Let me start this off by saying that I am not a person who normally plays video games. The extent of my experience with gaming is getting the high score on Wii bowling when I was twelve. However, I can say, without a doubt, that I am absolutely addicted to “Clash Royale,” a video game app for Apple devices and Androids.
This all started a few weeks ago when I noticed that my boyfriend was playing the same game on his phone all day. I was curious about what was so interesting about this game, so I asked if I could try playing. From that moment on, it was all over. Three hours later, he had to basically pry his phone from my hands and tell me to download the game myself if I wanted to play. Needless to say, I did and I have not stopped playing since.
Clash Royale was created by a gaming company called Supercell in 2016. It is a spinoff of their other popular app, “Clash of Clans.” Clash Royale, though, has progressively become much more popular than the original game (it even has its own subreddit). Clash Royale is described as a “simple real-time strategy game.” In the game, you battle with other players in order to destroy their three towers and get the “crowns” from their towers. Whoever ends up with the most crowns at the end of the timed round, wins the battle. You can win the battle automatically by destroying your opponent’s “King Tower” (the center-most, largest tower).
The way you destroy these towers and gain crowns is by building a “Battle Deck” of cards ranging from spells, to buildings, to character troops. You can eventually gain new cards and upgrade the cards you have, therefore building a stronger battle deck. This will allow you to defeat more people in battle and advance into further arenas of the game. If you join a clan (basically a battle team that works together to help all the members succeed), you can request cards from your teammates and build a better deck that way.
This game teaches the player a lot about strategy building. It’s not as easy as some other games I’ve seen, where you just attempt to beat your opponent with sheer force; this game requires thoughtful action and patience. It took me a week before I was able to come up with strategies and a deck that was actually effective. The game moves fast and, sometimes, the first move you come up with won’t be effective three seconds later. Clash Royale makes it necessary to think on your feet, but also exercise caution and make decisions carefully. I think that what made the game so addicting for me was that I wasn’t good at it right away, but I wanted to be. It took thought and time before I built enough skill to be good at the game. I wouldn’t say I’m going to be a master anytime soon, but I’d say I’m pretty decent.
I haven’t seen many women on the app or heard any women talking about this game in real life. I think that Clash Royale is truly for anyone, regardless of gender. Any time that I am stressed or anxious about something, I play for a few minutes (or maybe an hour) and it relieves a lot of tension. This game does not have realistic violence or gore. I also appreciate the fact that the game only allows players to chat using messages that have been pre-generated by the game. This means no offensive comments or distasteful jokes. If you’re bored, stressed, or just want to try a new game, I would definitely suggest downloading Clash Royale. It is free in the app store and on Google Play!