It is with some disappointment that I am retiring from Candy Crush Saga for good after clearing 424 levels, running out of gold bars fast and failing a nightmare difficulty level that's the end of an episode. If I try again, I'm probably going to get stuck in a brutal cycle of losses and wasted lives. There's no escape from it and I don't want to spend a single penny on a game that doesn't mean so much to me.

So I'm fine with quitting here. I'm fully aware of the game's brutal difficulty and wasn't planning on being a long-term player. I am not going to miss dealing with a game like this again. But rest assured, I still have interest in the world and lore of Candy Crush Saga and will continue to contribute to the community with my wonderful Denize fan art because I just can't get enough of her menacing beauty as the Candy Kingdom's well-known scaly senior citizen.

And I'll sign off with a quote I've imagined she would say: "When life gives you lemon drops, crush 'em!"