Collect Em All! is a chain puzzle game by Voodoo, released in September 2021, and it is still generating over $400K in monthly revenue from IAPs alone, according to AppMagic.
Let’s explore the design decisions this game follows…
Simple Gameplay
At its core, the game lets players connect identically colored items to complete level-based objectives. These levels vary in difficulty and several key features enhance the overall experience—including skippable minigames that appear every five levels to add variety, an auto-hint system that activates after a period of inactivity to reduce frustration, and boosters that help smooth out difficulty spikes. Additionally, the game features a leaderboard with different rank tiers, adding a competitive layer to the gameplay.
Meta & LiveOps
The game’s meta features a decoration system, where players unlock and complete different themed rooms, which then transitions into the Treasure League—a competitive reward system that activates after completing all three rooms. LiveOps events such as River Challenge, Collector’s Pass, and Endless Offers further enrich the experience, while weekly quests and spin wheels provide ongoing incentives to players. When combined, these systems not only help maintain freshness in the gameplay loop but also introduce loss aversion mechanics that support deeper monetization.
Smart Monetization
The game employs a hybrid monetization model that effectively combines IAPs and ads. Interstitial ads appear after level completion, while banner ads remain visible during gameplay. RV ads are strategically placed across various touchpoints, including daily and weekly rewards, bonus restarts, multipliers, special level skips, boosters, and extra spins—offering players valuable incentives for engagement. On the IAP side, monetization is integrated through the in-game shop, piggy banks, endless offers, seasonal deals, and the Collector’s Pass with a premium track. Notably, any purchase disables ads entirely—a simple yet effective approach to boost conversions without the need for a dedicated “Remove Ads” button.
Genre Insights: Chain Puzzles
According to AppMagic, the chain puzzle genre has a success rate of just 2.1%, with only 5 out of 235 tracked games surpassing the $100K+/month revenue benchmark and Collect Em All! stands out as the most recent success story among them. This raises the question: Are the barriers to entry in this genre getting higher?
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Original Post: Kavindu Priyanath-LinkedIn
