Bus Out a hype casual jam puzzle game by Zego Studio, was released on September 27, 2024, and it has been consistently achieving 250K+ daily downloads since October.
The game features simple yet engaging concept of where players have to park buses of the correct color, allowing passengers to board
Let’s dive into some design strategies of this game…
Building on Success
This game doesn’t reinvent the wheel here. Instead it draws inspiration from popular titles with millions of downloads like Bus Mania by ZPlay HC Games and Bus Jam by Rollic Games. By refining an already proven gameplay formula, it presents players with familiar mechanics, ensuring both novelty and user retention
Engaging Difficulty Curve
After a very short, simple and straightforward first level to teach core mechanics, players are dragged into a more challenging level, ramping up the difficulty. This approach keeps players more engaged right from the start, without letting them get bored. Additionally, since there are no time constraints, players have the opportunity to make mistakes and learn at their own pace, making the game more appealing to casual gamers as well
Thoughtful Monetization
The game employs a well crafted ad based and IAP monetization model. Players can watch ads to unlock more parking spots or use power-ups, which are limited and primarily earned through daily and weekly challenges, or purchasing using in-game currency. Since in-game currency is scarce, players often turn to ads or in-app purchases to stockpile power-ups, seamlessly blending engagement with revenue generation
Data source: AppMagic
Let’s leverage these insights to elevate our games to new heights. Follow and stay tuned for the next game story…
Original Post: Kavindu Priyanath – LinkedIn
