Are you getting a little tired and bored of playing the same kind of games on your mobile phone? Are you looking for something lightweight yet fun in nature? Well, maybe you need some casual games to cure your boredom.
Casual or hyper-casual games are the next big thing in the gaming industry. In fact, they are likely to take the mobile gaming world by storm. Let us look at the numbers. In 2020, according to Sensor Tower, mobile casual games were responsible for 31% of global downloads.
But, wait! What are casual games?
Hyper-casual or casual games are nothing but simple, lightweight games that are fun, usually free to play, and do not test all of your cognitive skills. You can basically play them in your leisure to kill time and relax. Over the last few years, It has had an overwhelming presence on mobile gaming, and rightfully so especially with smartphones being one of the primary consumption devices.
Saga, Temple Run, Slashy, and Angry Birds, to name a few, are some of the popular casual games you can play on your mobile phone.
You should know that casual games are data-driven, which is a bonus for advertisers especially when most mobile gamers welcome in-game ads. In short, it is greatly dependent on ad monetization. they are becoming more profitable. Let us look at some of the popular ways to monetize.
1. In-app Purchase: In-app purchase is a great option for monetization and excellent for gamers. You can not only get access to additional levels but will also be able to extend your playtime. According to Statista, mobile advertising spending is estimated to cross $240 billion worldwide by 2022.
2. Advertising: Revenue generated from in-game ads is estimated to cross $56 billion in 2024. While too many ads may lead to casual gaming players abandoning the game, a moderate flow of ads will likely do the trick.
3. Cross Promotion: This is a smart way of monetization. If a user enjoys playing a game, then chances are that they may enjoy another game designed and published by the same publisher. This increases the chances of revenue and garners more traffic.
It can be operated on three Ss: short, simple, and satisfying. However, there are certain mechanics that they largely work on. Let’s take you through them.
1. Timing Mechanic: Timing is crucial in most casual games. It is all about completing a game within the set timeframe, following which you will be rewarded. It is neither too easy nor too difficult, so users can also have fun completing a mission within the desired time.
2. Agility Mechanics: Agility is the key to casual games. It is all about your hand-eye coordination. You have to be able to make quick decisions or need to have faster hand-eye coordination to play a game. This increases the thrill of the game manifold.
3. Merge Mechanics: If you enjoy progression, then you must be playing a lot of games with merge mechanics. Here, the goal is to combine similar things and items to get a rewarding result. It is exciting and simple.
4. Social Mechanics: You may be addicted to gaming but may not drop everything and play especially if busy with work or other stuff. With this, you can now play a game or make a move whenever you feel like it or have the time. You can also simply watch others play video games. This calls for a whole new casual game-play experience.
Casual Games are Game Changers:
In 2013, it can be traced back to the introduction of Flappy Bird. Following that, there were casual games such as Tetris, Pac-Man, and Breakout, among others, but these games needed a console to be played with initially. Now, you can find them on your mobile phones. You only need to go to your App Store and download them for free.
A new game is abuzz in the market called Slashy introduced by Camel Motion. It is a puzzle game where you burst discs with desired slices. It is a fun and refreshing puzzle game that will surely kill your boredom.
Truly, casual games and Card Games have come a long way, and have found loyal users in the mobile gaming world. With millions of games available in Google Play and the App Store, it is unlikely you will ever run out of ways to kill time.
