Why Some Puzzle Games are More Addicting Than Others?
Written by Ahmetcan Demirel, the maestro of product management and a member of the Deconstructor of Fun consulting and advisory team! Focusing on casual games while living and breathing the puzzle genre.
If you want to bring your game up to market standards, and then surpass them, he is one LinkedIn message away...
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The puzzle genre is a powerhouse in mobile gaming, generating over $7 billion annually in in-app purchases (IAP). Despite this immense market, more than half of the revenue comes from a single subgenre: Match-3. Established giants dominate not only Match-3 but also other popular subgenres like Merge and Blast, making it incredibly difficult for new entrants to gain traction. In such a highly competitive space, innovation is the key to creating new opportunities, and we've seen that with the rise of Physical Match and Tile Match games. Titles like Match Factory, Triple Match 3D, and Tile Busters have successfully carved out space by introducing fresh mechanics to the puzzle category.
“Pair” games mainly consisting of Physical Match and Tile Match titles didn’t take long to become the third largest puzzle subgenre.
As the puzzle market evolves, a new wave of games is emerging that doesn't fit neatly into existing subgenres, but they represent a promising next step: hybridcasual puzzles. These games blur the lines between hypercasual simplicity and deeper, more engaging puzzle mechanics. Not only have they broken into the top-grossing charts with examples like Screw Jam by Rollic and Hexa Sort from AppLovin, but they've also maintained high positions on the download charts. This success highlights their ability to generate revenue through a balanced mix of IAP and ads. It is a critical advantage in today's market, where keeping up with the rising user acquisition (UA) costs is becoming harder every day.
In a puzzle market that's increasingly resembling a red ocean, hybridcasual puzzles provide a strategic middle ground. They offer developers a sustainable business model, combining monetization strategies while delivering a compelling puzzle experience that appeals to a broad audience.
The anatomy of a hybridcasual puzzle
Hybridcasual puzzles stand out by refining core puzzle mechanics while simplifying both interaction and progression, creating a distinct balance between the depth of traditional casual puzzles and the quick-to-play nature of hypercasual titles.
Puzzle design with the hybridcasual KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)
From a design perspective, traditional casual puzzles often provide players with a wide array of tools and levers such as power-ups and boosters to manipulate within a level. In contrast, hybridcasual puzzle games streamline this experience, placing greater emphasis on the core puzzle mechanics rather than on a variety of interactive elements. Players are given fewer levers to pull, which forces the design to focus on creating engaging, well-balanced puzzles without relying on extraneous elements to sustain interest.
This limited interactivity is what drives the diversity in hybridcasual puzzle design. Unlike well-defined subgenres like Match-3 or Blast, hybridcasuals carve out their identity based on their unique mechanics. The lack of a singular, overarching structure allows these games to differentiate themselves in how they present challenges, giving rise to different forms of hybridcasual puzzle design without strict subgenre labels.
5 different hybridcasual puzzles (Screw Jam, Hexa Sort, Seat Away, Twisted Tangle, and Block Jam 3D) with 5 different core mechanics.
Hybridcasual puzzle games follow the hypercasual model closely with respect to user experience (UX). These games are intentionally designed to minimize friction for players. There are no tutorials or extra taps required before starting a level, allowing players to dive straight into gameplay the moment they open the game. This hypercasual-esque onboarding helps maintain a sense of immediacy and accessibility, key traits in retaining casual players who are looking for instant engagement.
On the progression side, hybridcasual puzzles borrow from the metagame structure seen in other hybridcasual games. Typically, after completing a level and earning in-game currency, players are funneled directly into the metagame, which often takes the form of a streamlined city builder. Here, players use their earned currency to develop the city they are in, providing a light progression layer that complements the puzzle gameplay without overwhelming the player. This blend of puzzle-solving and metagame building keeps players engaged through longer play sessions while offering an incentive for continuous play.
Hybrid monetization that fits the hybrid design
When it comes to monetization, hybridcasual puzzles adopt a mix of strategies from both casual and hypercasual games. The IAP offers are structured similarly to what players find in traditional casual puzzles, with shops offering bundles of in-game currency or special items. The focus on IAP monetization differs between games as some follow the casual puzzle playbook closely with limited time offers and season passes that are regularly highlighted while some focus more on rewarded ads and “Remove Ads” offers.
A healthy mixture of IAP and rewarded ad offers is common across all hybridcasual puzzles.
No matter how much they focus on IAPs, hybridcasual games also lean heavily into rewarded ads as a monetization tool. Players are presented with opportunities to watch ads in exchange for in-game rewards such as extra lives. Interstitial ads are typically displayed after every level or every second level. This dual approach allows developers to maximize revenue through both IAPs and ads, offering non-paying players a way to progress while providing incentives for more engaged players to make purchases. It also makes it harder to compare these games’ performance with that of any successful casual puzzle due to the lack of clarity around ad revenue, which is often not as transparent or consistently reported as IAP data.
In addition to these ad placements, some hybridcasual puzzle games also adopt the end-of-level ad multiplier, a feature borrowed from their hypercasual predecessors. After completing a level, players can opt to watch a rewarded ad to multiply their in-game earnings. This model, though simple, increases both ad revenue and engagement, giving players a reason to stay longer and play more, while also offering the choice to fast-track their progression.
Screw Jam (left), Block Jam 3D (middle), and Hexa Sort (right) using the end game rewarded ad offer.
Overall, hybridcasual puzzles succeed by blending the frictionless UX and ad-heavy monetization of hypercasual titles with more engaging core mechanics and progression systems that retain players over the long term. This balance creates a flexible business model that thrives in today's competitive puzzle market.
Borrowing brilliance: Casual Puzzle strategies in hybridcasual games
Hybridcasual puzzles may feel new and innovative, but a lot of their success is built on a foundation of tried-and-true practices borrowed from the casual puzzle space. While they simplify gameplay in certain areas, these games carefully integrate key design, monetization, and progression techniques that have long proven effective in casual puzzle games. By learning from the best and adapting these strategies to fit their unique hybrid structure, hybridcasual puzzles have been able to deliver engaging, long-lasting experiences while maintaining the simplicity.
Level design 101
Although hybridcasual puzzles tend to feature fewer obstacles or power-ups compared to their casual counterparts, they still introduce the few they have gradually, mirroring the best practices established by casual puzzle games. Just like in any other casual puzzle title, players start with basic mechanics, and as they progress, new obstacles or power-ups are introduced at a steady pace to keep things fresh. This gradual introduction ensures that players remain engaged without feeling overwhelmed, a technique that’s been key to the success of many casual puzzle games.
Florian Steinhoff’s GDC talk from 10 years ago still holds true for today’s best casual puzzles.
Another significant best practice borrowed from the casual puzzle space is how level difficulty is managed. It is a well known fact that players often experience a "roller coaster" of difficulty in successful casual puzzles. Levels gradually increase in challenge until a "hard" or "super hard" level appears, followed by an easier level to offer a breather. Hybridcasual puzzles adopt this same pattern to ensure players stay challenged but not frustrated. This approach ensures that players are rewarded with a sense of accomplishment when they conquer tough levels while still enjoying the occasional respite, maintaining a satisfying gameplay loop.
Choosing tradition over innovation
From a monetization perspective, hybridcasual puzzles aren’t as generous as their hypercasual predecessors, where players could often play indefinitely. With the hybridcasual model’s combination of ads and IAPs, these games adopt a "limited lives" system similar to that seen in most casual puzzles. This limits the number of attempts players can make before having to wait for lives to regenerate or purchase additional lives. However, this structure is offset by end game offers that encourage players to keep going, such as allowing them to watch a rewarded ad to continue or offering in-game purchases to help overcome difficult levels.
When it comes to managing LiveOps, hybridcasual puzzles follow the casual puzzle space almost exactly, often replicating the same successful strategies. From season passes to player-vs-player (PvP) events and chain offers, these games implement a suite of live events and monetization tactics that have proven effective in driving player engagement and revenue. These aren’t just about maintaining interest. They also create multiple touchpoints for players to interact with the game, ensuring sustained engagement over long periods.
Screw Jam (left), Hexa Sort (middle), and Seat Away (right) with their various live events and offers available on the main screen.
Some of the most successful hybridcasual puzzles even go a step further by integrating motivators like win streaks, a popular feature in the casual space which we talked about in detail in a previous article. These win streak mechanics reward players for consecutive victories, pushing them to keep playing in order to maintain their streak. This not only increases player retention but also offers a more meaningful gameplay experience for more loyal and invested players.
In short, hybridcasual puzzles have excelled by borrowing the best elements from their casual puzzle counterparts. From thoughtful level design and strategic difficulty progression to effective monetization and LiveOps management, these games leverage proven practices to deliver engaging, profitable experiences that balance both simplicity and depth.
Why have hybridcasual puzzles become successful?
We talked about Tile Match, another emerging casual puzzle subgenre, in a previous article mentioning its potential and the design challenges that needed to be solved. Over a year later, we haven’t seen the subgenre explode in popularity, despite a few successful examples on the market. The main reason for this slow growth lies in the deterministic nature of Tile Match games. Their level design leaves little room for unpredictability, making gameplay feel somewhat rigid. This lack of randomness limits the thrill puzzle players often seek: the excitement of sudden shifts or unexpected changes within a level.
Hybridcasual puzzles, on the other hand, have tackled this problem head-on. Unlike Tile Match games, hybridcasual puzzles introduce various mechanisms that inject randomness into the gameplay without compromising player control. While these games face their own design challenges, creating levels where tides can change suddenly is something they’ve managed to master to a certain degree.
One way hybridcasual games achieve this is by concealing upcoming items, which adds an element of surprise. For example, Block Jam 3D from Voodoo uses item generators that deliver pieces one by one. This mechanic requires players to think on their feet, adapting as new items appear. Hexa Sort takes a different approach by sending items in batches, not giving full visibility of what’s coming next. Both games keep players engaged by preventing them from fully predicting the level’s outcome, creating a more dynamic experience.
Block Jam 3D (left) and Hexa Sort (right) adding randomness to their gameplay.
Some games solve the determinism problem by using the game’s screen space strategically to provide cues while still requiring players to adapt on the go. Seat Away from Rollic offers a great example of this by displaying a line of level items that will be used next. The design allows for a quick understanding of what’s coming next, but players are still required to adjust their strategies based on real-time decisions as they progress through the level. This approach gives players just enough information to plan ahead while ensuring that gameplay remains challenging and fluid.
You need to continue playing to discover what item comes next in Seat Away.
Another method hybridcasual puzzles use to create unpredictability is by intentionally obscuring certain information, which adds layers of complexity. Screw Jam implements this by showing only part of the level’s information, some of which may not be entirely relevant or helpful. This design creates uncertainty and keeps players guessing about the best approach to complete the puzzle, enhancing replayability and engagement. Players must manage the randomness without feeling completely at the mercy of it, which keeps the game exciting while still rewarding skill.
Instead of stacking items on top of each other like Tile Busters (right), Screw Jam (left) uses translucent glasses between layers that makes things feel less deterministic.
Despite these seemingly elaborate design choices, hybridcasual puzzles remain incredibly intuitive to grasp, staying true to the hypercasual principle that players should understand the game in just a few seconds. The core mechanics are simple enough to be communicated through short gameplay videos, yet the layered design ensures depth and challenge. This simplicity makes them widely accessible to casual gamers, while the hidden complexity keeps more experienced players engaged for longer sessions.
In essence, hybridcasual puzzles succeed because they strike the perfect balance between randomness and strategy, ensuring each session feels fresh without overwhelming players. They deliver a gameplay experience that is both easy to pick up and hard to put down, providing layers of satisfaction for players of all skill levels. This unique combination of intuitive design, dynamic challenge, and rewarding gameplay has made them a standout in the mobile gaming landscape.
The path forward
Hybridcasual puzzles have made an impressive impact on the mobile gaming landscape, but their journey is only beginning. While these games have found early success, there is significant room for improvement, particularly in how they refine core mechanics and enhance the player experience.
Refining core mechanics
First and foremost, many hybridcasual puzzle games, despite their intuitive design, struggle with mechanics that aren’t as player-friendly as they could be. Actions such as dragging items around or tapping on small, closely positioned objects can feel cumbersome and imprecise. These mechanics, while easy to understand, could benefit from more player-friendly interactions that provide greater flexibility. Allowing more room for error would go a long way in making these games feel less punishing and more enjoyable.
Dragging several items around without a single change on the board can sometimes be frustrating…
For example, in Match-3 games, player input is only registered when a valid match is made. And even when a player makes an accidental match, it can lead to cascades that may still be useful. Merge games, on the other hand, often rely on constant item dragging to merge items together. But with a static board size and no time pressure, players get to learn the position of certain items and they can proceed without a rush.
This approach would also cater to a player type that is becoming more and more common these days: the multitasker. As the amount of entertainment content continues to grow, many players now prefer playing their favorite game on their phone while watching the latest episode of their favorite show on Netflix. By putting less pressure on players through the core mechanics, hybridcasual puzzles could reduce the need for constant focus, making them more accessible to those who enjoy multitasking.
Speaking of core mechanics, another area to watch is whether we’ll see a consolidation of mechanics within hybridcasual puzzles. Currently, several different gameplay approaches coexist in this space, but if one or two of them begin to consistently deliver a better player experience, we might see players gravitating towards those games. This consolidation could push developers to refine or even abandon certain mechanics that no longer resonate with players.
Doubling down on level design
Another aspect worth exploring is the potential shift in level design. Hybridcasual puzzles borrow heavily from the success of other puzzle subgenres, but one element that some of these games have yet to adopt is the freedom of unlimited time to beat a level. Some hybridcasual puzzle games could benefit from switching to a moves-based design, similar to what is commonly seen in casual puzzles. This change could bring a sense of familiarity and comfort, offering a more relaxed experience for players who prefer to progress at their own pace.
On the other hand, certain mechanics might be better suited to time-based constraints, where the ticking clock adds necessary challenge and urgency. Time-based designs work particularly well for specific gameplay styles, and we’ve seen this method succeed in the rapidly growing Physical Match subgenre. Games like Triple Match 3D and Match Factory have effectively implemented timers for each level, proving that a well-designed time limit can enhance gameplay without feeling restrictive.
If games continue to use timers, incorporating a star system that rewards players based on how much time is left at the end of a level could be a simple yet effective addition. This not only incentivizes players to complete levels more efficiently but also reinforces a sense of mastery for those who excel, making the experience more rewarding for skillful players.
To encourage spending without causing excessive churn, allow players to progress after a few attempts at the same level. Special thanks to Yasin Hatiboğlu for the great data visualization.
Finally, one crucial feature missing from many hybridcasual puzzles is dynamic level difficulty. In successful casual puzzle games, maintaining that "roller coaster" of difficulty mentioned above has proven key in keeping players engaged and driving conversions through end game offers. However, if a player fails a level multiple times, it’s important to provide a way to move forward without causing frustration or churn by making that level easier. So far, dynamic difficulty adjustments have not been implemented in hybridcasual puzzles as far as I can see. But introducing it could reduce player frustration and ensure they stick with the game longer.
As mentioned above, hybridcasual puzzles are still in their early stages, gradually carving out their place in the highly competitive puzzle market. We can expect new mechanics to emerge and prove their worth, while existing ones will continue to evolve and optimize. Thanks to the hybrid monetization model, which aligns perfectly with the demands of today's market, hybridcasual puzzles offer a promising opportunity: One that stands out as a fresh, blue pocket amid the boiling red ocean that is mobile gaming…
