4 Simple Reasons Why Endless Runners Are Staples In Mobile Gaming

Not all gaming platforms were created equal. No, we’re not talking about hardware power, which seems to be a sensitive topic among console and PC gamers. We are talking about the games that seem like they were specifically made for a gaming platform only. For example, top-down real-time strategy games and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games are meant for PC. FPS games are better played on Xbox One than on PS4 due to its controller, which features an analog stick as its d-pad. The Nintendo DS and 3DS are great for classic turn-based RPGs, thanks to the dual screens that allow better menu navigation. And then there are endless runners, which seem like they were heaven-sent for mobiles.

Action games with auto-running characters were around before mobile gaming became an acceptable category of gaming. One of the most easily recognized in the ‘90s were the PlayStation games Pepsiman and Crash Bandicoot (which is still popular to this day). You could say endless runners evolved from those games. Canabalt is seen by many as the one that popularized the modern endless runner genre in mobiles. But what exactly makes endless runners staples in today’s mobile gaming scene? Here are 4 reasons.

1. Controls Aren’t Complicated

Some games make you feel like a 10- button controller isn’t enough to cover all input. Even with a custom controller with two or more extra buttons that can be custom-mapped feels inadequate when playing action-RPGs and FPS games. On the other hand, some games feature so little controls that a one-button controller would suffice. Endless runners, which feature auto-running characters, belong in the latter category.

Imangi Studios

There are usually two types of endless runners: 1) endless runners where your character runs toward the top edge of your smartphone, with the environment zooming past you vertically, and 2) endless runners where your character runs from the left side of the screen to the right on a horizontal plane. Though they are basically the same, there are certain differences that set them apart. The former requires you to typically use touchscreen swipes to control your character’s actions: Swipe left or right to move to the left or right side of the screen to avoid obstacles. Swipe upward to perform a jump and swipe downward to do a slide. Some endless runners don’t even feature jumping or sliding actions, making the controls even easier that they already are. And let’s not forget those where controls are based on your smartphone’s gyroscope. Those are made for lazy people who want to play games with little to no effort.

The latter type of endless runners usually feature only jumping and sliding controls, also usually accomplished by swiping upward or downward on your smartphone’s screen. But there are many where all you have to do is gently tap on the screen to perform a jump. That’s it. Just tap until your thumbs go numb. Speaking of tapping, in endless runners where the playable character is flying or hovering mid-air, controls are a bit different. Instead of swiping upward or downward to avoid obstacles, you repeatedly tap on the screen to control your character’s balance (see: Flappy Bird and its numerous clones).

Because of the simplicity of controls, endless runners (both types) are perfectly playable using only one hand: the thumb is for input while the other four fingers team up with your sweaty palm to keep the screen steady. (Nintendo’s Super Mario Run was actually advertised as a game you can play using one hand only.) This makes endless runners perfect for casual gaming, especially when commuting. You can even play while in the middle of class or work, though we don’t recommend that course of action. Bottom line is, playing an endless runner is easier than texting.

2. It’s Easy To Jump Back Into The Game

Like many non-RPG mobile games, endless runners don’t usually come with a well-developed story. Most don’t even tell you why your character is running in the first place. Though there are some whose premise can be easily picked up even without a single line of explanation. Take the hit endless runner game Temple Run as an example. If you saw the Harrison Ford starred movie Raiders of the Lost Ark, you probably got the premise of the game as soon as your character comes out running for dear life from inside a temple with dozens of angry monkeys right on your tail.

SEGA

Because of the lack of a narrative to follow, it’s easy to boot up an endless runner, play for a few minutes, pause while you attend to adult responsibilities, and then return to it as soon you’re free again without missing a beat. You don’t have to remember what you’re supposed to be doing next, like in an RPG with lots of quests. You don’t have to remember where you last left your targets, like in an FPS. You don’t have to remember what move you’re supposed to do prior to your break, like in a puzzle game. Just jump back into the game and pick up where you left off pronto. But to ensure that you don’t get off to a bad start upon resuming your game, make sure you don’t pause just when your character is about to dodge an obstacle. Chances are, your reflexes won’t be fast enough to avoid it right after a pause.

3. There’s No End-Game Scenario

Typically, the goal in an endless runner is to simply see how far you can run in its procedurally generated world. Just run, run, and then run some more until your character either goes literally face to face with an obstacle, which differs depending on the game’s theme, or falls into a pit where darkness and disappointment awaits. There are usually no finish lines that you need to cross or clock that you need to beat. But there are a few games like Spider-Man Unlimited, one of the better comic book superhero-based mobile games around, which features set goals for each level. Like collecting certain items as you run along or beat bosses at the end of the level. These kinds of endless runners are few in number, though.

Kiloo

There are also those where, aside from the total distance covered, your high score is also affected by items collected on the way. Like coins and special items placed close to obstacles, as if forcing you to choose between your character’s life and more points at the end. Many are prone to going for the latter, usually out of reflex. As the genre name obviously says, endless runners have no end. They feature no stories to complete nor a finite number of levels to go through before the credits roll (unless it has a story mode). There’s no sense of accomplishment. To some, this may seem shallow. But for casuals, passing up the time doesn’t get any better than this (napping aside, of course).

4. Offers A Lot Of Replay Value

Yes, endless runners feature an extremely repetitive gameplay. The length of each play-through, which can last from just five seconds to five minutes, depending on your reflexes, is what gives endless runners replay value. They’re made for quick gaming sessions. Furthermore, endless runners have that “just one more” vibe, which causes players to go through the game again and again in order to beat their own high score or because they screwed up and want to redeem themselves. That’s more fun compared to grinding in RPGs where repeatedly defeating monsters in hopes of a rare equipment drop is boring as hell.

Gameloft

Another notorious reason why endless runners can be addicting is due to difficulty. Some are frustratingly difficult that players find it hard to get off the game unless they conquer whatever keeps on slapping them with a Game Over screen, like Swing Copters 2, whose developer pretty much tells you that it’s not for the short-tempered. Some endless runners are simply too fun to play, regardless of their difficulty or gameplay depth. Arguably one of the most enjoyable is Minion Rush, which features the pill-shaped, yellow henchmen that Gru employs in the animated movie Despicable Me. Just hearing those Minions speak their gibberish language would be enough to get you through long rides back home (as a non-driver, naturally).

Notable Endless Runners

Due to the nature of the gameplay of endless runners, it can be hard for developers to think of a concept that would make their endless runner different from the rest. Here are 4 of the more notable ones that you can play right now.

ALTO’S ADVENTURE

Snowman

In a genre full of clones and copycats, how can developers create something that will stand out? Well, they can start by making a distinct art style or theme. After all, consumers first see the visuals before the gameplay or other elements that require them to play the game first. Alto’s Adventure is one such game, featuring a simple geometric-like art style that’s pleasing to the eyes, courtesy of the color hues. In Alto’s Adventure, you play as an auto-moving snowboarder who races down endless icy mountains. The game only has one control, which is for jumping. However, you can also tap your smartphone’s screen to perform tricks while mid-air. Your primary goal is to travel as far as you can and collect coins to boost your score. Performing tricks also gives you points. Certain goals can also be met while you snowboard along dangerous paths, like picking up llamas that ran away from home.

LOST IN HARMONY

Digixart Entertainment / Gamvento

Lost in Harmony is, technically, not an endless runner because its levels have an end point. But aside from that, it plays out like an endless runner where you swipe up, down, left, or right to avoid obstacles appearing in front of you. You also collect Stardusts in the game, which are effectively coins similar to other endless runners. However, what sets Lost in Harmony apart and what makes it truly notable is the rhythm game element included in the gameplay. See, aside from avoiding obstacles, you are also required to tap or, in some cases, tap-and-hold icons that appear on the screen, which are synchronized to whatever music is playing. Speaking of music, Lost in Harmony is arguably one of the best-sounding mobile games out there, with the default music in its two game modes ranging from upbeat to tear-shedding.

JETPACK JOYRIDE

Halfbrick Studios

What do you get if you cross an endless runner featuring a character that moves on the ground with an endless runner like Flappy Bird? Well, you get Jetpack Joyride, Halfbrick Studios’ other popular mobile game (Fruit Ninja is the other, in case you don’t know). In Jetpack Joyride, the main character automatically runs from the left side of the screen to the right. You have no control over his speed. But instead of having a simple jump action, he uses a jetpack, hence the title, to avoid incoming obstacles like lasers. Controlling the backpack requires you to repeatedly tap your smartphone’s screen, which can be really tricky. The goal is to travel as far as you can without running face-first into obstacles. The farther you go, the more difficult it is to navigate around obstacles. Thankfully, you can collect special vehicles, like a plane that spits cash, to make your journey a little bit easier.

CANABALT HD

Kittehface Software

Let’s end this article with a second look into the game credited with pioneering the genre on mobiles. Canabalt HD is a remastered version of the original game. If you also play on PS4, then you would know that having an “HD” in the title automatically translates to visual enhancements. But despite the graphical touch-up, Canabalt HD is virtually the same game as the 2009 release, with the same James Bond-like character in an industrial setting. Your character is automatically running from left to right in a procedurally generated world. You mainly jump from buildings to buildings, running from whoever or whatever is pursuing you. Failing to jump across another building will mean death. Additionally, boxes are littered along the way which, upon contact, will slow down your character, making it more difficult to jump from a crumbling building. Like many endless runners these days, Canabalt HD only features a single button, which is for jumping. If you need a little bit of history lesson on endless runners, you should definitely check out this game.

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Pros And Cons Of Building A Game Dev Team With Online Freelancers

Picture this: You’re an aspiring game developer. You have an amazing mobile game idea that you want to turn into reality. But sadly, you’re only good in one area, which means you need to build a small dev team to work on the other areas that you have no business dipping your hand in. The trouble is, you have zero connections in the field. None of your friends and family members are particularly interested in helping you achieve your goal (which is kind of sad, actually). The good news is, you have saved enough funds to be able to hire total strangers who are experts at what they do. And the bad news? Well, you don’t know where you’re supposed to start in building your dream team of game developers.

Now, you have two options when it comes to building your dev team: hire locals and build an in-house dev team or hire online freelancers and work from your lovely home. Going for the former has its own advantages and disadvantages. But we’re not going to talk about that, as obviously stated by the article title. Instead, we’re here to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of building a game dev team with online freelancers remotely working thousands of miles away from you.

Pros

You will have access to a MUCH larger talent pool. Look, we’re not saying people in your country don’t have talent when it comes to game development. But simply looking for local talent robs you of the chance to hire more capable individuals scattered around the world. Having an abundance of options is always a good thing. Instead of posting your project at an online job portal that’s mainly populated by people in your country, why not post it at an online freelancer portal instead? You’ll be surprised at the number of talented individuals that are more than willing to work with you remotely and help you finish your game. Many of them are already well-experienced in game development and could teach you a thing or two about how to run the project.

Pexels

You can run your project from anywhere. Working with online freelancers allows you to be completely mobile. There’s no need for a physical office. As long as there’s an internet connection, you’ll be okay. Want to work while having a cup of coffee at Starbucks? That’s fine. Want to check on how things are going while you’re in the middle of a date? That’s cool, though not recommended. Want to run some tests while on vacation in Fiji? No problem. Not having a physical office means you won’t have to deal with office-related things as well. Like renting a space, paying electric bills, and buying office supplies. This will save you a lot of money. You can use the money on boxes of Doritos or cans of Red Bull instead. Whatever you need to get through late-night work sessions.

Online freelancers are cheaper to hire. No, we’re not talking about their per hour rates, which can be really pricey if you’re looking for someone with tons of experience in game development. We’re talking about the HR benefits that come with hiring local talent. If you go for an in-house dev team, you will enter the traditional employer-employee relationship. Which means you have to pay for your employees’ health insurance, social insurance, and whatever else your government mandates that you cover.

With online freelancers, this won’t be necessary – they pay their own insurances. Online freelancers aren’t in the same category as employed individuals. The only thing you need to worry about is their salary. Similar to not having a physical office, this saves you a lot of money. You can use the extra money to pay for a pricey but incredibly talented and experienced online freelancer instead. If you can find an equally talented individual with a cheaper price tag, then much better.

Pixabay

Online freelancers can be hired for one-time projects only. Unlike traditional employees, you don’t need to invest long-term on an online freelancer. Well, unless you specifically want your partnership with them to go the distance. Working with the same people has its own benefits, like continuity. Online freelancers typically work on short-term projects or gigs. So it’s perfectly fine to hire one for only a specific task and then part with them as soon as the task is completed. You won’t be compelled to keep them around. This also works if you chose to go the in-house dev team route. Have a task that none of your team members are capable of doing? Outsource it to an online freelancer instead!

It’s possible to get more work done. Online freelancers typically work from home, which means they won’t have to spend time commuting or traveling to and back from work. This gives them more time than usual employees to work on your project, though it still depends on the work ethic of your chosen online freelancer. Some are even willing to work during weekends (with pay, of course). Furthermore, freelancers (online or otherwise) prefer to keep clients to have a more reliable source of income since it can be hard to consistently find projects. So they’ll be working their asses off to make sure that you keep them or get you to come back to them for more work in the future.

Cons

Trust and confidentiality issues. Since online freelancers are total strangers halfway across the globe, it’s going to be hard to place your trust in them. You don’t know them personally, and you won’t be able to call their past employers (if they worked as a regular employee before) for reference unless they’re willing to have you check their background more intensively. So, basically, it’s a risk.

There’s also the issue of your game’s confidentiality. Online freelancers who don’t have a single drop of decency and loyalty in their veins could easily steal your ideas and create a similar game using the information. You definitely don’t want that to happen. As a countermeasure, you can have your online freelancers sign a legit, lawyer-approved non-disclosure agreement or NDA.

Wikimedia Commons

Communication issues and time zone differences. The most obvious disadvantage with online freelancers is time zone differences unless you hire someone who’s either in the same time zone as you or close enough to make communication easier. If you hired someone who typically works the same hours as you, regardless of time zone, then great. Otherwise, you’ll have to work out a convenient communication schedule, though since you’re the client, you’ll have more control over this.

Another issue comes in the form of language barriers. What if the game designer of your dreams lives somewhere in a country where English isn’t a widely-used language? Would you be willing to work through the language barrier? Remember, instructions could easily get lost in translation, so to speak.

You won’t have full supervision over online freelancers. Since you won’t be hovering over their shoulders to check up on their work every 30 minutes, it’s going to be difficult to keep track of progress. Furthermore, online freelancers – or freelancers in general – work in their own time. They have their own schedules, which you have no full control over. (For freelancers, this is one of the perks of working remotely.)

Worse, online freelancers can suddenly stop working on your project without giving you a heads-up. They can simply bolt without leaving a trace, bringing with them all the info on your game. Not only will this set your project back a couple of steps, but you’ll be forced to search for another online freelancer and then have them continue where the previous freelancer left. Which requires you to bring the new online freelancer up to speed on your game’s current progress.

You won’t be able to build real work relationships. No, not the romantic kind. Obviously, having a game dev team of online freelancers means there’s no chance of weekend beer sessions after reaching a certain milestone in your project. You won’t be able to build relationships similar to employees who see each other every day in the office. Of course, if you’re the anti-social type who hates interaction and only focuses on the tasks at hand, then you won’t have a problem.

It can get lonely, though, especially after completing your project and achieving success. Who are you going to celebrate your success with? Your laptop, who has been with you through thick and thin? It may be shallow, but being able to high-five your teammates in person feels better than typing “WE DID IT!” every five minutes in whatever communication platform your remote team uses.

Wikimedia Commons

It can be really difficult to find the right individual. There are millions of freelancers working online, which makes it difficult to search for the best suitable individual for your team, especially if you don’t know how to filter search results. There’s also the chance of missing out on a potentially excellent fit because you hired too soon. Like, the day after you made the hire, an online freelancer possessing greater talent suddenly pops up in the marketplace without you knowing. Obviously, the trick is to be extremely thorough with your search, especially if you’re looking for a long-term investment. Also, be prepared to filter out dozens of scams or individuals claiming to be “experts” at what they do, only to end up being completely incompetent.

As you can see, hiring online freelancers for your game development project isn’t always a sure thing. You will need to take risks when hiring them. But the benefits are well worth it, especially if you end up with hardworking individuals who share the same passion for game development as you. Ultimately, opting to roll the dice with online freelancers depends on the working environment you prefer, your willingness to work with total strangers, and of course, your budget.

If a game dev team full of online freelancers is your cup of tea, here are a few online freelancing portals to help you get started.

Upwork – A result of the oDesk-Elance merger, Upwork is one of the most popular online freelance portals. It has a very friendly interface, easily accessible to anyone. Searching for freelancers is made easier with numerous filter options, allowing you to look for freelancers who possess the exact skill set you’re looking for. The downside to Upwork is that the service fees are rather pricey – both for clients and freelancers.

Freelancer – Another popular online freelancer portal. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, Freelancer.com is quite similar to Upwork. Clients post jobs, and then freelancers try to outbid other freelancers to get the job in a sort of contest. Although Freelancer.com has a relatively lower service fee, the fees system can get confusing. If Upwork isn’t to your liking, Freelancer.com is the next best place to post your jobs.

PeoplePerHour – PeoplePerHour has a less friendly interface than Upwork or Freelancer.com. But it will be a breeze once you get the hang of it. The platform has a great quality of freelancers, with the option to look into experts (be sure to carefully check their background, though). PeoplePerHour also allows you to hold onto your payment until you’re completely satisfied with the work your chosen freelancer turned in, allowing you to request for edits when necessary.

Freelance Writing Gigs – If you’re specifically looking for a writer to work on your game’s texts, Freelance Writing Gigs (or Freelance Writing Jobs) is a great place to start. You can also hire copywriters and content writers for your game’s website (assuming you have plans to create one). The interface looks a bit outdated, though.

Guru – If you don’t want your instructions to get lost in translation, Guru is your go-to place, as it’s mainly populated by US-based online freelancers. You’ll just have to work with the time difference, though, if you live somewhere in the eastern part of the world. Guru is also a great portal if you’re looking for programmers.

All of these online freelancing portals have their own advantages and disadvantages, just like when it comes to hiring remote members for your game dev team. It’s best to check out each of them and see which one suits your taste the best.

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6 Types Of Ads Commonly Used In Mobile Games

There are two types of mobile games in general: paid games and free-to-play games. Generating revenue from paid games is much more straightforward. The more users who buy and install the game, the more money developers make. It’s as simple as that. Some paid games offer only one-time transactions. Meaning, they don’t have in-app purchases.

Free-to-play games, on the other hand, need alternate avenues to earn money. The most common are in-app purchases, which are basically add-ons or optional content that enhance the gameplay in one way or another. They are usually designed to make the game easier and give paying users overpowered advantages over non-paying users, hence the term “pay-to-win.”

Another popular way developers make money off their games is through advertisements. Ads are often frowned upon by users because they are simply annoying to look at. Some ads also break the flow of the game content. But when done right, ads are an excellent and reliable avenue for developers to make money. In this article, we’ll list down the six types of ads often seen in mobile games.

Banner Ads

Flickr

Banner ads can be seen all over the internet, not just in mobile games. They are exactly what their names say: ads that “hang” at the top or bottom of the screen. Their purpose is to be attractive enough to get users to click on them. Banner ads are typically small in size. They are large enough to be seen by users but small enough to be unobtrusive during gameplay.

However, due to the small space allocated for them, banner ads rely more on images and less on texts. This gives more established names an advantage over lesser-known ones – brand recognition, in other words. Only a few words can be included in banner ads without appearing too cluttered or messy. So advertisers need to be direct and on-point when creating banner ad texts.

Banner ads are inexpensive and easy to produce. After all, they’re just small boxes containing a handful of words and a few images to draw the user’s attention. The thing about banner ads is that nobody really clicks on them. According to research by Marketing Insider Group, the average click-through rate of banner ads is 0.06 percent. And that’s for banner ads on the internet. Imagine the CTR of mobile game banner ads.

Rich Media Ads

Rich media ads are interactive ads containing a combination of texts, images, audio, and video. The goal of rich media ads is to engage users and hopefully pique their interest. Unlike banner ads, rich media ads can feature multiple images or screenshots (for a mobile game ad). This gives interested users a better look at the product.

There are also rich media ads that use a smartphone’s gyroscope and camera. Like that War Dragons ad, which allows you to check out the cool dragons by moving your smartphone around. These type of ads are highly creative and go beyond simple texts and images. The downside is that they’re heavier, size-wise, due to the media involved.

Interstitial Ads

Interstitial ads can be one of the most annoying types of ads. Unlike banner ads, interstitial ads are full-screen ads that cover the entire game screen. They typically appear during transition screens, which happen in-between game levels. Basically, they’re glorified loading screens.

Interstitial ads usually stay on-screen for a few seconds, before giving users the option to close the ad via a hard-to-find “X” button somewhere on the ad. This is what makes them annoying to deal with. Admit it, you probably had a few experiences where you had to spend a few seconds looking for that damned tiny close button. Because of this, interstitial ads are often seen as momentum breakers, especially in a particularly action-packed mobile game. There are two types of interstitial ads: static text-and-image ads similar to banner ads but way bigger and video ads, which we’ll discuss next.

Video Ads

As mentioned, video ads are interstitial ads, which play in-between levels or during loading screens. They are livelier and are more successful at getting the attention of users. They usually run 15-30 seconds because users have short attention spans. Now, there four types of video ads: forced, unforced, rewarding, and non-rewarding.

Forced – These are video ads that automatically play without waiting for you to hit the play button, therefore forcing you to interact with them. But you don’t really need to watch the full content of the ad because, after a few seconds, an option to close the ad usually appears.

Unforced – Obviously, unforced video ads are the opposite of forced video ads (duh). These video ads don’t automatically play without your consent. You have the option to play them before returning to your game, in case you’re interested, or completely discard them immediately. Unforced video ads are less annoying compared to forced video ads, for obvious reasons.

Rewarding – Rewarding or incentivized video ads are video ads that give players rewards or bonuses when played, hence the term. They usually appear after finishing a level and offer players the chance to boost their level rewards. For example, in an endless runner game where players collect coins, watching these video ads will double the collected coins from the just-ended level. Because of the incentives they offer, rewarding video ads have a much lower chance of being ignored by users.

Non-rewarding – The opposite of rewarding video ads, obviously. Like forced video ads, non-rewarding ads typically get shown the door as soon as the close button makes an appearance on-screen. They offer no incentive when viewed all the way, so there’s really no reason to sit through them. Unless you’re interested in what the video ad is selling, of course.

Notification Ads

Notification ads are infinitely more annoying than interstitial ads. These are ads that go straight to your smartphone’s notification tab. You can think of them as sort of mini banner ads – except you can’t completely ignore them like regular banner ads. Notification ads force you to delete them manually unless you set your smartphone to automatically block them. If you’re a developer, it would be best to stay away from these type of ads because they are totally not cool.

Pop-Up Ads

Lastly, we have pop-up ads. These ads are a bit similar to interstitial ads in that they usually appear during transition screens or when the game is paused. They are pretty harmless and very easy to shove aside. Unlike pop-up ads on the internet, pop-up ads in mobile games are less annoying to deal with because they don’t come in batches. You can think of them as smaller, low-budget interstitial ads.

Recommended Ad Type?

Obviously, you can’t deploy all six types of ads in your mobile game, unless you want users to label your product as a shameless cash-cow. And if you’re an indie developer short on budget, you probably can’t afford all of them anyway. So which type of ad should you go for?

We recommend going for video ads that reward users with in-game goodies in exchange for viewing ads all the way to the end. It gives ads the chance to get the message across in full. Using this type of ad is a win-win scenario for everyone involved, really. Users get extra game content and bonuses, while ads get a higher chance of being viewed, which translates to commissions for the game developers.

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