ESports and gaming are thriving in this pandemic. With more and more professionals becoming remote workers, gaming is rapidly gaining traction and slowly becoming the most favored activity for self-isolating professionals.
Alongside the global eSports market, which is now predicted to be worth $1.6 billion (A$2.24 billion) come 2023, the global mobile gaming market is also gaining popularity and is expected to hit $76.7 billion (A$107.57 billion) this year, based on an article by Tech Jury.
If you are among those people growing increasingly fond of mobile games,
here’s a quick guide to some of the most popular mobile game genres.
1. Action-Adventure Games
Unlike the titles that dominate the consoles and PC games sector, the action-adventure games within the mobile gaming sector are more varied and significantly more casual.
This is because the action-adventure games that can be played on consoles and PCs require greater user experience — something that can be difficult to achieve on small smartphone screens.
In the mobile gaming world, the action-adventure genre includes platform games, shooter games, fighting games, as well as survival games. Some of the most notable games that belong to this genre are GRIS, Samorost 3, Minecraft, and Implosion.
2. Battle Royale Games
Any mobile game that is an online multiplayer and combines survival, exploration, and some form of scavenging is automatically classed under the genre battle royale.
To date, the most popular battle royale games among mobile players are Fortnite and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG).
First introduced in 2017, PUBG served as the catalyst for the battle royale phenomenon and has a free-to-play mobile version that uses motion aiming to help players take precise shots.
Fortnite mobile, another equally famous battle royale game, supports cross-play, thereby making it possible for players who are using different platforms to squad up and play the game together.
3. Casual Games
Accounting for more than half of all the games specifically designed for phones, casual games are considered to be the rising star of mobile gaming.
Most online casino platforms are well aware of this trend and have developed dedicated mobile casino games that allow fans to experience their favorite games from the comfort of their own homes.
For poker players out there, there’s Zynga — a free poker app for play-money poker that replicates the game and allows users to play against other online players.
Another popular casual game is bingo, which is experiencing a revival through themed rooms and exciting graphics that are presented on a portable mobile format.
This allows platforms to reach customers who may not have been a fan of the game before, while also appealing to those who like to play different versions of bingo.
The wide variety of options is something online platforms have taken advantage of. The bingo rooms on Foxy Bingo include a Friends-themed game, the aptly titled FRIENDS™, and a Halloween-inspired title, Scary Slider, as well as offering 90, 75, 80, and 30-ball versions of the popular pastime.
These games show how companies are combining pop culture references with classic games to bring the two audiences together.
In addition, the portability of the mobile platform has allowed developers to come up with a huge variety of games that can be picked up and played by even the most casual of gamers.
Then, there are what’s known as hyper-casual games, like the popular Temple Run and Subway Surfer, which are specifically designed for players to pass time away and have some fun doing so.
4. Puzzle Games
Believe it or not, this genre is the second-most played in the world due to its engaging nature and intuitive gameplay, as it never fails to challenge the mind.
Mobile puzzle games come in all shapes and sizes, from regular online versions of the classic jigsaw puzzle to incredibly unique ones like Prune and Ticket to Earth.
Pocket Gamer’s rundown of the best mobile puzzle games describes Prune as a tree-shaping puzzle game (much like the Japanese art form of shaping small trees, Bonsai, but mobile), while Ticket to Earth is a game that creatively mixes RPG elements with puzzles.
And, of course, there’s the digital version of the crossword that is Wealth Words, which is guaranteed to challenge your mind with a variety of game options.
Whatever genre you are playing, be it action-adventure, battle royale, casual or puzzle, you can surely count on mobile games to help you stay entertained during isolation.
