Whether you like the idea of developing a mobile game or simply want to search for some interesting options to play, understanding this market can be hard. With so many games out there, it becomes obvious that a formula is being followed, and a lot of the games you play are going to be the same. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the key traits you’ll find in a successful mobile video game.
- Concept:
The very first part of any development process is the concept; a short description of the project which will be undertaken. This is important in design because it gives a clear aim for the end of the build, and makes it a lot easier to pitch a title. For a mobile game, this concept will often involve making spending instrumental to the game, though this isn’t always the case.
- Brand:
Once a concept is in place, it needs to be applied to a brand which will be able to sell it. In a lot of cases, this will be an existing game, and the development team will have had loads of features to work in. For example, you can explore the world and make allies in the Final Fantasy 15 mobile strategy game, along with loads of other fun features. In a game made for a TV show, product, or another form of media, though, you’ll probably find not much on offer.
App developers and consumers alike are both away that the mobile gaming industry has become somewhat stagnant. Nowadays, a simple game which follows similar rules to others can get loads of users; it just has to find an existing brand which can make it popular. A lot of fans will download and use a game simply because it has a name they recognise.
- Game Structure:
One of the biggest similarities between modern mobile titles is the limited nature of their mechanics. For example, a lot of these games involve simply collecting resources, using them to build, and leveling. This sort of play style makes it take a long time to achieve something, and the work you do along the way is often flavorless and dull.
In games like these, rewards are used to make the game exciting, giving people a reason to grind their way through content. High-quality mobile games often go down an entirely different route, though, and will make the entire game enjoyable and exciting throughout. Balancing this can be hard, and you will have to get to know the common themes before you can make an accurate assessment of the games you find.
- Multiple Platforms:
In a lot of cases, mobile gaming is a social experience, and this is another area which can boost the return a business will get from their title. Simple things, like sharing save data which they’re already saving and giving the chance to message one another, can be very powerful. Most of all, though, companies will work very hard to get their games working on both iOS and Android phones, covering as much of the market as possible.
- The Right Pricing:
As the last area to consider, pricing is a fundamental part of what makes a popular mobile game tick. With so many free games out there, businesses can’t afford to put a clone out for anything other than nothing. This is often the hallmark of a bad game, and spending some money can improve your experience markedly, as you’ll get the benefit of a developer who cares about their work. Of course, free games are far from free, too, making it hard to decide which is best.
Free-to-play games will very rarely lack purchasable items, and these present themselves in the form of microtransactions. Whether you can buy cosmetics or game-changing gear, there are a lot of reasons to dislike this sort of method, but it doesn’t make a game bad. Instead, it gives you the choice to spend or not to spend; you just have to be careful not to over do it when you’re first getting into it.
Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start working harder on the time you put into your mobile game hunt. In a lot of cases, these sorts of games will be very similar to one another, but this doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to find something unique. Instead, you just need to know what to look for. With this post in mind, paired with some research of your own, you should have everything you need to start making informed choices.