Few things have captured the imagination over the generations like sweets and candy. From Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to Katy Perry’s iconic California Gurls music video, candy has been at the heart of pop culture for longer than most people have been alive. Even the Harry Potter books infused magic into their treats in the form of Every Flavor Beans and Chocolate Frogs. Sweets have even found themselves in the news lately, with CNN explaining how M&Ms have changed up their iconic mascot’s design.
The enduring legacy of candy in pop culture can be hard to pin down, but a big part of it has to do with the increased availability of sweet treats in the 20th century, which saw the price of sugar drop significantly in the post-WWII years. Before that, sweets and desserts were largely accessible only by the rich, so when they became available to the masses there was a huge surge in demand. Even American history has been guided by the growing appetite for sugar, with the Sugar Act of 1764 setting the stage for the American Revolution.
It isn’t just in books and movies that sweets pop up in. Video games have theirfair share of candy imagery mixed in. Candy Crush might be the most well- known, but it is far from the only game to take the iconic look and shape of sweets to entice players of all ages. Candy themes pop up in the online slots from Gala Casino, with Sweet Bonanza Candy Land and Slingo Sweet Bonanza being two that play heavily on the imagery. Other mobile offerings with sweets as a central theme have been games like Cake Queen, which sees players matching up baking ingredients to produce something edible by the end.
It isn’t just mobile games that feature candy imagery, though. Console gameshave had sweets mixed in for years. Here are three of our favorites.
Based on the 1989 animated film that was, in turn, based on the early 1900s comic stripe by Winsor McCay, Little Nemo: The Dream Master saw Nemo set off on a quest across Dreamland to help rescue the royal family. The various levels were infested with monsters and Nemo’s only weapon at the start of thegame is his seemingly infinite supply of candy, which he could use to stun enemies or to put animal companions to sleep so he could borrow their powers to explore the world. The game was a minor hit when it was released and gained a cult following for its unique art style and music.
It isn’t just people who love candy, you know. Dating all the way back to thevery first Pokémon entry into the franchise in 1996, rare candies have been at the heart of the game. These special items would allow you to instantly raise the level of a Pokémon, making them one of the most powerful and sought- after items in the game. With such a powerful effect, they were often limited inthe game, hence the name “rare candy”. Countless hours have been pouredinto games looking for them over the years, with numerous guides detailing their locations existing all over the internet, as well as rumors for how to gain more of them.
There have been multiple candy-themed entries in this iconic racing game,which features characters from across Nintendo’s franchises, but the SweetSweet Canyon in Mario Kart 8 is by far the most fun and visually enticing to date. With gingerbread cookie spectators, pylons made out of ice cream cones, and a cake tower with an orange juice waterfall, there are numerous sweet treats on display. The level even has an entire cave made out of cookies for players to drive through. It is enough to give anyone a sugar rush while playing it.
Looking to indulge your sweet tooth without breaking your New Year’s diet resolution? Check out this recipe for low-fat chocolate chip cookies on my blog.
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