With the rising popularity of story-focused games, high-quality graphics and complex storylines have become something of a phenomenon – so why do some mobile games still have low-res graphics? Why are some mobile games incredibly simple and easy to play yet still so popular?

Although we’re big fans of story-focused mobile games, we’re fascinated by the power of hyper-casual mobile games and their popularity. You would think that lower quality and simpler design in a mobile game would make it more likely to be undesirable. Interestingly enough, some of the most popular mobile games ever made are the simplest.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss why hyper-casual mobile games can be just as successful as their high-quality, hyper-realistic, plot-heavy counterparts.

Simplicity

Usually, what makes hyper-casual mobile games stand out more than anything else is their simplicity. Simple mobile games offer more accessibility in terms of skill level, meaning you don’t have to be a professional gamer in order to enjoy the game right from the get-go. Once you get comfortable with the main moves required to play, it quickly becomes an enjoyable and, in some cases, highly addictive mobile game.

When a mobile game is simple it becomes a great time-passer, even if the graphics are subpar. Think of playing Snake on an old mobile phone – there’s no denying how simple yet addicting it is. Despite it’s low-res graphics, the game is still widely played on lower-end mobile phones meaning that it has managed to preserve its longevity quite well despite its in-your-face simplicity.

Gameplay

In a nutshell, gameplay is the way you interact with a game. Just like any website or app would have user experience (UX), gameplay is known as the experience of a game, how players play it and how they feel while doing so. This can include the plot, mechanics, game rules, and any other elements that make up the game.

Engaging gameplay is a large defining factor in how a mobile game performs. When a hyper-casual mobile game is hugely successful, chances are it has impressive gameplay that creates a can’t-put-your-phone-down feeling when playing a mobile game. Gameplay doesn’t have to be extensive and sophisticated, it just needs to create an ebb and flow that connects the player to the game on a deep level – some sort of bliss point between easy yet challenging enough.

Free-to-play

Since a lot of hyper-casual mobile games are low-budget, many of them are published with a free-to-play model. Free-to-play offers wider accessibility, meaning the game can tap into a larger audience of players. Being available to practically anyone with a smartphone makes hyper-casual mobile games have a higher chance at gaining popularity.

Accidental Success

Creating a successful mobile game can be a hit or miss and, many a time, even the game developers themselves aren’t aware of how the response to their game will be. That’s why, with hyper-casual mobile games, extreme success can sometimes be completely accidental.

In some ways, that’s the beauty of the mobile games industry – in others, it can be a double-edged sword. Even the perfect recipe for a successful mobile game can sometimes land wrong, especially for new mobile game developers.

If you’re a mobile game developer entering the market, consider partnering with a top mobile games publisher. Partnering with Tamatem Games can boost your readiness to go to market in the MENA region and help you strategize when it comes to launch strategy, marketing, data analytics and more.