Heck, at one point even many in the mobile industry might have agreed, content to point to the problems of fragmentation and porting issues, lower expectations of mobile games and that people will apparently pay for anything on mobile.
The logic might even have worked for a while, but it's a short-term strategy. It hasn’t helped grow the market as expected. Whilst big brands may remain important to catch a customers eye, only quality that will retain it. That's why Pocket Gamer seeks out the best mobile games in gameplay terms. But you don’t just have to take just our word for it.
Who says Quality counts? The reviewers
Growing numbers of sites are taking mobile seriously, both dedicated (Pocket Gamer, MovilGames, AirGamer) and general portals (Euro Gamer, Gamespot, IGN).
Consensus is emerging, and according to recent research published in Informa’s Mobile Media - customer scores on Sprint’s Game Lobby are broadly in line with independent review scores
Removing games publishers with less than three titles reviewed, Pocket Gamer’s average review score was 6.8, compared to 7.2 at the Game Lobby and 7.6 at both IGN.com and Air Gamer.
Who says Quality counts? The analysts
Just 2.7% of U.S. mobile owners have downloaded a game, and less then one per cent of new subscribers tried games, and most did not go back for more (last six months. Consumers cite cost and quality as the biggest concerns
Who says Quality counts? The operators
Operators have cited quality as an issue. Graeme Ferguson of Vodafone said: "The market will not grow and customers will not repeat-buy if the basic quality of mobile games does not improve."
All operators are reducing deck size and their monthly intake to fewer/better titles
Operator and sales portals are beginning to feature reader reviews and independent editorial.
Who says Quality counts? The customers
The final decision lays with the customer and there's clear evidence that they’re discerning quality – via reader scores appearing on operators – but also the ELSPA charts.
We can make various guess about the games in these charts: that they’re there because they've got a good licence (like WWTBAM) or a big publisher behind them with marketing spend (FIFA, The Sims, and so on) they're just a familiar game (Tetris, Pacman)
These things might all be true, but I’d suggest there’s another reason why these titles are there and why they stay there.
Take the download top 10 chart for last six months. Of the games Pocket Gamer has reviewed, 50 per cent scored eight or nine and a whopping 88 per cent scored six or above (qualifying for our Buyer’s Guide
Remove games that only appeared once (usually in a lower position) in the chart and the percentage increases to: 63% getting eight or nine, and 100% scoring six or above.
So what makes a great game?
Based on our experiences and the games we’ve enjoyed that have scored highly, we’ve put together a list of ten aspects that we think contribute to making a great mobile game. In each case we’ve pulled out a couple of examples that illustrate the point.
Obviously they might not apply to every genre or be able to be squeezed into every title, and we can’t guarantee that if you follow them you’ll sell millions, but you are likely to improve your review score.
1. Immediately familiar or understandable objectives
It's vital to ensure that the player understands exactly straight away what they have to do. You can't assume they understand 'game logic' – that walking mushrooms are for jumping on, or that it's good to collect stars. Obviously a familiar activity such as pool or a big movie brand can help with this, but anything else, from platform jumping to camel-bouncing needs explanation. Spell out exactly what has to be done and what buttons are required to do it, preferably show with a video or tutorial level. Don’t imagine the player will read the help section.
Success stories:
2. Intuitive controls
This doesn’t necessarily mean one-button or even single-thumb – but you simply can't have a control system that gets in the way of instant gratification. Ideally the game should be playable on a four-way joypad without recourse to keys (unless it’s pressing keys in sequence), but it could equally involve something more creative such as using the camera as motion sensor or speaking into it.
Success stories:
Notable Exception:
Real Football 2006, Gameloft (can play with a single thumb on a control pad, but to make the most of the game and fully exploit its eight-directions you do need to use two hands.)
3. Simple gameplay dynamic – deliver one idea brilliantly
No apologies for another 'keep it simple' message. Players are looking for quick fun, not to master a whole new range of skills or struggle with a lengthy feature list that dilutes the fun. You need to think about how it will work on a handset from the outset, not just of what makes a good game that can then be adapted.
Innovation is great, but don’t be afraid to imitate either, especially from markets you’re not competing with (home console, online casual games, or the school yard!)
Success stories:
4. Immediate achievement - A reward within the first thirty seconds…
You can't afford a slow build up on mobile – if a player has two-minutes for gaming and hasn't achieved anything by the end of it, they're unlikely to come back. Aim for short initial levels with mini-rewards, such as the collection of a trophy or positive feedback from in-game characters.
Success stories:
5. …but a challenge that increases steadily
Long-term appeal needn't mean more than two or three days, but if there’s no obvious progression in the challenge then players will get bored, as with every other format. This doesn’t have to mean difficulty. It could be a different mini-game or small variation (for example, the addition of an extra gem, new enemy or a slightly shorter time limit). Ideally you’ll be able to achieve a distinct change of pace – a 'wow moment' where suddenly the game appears to have a new level of depth or distinct type of challenge.
Success stories:
7. Basic Multiplayer options
Phones are social gadgets, and multiplayer is an obvious area in which mobile games can stand out. But this needn't have to mean engaging with complex cross-network real-time or even community features. Bluetooth can work brilliantly (as seen in Gauntlet and Bluetooth Biplanes) but a phone is an easy object to hand around, so don’t neglect hotseat play either.
Success Stories:
8. A little bit of madness or a sense of humor
Whilst home consoles strive for ever more realistic worlds, in the mobile sphere a little dose of craziness goes a long way. This could be a mad premise (for example, Camel bouncing), humorous character design or simply incidental details and jokes. Of course, even a good joke alone is not enough – there still needs to be a solid game attached!
Success stories:
9. Attractive 2D visuals (why worry about 3D?)
3D may well be the future, but right now it can be more hindrance than help. Quite apart from the fact that most 3D handsets available are still quite limited (certainly those bought in vast numbers and certainly with Java) it puts more demands on a limited control setup. Whilst a few quality 3D titles are starting to arrive and will no doubt increase with technology, right now detailed 2D sprites or cartoon graphics are more than good enough to draw the eye and the sales right now.
Success stories:
Exception to the rule:
Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift 3D – one of the few 3D games to score higher than its 2D cousin.
10. Pay attention to the incidental details
Subtle elements that aren't core to game can nevertheless add real impact and be the difference between good and great. These elements don’t have to be large – they're just the finishing touch to reward those with an eye for detail and demonstrate care. This could be a simple background image or animation, a joke on a sign, or even an amusing level title.
Success Stories:
And if all else fails…
Certain features seem to crop up again and again in the best sellers – so try and get the following into your game…
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