NOVASMC

GAME DECISION MAP

Candy Crush Saga

Puzzle · Cross-platform · 2012

Current analysisBaseline 2026-06-20Open Decision Analysis →

Spend a life to enter a move-limited match-3 level → swap candies and create special candies to clear the board objective → complete the level and advance on the Saga Map → route the win into races, teams, passes, collections, and events → use earned lives and boosters to attempt the next level.

Recurring Structures

Detailed Repeating Structures

What repeats and keeps the system moving?

CORE CLASSIFICATION

Compounding Growth

Spend a life to enter a move-limited match-3 level → swap candies and create special candies to clear the board objective → complete the level and advance on the Saga Map → route the win into races, teams, passes, collections, and events → use earned lives and boosters to attempt the next level.

Outputs strengthen assets, capabilities, or access and open a stronger next cycle.

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  1. Core

    Core Level Loop

    Select level → limited-move match-3 board → objective clear/fail → next map node or retry.

  2. Competition

    Frontier

    Star Tournament/endcap spaces mitigate latest-level cap while preserving core puzzle input.

Bottlenecks

Bottleneck Patterns

Where do decisions and flow break?

CORE CLASSIFICATION

Pressure and Concentration Bottleneck

The limiting point sits in the retry result handoff.

Difficulty, randomness, growth, or completion pressure accumulates at one decision point and concentrates the burden of retrying or reinvesting.

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  1. Core

    Pressure and Concentration Bottleneck · Retry

    The limiting point sits in the retry result handoff.

  2. Supporting

    Access and Qualification Friction ·

    The limiting point sits in the entry handoff.

  3. Supporting

    Resource and Value Conversion Failure · Booster

    The limiting point sits in the booster handoff.

  4. Supporting

    Obligation and Volition Erosion · Liveops Event

    The limiting point sits in the liveops event return handoff.

  5. Supporting

    Decision and Planning Calculability Breakdown · Economy

    The limiting point sits in the economy planning handoff.

Contradictions

Contradiction Patterns

What must improve, and what must remain protected?

CORE CLASSIFICATION

Action and Return Continuity vs System Depth and Throughput

Across retry/stop ; ; seed, improve Complexity Vs Convenience while preserving Performance Vs Load.

Continuity to the next action, return, or reinvestment must improve while route diversity, strategic depth, and throughput remain protected.

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  1. Core

    Core Contradiction

    Across retry/stop ; ; seed, improve Complexity Vs Convenience while preserving Performance Vs Load.

  2. Supporting

    Freedom Vs Control / Popularity Vs Scarcity

    Across access continuity → route/receipt, improve Freedom Vs Control while preserving Popularity Vs Scarcity.

  3. Supporting

    Freedom Vs Control / Popularity Vs Scarcity

    Across capacity → use → result attribution, improve Freedom Vs Control while preserving Popularity Vs Scarcity.

  4. Supporting

    Performance Vs Load / Stability Vs Volatility

    Across voluntary/legible completion path, improve Performance Vs Load while preserving Stability Vs Volatility.

  5. Supporting

    Freedom Vs Control / Revenue Vs Trust

    Across choice control → alternative legibility, improve Freedom Vs Control while preserving Revenue Vs Trust.

Solution Mechanisms

Solution Mechanisms

Which intervention mechanism changes the condition?

CORE CLASSIFICATION

Route and Return Handoff

Apply Route and Return Handoff across retry/stop ; ; seed while preserving the protected value.

Connect the current state to valid next actions, routes, retries, and returns while preserving choice and existing paths.

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  1. Core

    challenge·puzzle-first·mastery·low friction

    Apply Route and Return Handoff across retry/stop ; ; seed while preserving the protected value.

  2. Supporting

    Loss Trust and Entitlement Buffer · Attachment

    Apply Loss Trust and Entitlement Buffer across access continuity → route/receipt while preserving the protected value.

  3. Supporting

    State and Rule Visibility Encoding · Attachment

    Apply State and Rule Visibility Encoding across capacity → use → result attribution while preserving the protected value.

  4. Supporting

    Cadence and Rhythm Coordination · Attachment

    Apply Cadence and Rhythm Coordination across voluntary/legible completion path while preserving the protected value.

  5. Supporting

    Loss Trust and Entitlement Buffer · Attachment

    Apply Loss Trust and Entitlement Buffer across choice control → alternative legibility while preserving the protected value.

Solution Compositions

Solution Compositions

How should interventions be combined and sequenced?

CORE CLASSIFICATION

Single-Track Localized Bundle

Connect 1 source-declared mechanism across retry/stop ; ; seed as Single-Track Localized Bundle.

Combine a core intervention with stabilizing or accelerating support within one problem track and keep its impact localized.

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  1. Core

    challenge·puzzle-first·mastery·low friction Composition

    Connect 1 source-declared mechanism across retry/stop ; ; seed as Single-Track Localized Bundle.

  2. Supporting

    Loss Trust and Entitlement Buffer · Attachment Composition

    Connect 1 source-declared mechanism across access continuity → route/receipt as Single-Track Localized Bundle.

  3. Supporting

    State and Rule Visibility Encoding · Attachment Composition

    Connect 1 source-declared mechanism across capacity → use → result attribution as Single-Track Localized Bundle.

  4. Supporting

    Cadence and Rhythm Coordination · Attachment Composition

    Connect 1 source-declared mechanism across voluntary/legible completion path as Single-Track Localized Bundle.

  5. Supporting

    Loss Trust and Entitlement Buffer · Attachment Composition

    Connect 1 source-declared mechanism across choice control → alternative legibility as Single-Track Localized Bundle.

  6. Supporting

    Parallel Solution-Mechanism Composition

    Connect 5 source-declared mechanisms across retry/stop ; ; seed as Core-First Branch-Sequential Portfolio.

  7. Supporting

    Parallel Solution-Mechanism Composition

    Connect 5 source-declared mechanisms across retry/stop ; ; seed as Parallel Local Contracts with Independent Rollback.