Solitaire Associations Journey is a casual card game by Hitapps Games, released in September 2025, and it has scaled to over $80K+ in daily IAP revenue with 400K+ daily downloads, according to AppMagic.
Let’s take a closer look at the core design pillars that make this solitaire title so sticky and monetizable.
Intuitive Design
The core rules are extremely accessible: work through the decks and stack cards of the same type under their category card. The game’s FTUE also does a great job layering mechanics gradually, while its helpful message prompts guide players away from invalid moves. Combined with a mid-session auto-save, the game becomes a ‘pick-up-anytime’ experience, making it more player-friendly.
Progressive Difficulty
Move limits are the main monetization driver in the game. The early easy levels give players time to internalize the mechanics and build habit loops, but the difficulty ramps up quickly. Players must think ahead, deciding when to form collections (which saves moves) versus moving individual cards,(which costs more moves). Importantly, the game doesn’t punish players for wrong move attempts, allowing them to experiment freely, especially when dealing with card names they may not immediately recognize. Also, in some levels the game changes the number of available slots, giving players a change of pace in the experience.
Balanced Monetization
Banners are always visible at the bottom, while interstitial ads begin at level 5 and appear after the first stack completion of each level. RV ads can be used to extend moves, with a daily limit of nine, after which players must spend soft currency. The in-game shop also offers RV ads for soft currency, capped at five every eight hours, subtly nudging players toward IAP offers. Revival soft currency costs increase with each attempt within a level, making purchases feel increasingly necessary during tougher levels. Boosters require soft currency as well, but if players don’t have enough, they can unlock them through RV ads. Additionally, there are ad removal offers available for players who prefer a more premium experience.
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Original Post: Kavindu Priyanath-LinkedIn
