Attention all you millions of Candy Crush fans: there’s a new “match three” game coming to Facebook, iOS and Android Thursday. Called Dragon Academy, the new match-three puzzle/adventure game combines the addictive match-three elements of Candy Crush Saga and Bejeweled with RPG elements. Dragon Academy will launch on all three platforms simultaneously and be completely free.
Dragon Academy will launch with six characters, each with different a personality and special abilities like fire, lightening, ice and sonic booms. You can level up your Dragons for bigger, more powerful abilities. Only three of those dragons will be free at launch; the other three will be available for an in-app purchase. In addition to the six characters, Dragon Academy includes more than 150 puzzles; 13 worlds; unlockable challenges like goo, vines, potions, walls and gates; and power-ups.
Facebook games and mobile games seem to come a dime a dozen, but there are some interesting reasons to take note of Dragon Academy. Namely, the game’s developer is headed up by Andrew Busey, who was previously with Zynga. Yeah, that Zynga.
In Dragon Academy, the six main character dragons activate special powers when they are fed mystic runes as they make matches during a game. Their job is to save the dragon Hatchlings that have been egg-napped by the mischief-making Wobblins. Through hundreds of puzzles, the Hatchlings will grow, evolve and enhance their powers as they complete a variety of challenging levels to stop the Wobblin menace.
Dragon Academy can be played on Apple iOS devices, Android devices, or on Facebook. When players connect with Facebook, they can play across any device or Facebook with one, constantly always synchronized account.
Dragon Academy gives you Melty, the acid breathing Purple Dragon, free when you start playing. As players progress, they can earn Emma, the green, poison breathing dragon, and Shimmer, the golden sound manipulating dragon, also for free. The remaining 3 dragons are available as in-app purchases. Those dragons include Frosty, who summons snowstorms; Thunderlina, the blue dragon that controls lightening; and Pokey, the red dragon who brings his fire-breathing power to the game.