I just heard Minecraft Blast is real—Mojang x Candy Crush, and I’m cautiously excited

What This Actually Changes for Minecraft Fans

Minecraft’s next official spin-off isn’t a dungeon crawler or a strategy experiment-it’s a free-to-play match-three built with the Candy Crush studio, King. That sentence alone tells you a lot. If you play daily mobile puzzlers, this could be a cozy new habit. If energy timers make your skin crawl, steel yourself. A limited iOS playtest for “Minecraft Blast” just went live in Malaysia for “up to a week or two,” with Mojang saying wider regional and platform tests are coming. The hook is simple: clear blocks, trigger rockets and TNT, then spend your wins on crafting and base-building between levels.

Key Takeaways

• Mojang is co-developing Minecraft Blast with King; the test is iOS-only in Malaysia for now.
• Core loop: match-three levels with power-ups, plus light base-building and crafting as the meta.
• Mojang says this build is “a small portion of content and features” and will expand based on feedback.
• Expect typical mobile trappings-energy, lives, and consumables-where monetization likely lives.

Breaking Down the Announcement

Minecraft Blast isn’t just “Candy Crush with creepers,” but let’s be honest—it borrows heavily from that playbook. Levels ask you to break matching blocks, clear dirt, and hit targets while triggering fireworks rockets, TNT, and potions for big clears. Between levels, you spend resources to build out a base. It’s not freeform like Minecraft proper; you’re choosing from preset designs rather than sculpting a dream fortress block by block.

Mojang calls this an early build with limited content. Their words: “a small portion of content and features,” still in “early stages of development,” with plans for “the ability to unlock and build imaginative Minecraft-style spaces.” Translation: the base-building will likely expand, and the meta could deepen beyond a simple décor treadmill. Whether that means meaningful crafting choices or just more skins is the big question.

Why This Matters Now

This caught my attention because it’s the most obvious crossover since Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard King acquisition wrapped. If you own Minecraft and Candy Crush under one roof, you try to merge their superpowers. We’ve seen major IP jump into match-three before—Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells, Marvel Puzzle Quest, Pokémon Shuffle—and when it works, it prints engagement. Minecraft is one of the most recognizable brands on the planet. Pair that with King’s ruthless understanding of mobile retention and you’ve got a potential juggernaut.

It also fits Mojang’s spin-off track record. Dungeons leaned into co-op looting, Legends experimented with accessible RTS. Blast is the “daily commute” version of Minecraft: quick levels, dopamine pops, and soft progression. The risk is brand dilution—Minecraft’s magic is freedom. Preset base pieces don’t scratch the same creative itch. Mojang will need to make the meta feel genuinely Minecraft-y, not just a theme slapped over a puzzle economy.

The Monetization Question

Mojang openly signals energy, lives, and consumables are in play. That’s standard for King, and it’s where the friction creeps in. Limited attempts pull you into the store for boosters or refills. It can be fine if the ramp is gentle and the game respects your time. It can be miserable if difficulty spikes are tuned to push purchases.

What I’ll be watching in this test: how often do you hit the wall, and how generous is the economy? Are power-ups earnable at a fair clip? Do failure states feel like learning moments or like you didn’t bring the right paid booster? The tone Mojang sets here matters—players still remember Minecraft Earth’s shutdown and will be wary of a spin-off that treats the brand as a vending machine.

What Gamers Need to Know

• Availability: iOS-only in Malaysia right now; the test runs “up to a week or two.” Mojang plans more regions and platforms later.
• Content scope: Early slice with limited features; expect expansion based on feedback.
• Gameplay: Match-three levels with fireworks, TNT, potions; spend rewards on crafting tools and building a preset-style base.
• Monetization: Energy, lives, and consumables are present; exact pricing and balance TBD.
• PC version: No mention yet. Given the partners, broader platforms wouldn’t shock me, but nothing confirmed.

If you’re into mobile puzzlers, the upside is clear: King excels at level design that escalates just enough to feel clever. If you come for Minecraft’s creative canvas, temper expectations. The best-case scenario is a comfy side dish to your main Minecraft meal—a daily puzzle loop with a meta that celebrates the brand without squeezing too hard. The worst case? Another energy-gated grind with a pickaxe skin.

Looking Ahead

Mojang says they’ll iterate based on player feedback. Good—use it. Lean into meaningful build choices, don’t be shy about generous event rewards, and let the base feel like a space you’re proud to return to, not just a sink for stars. If Blast can thread that needle, Minecraft could find a massive new mobile audience without alienating its core. And if it can’t, well, there’s a reason we keep returning to the vanilla sandbox.

TL;DR

Minecraft Blast is Mojang’s match-three collab with King, soft-launching on iOS in Malaysia for a short test. The puzzle loop looks solid and the base-building could be cozy, but the monetization balance will make or break it. Cautious optimism—with an eye on those energy timers.