Solitaire BOOM! Candy Crush and Disney Solitaires

Old Genre, New Momentum

Solitaire isn’t a new genre — in fact, it’s one of the oldest and most familiar in mobile gaming. But recently, the genre seems to be gaining new momentum.

It’s not often that 2 major studios release Solitaire games almost back-to-back, but that’s exactly what happened with Candy Crush Solitaire and Disney Solitaire. Both come from strong brands. Both use the familiar Tri-Peaks formula. But once you dive in, the experiences feel very different.

In this article, I’ll break down the Core Gameplay, standout Features, Live Ops, Monetization, and the subtle tricks that make each game tick.

And yes – I’ve played and paid them both … a lot 😉 Let’s deconstruct.

Core Game Loop

Both Solitaire titles are built around the classic Tri-Peaks Core Mechanic — a proven formula that’s been successful for years.

Naturally, you’ll find plenty of familiar Gameplay mechanics and Blocker types across both games:

Even so, each game manages to introduce its own twist through unique blockers and gameplay variations

Another Tri-Peaks? Let’s see if these new titles actually bring something fresh.

Let’s break it down.

Candy Crush Solitaire: Hold Slot

One standout feature in Candy Crush Solitaire is its unique Hold Slot mechanic — a clever twist that adds an Extra layer of Strategy to the classic Tri-Peaks formula.

Here’s how it works:

• You can set aside the top card from your hand at any time.
• And play it later — no matter what cards you’re holding.

This might sound simple, but it fundamentally shifts the feel of the game. This small addition gives players a real sense of control over their sessions:

• Suddenly, you’re not just reacting — you’re planning.

At first, I found the mechanic a bit strange. And yet, after a few rounds, I got hooked.

So much so that I started missing it in other Solitaire games — yes, even in Disney Solitaire.

Candy Crush Solitaire: Bubblegum Troll

With the Hold Slot already adding a layer of strategy and player agency, Candy Crush Solitaire goes a step further — and throws a bit of chaos into the mix.

Meet the Bubblegum Troll:

• The Bubblegum Troll takes over your Hold Slot, making it temporarily unusable
• To get rid of him, the player must clear 3 Cards in a Row — a streak that breaks the Bubblegum grip

It’s a clever move from the designers:

• adds +1 new mechanic
• increases the challenge, while keeping the game fun
• encourages smart use of the Wild Card, pushing players to build a 3-Card Streak

Nice touch, right?

Candy Crush Solitaire: Unique Booster and Tricks

Just like its big sister Candy Crush Saga, Candy Crush Solitaire brings in that signature “Boom and Wow” energy — thanks to its Boosters:

There are 3 unique Booster types, they help :

• add an extra layer of fun
• they help build that ‘explosive level design’ vibe
• but boosters here aren’t just about gameplay sparkle — they’re part of a monetization loop too:
  • used as Rewards in LiveOps and Events
  • function as a Currency in Offers

And it doesn’t stop there.

The same mechanics are also used inside the gameplay — as Tricks:

That was my experience with Candy Crush Solitaire.

Now, let’s talk about Disney Solitaire — a game that takes a different route, but still has a few clever tricks up its sleeve.

Disney Solitaire: Great accent on Game Streak

Disney Solitaire doesn’t just have streaks — it spotlights them, making sure you know exactly when to drop that Wild Card for the win.

When a player is just one move away from completing a streak (X-1):

• the Streak bar starts to glow
• the Wild Card starts bouncing, drawing attention to itself

These small but effective animations do 2 important things:

• guide the player’s focus to the opportunity at hand
• create a gentle push — a nudge to use the Wild Card and grab that streak reward

Other Solitaire games may have streak mechanics too, but few highlight them with the same clarity and intent as Disney Solitaire.

Disney Solitaire: The Betting System

Just like in Solitaire Grand Harvest, Disney Solitaire features a Betting system at the start of each level:

• The higher the bet, the greater the potential reward
• Players can choose from multiple multipliers: 1x, 2x, or 4x
• Reward Multiplier: ranges from 1x up to 7x

It’s a classic ‘Risk-Reward’ mechanic.

Pros and cons? Let’s take a closer look.

(+) Easier to work with Big Spenders & Whales:

• Let’s say a player purchases 100,000 coins — how many games can they play?
• If the player loses every round (worst-case scenario):
  • on Standard 1x Bet = 100,000 / 2,000 = 50 games
  • on Epic 4x Bet = 100,000 / 8,000 = 12,5 games

(-) However here’s the catch — the value of your Boosters changes (depending on the Bet).

• Let’s say you have 1 Wild Booster. How much is it worth in coins?
• Price in coins to use Wild Booster:
  • on Standard 1x Bet = 6,000 coins
  • on Epic 4x Bet = 22,000 coins
• You just need to keep that in mind when assigning this Booster as a Reward or including it in Offers — its value can vary depending on player behavior. So make sure it’s properly balanced for different betting strategies

Meta Gameplay

Both, Candy Crush and Disney Solitaires chose to implement a Decoration Meta.

Personally, I don’t think this is the strongest Meta, but in these 2 cases, the Brand Power makes a big difference:

• The Candy Crush brand has been familiar to players for over a decade — ever since Candy Crush Saga launched
• The Disney brand? Let’s be honest — most of us grew up with it

These iconic brands naturally evoke deep nostalgia and long-standing loyalty

Level Specifics

In Candy Crush Solitaire – there are 3 Special Level types: Hard, Super Hard and Bonus levels. Overall, they add a nice mix of variety, challenge, and fun — but let’s break them down a bit more

Hard and Super Hard Levels:

• Their visual presentation signals a challenge
• They encourage players to use Pre-Level Boosters
• They trigger Monetization Moments — especially through targeted Hard Level Offers

Bonus Levels:

• They reward players in a fun, gamified way
• They give players a moment to relax after the pressure of harder stages
• They establish a pattern — players learn that a Bonus Level usually follows a Hard one

P.S. One feature really caught me by surprise: a Free Entrance Booster activated for 5 minutes.It popped up right when I was stuck on a Hard Level Nice touch, right? A gentle nudge to keep going, rather than Churn.

Lose Level flow

In both Solitaire games, the lose flow follows a similar structure:

• when there are no more possible moves, clear UI cues help the player recognize the situation
• if the player chooses to end the level, a confirmation pop-up appears — asking if they’re sure they want to quit

Could This Flow Be Even Stronger?

Personally, I think there’s still untapped potential in the Lose Level trigger — it could be made even more impactful.

• for Candy Crush Solitaire, they could build on the Level Streak mechanics and clearly highlighting what the player is about to lose
• for Disney Solitaire, a few smart tweaks could help:
  • show more Currencies or Rewards the player is missing out on (similar to CCS)
  • make Streak progress more visible — for example: “you has already pass 25/30 points, let’s Continue”

LiveOps and Features

In Candy Crush Solitaire they use different types of LiveOps:

• from Short-term to Long-term activities
• from Retention to Engagement mechanics
• pay a lot of attention to varieties of Competition mechanics
• and offer different types of missions for players: Collect Kings, Collect Red cards, Win levels, etc

Still, there are still areas that feel a bit underused:

• Level-based Streaks aren’t a big focus — though they could be a great opportunity for monetization
• Synergy between events – maybe they’re planning to add this later

Disney Solitaire also uses plenty of LiveOps. The main differences from Candy Crush Solitaire:

• create more frequent reskins across all major mechanics — giving familiar events a new visuals
• tasks are more focused on: Core Streaks, Level Streaks and Win Levels
• built stronger synergy between events — for example:
  • Offers and Events 1–3 reward players with currencies needed for Events 4–6
  • it’s a more interconnected approach — and it helps keep players engaged across multiple features.

Offer System

Both Solitaire games are clearly focused on IAP monetization (which is classic for the genre)

In Candy Crush Solitaire the offer system is well-structured, even at the most basic level:

• Shop: a solid in-game shop with a variety of currency bundles and mixed-value offers:
  • 1 Coins Package + 1 Bundle – for the same price $1,99
  • 1 Coins Package + 1 Bundle – for the same price $6,99 (good anchoring for the Bundles!)
  • $11.99 “Best Value” pack → Includes x3 coins compared to the $6.99 option
  • Bonus Wheel – encourages players to visit the shop regularly
• Classic Special Offer: simple, but good enough – serves as a strong foundational offer
• Piggy Bank: highlights the idea of “invested effort”
• Endless Offer: one of my personal favorites (as I’ve mentioned in earlier posts)
• Hard Level Offer: a contextual offer shown before Super Hard Levels.Cheap, useful, and contains exactly what the player needs to pass a tough stage

Disney Solitaire expands the offer lineup with even more variety and smart design choices:

• 1 Plus X Deal: Buy 1, Get X for Free.The first time I saw a “1 Plus 12” offer, I couldn’t even think rationally. As a player, my reaction was simply: ‘Wow, that’s a lot of stuff — for FREE?!’It’s a clever psychological hook, and it works.
• Buy them ALL: A classic upsell trick: pay more to unlock everything at once.
• Bazaar: Same price, multiple options — creating a natural anchoring effect around the “Best Value” choice.

Final Thoughts

Personally, I find Candy Crush Solitaire to be the more refreshing of the two:

• Their Hold Slot mechanic genuinely changed the way I play — giving me more control, more strategy, and a real sense of agency
• And their Boosters? They make the levels feel extra juicy. They turn even the most standard levels into small dopamine parties.

Disney Solitaire, on the other hand feels a bit more classic in its design

• That said, as someone who loves a bit of risk, I have to admit: I really enjoyed their Betting system. It adds a nice layer of tension — a clever way to add emotional stakes and keep each run exciting.
• I also appreciate the variety in how they present LiveOps and Offers, plus the early steps toward creating synergy between events. It’s a strong foundation, though there’s still room to fine-tune the balance and pacing across the broader system.

Each game has its strengths — and if you’re designing your own, there’s a lot here to be inspired by.