Deconstructor of Fun

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

This analysis is written by Taras Koshelev (Lead Game Designer at My.Games Venture Capital) who focused on game mechanics and loops and Michail Katkoff (Founder of Savage Game Studios) who covered the market and marketability. Playrix released Puzzle Breakers into soft-launch in late 2019. Puzzle RPGs on Mobile.

Puzzle 52

Puzzle Tile Mechanics Build 52

Game Refinery

OCTOBER 26, 2023

The ever-changing nature of the mobile market means that new monetization mechanics are constantly emerging and evolving. One of the most popular monetization mechanics is the subscription-based battle pass , which was introduced via Valve’s DOTA 2 in 2013 but popularized by the worldwide phenomenon, Fortnite.

Mobile Gaming 220

Mobile Gaming Mobile Mobile Co-op 220

Sirlin

JANUARY 29, 2022

Puzzle Strike 2’s expansion, called Bold Adventures, has four new community bank decks as well as 10 more characters. Steam Crank introduces a new mechanic: the chain combo. That said, there’s still a balancing act. The Steam Crank deck has another minor mechanic as well. The third of these bank decks is Steam Crank.

Puzzle 52

Puzzle Mechanics Engine Engineering 52

Filmustage

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Creating a shooting schedule for film production resembles solving a puzzle where pieces constantly change shape. Multiple actors balance different projects, personal commitments, and contractual obligations at the time. Let's examine everything involved in creating a balanced shooting schedule that benefits everyone involved.

Film 52

Film Balance Software Puzzle 52

Deconstructor of Fun

MAY 20, 2020

A bold move for Supercell, going against giants that continue to rule the casual puzzle space. The match 3 success trifecta generally consists of: a fun core match mechanic a good metagame with a clean sense of progression a new feature or innovation that brings something different to the space. Can Supercell succeed in this space?

Puzzle 52

Puzzle Mechanics Content Data 52

PreMortem.Games

JULY 1, 2024

Evan Anthony: “Alternating between two timelines with such different visual designs, mechanics, and stories has been a real brain puzzle for us. They will have to talk to a diverse set of characters and find clues in dialogues and intricate puzzles, and unravel a conspiracy that could bring the world to its end.

Art 138

Art Games Graphics Puzzle 138

Deconstructor of Fun

JUNE 3, 2019

The reason for this acquisition was the success of Small Giant’s hit game, Empires & Puzzles. Since mid 2017, Empires & Puzzles has raked in $260M in net revenues with only 34M installs. Empires and Puzzles regularly takes the top spot in Puzzle RPG category in the West (when Dokkan is having a post event hangover).

Puzzle 52

Puzzle Feature Build Balance 52

Deconstructor of Fun

JANUARY 29, 2024

Events with different mechanics sometimes complement each other, but at other times they divert players' attention, resulting in reduced activity and monetization. We had a case with an event based on merge mechanics. They just liked the mechanics and continued playing until the event had ended. Try different combos, too.

Mechanics 98

Mechanics Content Puzzle Games 98

Played with Fire

NOVEMBER 27, 2023

The challenge for VR game developers lies in designing mechanics that are both challenging and appealing to advanced players. Advanced mechanics Standard mechanics are not something that will satisfy this group of players. Their experience needs to be much more in-depth, so the mechanics require a special approach.

Mechanics 72

Mechanics Games Technology Entertainment 72

PreMortem.Games

FEBRUARY 2, 2024

That’s how I worked on the level design and puzzles in Raccoo Venture, for example. Although the levels often underwent changes after testing in the 3D environment, when you start to feel the dynamics of the level and the puzzles. Finally, maintain a healthy balance between work and rest. Beware of mutant scope.

Dev 163

Dev Advertising Internet Development 163

Deconstructor of Fun

JULY 1, 2024

King, when they ruled the casual puzzle space, chose to expand the breadth of their casual portfolio: Bubble Witch Saga (bubble shooter), Pet Rescue Saga (collapse/blast), Diamond Digger Saga (digging/water flow mechanic), Blossom Blast Saga (linker), Pyramid Solitaire , etc. So why did this not go to plan?

Puzzle 64

Puzzle Engine Engineering Mechanics 64

PreMortem.Games

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

I played around with a few ideas and one of them was a simple cube rolling puzzle game. But I think the main lesson is to test more, test sooner, test elaborately and don’t only test for the game’s mechanics. So I made a shift in puzzle design to negate that. I figured that’s something that’s probably relatively easy to make.

Dev 104

Dev Puzzle Prototyping Development 104

Logic Simplified

SEPTEMBER 23, 2024

Level design is a part of video game design that focuses specifically on designing game levels (an area or stage a player must complete before moving on to the next one) while keeping in mind the architecture, layout, video game mechanics , and pace to keep the players invested in the game. Define the gameplay mechanics.

Mechanics 65

Mechanics Games Playtesting Concepts 65

Game Analytics

DECEMBER 5, 2022

This time, we’ll look at the top games that use storytelling as a core mechanic and show you that you don’t need sparkling design and intense gameplay to create a hit. Reigns does a good job balancing this information while leaving enough mystery for unexpected twists. Horror in the Darkness is a text-based horror puzzle-esque game.

Horror 109

Horror Games Mobile Mobile 109

Game Analytics

DECEMBER 28, 2022

Think of this as a hyper-casual Beyblade game with a merge mechanic mixed in the middle. What we liked about Spinner Merge is how they came about the idea of bringing in the merge mechanic. Cart Crash is an incredibly satisfying game that relies much more on timing than any other mechanic. Spinner Merge by Sunday.GG.

Mobile Gaming 98

Mobile Gaming Mobile Mobile Games 98

Game Dev Unchained

MAY 21, 2024

’ Through our discussion, I gained a profound appreciation for the delicate balance required to honor the original’s spirit while introducing innovative gameplay mechanics that captivate a new generation of gamers. This balance was achieved through a combination of careful planning and creative experimentation.

Game Developer 52

Game Developer Game Development Development Balance 52

Logic Simplified

AUGUST 8, 2023

Let’s take the popular example of Candy Crush Saga , a level-based puzzle game. Game designers must work closely with other development team members, like developers and artists, to guarantee that the video game mechanics and elements work together smoothly. Let’s take the example of Candy Crush again.

Game Design 88

Game Design Game Designer Art Prop 88

Deconstructor of Fun

SEPTEMBER 2, 2024

With a knack for puzzle, arcade, and simulation games. It is no secret that puzzle games dominate a significant share of the mobile gaming market. It is no secret that puzzle games dominate a significant share of the mobile gaming market. Time Blast is not sheepishly following that trend and has its unique art style instead.

Puzzle 52

Puzzle Mechanics Feature Tile 52

Deconstructor of Fun

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

CASHING OUT: The actual Stars balance a game publisher earns can be reinvested in ads promoting the app , which in theory cuts out a lot of the “middle man” costs necessary for a publisher to pay in standard mobile gaming. Graphics may be relatively simplistic but every moment has to be ‘perfect.’

Games 52

Games Platformer Balance Mobile 52

Game Refinery

OCTOBER 11, 2022

Similar to the mechanics of Genshin Impact, the player explores the vast open-world by climbing on the walls, swimming in the rivers, gliding in the skies, wiping out enemies, and solving different kinds of puzzles. Tower of Fantasy (US market) all-time performance with revenue spikes.

Fantasy 130

Fantasy Co-op Open World Feature 130

Brand Game Development

JULY 1, 2019

Once you craft the basic concepts of your game and find the right mechanics to express them , you have to set rules. In my first Designer Diary post for Tasty Humans , I talked about the mechanics of dropping shapes (which represent the titular “Tasty Humans”) in order to fill up the stomach of the each player’s monster.

Tile 130

Tile Games Mechanics Build 130

Deconstructor of Fun

AUGUST 5, 2024

With a knack for puzzle, arcade, and simulation games. Puzzle games have a simple yet addicting core loop: playing levels. Puzzle games have a simple yet addicting core loop: playing levels. This is where the most crucial player motivation for puzzle games comes into play: Win Streak.

Puzzle 52

Puzzle Feature Racing Balance 52

Deconstructor of Fun

JUNE 6, 2023

Although the Tactile team has several titles under their portfolio, the well-known swapping mechanic is not very common among their games. Especially with their two most recent titles Lily’s Garden and Penny & Flo , Tactile has been a stronghold for story-driven puzzle games with the collapse mechanic.

Balance 52

Balance Puzzle Mechanics Animation 52

Radiator Blog

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

none of Dishonored's morality system and I think this is good, the "stealth puzzle = humane cage free assassination" philosophy has aged poorly imo 69% less stealth. NOT telekinesis, only works on NPCs / PvP) Havoc (temporary shield / damage buff), very useful for people who keep dying (i.e.

Fighting 130

Fighting NPC Puzzle AI 130

Deconstructor of Fun

JUNE 24, 2024

Genre-Specific Winners: Puzzle Games Prevailed: The genre fell by only 6% YoY in downloads and gained 10% in IAP revenue, thanks to new games like Block Blast and Royal Match, and established hits such as Candy Crush and Gardenscapes. Puzzle remained strong by focusing on retaining its current user base through events and live operations.

Mobile 75

Mobile Mobile Games Mobile Gaming 75

Deconstructor of Fun

OCTOBER 27, 2020

Playrix is one of the powerhouses in the puzzle genre thanks to Gardenscapes and Homescapes’ current success. Retaining the acquired users with a mini-game : If the hero creative/or playable ad involves a fake gameplay, it is added as a minigame to the events or core mechanics until the player is hooked in with the real in-game content.

Co-op 52

Co-op Puzzle Games Mechanics 52

Designer Notes

MARCH 31, 2023

Civ inherited this mechanic directly from Empire, a game from the 80s which had much of the same tile-based, turn-based combat as Civ but without the scope of all human history. Here is Frontierville, by Brian Reynolds, the designer of Civ2, which took Farmville and added an Energy mechanic that limited the player’s actions.

Tile 98

Tile Point and Click AI Mechanics 98

Deconstructor of Fun

JUNE 6, 2022

The fact that Battle Passes have been successful on audiences so alien to each other like MOBAs and Match-3 Puzzle fans shows how versatile its design can be. Passes can generate different player experiences, follow a different balance, and emphasize different components depending on the genre and audience.

Content 52

Content Mechanics Balance Mobile 52

Deconstructor of Fun

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

Yet, the real game-changer came when they borrowed a fraction of these strategies and applied them to an entirely new puzzle game. Drawing from their experiences at Peak Games, where they excelled in multiplayer games like cards and board games, they also honed their skills in creating accessible puzzle games, such as blast or match 3.

Tile 64

Tile Co-op Games Puzzle 64

Designer Notes

AUGUST 2, 2021

None of these systems were any fun and weren’t intended to be so; they were mechanics put in place to keep the players from ruining the game for themselves by founding too many cities just because it was simply the most effective strategy. I was well aware that the city sites of Old World would be a controversial feature.

Tile 52

Tile Build Mechanics Prototyping 52

Deconstructor of Fun

JANUARY 13, 2021

Hypercasual Trend #1 The Rise of Feel-Good Mechanics Ultracasual is the youngest subgenre within Hypercasual and it seems to have peaked in 2020. Starting mid-2019, the trend to make feel-good mechanics a thing of its own was introduced by the success of SayGames’ Perfect Slices. Nothing new really.

Mechanics 52

Mechanics Puzzle Advertising Studios 52

The Bottom Feeder

FEBRUARY 22, 2023

Is that new mechanic fun? These are perfectly balanced. Doggo leads to an enormous, entirely optional area with tons of creative fights, fun puzzles, and neat stuff to do. That's It For Game Balance Next time, I'll go into the story. When making a game like this, there should be lots of debate. Does this system work?

Fighting 94

Fighting Games Balance Writing 94

Deconstructor of Fun

JANUARY 17, 2022

One of the main problems in Clash Mini is the strong similarity with Clash Royale , the other Supercell auto battler whose gameplay and unit mechanics are very similar. This is an existential threat to Clash Mini since the lack of innovation in-unit mechanics was among the top reasons why Rush Wars failed to captivate players.

Content 52

Content Mechanics Point and Click Mobile 52

Grid Sage Games

JULY 17, 2022

I’m reminded of Beta 11’s spicing up the main complex with Heavies and Cargo Convoys , though in this case it’s not just adding one or two new mechanics but instead about turning Garrisons into proper branch maps in terms of content distribution… Encounter Architecture. …alert level xD.

Beta 52

Beta Content Balance Mechanics 52

Deconstructor of Fun

JULY 20, 2020

Then it’s largely up to game’s economy whether it can have a meaningful deep gatcha or a steady pipeline of content offered through a must-have battle pass mechanic. A brand that is known to avoid excessive monetization mechanics steering always away from pay-to-win systems. Now employ this same mechanic in TFT.

Fighting 52

Fighting Games Mechanics Balance 52

iXie gaming

NOVEMBER 30, 2023

Also, they provide crucial feedback on game balance, user interface (UI), and gameplay. It helps ensure everyone understands the game’s testing objectives, goals, and mechanics. To succeed in Nintendo testing, you must be prepared for many replays since Nintendo games often have hidden secrets and intricate puzzles.

Quality Assurance 52

Quality Assurance Platformer Console Communications 52

Game Daily

OCTOBER 20, 2023

But we know that if you get the player engaged or focused on something in the world – a puzzle or environmental storytelling -then they’re very susceptible to being suddenly scared. It’s about finding a balance, and definitely not repeating ourselves. We try to vary.

Horror 52

Horror Art Build Cinematics 52