Mobile Game Design: 4 Factors That Enhance User Experience
Mobile Game Design: 4 Factors That Enhance User Experience
Mobile Game Design: 4 Factors That Enhance User Experience
February 26, 2021
Summary
No matter how entertaining or original the concept of a mobile game, if the user experience is not up to scratch, it will neither gather momentum nor earn an audience.
So what is the difference between a well-oiled mobile game from a UX perspective, and one which is just average or even worse? Here is a look at the factors which determine this, so you can keep them in mind if you decide to develop your own interactive creation.
From fast-paced multiplayer shooters to sedate and socially-focused online bingo games, the way you interact with a mobile title needs to be well optimized with the limitations of the platform in mind.
Plenty of mobile games rely on ad revenues and in-game purchases to cover development costs and generate a profit in the long term.
While users will accept a certain degree of additional marketing within the game, especially if there was no charge to download it in the first place, you need to balance this carefully to avoid putting off players altogether.
We have already touched upon how interface layout can improve the user experience in mobile games, but another essential element to get right is the overall consistency of the controls.
Likewise if double-tapping one object has a particular interaction assigned to it in a given context, also apply the same logic to double-tapping in other scenarios, to avoid confusion and frustration as players are getting to grips with the game.
If in doubt, it often helps to follow the same design tropes that are used across lots of games in the same genre, at least in terms of controls.
This will instill your game with instant familiarity, rather than making it feel awkward to interact with.
Difficulty in games is often debated, and it is certainly a relevant concern when it comes to mobile games, which need to be accessible enough so that casual audiences are not alienated.
Reference
Mobile Game Design: 4 Factors That Enhance User Experience. Innovation & Tech Today. (2021, February 26). https://innotechtoday.com/mobile-game-design-4-factors-that-enhance-user-experience/.