5 things to consider when designing hyper-casual games

12th July 2020

Hyper-casual games need to have quality game design, but also work at fast speed. This requires smooth production with focus on game design. Many developers jump into the idea without testing or planning. As a result, they have little idea on how much work the process requires or how their efforts will turn out.

Designing and producing games is not an easy ordeal. There are many things to consider, which is why both training and experience is important. Even if you’ve taken quality game development courses with the aim to boost your skills, you still need to approach this the right way.

What are Hyper-Casual Games?

Hyper-casual games are games with simple mechanics. These games are lightweight and offer instant gameplay. Players need to just tap to play the game because of their simplicity. It is exactly because of their simplicity that these games are engaging and highly addictive.

To help you out, I’ve created a list of tricks that will help you design a hyper-casual game.

Appeal to Mass Markets

When creating hyper-casual games, your focus should be audience appeal. Your target audience is the mass market. The nature of these kinds of games lies in their broad appeal.

Most casino games, for example, are hyper-casual. They have recognizable themes that can appeal to people with different tastes and of different backgrounds. Because of their broad appeal and high popularity, casinos create no deposit casino bonus codes to be used for gameplay on such slot machines. If you’re interested in playing with big bonuses or small deposits or want to see how those games work, check out the no deposit casino bonus code list.

When you create such games, you need to choose themes that will work with many people. These include common situations from life or work, or themes like animals and sports. If you’ve played some casino games, you’ve surely noticed that many of them focus on general shapes or actions that can be enjoyable for all.

Jump Straight into Gameplay

Gameplay should be your priority when creating such games. You have two options here. You can either pick the gameplay and apply the selected theme afterward, or brainstorm some stories and themes and build your gameplay around the idea. Regardless, the gameplay should always be your focus.

If you focus on themes instead, you might get into trouble when the time comes to handle the game mechanics or the design. In these types of games, your goal is to satisfy the player and make their gameplay smooth and enjoyable. They will engage with the gameplay and the mechanics, not the story or the theme.

Just think about it. When players choose to download your game, they want to get into the loop right away. Any extra seconds that take them away from playing will make them unhappy. You’ll either lose their attention, their patience, or the player itself.

Pick the Right Mechanics

There’s a five second rule in gameplay mechanics when it comes to hyper-casual games. Make sure that your players can easily access the game and instantly play it. In addition to this, consider various mechanics that will make their experience easier and better. Hyper-casual games are recognized for mechanics like stacking, puzzles, and swerving.

Go for Simplicity

Every hyper-casual game is based on simplicity. This is evident from the first play through. However, it doesn’t mean that your game should be too dull or too simple. It should be the exact average. The gameplay and easy play should attract people to start playing, but you have to think of ideas that will keep them interested even after a couple of game loops.

Every once in a while, change some game mechanic to make the game loop develop and keep players interested. For example, increase the speed. If the game is for fighting some enemies, increase their number.

Keep the Game Loops Short

In hyper-casual games, the game loops should be short. The timing ranges a lot in game design, but when you crate these types of games, you definitely want to go for shorter game loops compared to other game genres. The shorter the loop is, the more chances the players have to do a quick round on their mobile or laptop.

Final Thoughts

Did these ideas help you? Creating casual games is more complicated than it sounds, but they are some of the most addictive and promising games you can develop. Good luck!

Author’s Bio

Stella Gary is a game developer at a US-based company. She creates entertaining and addictive games that can be played on mobile devices. She works side by side with game designers in order to create top-notch choices for game fans.