I know you pay for it. When you can’t wait any longer. When you’re desperate. I know your tired fingers hurriedly access your credit card, under the covers, late at night. You’re looking for a life, or perhaps just a helping hand, and as a purist, I judge you for it. You, my friend are a Candy Crush addict, and you’ve finally broken down and paid for that hammer lollypop.

I know what it must feel like. Because I’ve come close to it. I too have spent days at the Salty Canyon, and stood at the edge of the Bubblegum Bridge, wondering, “Is there really a way across?” Desperate calls on dying batteries have been made to helpful friends, asking for an extra life. Or just one more move. But despite the help, a Candyvore’s journey is a lonely one; you know that, of course. But I have never paid. Not for extra lives, or moves, or even to get to a new level. My patience is always rewarded, and I still stand proud, undefeated.

Yet, there are times when I too am ashamed. When I wake up after luridly colourful dreams of Tiffi and Mr Toffee and strange, enchanting carnival tunes. When I catch myself mid-whoop at the office because a colour bomb met a striped candy. When I fake a party hangover to explain the dark circles and the sleepless nights. After all, is it normal for a 20-something to be quite this taken in by a bunch of lozenges? To count the day in 30-minute intervals till a new life is added to the game? All those delayed deadlines, postponed conversations and abandoned dates — what are they all for?

I know it’s not worth it. I’m wasting my time and youth and what little grey cells repeated stints at Farmville have left me with, but I have no one to turn to… what if I ask for help and they laugh, mock and turn me away? Or worse, take away my phone?

And then I look around me and find some hope. There are others afflicted too. It isn’t my fault; it’s a disease. And it’s spreading everywhere. I can recognise the others, staring intensely at their phones; I can see their fingers move, connecting the threes, ad infinitum. It seems never-ending. Sometimes I pray to the heavens for relief. Or just for change. And through my despair, I know a new day must come soon. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that we spent our days mingling with birds in need of anger management. For now though, there are miles to go and pots of gold to plumb at the end of the rainbows. And so I must strive, charging half a league, half a league, half a league onward. It’s not quite a war, and not child’s play either. It's a dangerous game... For there’s no going back, no matter how hard you try, once you’ve joined the CANDY CRUSH SAGA.

Top six games

Candy Crush Saga : Switch and match your way through hundreds of levels in this delicious puzzle adventure. Isn’t it the sweetest game ever? King.com Limited

Teen Patti- Indian Poker : Teen Patti is a live online card game that you play with players from around the world. Octro, Inc

Clash of Clans : This is a combat strategy game. Build your village, train your troops and battle with thousands of other players online. Supercell

Zynga Poker Texas Holdem : Online poker game where you can play with other users. Zynga Inc

Real Racing 3 : Racing game where users can drive through recreations of real race tracks across the world. Electronic Arts

Hay Day : A simulation game where players create and take care of their own farms. Supercell

Kakul Roy is a Delhi-based journalist

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