Spyke Games released the puzzle title Tile Busters in 2022. The game features core mechanics similar to CoinMaster and it also implements mechanics from titles such as Monopoly GO!, allowing players to construct and fix up locations as they progress.
Tile Busters had a successful 2023, gaining a steady increase in downloads and surpassing 340,000 downloads shortly after the first half of the year.
Irina Kurskaya, game designer at Belka Games, shares a deep analysis of the title, breaking down its gameplay, approach to monetisation, and what traits it was able to successfully borrow from other titles while also setting itself apart from the competition.
Tile games are known for appealing graphics and meditative gameplay. While the core takes center stage, Tile Busters added a new thrill of chance to the genre’s meta-gameplay, backed by LiveOps and a unique approach to monetisation.
Despite competition from other more well-known games in the genre, Tile Busters showed a relentless rise in revenue, even with a decrease in the number of installs in comparison to previous figures.
The game’s popularity could be attributed to the unique blend of core and meta-gameplay, combining the best of a social casino with synthesizing two genres into one unique gameplay. Furthermore, the game’s events are consistently dynamic, featuring a striking 100+ levels as well as heavily monetized customization.
Tile Busters reached its peak in September 2023, making it into the Top 50 Grossing Titles in the US on iOS. The download dynamics had little impact on the grossing dynamics, indicating the game’s potential to optimize traffic purchases and extract more profit from a smaller player base.
By April 2023, Tile Busters had climbed to 100,000 downloads per month and surpassed the 340,000 downloads mark in July-August. This indicates a successful strategy of actively buying users to expose the product with no significant changes within the period.
At the end of November, Tile Busters ranked 162nd place on the USA’s overall downloads ranking and 111th for income.
While the audience of casual games is typically skewed towards females, Tile Busters features a higher level of gender bias compared to reference games in the same core and meta genres. The audience emphasizes the 35+ age group, which aligns with its competitors.
The game successfully introduced meta-gameplay to the core tile mechanics, presenting a synthesis of features from Coin Master and Monopoly GO!. The game’s design and humor provide an experience that engages and entertains players.
Spyke Games’ approach was to borrow features from other genres while maintaining the core tile game mechanics, allowing Tile Busters to stand out in the market. The success of the game is attributed to its focus on delivering an innovative experience that adds a sense of drive to the traditional tiles genre.
The game’s monetization includes a bank and a rotation of offers, providing players with various incentives and microtransactions. Tile Busters provides a soft and pleasant introduction to the core gameplay while also offering clear and appealing visuals. The game utilizes vibrant illustrations and animations to create a memorable gaming experience.
In-game features, such as the long strike event and instant dueling, add depth to the gameplay, providing players with a compelling and engaging experience. Tile Busters leverages detailed customization options to monetize players effectively, presenting packs of avatars and discounts as opportunities to enhance the gaming experience.
Tile Busters is an example of a game whose creators really did their homework, leveraging a combination of winning strategies and innovative approaches to the market. The game’s features are compelling and driven by a creative and bold approach, positioning it as one to watch in the gaming market.
Mentioned by: Paige Cook
