What did you do this weekend? Eh, not that much hung out with friends Friday and Saturday night, went outdoors because the weather is finally nice… oh, and I FINALLY beat the level I’ve been stuck on in Candy Crush Saga! Now, I’m not one for Facebook games. Since the ability to block things from your news feed came to be, I’ve been blocking. No, I do not want to help your farm, kill for your mafia or even know how far you’ve gotten in Bejeweled. Come on! Facebook is for creeping on other people’s profiles and posting pictures I look good in! Well, at least it used to be that way, I am now one of those Facebook gamers. It’s not pretty, but it sure is fun.
I resisted the game for awhile, every so often I’d see something on my news feed that told me so-and-so beat a level. Whoopity-do! It wasn’t until I was home with my sisters and Candy Crush became the conversation, “Jenny, send me life!” “Ok, but can you give me moves and a life?” “Sure, just let me beat this level.” “UGH, I’ll never get past this level, I can’t clear the jelly!” As I sat there, my eyes starting to hurt from rolling them so much, I casually glanced at my sister’s screen. It looked like Bejeweled (a game I always enjoyed playing, just not posting about how far I’ve gotten) but with candy. What’s not to like about that? I asked for more explanation, “Why do you need lives and moves? What’s clearing the jelly?”
My sisters explained the game to me this way, “It’s like Bejeweled, only you have challenges you have to complete. You only have a certain amount of moves and if you don’t clear the challenge, you lose a life, but your friends can send you lives.” Oh. Well, that sounds kind of fun. I didn’t admit it then, but I knew when I got back to my apartment I was going to download it for the iPad. I could’ve put it on my phone, but in the chance that I get addicted, I knew having it on my phone would be bad news. I played my first game and I was instantly hooked. I quickly ran out of lives and had to beg for more. Not wanting to seem desperate, I would only ask my sisters for lives. But alas, they’re not responding to me fast enough! Who else can I ask? Good friends that play, they’ll understand. Still, crickets. Ok, now it’s time swallow your pride and ask that girl from high school you haven’t spoken to in 10 years. Finally! A response! I can play again! Otherwise, I’d be doomed to checking the game every 10 minutes hoping the countdown clock dwindled down (you get a new life every 30 minutes). I quickly progressed through levels until I got to level 27. I can’t forget it, I was stuck for DAYS. When I finally beat it, I did a Tiger Woods fist pump and yelled out, “YESSSSS!”
I kept going and am still playing. I conquered the Chocolate Mountain and am now in the Minty Meadow. Now when I see people beat a level in my news feed, I’m slightly jealous, “how did they get to level 101?!” As I move along the game board like levels, I pass other Facebook friends and my competitive side comes out. Ha ha ha suckers!! This game is crazy addicting and fun. The challenges get harder (obviously) and you feel more successful when you beat them. And the social/Facebook aspect of it isn’t too bad. In fact, if you really wanted to, you can never ask people for lives or even send any. But good luck, you must have patience if you’re willing to do that.
The other social/Facebook aspect of the game, is it posts to your wall. I feared becoming what I hated for so long. If you block this aspect, you don’t have access receiving/sending lives. What’s a girl to do?! And then the solution hit me. In the application settings, you set it so only you can see the posts from the app. DUH! Now, no one will know that sometimes when I need a quick break from work, I log in and get a few games in or that I played until I beat level 60 on Sunday, a length of time I’m not willing to admit. So go ahead, change those privacy settings and go for the candy. You’ll actually be surprised when you see just how many of your Facebook friends are already playing. Oh, and can you send me a life while you’re at it?
