10 Steps To Develop An Entertaining Mobile Game

Mobile gaming has become increasingly popular in recent years, with millions of people downloading and playing games on their smartphones and tablets. The key to developing a successful and entertaining mobile game is to create a unique concept and design that appeals to players and provides an enjoyable and engaging experience. In this article, we will outline the steps to develop an entertaining mobile game.

The game idea is the foundation of any successful mobile game. It is crucial to come up with a unique and entertaining concept that appeals to the target audience. To come up with a great game idea you should: Identify the target audience (age group, gender, interests, and preferences), research the market (current trends, popular genres, and successful games in the same category), use a brainstorm method, add a twist to stand out from the competition.

A well-designed core loop should be engaging, satisfying, and drive the player to keep playing. Here are some steps to help you develop a compelling core loop for your game: identify the objective of the game (collecting items, completing levels, or defeating enemies), determine the player actions (jumping, shooting, or collecting items), define the reward system (points, coins, or new levels), add challenges (enemies, puzzles, or time limits), enhance (animations, sound effects, or special abilities).

The narrative is an important aspect of any mobile game and help immerse players in the game, build emotional connections, and drive player engagement.

Settings: Consider the genre of your game and the type of setting that would best suit it, such as a medieval fantasy world, a futuristic sci-fi city, or a contemporary urban environment. Research the history, culture, and geography of the time period and location you have chosen. This will help you build a more authentic and believable world. Establish the overall tone of the setting, such as dark and foreboding, lighthearted and whimsical, or serious and realistic.
Game mechanics: When selecting game mechanics, it is important to consider factors such as supporting the game's story and core loop, adding a unique twist to established mechanics in the genre, and creating mechanics that are fitting for the game world. The goal is to find mechanics that are both engaging and aligned with the overall vision for the game.
Interactions: it's important to think about the game's mode and how players will interact with each other. Consider whether the game will be single-player or multiplayer, whether it will have open-world elements for online play, and what type of interactions you want players to have. It's important to choose a mode that supports the story and is feasible to implement for the first release. You may want to consider starting with a single-player mode for player testing before adding multiplayer features.

iOS has a strong market share among younger and higher-income users, typically requires a more powerful computer and specialized software to develop for. iOS is known for having a more curated and strict app review process, which can impact the visibility of your game, but can also result in a better user experience for players and also this platform being known for its sleek and intuitive design.

Android has a larger overall market share and is popular among lower-income users, development can be done on a wider range of hardware and software. Android has a more open app store, which can make it easier to get your game in front of a larger audience, but also means more competition. This platform has a more customizable and open-source approach.

Consider the features and functionality you need for your game, such as 2D or 3D graphics, physics simulation, network multiplayer, and others. Make sure the game engine you choose supports the features and functionality you need. If you want your game to be available on multiple platforms, choose a game engine that supports multiple platforms, including iOS and Android. Ultimately, choose a mobile game engine that fits your specific needs and preferences, and supports the development process for your game project.

Game Design Document (GDD) is a comprehensive document that outlines the design of a video game, including the game's mechanics, storyline, characters, art, sound, and other elements. The GDD serves as a blueprint for the entire game development process, helping to ensure that all team members have a clear understanding of the game's goals and design.

It's time to draw and animate the art assets: the design of characters, locations, backgrounds, and in-game items. UI designers help with navigation and controls. It's important to focus at this point to help players understand the essence of your game from the first levels. The process can be time-consuming and requires attention to detail, but the results are well worth the effort.

The purpose of a prototype is to test and validate the core mechanics and ideas behind the game, and to ensure that they are fun and engaging. The prototype is typically used to secure funding or to attract investors. After the prototype is developed, the game can be refined and expanded based on feedback from players and other stakeholders. The same steps apply when preparing an alpha release - but on a larger scale.

Testing helps identify and fix issues early on, before the game is released. First, test the prototype of the game to validate the core mechanics and ensure that they are fun and engaging. In Alpha-testing check the early version of the game to identify and fix technical problems, balance the gameplay, refine the game mechanics, as well as testing the compatibility of the game with different versions of Android/iOS.

Conduct a beta-testing to test the nearly complete version of the game with a wider audience, to identify and fix any remaining issues and make any necessary changes. It’s important because you might not notice all the bugs but it's still important to improve the game and solve all the problems before it's too late.

When you have completed all the necessary steps and your game is ready to be launched, publish it on the app stores. Be sure to read the guidelines for app developers in order to successfully pass the review process.

After the launch, it is important to gather feedback from players and use it to make improvements and fix any issues with the game. Stay actively engaged with your players and be responsive to their feedback in order to maintain and improve the quality of your game.