¶ How to get Game Ideas
Deciding on a new game idea can sometimes be tricky and it's best to try taking some of the guesswork out of the process from the very beginning.
One thing that we always recommend is to build something that you're passionate about and the idea that gets you the most excited.
Here are some various ways to get some inspiration when coming up with your next new game.
¶ Look for gaps in the market
When browsing through the top charts you can see what's popular on the HypeHype platform.
It's always a good idea to keep up-to-date and visit the top charts for five minutes every day to identify any new games that might be gaining popularity. This way you can potentially ride the wave of popularity and add your unique twist on the game.
By taking advantage of these popular new trends, ask yourself how they could be improved or adapted for a different, unique experience.
¶ Dive Deeper with Stats
By diving into the Game Stats a little, along with reading the comments, you can see if there's any patterns or features that players love or are calling out for.
One of the amazing features inside HypeHype is that we provide valuable In-depth Analytics for every game on the platform.
You can use this information to understand what makes the best performing games tick. You can access the Stats page by clicking on the 3 dots on the right hand side of the screen on any game and choosing the Game Stats option.
Here you’ll find breakdown of all the vital KPI’s, or key performance indicators, including, Playtime, Retention, Appeal and Performance.
Understanding these metrics is a vital part for breaking down the success of a game, and, most importantly for the scope of this video, identifying opportunities to model and improve on potential weaknesses.
For instance, if playtime and retention are strong but the appeal is super low, it could be the theme that is just not resonating with the audience or even the screenshot is poorly executed and is dragging the whole project down.
¶ Social Trends
There’s always new waves of trends on Tiktok that can be tapped into. This is where as a game designer you need to always be thinking of ways to gamify such trends with a goal to not only ride these waves, but also how your games longevity can outlast them.
One great example is bottle flipping. This exploded on social media and has stood the test of time, most likely due to the nature of the activity being skill based and super simple in concept.
Everybody can understand how to play.
There’s also 100’s of ways to expand on the core gameplay here. New the game environments and scenarios, countless level design options and themes… and this leads us onto theming.
¶ Explore Theming
Can you take an existing game and mechanic and use a different theme to make the game more interesting and appealing? Can changing the game's theme add new aspects to expand on the main concept?
Perhaps turning a motorbike racing game into racing ice cream trucks or tanks?
Maybe a golf game that uses footballs, or could you add a multiplayer or social aspect?
¶ Combine Genres or Mechanics
One great tactic is to mix elements from two or more genres that don't usually fit together.
For instance a strategy puzzle game or a racing RPG by matching up these mechanics you can blend them and reimagine the format to come up with something truly unique.
- Could you add enemies to a standard Obby type game?
- What would an Obby game be like if you couldn’t Jump?
- What if you had to place platforms to complete each section?
Challenging the normal assumptions here can be a powerful way to come up with some fresh ideas.
¶ Find Inspiration from other Platforms
Success always leaves clues and aside from looking daily at the HypeHype charts and categories, it’s useful to look on other platforms to spot and identify top performing games there too.
The obvious places for mobile like the Apple App store and the Google Play charts are a great place to start, however don’t limit yourself to those.
Desktop gaming sites like Steam and Itch .io are also great resources too.
Whilst we’re not suggesting making the new Palworld or Counter-Strike 2, are there certain elements or small pieces of gameplay that could be ring fenced to make a bite-sized experience or more basic version that captures the essence.
Browser game portals are also rich in easily accessible titles to view and most have trending and top charts also. Sites like crazygames .com, poki .com and now .gg have vast libraries of titles to choose from and often give stats to dive more into.
Roblox mini games also have great affinity with our users and these are well worth paying attention to. Typically simple in concept and graphics by default, how can you elevate the popular experiences and give them that HypeHype twist to make something truly remarkable.
One last suggestion is the Nintendo Switch games store. Again, similar to the desktop sites especially, this is not about re-creating the games released by the giant AAA studios and publishers, but looking slightly deeper for those indie gems that are specifically designed for hand held devices.
¶ Look at Game Reviews & Comments
On top performing games, dive into the reviews and comments to see if there’s any big problems you can fix or new features you can add. See if you can identify any key areas to improve or potentially build to fill that need.
¶ Random game idea generators.
A quick google search will turn up a few of these, whilst they are a little hit and miss, it can result in some interesting left-field ideas.
¶ Use AI
Sites like Ludo .ai with their AI powered game ideation tool, take the random game idea generator to the next level.
Ludo .ai identifies current trends and patterns of the mobile markets. You can even choose themes, mechanics and content for your new game. It’s pretty powerful indeed.
¶ Retro Gaming
Researching old console games from Atari, N64 etc games can reveal some hidden and forgotten gems. Often these have simple graphics that relied on gameplay that could just be ready for fresh revival.
¶ Cartoons and Movies
Are there any cool action sequences or epic moments that you could try and emulate or reproduce? Think of car chases or fight scenes. or TV shows such as Squid game.
¶ Pintrest
There’s an abundance of amazing content to browse through and if you’re really stuck, this can be a great jump start for inspiration.
¶ Sports
Could you re-imagine any popular sports or create something fresh and fun. One of the great things about sports in general is the tournaments and leagues that surround them.
¶ Important Things to Remember
Is your game easy to communicate to players, do they instantly get it?
Can you easily roll off an Elevator pitch test? Essentially, if you can’t explain your game in one sentence then chances are it might be a little too complicated.
Is it a Fun Concept?
Think of it as a 'toy' that’s enjoyable to play and through your game and level design, you can create a fun environment or sandbox to play around in.
What is the Players' Demand & Marketability?
Is the Gameplay something that players want and are excited to play?
Does it have a good amount of relatability and familiarity?
Things like food and everyday activities are great examples here. World and environment settings like supermarkets or fast food places, for example, are instantly recognisable to people of any age.
This also goes somewhat hand in hand with appealing fantasies, like a knight or explorer, pirate or cowboy and even a restaurant owner.
What is the Game Scope & what is your Expertise?
Are you actually capable of building the game successfully? Whilst we’d all love to build the next GTA, it’s important to be realistic to ensure you can release the game. Start small to start with and get used to the process and learn along the way.
Is there also Monetization Potential?
Does your game fit a genre with the potential to generate profit through engagement and In app purchase potential?
What will make them keep playing and coming back for more and does it have enough scope for an in-game economy?
¶ Summing Up
Remember, a strong core loop and striking a balance between familiarity and originality to capture the interest of potential players is typically key when coming up with new game ideas.
Avoid just copying verbatim and ensure you add your own unique twist to the game. Model and Improve is a good mantra to go by.
Release your ideas early and start getting feedback, listen and take note of any repeated comments and iterate accordingly as you see fit.
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