I can't stop playing this amazing new phone game

There's an amazing new game on iPhone and Android phones and I can't stop playing it. The game is "Clash Royale."

Look familiar? That's because it's from the same folks who created "Clash of Clans," the enormously popular smartphone game.

Good news: "Clash Royale" is like ten trillion times better than "Clash of Clans." Here's why!

Like "Game of War" or "Clash of Clans," "Clash Royale" requires an internet connection to play.

By making "Clash Royale" an online-only game, every battle you fight in the game is played against another actual human being somewhere on Planet Earth. Yes, that means you can't play it when you're, say, underground in the subway. And I wouldn't suggest playing it on an airplane over in-flight WiFi. But it also means that every game is unique — each match pits you against the wits of an entirely unique competitor.

Better yet, it's seamless! Seconds after you push the button to start a game, it's already matched you with another player!

This is the main screen of "Clash Royale." There's a lot going on here, I realize. Allow me to break it down.

Starting from the top, you'll notice there are two boxes that involve chests. The one on the left is based on a four hour timer, and straight up doles out free stuff — every four hours, you get a new free chest full of stuff you use in the game itself. The one on the right, the "Crown Chest," is earned by winning matches.

In each match of "Clash Royale," you earn "crowns" by taking out enemy castles. If you take out all three, you get three crowns. You also win the match! Alternatively, if you have more crowns than the competition when the counter ticks to zero, you win. 

There's other stuff on the screen here, but what matters the most is the giant yellow "Battle" button in the middle. If you hit that, you'll be near-instantly matched with a human competitor.

Here's the beginning of a game between me — "BenGilla" — and someone named "gideão."

You may notice that the arena is divided in half. My three castles are on the bottom (slightly covered by the blue banner), and the competitor's three castles are on top. 

You may also notice that there are cutouts in the ground that look like lines — they are lines! The lines show the paths that run between bases, and these paths are traversed by your cavalry. 

The long and short of "Clash Royale" is one simple goal: destroy all three of the enemy's castles before yours are destroyed. Alternatively, if you destroy more of the enemy's castles than they destroy of yours before time runs out, that's also a win. It's also possible to draw — and to lose, of course!