Shoot candies from the launcher to create strings of three.

It's bad enough that we're addicted to sweets. Now we're addicted to Sweetopia too. In this fast-paced casual game, you pop different types of candy before quick-moving chains of confections hit each other and explode. If you've ever played the popular Zuma, you'll feel right at home.

Similar to the gameplay in Zuma, in Sweetopia you shoot candies from the launcher and create a string of three like confections to make them disappear. The goal is to clear two main chains of candy before they collide. In Sweetopia's story mode, you play the game as part of a storyline involving an experiment that goes awry and creates an explosive batch of Sherbet Sizzlers. Your job is to go room to room, clearing away chains of candy along different parts of the track before they ram into each other and set off the Sherbet Sizzlers. We liked the pacing, but more-hardcore gamers might find story mode a bit unchallenging and opt for arcade mode, which takes you directly to the game.

Sweetopia adds a few interesting twists to the casual-game genre. On some levels you have to move the launcher around, and there are obstacles such as walls and machinery, though if you can ricochet shots successfully, you'll earn bonuses. You'll also find that certain candies exhibit odd behavior. For instance, marshmallow melts tend to dissolve before they reach their destination, while orange whirls don't shoot straight.

The bottom line. With 70-some different tracks in story mode, and three difficulty levels in arcade mode, it'll be a while before you sour on this sweet treat.

COMPANY: PlayFirst
CONTACT: www.playfirst.com
PRICE: $19.95
REQUIREMENTS: 800MHz G4 or faster or Intel processor, Mac OS 10.3.9 or later
Three difficulty levels in Arcade mode. Different types of candy and machinery spice up gameplay. Universal binary.
Story mode may be too easy for experienced gamers.