Genre Common Features Guidance for Mobile Competition 2.0 

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Genre: Simulation

Subgenres: Idle, Incremental Simulator, Physics Sim, Sandbox, Tycoon, Vehicle Sim

An experience that replicates a familiar activity or system, providing players with the opportunity to strategize, experiment, or manage different scenarios within a virtual setting, all centered around fast and responsive core mechanics. Can support solo or co-op play. 

Consider including some common features of simulation games:

  1. Resource Management: Manage resources like money, time, or materials, with autonomy to make strategic optimization decisions.
  2. Incremental Progression Systems: Unlock new features, levels, or items as you progress, balancing long term goals with frequent short term wins.
  3. In-Game Economy: Earn, spend, and trade in-game currency or items.
  4. Task Completion: Complete tasks or missions of varying difficulty. 
  5. Customization: Purchase or unlock options to customize characters, environments, or equipment.
  6. Social Interaction: Ways to compete or collaborate with others, especially in ways that don’t strictly require mic/audio use to accommodate players that are on-the-go.

Example mobile simulation games with some of the above features: Pet Simulator 99 (Roblox), Idle City (Horizon Worlds), Aura Craft (Roblox), Seapet Go! (Zepeto), Supermarket Simulator (Roblox), Be a Tornado (Roblox), Pizza Kitchen (Horizon Worlds), Gym League (Roblox) 

 

Genre: Party Game

Subgenres: Childhood Game, Well-known Game, Coloring & Drawing, Minigame, Quiz, Social Deduction

A casual, multiplayer game (or series of minigames) with simple mechanics that emphasize competitive or collaborative social interaction, prioritizing fun and entertainment over complex storytelling or immersive gameplay.

Consider incorporating some common features of party games:

  1. Simple and Accessible Gameplay: Easy mechanics suitable for all ages and skill levels, often using familiar concepts like trivia, luck, drawing, timed challenges, word games, or other well-known games.
  2. Quick Rounds: Short, energetic rounds (2-5 min) to keep the pace lively and encourage multiple rounds in a session.
  3. Social Interaction: Encourage interaction through competition or team-based play, offering non-verbal communication options like gestures, actions or emotes for players that are on-the-go. 
  4. Customization: Ability to customize characters or the environment.
  5. Rankings: Within-instance rankings or leaderboards to incite friendly competition.
  6. Dynamic Elements: Incorporate random or rotating challenges, gameplay elements, buffs, or prompts that rely on chance rather than skill, keeping sessions feeling fresh and unpredictable.
  7. Social Deduction: Players assume hidden roles to navigate and influence complex social dynamics.

Example party games with some of the above features: Spin the Bottle (Horizon Worlds), Epic Minigames (Roblox), Squid Mingle Games (Horizon Worlds), Psych! Outwit Your Friends, Jackbox Party, Pass the Bomb! (Roblox), Horrific Housing (Roblox)

 

Genre: Roleplaying

Subgenres: Animal Sim, Dress Up, Life, Morph Roleplay, Pet Care, Themed Hangouts 

A place where players can explore a vibrant, interactive environment where they can assume diverse personas/roles, engage in dynamic storytelling, and collaborate with others to create their own adventures and memorable social experiences.

Consider including some common features of roleplaying games:

  1. Familiar Theme: Widely recognized setting/theme to help players quickly understand the context and engage with the world and each other.
  2. Player-Driven Gameplay: Players craft their own goals and steer the narrative through creativity and decision-making.
  3. Customization: Extensive options to customize characters, items, or environments.
  4. Interactive Environments: Objects and elements in the game world that players can interact with, especially those that support their personas and roles.

Example roleplaying games with some of the above features: Brookhaven RP (Roblox), ^McdonaldWorkRP (Rec Room), Beauty and the Beast (Zepeto), Jailbreak (Roblox), Fury Friends Pet Veterinary (Horizon Worlds), Kawaii’s Valentine Daycare (Horizon Worlds)

 

Genre: Adventure

Subgenres: Exploration, Scavenger Hunt, Story, Escape

An experience enabling exploration of an environment, solving puzzles, or narrative-driven quests. Can support single player, multiplayer co-op or multiplayer PvP.

Consider including some common features of adventure games:

  1. Story-Driven Gameplay: Engaging narratives that drive the player's journey.
  2. Exploration: Open-world or semi-open-world environments, with hidden areas and secrets to discover.
  3. Interactive Environments: Objects and elements in the game world that players can interact with.
  4. Puzzle-Solving: Integration of puzzles into the storyline that challenge the player.
  5. Inventory System: Ability to purchase/collect and manage items, materials, or buffs to support progression.
  6. XP System: Ability to gain experience points through activities to unlock skills, abilities, or upgrades.
  7. Leveling: Leveling and progression of characters, gear, or equipment.
  8. Risk vs Reward Gameplay: Decision-making that balances potential dangers with valuable rewards, often centered around combat scenarios.

Example adventure games with some of the above features: Fisch (Roblox), TheBackroomsAllSeeing (Rec Room), Dragon Adventures Fantasy Pets (Roblox), Rainbow Friends (Roblox), Dragon Blade (Roblox), doors (Roblox), Adopt Me (Roblox), MeepCity (Roblox), Dream Leaper: Enchanted Skies (Horizon Worlds)

 

Genre: Obby & Platformer

Subgenres: Classic Obby, Runner, Tower Obby

A game that requires navigating through obstacle-filled levels with precisely timed movements. 

Consider including some common features of obbies and platformers:

  1. Varied Environments: Spaces with varying layouts or obstacles.
  2. Obstacles: Mix of static and moving platforms, or environmental hazards like spikes, pits, and traps that require precise timing and quick reflexes.
  3. Progressive Difficulty: Levels/sections become increasingly more difficult, often introducing new mechanics and abilities, while striking a careful balance between accessibility and challenge. 
  4. Collectibles & Power-ups: Scattered items throughout levels that offer rewards or temporary enhancements.
  5. Health Systems: Systems for managing player lives or retries, and strategic placement of checkpoints and spawn locations to reduce frustration.
  6. Skill Competition: Competition for achievements (e.g. fastest completion time, furthest progression, flawless run), with mechanisms to celebrate top performers.
  7. Special Movement Abilities: Abilities such as dashing, gliding, climbing, double jumping, or wall jumping to navigate levels.
  8. Social Interaction: Encourages friendly competition through leaderboards, and offers non-verbal communication options like gestures, actions or emotes for players that are on-the-go. 

Example obby or platformer games with some of the above features: Spy School (Horizon Worlds), Tower of Hell (Roblox), Color Block Run Z (Zepeto), ^MulticolorSkyObby2 (Rec Room), Carry an Egg [2 Player Obby] (Roblox),  Deathrun (Roblox), _UP Parkour (Horizon Worlds)