins. However, if you don’t have any coins left, you can purchase more with real money). Players do have the option of restarting the level again for free, but it appears that many players are opting to purchase more coins to continue these types of games. In an article published by the Guardian, the online developer “King” (creators of Candy Crush) made $493 million during a 3-month period in 2013 just from in-app purchases. As there is no guarantee that buying more moves will clear the level, this is a “risk for reward” type of behaviour – like gambling. This potentially habit-forming process should be closely monitored by parents.

In App purchasing

There is some In-App purchasing in this game, for example:

• 200 Coins $7.99
• 32 Coins $1.49
• 420 Coins $14.99
• 900 Coins $30.99
• ·2400 Coins $79.99

Online information

• There is no online connectivity required to play this game.

Gambling

• Players can spend real money to purchase extra moves – but there is no guarantee the extra moves will result in level completion.  This is known as “risk for reward” behaviour, which is a gambling element.

Advertising and product placement

There is a lot of excessive advertising in this game, including:

• banner and pop-up ads.
• Rewards can also be earned from watching 30 ads – which usually feature other apps and games.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

• As this game is pitched to attract young female children, it features stereotypically 'feminine' characters with high pitched voices and 'pretty' clothing. 

Coarse language

• None noted.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

• See reviewer’s comments.

Other

N/A.

Got a suggestion?

You can contact us if you have suggestions of other children's apps to review.