3 min read
Candy Crush Saga’s glossy, streamlined take on match-3 puzzling has racked up more than 1 billion mobile downloads—and now the formula is getting a fresh crypto spin with the launch of Sugar Match, a game built on the Tezos layer-2 network, Etherlink.
The iOS and Android game, built by Sugar Gaming Studios, aims to differentiate itself from other match-3 games—puzzle games that task users with moving objects to connect and clear three or more like items—with its competitive player-versus-player (PvP) mode and skill-based crypto earnings, leveling up the experience.
“Match-3 games are one of the most proven and successful genres in mobile gaming,” Sugar Gaming Studios co-founder and CEO Nikolay Mitev told Decrypt, adding that the genre’s accessibility is “crucial” to its ability to onboard millions of players from Web2 to Web3.
“Crypto adds an extra layer of value and excitement,” Mitev added. “In Web2, players spend billions on in-app purchases but rarely receive any lasting value back. That’s where play-to-earn aligns perfectly: It gives casual players a new dimension of engagement while keeping the same fun, addictive gameplay loop they already love.”
Sugar Match pairs that gameplay loop with play-to-earn mechanics, highlighted by its PvP mode that pits three players against each other in a real-time puzzle race across five timed rounds. Each participant pays an entry fee to join, and the winner walks away with all of the CNDY tokens.
Players will also be able to earn the token via seasonal tournaments, leaderboard competitions, and loyalty programs.
“This structure solves the sustainability problem most Web3 games face,” said Mitev. “Rewards aren’t coming from a treasury or inflationary token printing—they come from fair competitive gameplay. It’s fun, it’s social, and it’s transparent.”
The gaming studio previously raised $1 million to build Sugar Match on Etherlink, a Tezos layer-2 network that has Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility. Mitev explained why the studio opted to build on the Tezos layer-2 over other competing blockchain networks.
“This was a very conscious decision,” Mitev said. He also highlighted the speed, scalability, and low-cost nature of the chain, as well, but said ultimately the decision was about more than technical attributes.
“But more than tech, it’s about partnership,” Mitev added. “The teams in the Etherlink and Tezos community have been incredibly supportive in terms of ecosystem collaboration, marketing, and technical integration. We didn’t want to be just another game lost in the noise of a massive chain—we wanted to be a flagship project in an ecosystem that values sustainable growth.”
Following this week’s launch in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, the CEO said that “the focus now is on scaling and delivering new features that keep the community engaged.” Over the long run, the team aims to build an interconnected ecosystem of five different Web3 games, and hopes to attract a million players to Sugar Match within the first six to 12 months.
Editor's note: This story was updated after publication to clarify the attribution of the comments.
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