Caramelos

Caramelos is a puzzle game for the ZX Spectrum 48K, published by Investrónica S.A. in 1984 and designed in Spain. Inspired by the classic code-breaking game Mastermind, Caramelos challenges players to deduce the exact sequence and colors of a row of candies that the computer generates randomly, with adjustable difficulty levels. At the start, players select the number of candies (up to nine), the number of possible colors (up to twelve), and whether colors can be repeated. Using the keyboard, players navigate through the candy options with the “I” and “P” keys and confirm selections with “ENTER.” Once a full row is chosen, the game provides feedback: the “OK” column shows how many candies are correct in both color and position, while the “REG” column indicates how many are the right color but in the wrong position. Players can retry, cancel rows, or give up to reveal the solution. After each round, the difficulty can be adjusted and players can enter their name on the day’s high-score board. Caramelos offers a faithful electronic version of the popular logical deduction puzzle, combining simple controls with endless replay value for puzzle enthusiasts on the Spectrum.