At some point in their Gardenscapes journey, almost every player asks the same question: “Why am I stuck on this level much longer than others in my team?” This question doesn’t appear randomly, and it’s rarely the only one. It grows out of repeated experiences that are hard to explain with a simple answer.
To understand what might be happening, we need to look at the issue more broadly and examine concepts from modern game design, such as Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA), as well as the way complex mobile games like Gardenscapes actually function.
Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment: a real game design concept
Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment is not a theory invented by players. It is a real design technique that has been used in various games for years, aiming to adapt the experience to the player’s performance.
In practice, this means that a game may track behavioral patterns: how often a player fails, how quickly they progress, and how effectively they use available tools. Based on this data, the system can influence the overall flow of challenge.
What we don’t officially know about Gardenscapes
Playrix has not stated that it uses DDA in Gardenscapes. Levels, events, and objectives are presented as predefined and identical for all players.
This is an important point, because it means there is no official confirmation of active, player-specific difficulty adjustment.
Why experiences still differ so much
This is where things become truly interesting. Even if a level is technically the same, the experience is never identical. Let’s look at some specific reasons why.
Different numbers of attempts
A player attempting a level for the first or second time is in a very different psychological and strategic state than someone trying it for the tenth time. Decisions become more rushed, risk tolerance changes, and mistakes accumulate. Comparisons are often made between players who are not truly in equivalent conditions.
This alone can create the feeling that a level is “tightening,” when in reality the playstyle has changed.
The impact of boosters and power-ups
Two players on the same level may start with completely different setups. One uses boosters, the other doesn’t. One creates early combos, while the other relies on basic matches.
These choices affect how the board opens up, how much space is created, and what options appear next.
Randomness and chain reactions
Gardenscapes relies heavily on automatic cascades and matches that occur after a single move. New tiles fall, often triggering chain reactions.
Small differences in the initial layout or a single move can lead to completely different outcomes within seconds.
Events and parallel systems
Many levels are played while events, challenges, or reward systems are active. These systems influence player behavior, risk-taking, and decision-making.
The experience of a level during an event is not the same as playing that same level outside of an event environment.
Why the feeling of “unequal treatment” appears
When players compare experiences without considering all these factors, it’s natural to feel that something isn’t working the same way for everyone.
The human mind looks for explanations and patterns, especially when progress is blocked. In this context, concepts like DDA serve as a framework for understanding, not as an accusation.
What this means for the way you play
Understanding these mechanisms helps players adjust their approach:
- Not attributing every failure to external factors
- Focusing on strategy rather than speed
- Recognizing when a break is needed
- Using the game’s tools more effectively
Conclusion
There is no official indication from Playrix that Gardenscapes actively applies Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment on an individual player level. In the game’s official documentation and support materials, no system is described that adapts difficulty per player.
However, player behavior itself —repeated blocking experiences, noticeable differences in how the same level unfolds, and recurring frustration patterns under certain conditions— naturally raises suspicions. Not as proof, but as a human response when an experience feels unpredictable or uneven.
In practice, what players experience is shaped by many overlapping factors: randomness, choices, boosters, psychology, time pressure, and parallel systems. These elements alone are enough to create the impression that the game responds differently to each player, even without changing its core rules.
The better players understand this dynamic, the less they become trapped in theories and the more control they gain over how they play. And that understanding is often the most reliable advantage in Gardenscapes.
