What happened to Candystand?
Candystand launched in 1997 as a free games site for Life Savers, built by Skyworks Interactive, the studio founded by Activision veterans David Crane and Garry Kitchen. It was one of the first big "advergame" sites: sports and arcade games in Shockwave and Flash, wrapped in candy and snack brands. Its mini golf, bowling and billiards were a fixture of school computer labs and office lunch breaks.
Publishers Clearing House bought Candystand in 2010, and in the mid-2010s the classic games were taken down. Then Adobe ended the Shockwave Player in 2019 and Flash at the end of 2020, so even archived copies of the games stopped running in browsers.
Play the Candystand games today
Candystood brings six of them back: the same courses, lanes, tables, rings, ballpark and ice track, the same music and sounds, and the same feel. Play them on a computer, phone or tablet, with no plug-in, download or sign-up. And now you can play online with your friends.
- Candystand Mini Golf: Candystand Miniature Golf (2005), 18 holes. Play the front nine, the back nine or all 18.
- Candystand Bowling: Creme Savers Ten Pin Championship Bowling (2003) at Starlite Lanes. Line up, throw, and put spin on the ball as it rolls.
- Candystand Billiards: Candystand Billiards (2002). 8-Ball, 9-Ball and Straight Pool against the computer or a friend, plus the High Score Contest, on the Classic, High-Tech and Cosmopolitan tables.
- Candystand Boardwalk Bowling: Life Savers skee-ball (2002). Nine balls up the ramp and into the rings, from 10 points to 100.
- Candystand Home Run Rally: the home run derby (2001). Twenty swings to hit as many home runs as you can, with a bonus swing for hitting the scoreboard or clearing the park.
- Candystand Bobsled: the Life Savers bobsled run. Fling your sled off the start, then steer two runs down the icy course for the fastest total time, without flying over the wall.
Questions
Is this the official Candystand?
No. Candystood is a fan-made preservation project. It isn't affiliated with Candystand, Skyworks or the games' sponsors, and the original art and sounds belong to their owners.
Is it free?
Yes. No accounts, no downloads.
Do I need Shockwave or Flash?
No. The games run in Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge with no plug-in.
Can I play on a phone or tablet?
Yes. All the games work with touch. Turn your phone sideways for mini golf and billiards, and add a game to your home screen to play full screen.
Can I play with friends?
Yes. Press Play online with friends in mini golf, bowling or billiards to get a link to send them.