Ever since getting a refurbed Nexus 7 for Christmas, I've been playing some awful time wasters. Lack of full-time employment was quite enabling. And I've been quite aware of my poor choices in how to use my free time.
But I know it got bad once I decided to take the plunge, without any prompting or invites from Facebook, to download Candy Crush.
The obsession of yesteryear finally sunk in, long after I think most of my friends have stopped playing. I wouldn't feel so ashamed right now if it were a similar game, and not this one. There's nothing wrong with a casual puzzle game to play while waiting for the train or while winding down and watching TV. But Candy Crush! I've been marked forever.
Though I don't find myself addicted (at level 30ish), I see its appeal. Unlike a lot of other games with in-app purchases and Facebook integration, you can play for a long time without feeling the call of spending real money. The better and luckier you are, the longer you can play without waiting a half hour for another life. (And there are simple sync/un-synching tricks to give you even more flexibility.) And its popularity is in itself its strength. My leaderboards were pre-populated with 60+ friends, many of whom I would have never pegged for a little bit of Candy Crush obsession. I don't like to be too far from the top on any given level, and so there's a decent replay value. I like the timed levels the best.
So hello, my name is Diana, and I may have a Candy Crush addiction brewing.
But at least I've never played Farmville.
