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Not to be confused with Colour Bomb or Cake Bomb.

0-move BombRemove Candy Bombs before they hit 0!

—Splash text

Candy Bomb Red

The candy bomb (also known as time bomb or simply bomb) is one of the blockers in Candy Crush Saga. It is one of the most difficult and hated obstacles in the game. It appears as a coloured bomb with a number inside it. The number varies depending on the level and can be as high as 99 or as low as one. For every move used, the number on the bomb will be decreased by one, as long as the bomb is not gotten rid of until it reaches zero. When a candy bomb’s timer reaches zero, it will explode the whole board and the player will fail the level.

The candy bomb is first introduced for the 8th episode, Salty Canyon. It first appears in level 96. Like liquorice swirls, they can be created out of dispensers; this happens starting from the 9th episode, Peppermint Palace (level 111). They can be dispensed from the same dispensers as other elements in later episodes.

Appearances[]

For the list of levels with this blocker, see here.

Properties[]

Candy bombs act like a normal candy and can be matched with a colour bomb.

Candy bombs have move counts ranging from a very nice 99 moves in levels 3851 and 4853, to 50 moves in level 5000, 46 moves in 1438, 40 moves in levels 755 and 934 or 35 moves in levels, 258, 407, 502, 747, 923, pre-nerfed 934, and 977 or even 4 in some later levels and (formerly) some mystery candies (on mobile), 3 in levels 275 (first version), 423, and 1504, a mere 2 in levels 1349 (version 1), 1982, 2882, and 2912, and only 1 in 1341 (buffed version of old 1349) and 7887.

  • Also, some mystery candies spawning bombs can have a long or short move count. If the level has a preset counter for other bombs, they use the same counter. If the preset value does not exist, the counter may be random.

Candy bombs can be destroyed by a normal candy match, or through any special candy's effects reaching the candy bomb. Each bomb is worth 3,000 (Flash) / 500 (HTML5) points when destroyed. Candies will take the place of the square once the candy bomb is destroyed.

Bombs can be combined with other blockers to form particularly deadly combinations. Bombs under liquorice locks, in marmalade, or inside sugar chests will explode while still trapped in their confining blocker if they are not freed and destroyed before the counter reaches zero.

The candy bomb's timer can be increased by 5 with the help of a booster, called the Bomb Cooler, which adds 5 to every bombs' timer on the board. It is unlocked when the player reaches level 97.

Candy Bomb Plus 5 Moves

Candy bombs on level 666 after a bomb cooler was purchased. The blue bomb has 17 moves because the bombs normally have 12 moves and 12 + 5 = 17. The green bomb has 11 moves as 6 of its 17 moves had been exhausted and 17 - 6 = 11.

As of the Candy Keep update, bombs will be shuffled when the board shuffles due to lacking possible moves. Before the update, level 370 was problematic if there are no more possible switches.

Event Timing[]

Flash version[]

  • Before, when a candy bomb reached 0, it exploded before any conveyor belts had a chance to move, even if doing so would defuse the bomb. By the time of the release of Wacky Waterhole, it has been corrected.
  • Likewise, if a UFO is activated when a candy bomb is at 1, the bomb timer will be decremented to 0 while the UFO lifts off, so that the player loses the game, even though the UFO's action might have destroyed the bomb.
  • In your last move of any level, bombs on the board do not tick, even if they have counter down to 1.
  • If some bombs are supposed to spawn every few moves, but they fail to do so for any reason, once they can spawn, they will all come out.

HTML5 version[]

  • Bombs may only explode after conveyor belts move and all cascades end.
  • Similarly, if there are other objects in the process (Jelly Fish, Coconut Wheel, UFO and so on), the bomb does not explode before all processes end.
  • Bombs still tick in your last move of level.
  • Bombs failed to spawn every few moves are not reserved at all.

Strategy[]

It is vital to remove the bombs before their timers reach 0-move Bomb or else the bombs will explode and cause the failure of a level.

However, removing candy bombs can be fairly difficult at times and can impact the difficulty of a level directly. Sometimes they can be isolated from the main part of the board, forcing the player to remove them using special candies. Depending on the bombs' position, it may be necessary to plan a few steps forward to successfully remove them. On an open board, making matches in the middle of the board can decrease the chances of bombs spawning on the edges. Sometimes, bombs can be easy to remove also.

While candy bombs are threatening, it is also important to note that bombs provide benefits of boosting the score (3,000 points awarded for every bomb removed). Using a colour bomb on a candy bomb provides massive points, sometimes up to hundreds of thousands of points. This holds for moves, timed levels and even jelly, ingredient and candy order levels, where getting enough points is the key to passing the level.

Take note that when it comes to focusing on getting points, using a lollipop hammer to remove it on certain versions is not recommended, as it will give you 0 points. Only use it if the timer is 1 and you can't remove it.

On timed levels, you can still lose after reaching the target score if a bomb explodes. Once the target score has been reached, you can stop and let the time run out if you have no possible moves to remove a bomb and making a move would set off a bomb.

Also, watch the pattern of adding new bombs into the field. Some bombs are added for every certain number of turns, some bombs are added if there are less than a stage-specific count of bombs on the field (For example, in some levels, the candy cannons will always try to keep multiple candy bombs on the field) and no more bombs will be added until one of the existing bombs are cleared (For example, in 565, the dispensers do not release more bombs the instant they are two bombs on the field and will only dispense bombs if one of them is cleared. When that happens, they will only dispense up to a maximum of two bombs on the field).

On HTML5, you can still win if you have a bomb at 0 and the number of moves (or time) at 0 unless you did not score enough points on that level.

Locked Candy Bombs[]

(Candy Bomb Green + Liquorice Lock new)

This setup is seen sometimes in levels, starting unofficially from level 98 and officially at level 107. When it does make an appearance, it is very deadly. It is one of the most notorious setups in the game. For example, the old version of 440 used to be a very difficult level due to the heavy use of this setup.

There are a few reasons why this is so deadly: 1) candy bombs will still count down even when trapped in a blocker, 2) some blockers can also hide the bomb's countdown readout and 3) destroying the blocker, as usual, will not destroy the bomb itself, allowing it to survive one additional hit before being eliminated.

Some levels only have one use of this setup, and some feature it very heavily, but any level with this setup will likely bring an early end to an attempt or two at least if not removed.

The best strategy to remove it is to activate a wrapped candy around it to remove the lock and the bomb. Or match the colour bomb with a striped candy, but, this is very hard.

Level 482 clear

Level 482 on mobile. Notice that, even with the leftmost orange bomb with its counter at 0, Sugar Crush is still being activated since the order has been completed.

Extinction[]

From May 2022, candy bombs were replaced with countdown crystals for some players, before they were changed back in July 2022. Around the same time they were changed back, the last known level with candy bombs (Level 12216) was released. Given that it's been over 3000 levels since their last known appearance (and even longer since their current last appearance, as said level has been redesigned to not have candy bombs), it's highly likely that candy bombs will be removed in the future. While they could be replaced with countdown crystals, this is also unlikely, as said blocker has been removed from the game multiple times. Even if they did replace candy bombs, countdown crystals would still be absent for thousands of levels, defeating the purpose of replacing them.

Notable Levels[]

  • Level 96 - First appearance. First level with candy bomb order, due to redesigning.
  • Level 98 - First level with locked candy bombs and candy bombs in marmalade.
  • Level 111 - First level with candy bomb cannons.
  • Level 813 - Officially the first level with candy bombs in sugar chests.
  • Level 1020 - First three-coloured level with candy bombs.
  • Level 1052 - First level where candy bombs have a fixed colour.
  • Level 1328 - First level where candy bombs can be spawned by magic mixers.
  • Level 1341 - First level with one-move candy bombs.
  • Level 2595 - First two-coloured level with candy bombs.
  • Level 3044 - First level where candy bomb order appears officially.
  • Level 3216 - First level where candy bombs are required but don't spawn on the board and the first level where they can come out of lucky candies.
  • Level 3769 - First level where candy bombs have a non-spawning colour.
  • Level 3851 - First level where candy bombs have the highest possible timer (99 moves).
  • Level 3957 - The first jelly-order mixed level with candy bomb order.
  • Level 4603 - First level with candy bombs in crystals.
  • Level 4853 - First level where 99-move candy bombs can be spawned by magic mixers.
  • Level 5928 - The first ingredients-order mixed level with candy bomb order.
  • Level 5937 - First time when candy bombs can have two different timers in the same level.
  • Level 6050 - First level with candy bombs in sugar coats.
  • Level 6446 - First time when candy bombs can have three different timers in the same level.
  • Level 6577 - The first time when candy bombs can have four different timers in the same level.
  • Level 7244 - First appearance in rainbow rapids levels.
  • Level 7887 - First time when candy bombs can have five or more different timers in the same level (in this case, 9).
  • Level 7921 - First level where candy bomb order is required to unlock order locks.
  • Level 7982 - First level with candy bombs in order locks.
  • Level 8487 - First level with candy bombs in skull pedestals.
  • Level 8517 - First rapids-order mixed level with candy bomb order.
  • Level 9193 - First level with a different colour scheme in which candy bombs appear on the board.
  • Level 9482 - First level where specific-coloured candy bombs spawn from cannons.
  • Level 11243 - Last current level where candy bombs appear (and are required for orders).
  • Level 11273 - Last current level with candy bombs cannons.
  • Level 12216 - Last known level where candy bombs could appear (and were required for orders). However, the level was redesigned to not have them.

Trivia[]

  • Although candy bombs can help give the player a very high score, it is still a big threat if the player doesn't remove them on time.
  • In version 1.186, the bombs were "nerfed" in its positive aspect of granting the player lots of points. The bombs' worth was drastically decreased from 3,000 points to only 500 points.
  • It is among the most hated elements in the game as it causes level failure if a player does not remove it in time, and there is currently no way to increase the timer without using boosters.
  • It is currently one of the only three methods of the game (aside from the quit button) to cause level failure without using up all moves.
    • The other methods include running short of candies such as no moves can be made even after a shuffle (or two in HTML5) and being unable to complete a candy order due to either destroying all magic mixers on the board or all chocolate before either of those elements had spawned enough blockers to complete the candy order.
  • The Candy Bomb's texture seems to be soda in an elliptical sphere.
  • On HTML5, candy bombs used to truly explode in a bubblegum mess before the "Level failed" message is displayed.
  • The candy bombs are known as "Pepper Candy" according to the keywords in the level config files.
  • If there are multiple candy bombs with a timer at zero, they will all explode:
    • Flash: They will remove all other candies and leave empty locks, marmalade and chests, which is strange since they can destroy the contents without opening the chests.
    • HTML5: Only one of them will send a shockwave, nothing else will be changed. In the latest versions, the exploding animation will not be shown but instead simply end the game like running out of moves.
  • The numbers on the counter of a candy bomb also vary between versions.
    • Flash: It will be in the smaller font when it has 2 digits, and become a bigger number with a single digit.
    • HTML5: The numbers will always be of the same size.
  • Just as liquorice swirl can be generated from candy cannons, the same could be said for candy bombs. However, the need to get rid of as many bombs before they explode may be overwhelming, especially if the initial number on the bomb is of a low value, like 8 or below.
  • In the past, when there is a shuffle, the candy bombs stay in place and won't count down. As of the Candy Keep update, they will be shuffled during a shuffle. This only happened in late HTML5.
  • If a colour bomb destroys the same colour as some of the candy bombs on screen, the player can receive massive points, which can be very helpful. This technique can earn a player millions of points on levels like 274 and 374 and is essential for levels such as 880 and past versions of 1304.
    • Eventually, later moves levels require unusually high target scores. Hence, it is mandatory in later levels, such as 1394, 1941 and 1947.
  • Candy bombs eaten by sweet teeth or smashed by a lollipop hammer will not yield any points.
  • The sound of when candy bombs are removed varies in each version.
    • Flash: It does not make any sound on, but the fuse animates.
    • HTML5: It is similar to when liquorice swirls and multilayered frostings were destroyed. In the latest versions, the exploding sound is not heard.
  • On HTML5, if a bomb explodes and produces a shockwave, it will make the sound similar to a cake bomb when all of its slices are removed.
  • It is similar to Bomb in Bejeweled Twist and Bejeweled 3, having it's explosion similar to Candy Bomb.
  • These are one of the main reasons the past version of earlier levels were the hardest levels in Candy Crush Saga.
  • Previously, on Flash, if you completed a level when the bomb counter shows zero, it would not explode on the board, meaning you will still have finished the level, but the blast will prevent any Sugar Crush from occurring. Then after some redesigning, the player would fail the level (which can be observed on jelly levels such as levels 275 and 515). However, the original behavior has been restored.
    • This doesn't apply to HTML5 though. The bomb will not cause level failure on HTML5 when you meet the objective right when the bomb reads 0.
  • The first version of 275 once held the lowest starting candy bomb count, at 3 moves. The current version increased it to 15, meaning that 5-move candy bombs became the deadliest. However, with the release of Candied Cliffs, level 1341 not only features the candy bombs with the fewest moves in the game, but it features the candy bombs with the lowest possible moves. Any candy bomb spawned will have only one move before detonation!
    • Nowadays, levels with low candy bomb timers are common, such as in 1982 and 2882, where they only have two moves before detonation.
  • Level 370 holds the most amount of candy bombs, with 77 of them. However, they do spawn in a candy bomb dispenser.
  • Considering the bomb spawning rate, level 1132 has the highest rate, of being able to cover the board (a maximum of 75 spaces). This makes this level "with most candy bombs to be removed in a single game".
    • A similar level, 1394, spawns nothing but bombs.
  • Levels 174, 274, 374, 474, and 574 are all levels to have candy bombs. Level 74, however, is not a level to have candy bombs, because the first level to have bombs is level 96. Also, level 674 and 774 do not have bombs.
  • Level 717 introduces candy bombs behind marmalade.
  • Level 813 introduces candy bombs encased in sugar chests.
  • When candy bombs are spawned from mystery candies, they have different behaviors in each version.
    • Flash: Before Snack Shack was released, candy bombs spawned from had a default timer of 5 if the level layout didn't have any. After the release, it was changed to a random value between 5 and 10.
    • HTML5: The counter remains 5. There was only a short period when the bomb counter was also raised. Nowadays, it sets off a preset counter.
  • On HTML5 v1.63-1.64, jelly fish seem to favour candy bombs over jellies. This seems to have been corrected with the release of v1.65.
  • A red candy bomb is used to blow the roof of Benny (originally, Mr. Raccoon)'s prison cell in the 56th episode, Candy Calaboose. Said bomb explodes after 5 seconds, instead of 5 moves as in-game.
    • This is also the only bomb that counts down by time elapsed, aka a time bomb. All other bombs do not tick at all after a certain time, only moves.
  • There is an occurrence when you unlock candy bomb in liquorice lock or marmalade (this is not affected if special candies are activated):
    • Flash: Candy bomb will count down.
    • HTML5: Candy bomb will not countdown if freed directly with your move. They still tick when freed by cascades.
  • Since candy bombs were introduced, they have always had a fixed value (number of moves before detonation) in levels, whether they spawned normally, from candy cannons or magic mixers or whether they appeared on the board naturally or in blockers. Bombs with different move timers begin to appear on the starting board since level 5937, where an almost harmless 22-move bomb appears along with dangerous 10-move bombs. More levels like this appear in the future.
  • Candy bombs and liquorice swirls are the only two movable blockers that can be spawned by the magic mixer. In the case of the candy bomb, it depends on the initial timer of newly spawned bombs in the level, or at five moves if it hasn't been set.
  • On the config files, if you set the number of turns of the candy bomb (in a level), the candy bomb will have a default timer value of 5. This means that 0-move candy bombs are impossible.
  • Candy bombs are required as part of candy orders, starting from level 3044. They can be required along with other orders in the same level, starting from 3062. If the lucky candy booster is used to generate lucky candies, then candy bombs with the same timer as the default timer will be revealed from them. When candy bombs are required in levels where they don't spawn (such as level 3216), the timer seems to depend on the level. In said level, candy bombs that come from lucky candies will have a timer of 12 moves, though this may be different in later levels, such as Level 3408, where they have 15 moves.
    • As of now, they can appear as early as 165, its first unofficial appearance.
  • This is the first blocker order that is exclusive to the HTML5 version. It's chronologically the last blocker order until magic mixers are required as part of the order in 3544, exactly 500 levels since candy bombs were introduced as an order.
  • This is unofficially the first element to appear with a fixed colour that doesn't spawn. Examples include red candy bombs in 1837 (which is four-coloured) and yellow candy bombs in 1871 (which is five-coloured). However, these appearances are unofficial due to redesigning. Since 3437 officially introduces elements with non-spawning colours, candy bombs with non-spawning colours officially appear later on.
  • This is the only blocker which can be any one of the six candy colours.
  • When a player fails a level due to a bomb exploding, the failure reason varies on each version.
    • Flash: It will show as "You did not remove the bomb in time!", regardless of the level type.
    • HTML5: It will show as "You did not remove the bomb in time!", but only on moves levels. Otherwise, it will show as "You did not (clear all the jelly/bring down all ingredients/finish all the orders)" and "You didn't collect all the Rainbow Candies" in other level types.
      • Since HTML5 version 1.192, this applies to all level types, like the unsupported Flash version.
  • When the candy bomb's timer reaches 2:
    • Flash: The outline of the bomb's timer would flash red.
    • HTML5: The bomb's timer would blink, just like moves when it reaches 5.
  • Candy bombs have the tilemap code 018. Bombs with custom timers have the tilemap code 9XX, where the 'XX' means the number of moves.
  • Candy bombs have the order number "20".
  • Candy bombs can't block rainbow rapids.
  • If the candy bomb reaches 0 when you reach one star, it will explode. This happens only on moves levels.
  • Level 7921 is the first level where candy bomb order is required to unlock order locks.
  • Candy bomb order is the first order to be introduced in 2018.
  • They can spawn from cannons with a colour that doesn't spawn naturally, starting from level 9482.
  • In June 2022, it was reported that some users have a version of the candy bomb that spawns crystal candies when it reaches zero. This new candy bomb may replace regular candy bombs, or they may be a test for a new element that will appear in the future. This element was later given the name Countdown Crystal. However, both elements have been either phased out of the game or outright removed.
  • If removed, candy bombs will likely be the last element to be removed from the game for a long time, as every other element that still exists in the game has appeared at least once in the 15000s, and candy bombs' last known appearance was in the 12000s and they still haven't been removed.

Gallery[]

Candy Crush Saga blockers
HTML5 and Flash Blockers
One-layered Icing new Two-layered Icing new Three-layered Icing new Four-layered Icing new Five-layered Icing new Marmalade mobile Liquorice Lock New swirl Candy Bomb Green Chocolate new Chocolate Spawner (new)
Cake Bomb new design 1-Layer MultiLock 2-Layer MultiLock 3-Layer MultiLock 4-Layer MultiLock 5-Layer MultiLock Licoriceshell1 Licoriceshell2 Licoriceshell3 MagicMixernew1 Bobber
HTML5-exclusive
Wall space One-layered Toffee Swirl Two-layered Toffee Swirl Three-layered Toffee Swirl Four-layered Toffee Swirl Five-layered Toffee Swirl One-layered Dark Chocolate Two-layered Dark Chocolate Three-layered Dark Chocolate One-layered Candy Cane Curls Two-layered Candy Cane Curls Three-layered Candy Cane Curls
One-layered Crystal Two-layered Crystal Three-layered Crystal Rainbow Twist 1 Rainbow Twist 2 Rainbow Twist 3 Rainbow Twist 4 Rainbow Twist 5 Sugar Coat 1 Sugar Coat 2 Sugar Coat 3
Bubblegum Pop 1 Bubblegum Pop 2 Bubblegum Pop 3 Bubblegum Pop 4 Bubblegum Pop 5 Rainbow Rapid's Mold Licorice curl 1 layer Licorice curl 2 layer Licorice curl 3 layer Licorice fence Order lock blocker One-layered Sour Skull
One-charged Color Bomb Bonbon Blitz Two-charged Color Bomb Bonbon Blitz Three-charged Color Bomb Bonbon Blitz Four-charged Color Bomb Bonbon Blitz One-charged Horizontal Striped Candy Bonbon Blitz Two-charged Horizontal Striped Candy Bonbon Blitz Three-charged Horizontal Striped Candy Bonbon Blitz Four-charged Horizontal Striped Candy Bonbon Blitz One-charged Vertical Striped Candy Bonbon Blitz Two-charged Vertical Striped Candy Bonbon Blitz Three-charged Vertical Striped Candy Bonbon Blitz Four-charged Vertical Striped Candy Bonbon Blitz
One-charged Jelly Fish Bonbon Blitz Two-charged Jelly Fish Bonbon Blitz Three-charged Jelly Fish Bonbon Blitz Four-charged Jelly Fish Bonbon Blitz One-charged Wrapped Candy Bonbon Blitz Two-charged Wrapped Candy Bonbon Blitz Three-charged Wrapped Candy Bonbon Blitz Four-charged Wrapped Candy Bonbon Blitz Dark Chocolate Fountain One-layered Jelly Jar Two-layered Jelly Jar
Cobra1 Cobra2 Cobra3 Cobra4 Cobra5 Wonderfulwrapperempty Gumball Machine
Discontinued
Regular Icing Toffee-Tornado
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