Candy Crush Saga Alternatives

Known for its colorful graphics and addictive gameplay, Candy Crush is one of the most popular mobile games ever released.

It was launched by King in April 2012 for Facebook but later expanded to Android, iOS, and browsers. Since then the game has been downloaded more than 3 billion times and has acquired a user base of over 250 million who play at least once a month. 

For those who might not be familiar with Candy Crush, the objective of the game is to match a minimum of three pieces of candy of the same color by moving them around the board. Each level gets more difficult as it introduces new obstacles and challenges to overcome. 

While Candy Crush Saga is free to use and download, players can make in-app purchases to help them clear the board and move to the next level. These purchases have generated $1.21 billion in revenue for King in 2021, data from Business of Apps reveals. 

If you are among the 65% of smartphone users who have game apps on their phone and are looking to pass the time with a fun puzzle game that is similar to Candy Crush Saga, here are 10 Candy Crush Saga alternatives to choose from. 

Puzzle Games Like Candy Crush

Due to its popularity Candy Crush Saga has inspired many similar games (and has drawn heavily on others at the same time). Here are some popular titles that are most similar to King’s Candy Crush. 

1. Bejeweled Blitz 

• Developer: PopCap Games
• Released in: 2010
• Number of downloads: 125m+
• Price: Freemium
• Mobile platforms: Android/ iOS

Bejeweled Blitz is an easy-to-play match-three game that was released two years before Candy Crush, leading many to consider it the inspiration behind King’s super popular puzzle game. 

Bejeweled Blitz is played on a standard 8×8 grid where players need to match at least three gems and clear them from the board to earn points. Like in Candy Crush, matching four or more gems unlocks special bonuses that give extra points. 

However, Bejeweled Blitz has faster-paced gameplay than Candy Crush. The objective is also different—in Bejeweled you need to get as many points as possible within one minute, which requires more skills and strategy than in Candy Crush. 

While both games feature vibrant graphics and peppy audio, Candy Crush is more visually appealing.

2. Cookie Jam

• Developer: Jam City, Inc.
• Released in: 2014
• Number of downloads: 100m+
• Price: Freemium 
• Mobile platforms: Android/ iOS

This is another match-three game with a food-related theme. Like in Candy Crush, the goal is to line up similar symbols (here you get cakes, cookies, and other delicious treats), clear them off the board and progress to the next level.

The game has more than 6000 levels with new ones being added every month, so there is no shortage of challenges. 

The look and feel of Cookie Jam is very similar to Candy Crush—the visuals are just as fun and designed to appeal to video game players of all ages. 

However, it is a bit harder to get through since each level poses new obstacles, such as moving maps and more symbols to match. So, if you are in for a bit of a challenge, give Cookie Jam a try. 

3. Jewel Mania

• Developer: Storm8 Studios
• Released in: 2012
• Number of downloads: 10m+
• Price: Freemium 
• Mobile platforms: Android/ iOS

Jewel Mania is very similar to Candy Crush Saga, but instead of matching yummy candy, you line up three or more jewels to clear the grid and progress through levels. As with Candy Crush, you can unlock combos and earn multipliers to help you clear the board faster.

There are over 600 original puzzles to smash your way through, with each level getting more challenging. 

Visually, Jewel Mania is one of the best Candy Crush Saga alternatives. The game has amazing graphics, bright colors, vivid animations, and excellent sound effects that will fully immerse you in the gameplay. 

On the downside, some levels may be more difficult to clear and might require players to purchase boosters in order to get to the next puzzle. 

4. Juice Cubes

• Developer: Pocket PlayLab
• Released in: 2013
• Number of downloads: 10m+
• Price: Freemium
• Mobile platforms: Android/ iOS

Published by Rovio Stars, the developers of the famed Angry Birds, Juice Cubes is a well-made and deliciously fun Candy Crush alternative.

Juice Cubes also requires players to match three or more fruits of the same color and achieve certain goals before moving to the next level. There are 700+ puzzles to complete, so plenty of activities to keep you engaged and entertained. 

The game stays true to the tropical theme with colorful visuals, lively animations, and catchy sound effects. Plus, it features adorable characters on every level, each with their one backstory further immersing you into the exotic world of the game. 

In addition to Android and iOS apps, Juice Cubes is also available as a Facebook app which allows you to play the mobile game on PC without any hassle. 

Puzzle Games Like Candy Crush with a Twist

Now that we’ve gone through some of the puzzle games like Candy Crush, let’s take a closer look at other titles where you need to do a bit more than match three game pieces. 

5. Puzzle & Dragons

• Developer: GungHo Online Entertainment 
• Released in: 2012
• Number of downloads: 62m+
• Price: Freemium 
• Mobile platforms: Android/ iOS

Puzzle & Dragons is a combination between a tile-matching and an RPG game. Players need to collect a team of over 9000 color-coded monsters and then play dungeons. The battle is simple—you need to solve a match-three puzzle (just like Candy Crush) to ensure that your monster is powerful enough to attack the waves of enemy monsters. 

This game is more challenging than Candy Crush (some of the puzzles are quite hard to solve), but just as intuitive and addictive. What’s more, the added element of collecting, mating, and evolving dragons makes Puzzle & Dragons all the more fun and engrossing. 

If you are a fan of RPG games and anime visuals, Puzzle & Dragon should be right up your alley. 

6. Triple Town 

• Developer: Spry Fox
• Released in: 2010
• Number of downloads: 5m+
• Price: Freemium
• Mobile platforms: Android/ iOS

This highly-addictive strategy puzzle game is a great option for anyone who wants more demanding gameplay than Candy Crush Saga. 

The objective of Triple Town is to build a new settlement by matching at least three game pieces to create an advanced tile piece. So, three grass pieces make a bush, three bushes make a tree… all the way to houses and cathedrals. The bigger the town, the more points you get. 

But it’s not that simple! Along the way, there are bears trying to block your progress—these furry enemies move to a neighboring square each turn until they are trapped. However, despite blocking your moves, these critters with their tiny roars are actually super cute and a great addition to the overall adorable look and feel of the game. 

7. Threes!

• Developer: Asher Vollmer
• Released in: 2014
• Number of downloads: 100k+
• Price: $0.99/$5.99
• Mobile platforms: Android/ iOS

Threes is a match-three game with a twist. Rather than matching candies or gems, in Threes! you need to line up numbers by sliding tiles across a 4×4 grid to combine addends and multiples of three. 

You start off by merging one and two to make a three tile, then you slide two threes together to make a six, the sixes make 12s, and so on. 

You don’t have to be a math whizz to play Threes! In fact, the game requires more tactics and strategy than mathematics and is quite simple to master. That said, it does provide more mental stimulation than Candy Crush especially when the board gets busy with different numbers.

8. Pokémon Shuffle

• Developer: Genius Sonority
• Released in: 2015
• Number of downloads: 10m+
• Price: Freemium 
• Mobile platforms: Android/ iOS

Developed and based on the famous Pokémon franchise, this puzzle game uses the same theme as Candy Crush Saga but combines elements of the RPG genres as well. 

In Pokémon Shuffle you need to line up three or more Pokémon to battle against wild Pokémon. Once you defeat your opponent, you can move on to the next stage—the more stages you clear, the more Pokémon you end up acquiring. 

You can play the game casually, or opt to collect, battle, and evolve Pokémon for more hours of fun. In both versions, Pokémon Shuffle is super addictive and engaging. 

The game may not be perfect—many players complain that it is a bit unfair to mobile users and the music is repetitive. Still, it poses enough of a challenge to keep fans of Pokémon and Candy Crush coming back for more sessions.  

9. Zookeeper Battle

• Developer: KITERETSU inc.
• Released in: 2012
• Number of downloads: 10m+
• Price: Freemium 
• Mobile platforms: Android/ iOS

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If you are into testing your puzzle-solving skills and speed against other players, Zookeeper Battle is the perfect game to try. 

In this highly addictive game, you go head-to-head against other players (chosen randomly by the game). The objective is to line up three or more animals of the same kind. Every cute critter caught will count towards your attack points, although some animals (like matching elephants and hippos) will also get you defense points. Your opponent gets the same layout and needs to get more points than you within 30 seconds to win.

The entertaining graphics, cutesy creatures, and brilliant animations make Zookeeper Battle a favorite among players of all ages, while continuous updates keep the gameplay fresh and engaging. 

10. Two Dots 

• Developer: PlayDots
• Released in: 2014
• Number of downloads: 50m+
• Price: Freemium
• Mobile platforms: Android/ iOS

If you are more into subtle animations than flashy visuals and would like to try a mentally stimulating game, Two Dots is a great choice. 

This freemium puzzle game has a simple and minimalistic look and feel—you get a board of colored dots and you need to match at least two to clear them off the grid. 

But don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the gameplay. Each stage of the 3,700 puzzles features different worlds with varying objectives and obstacles you need to overcome to move on to the next puzzle. The game becomes increasingly complex as you progress and might require a bit more effort on your part than simply lining up candy pieces. 

Bottom Line 

With mobile gaming on the rise, there is no doubt that you’ve tried or at least heard of Candy Crush. If you want to explore similar titles or try a match-three game like Candy Crush with a twist, download some of the puzzles above and enjoy the fun.