In some industries you often see trends that come and go. Fashion would be a prime example of this and you could also point to the toy industry as well. Even the games industry goes through phases that see certain genre types rise and fall in popularity, but there will always be a couple of exceptions to this rule.
Mini Games
Mini games are one of those that buck this trend and for good reason. They are so varied and accessible that players will always reach for them when they have time to kill or a moment to spare. They also allow for playing in short bursts and spending as little or as much time as you like on the game, much like most mobile games.
Some of the earliest examples of this approach on a mobile device was Nokia’s snake game that had a snake slithering around a mobile phone screen eating little cubes that added to its length therefore making it harder for the player to control it. The game would come to an end if the snake collided with any part of itself and it was a rather addictive experience. In fact, Nokia relaunched the game on Facebook and it was an instant hit showing that the game’s popularity has stood the test of time.
Of course mobile games have come a long way since then and one of the more high profile, recent examples is that of Candy Crush Saga. At one point it was estimated that the game was being played by 93 million people and it has been downloaded 2.7 billion times.
Other mini games such as the online slots offered by Omnia Casino are also an example of mobile games that have a wide appeal to gamers. It helps that there is a wide variety of themes, so players can chose what to play based on their preferences such as games based on movies or perhaps celebrities – or even other games, such as cooking games or action titles.
Sports Games
The other genre that never appears to be on the wane is the ever present and yearly releasing sports game. The appeal of these are fairly obvious, but the industry still has to innovate to keep players coming back year after year. The idea of controlling your favourite sporting legend, whether it is a baseball pitcher or a football superstar has instant appeal, but if the gameplay is not engaging then this novelty will wear off quickly. However, in general it is fair to say that sports game developers do manage to offer something new each year even if some years the changes are more obvious than others.
EA sports have been releasing a version of their FIFA game from as far back as 1993 but their 2016 offering entitled FIFA 17 was the highest selling console title in the world in 2016. They are now as much a part of football culture as prominent television programmes such as Match of the Day. They also produce long running series in other sports such as their Madden series for American Football and their NHL ice hockey games.
Both these genres will continue to develop as new technologies become available but they look like staying part of the gamers staple diet for a long time yet.