This was year was a big one for everyone, not least the global mobile games industry, which continued its impressive year-on-year growth. Not even a global pandemic could stop it, with new social distancing rules and government-induced lockdowns driving a huge jump in installs and revenue. Hypercasual games have been one of this year’s biggest winners. With users at home more, publishers of hypercasual titles have found they don’t need to spend as much money to convince people to try out their games. Costs per install fell by a whopping 35% from December 2019 to March 2020 -- that’s big money, especially for a business model that generates 95% of its income from advertising.

So, what makes a great hypercasual game? Short and satisfying game loops, mass appeal beyond the typical “gamer” base, quick production times, and an ad-based revenue model. Here are 10 great examples of some of this year’s top-performing hypercasual titles, presented in no particular order.

Slap Kings

Lion Studios’ Slap Kings pits players in one-on-one slap duels against AI opponents. Just tap when the indicator falls on the center of the meter for maximum slap impact. Deplete your opponent’s health bar and your next five-fingered smack will send them flying right out of the ring. The over-the-top visuals and comical sound effects took what is essentially a game about timing taps to number one in more than 90 countries.

Johnny Trigger

Johnny Trigger by SayGames throws its titular hero into a series of dangerous scenarios where he’ll jump, flip, and slide through stages in glorious slow motion. But it’s the player with a finger on the trigger. Time your shots to take out the gun-toting baddies and help Johnny make it to the end of each stage.

Stair Run

Stair Run by VOODOO is a super-satisfying runner where the player must collect and place stairsteps to get past each stage’s obstacles. Getting to the end is easy enough, but the challenge lies in using as few steps as possible so you can make it to the top of the bonus tower at the end of each level. The short stages are bookended by ads, but they’re short enough that they break up the game’s rhythm.

Shortcut Run

Hypercasual giants VOODOO Games get the most out of their game ideas by taking mechanics from previous titles and reworking them. Shortcut Run is conceptually similar to Stair Run -- players collect and place steps to make their way through stages -- but this time pits the player in a 4-way race across winding courses. Instead of using the collected steps to move vertically past obstacles, you use them here to create shortcuts that let you cut through the course.

Acrylic Nails

Acrylic Nails by Crazy Labs is a collection of mini-games where players fulfill orders for clients in a nail salon. Players perform simple gestures to do things like painting and filing nails. There’s even room for a little creative fun -- players can pick from different colors and accessories to give the nails they’re working on a little pizzazz.

Log Thrower

Of all the games on this list, Playgendary’s Log Thrower has the best visual style. It’s bubbly, shiny, and incredibly polished, with great animations and cinematic camera angles that make every action exciting. Players tap and hold on the screen to sharpen logs, then must time a tap to fire their log from a cannon.

Bungeet!

In Bungeet! by VOODOO, players bungee off a tower into a waiting crowd below. Then, the crowd pulls on the player until they tap the screen which releases the bungee cord and catapults the player into a swimming pool. Extra points for style, so don’t forget to do a flip. Honestly, who comes up with these ideas?

Tangle Master 3D

Tangle Master 3D by Zynga puts you in charge of untying a jumble of ropes in as few steps as possible. This game was obviously inspired by someone’s headphone cables getting tangled for the thousandth time. It’s simple, relatable fun that’s surprisingly challenging.

Blend It 3D

Tend to a juice bar in Blend It 3D by SayGames. Fulfill customer orders to earn money to upgrade your bar. All you have to do is blend the various ingredients by tapping and holding the screen. Then place the umbrella in the perfect spot to get the highest score possible.

Perfect Cream

Playgendary’s Perfect Cream simulates the process of creating culinary confectionaries. By completing a series of gestures, you can make your own waffle pancakes or strawberry shortcake. Like most hypercasual games, mastering Perfect Cream is all in the timing -- hold your tap to cover your treat with cream, but don’t let it spill onto the floor.

By Andi Nuruljihad for Gamesforum