RESOURCES

Work Hard. Play Hard. Here are the Games We Love

Feb 14, 2022
By: Ravi Pimplaskar

It’s no secret, we love the mobile gaming ecosystem. It’s what we breathe and eat for breakfast. The rest of the world has caught up in all the fun too – even beating many other forms of entertainment, such as ‘watching TV’. 

This week, instead of our regularly scheduled Mobile Monday, we wanted to share our love for games – and reached out to some of our team members across our Digital Turbine companies – Digital Turbine, AdColony, Fyber, and Appreciate global offices and asked them to share which games hold a special place in their hearts:

Wordscapes | PeopleFun

Greg Taylor, Sales Director

Why do you love it?

The game is simple, yet challenging at the same time. This puzzle game combines fun and relaxation to pass the time! I’m always up for a challenge, which is what makes this puzzle game my go-to.

How did you discover this game?

A friend recommended it to me as ‘the go-to puzzle game’!

How long have you been playing this game?

A couple of years. The game is easy to play while having plenty of levels to complete. There’s quick thinking involved and I can play it for hours at my own pace.  

How does this game’s monetization model enhance your experience of playing?

I turn to Rewarded Video to collect more coins which I can use for hints. This helps me move through levels quicker when I get stumped. There is also an Offer Wall where you can complete a task for extra coins. 

How does playing this game contribute to your day-to-day job?

I use it as an example of a mobile game where Rewarded Video makes the experience better. I get a better understanding of strategies because most of my brands love brain and word game examples.

Download the game and try it out for yourself: iOS or Android

Candy Crush Saga | King

Judith Ho, Customer Success Manager

Why do you love it?

This game is colorful and helps to relax the mind. There are countless levels to compete and each one is unique in its own way.  

How did you discover this game?

I discovered it via the Apple Store search

How long have you been playing this game?

9 years (and hundreds of levels in).

How does this game’s monetization model enhance your experience of playing?

I watch Rewarded Videos to collect more free lives, free gold and boosters! These help me progress really quickly through the levels.

How does playing this game contribute to your day-to-day job?

When I play the game, I capture screenshots for clients’ campaigns that are being delivered in the app. 

Download the game and try it out for yourself: iOS or Android

Scrabble | Scopely

Obed Ampah, Front-end Developer

Why do you love it?

It’s a classic and nostalgic word game. I love the challenge and pressure to ‘think quick’ when playing.

How did you discover this game?

A friend introduced me to this version

How long have you been playing this game?

A few weeks now.

How does this game’s monetization model enhance your experience of playing?

I love to challenge myself so although I don’t use any hints, there are Rewarded Videos that help to get these and earn more gems. The gems help when you get stuck with the tiles or words. There is also a store where you can buy more gems.

How does playing this game contribute to your day-to-day job?

As a word-lover it keeps me engaged, requires sharp wits, and keeps my mind fresh, which is especially helpful when you’re a front-end developer. 

Download the game and try it out for yourself: iOS or Android

Royal Match | Dream Games

Nour Naffi, Digital Sales Manager 

Why do you love it?

The graphics are vibrant and high quality, and the game is fun, challenging, and addictive. Each level keeps you on your toes and alert to earn make sure you rescue the king and progress.  

How did you discover this game?

A friend told me about this game and I had to check out what all the hype was about

How long have you been playing this game?

I’ve been playing it for the past month, and trust me, it’s very addictive and fun.

How does this game’s monetization model enhance your experience of playing?

There is a shop where you can buy more boosters and coins, but other than that, this game does use many ads. It’s generous with its boosters and free lives. 

How does playing this game contribute to your day-to-day job?

Once the workday is done, I get to wind down and relax when I play the game.  

Download the game and try it out for yourself: iOS or Android

Cookie Run: Kingdom | Devsisters

Patreece Dass, Senior Account Manager

Why do you love it?

This is a gacha game in which you assemble a team of cookies to battle other cookies. You also get to design your own kingdom using creative dessert-themed decor. I love the character designs — all of the cookies are adorable and it’s exciting when new ones are released. I also appreciate that the developer is generous with Gems (the hard currency) and has provided ways of obtaining all of the Cookies without a player having to spend money on IAP. 

How did you discover this game?

I discovered it through my sister! We play together and have created a guild with 25 or so members (a guild is max: 30).

How long have you been playing this game?

I’ve been playing for about 4 months. The new cookie releases and the PVP arena keep me coming back! I enjoy doing the gacha pulls and have collected 58 out of the 65 cookies available.

How does this game’s monetization model enhance your experience of playing?

This game doesn’t have ads, but their IAP strategy is pretty interesting. For context, you can get 100 Gems for $1.00 USD. However, the game has periodically released IAP packages that include Gems for a cheaper price. Most recently, they had a promo where you could get 10,000 Gems for only $1. This is very effective to convert nonpayers who vowed not to spend a dime into payers who couldn’t resist a sweet deal. I would love to see the game offer the option to watch a video to earn missing materials that you need to expand. 

How does playing this game contribute to your day-to-day job?

This game is a great inspiration for building a strong base of loyal players. I use their IAP and loyalty-building strategies to think of ways that publishers can do the same with Fyber’s Offer Wall. For example, the game gives you a special reward if you complete an event. An Offer Wall publisher can do the same by rewarding a player with a bonus if they complete an offer.  

Download the game and try it out for yourself: iOS or Android

Zen Match | Good Job Games

Eado Hofstetter, Director of Account Management, EMEA

Why do you love it?

This game is an excellent combination of a match-3 and mahjong!  

How did you discover this game?

I heard about it from a colleague in the company.

How long have you been playing this game?

I’m pretty new to it and been playing for about 3 months!

How does this game’s monetization model enhance your experience of playing?

When playing the game, you will notice there are banners at the bottom of the screen, as well as video interstitials. Because this is a banner game, the sessions are quite long and the banners refresh every few seconds. 

How does playing this game contribute to your day-to-day job?

I am always curious to see which ad will be shown to me next. I always agree to be tracked 🙂   

Download the game and try it out for yourself: iOS or Android

Golf Clash | Playdemic

Cody Correa, Strategic Partner Developer

Why do you love it?

This game is challenging and competitive – making it a great adrenaline rush!  

How did you discover this game?

Happened to stumble on it, AKA, App Store Boredom

How long have you been playing this game?

2 months, and every time I think I’m done, I get sucked back in 🙂 

How does this game’s monetization model enhance your experience of playing?

This game is primarily IAP-focused with only rewarded videos as an ad format. 

How does playing this game contribute to your day-to-day job?

There is downtime in the game and it helps clear my mind of other drivel. In between, I find myself actually prioritizing my tasks for the day or for the next day well.  

Download the game and try it out for yourself: iOS or Android

digital graphic of a woman covering her mouth

Seekers Notes | MYTONA

Maria Ershova, Product Marketing Manager

Why do you love it?

This game is the perfect blend of the most addictively fun missions: finding hidden objects & match-3!  

How did you discover this game?

I attended a conference when the developer, MYTONA, was delivering a great presentation about their games. This made me curious to learn more about their titles.

How long have you been playing this game?

Two years, probably. I can’t imagine a long trip without playing it for hours on a train/plane/bus.

How does this game’s monetization model enhance your experience of playing?

I love the Rewarded Video opportunity, but I would use the Offer Wall in the game like crazy to get more energy! But, balance is key because it’s easy to spend significantly more time there than doing my job 🙂

How does playing this game contribute to your day-to-day job?

Just when I think the game won’t be able to come up with something new, each new update proves me wrong! I get the idea that no matter how old/mature the project is, there are always new ideas and improvements to keep the product going and performing well.   

Download the game and try it out for yourself: iOS or Android

Homescapes | Playrix

Kaya Ezgi, Support Advocate

Why do you love it?

The creative choices of decoration and the story behind the game are really engaging. 

How did you discover this game?

I found it on the App Store when searching for a game

How long have you been playing this game?

For 1 year, and still addicted to it  

How does this game’s monetization model enhance your experience of playing?

Free lives would be perfect. You start with 5 life points and once you use them all you have to either wait for the timer to refill, request lives from friends or buy more. 

How does playing this game contribute to your day-to-day job?

Homescapes has a great way of keeping me relaxed and avoiding stress from the day.  

Download the game and try it out for yourself: iOS or Android

Mahjong Treasure Quest | Vizor Apps Ltd 

Shaun Howie, Senior Ad Sales Marketing Specialist

Why do you love it?

This game is super calming and relaxing with a comfortable amount of challenge.

How did you discover this game?

I was looking for a mahjong game for iPad and found this one.

How long have you been playing this game?

I’ve lost count – it’s an all-time favorite of mine.  

How does this game’s monetization model enhance your experience of playing?

The Rewarded Video ads are really useful, especially when they give me power-ups when I get stuck. 

How does playing this game contribute to your day-to-day job?

This game is great for relaxing and clearing your mind. At least that’s what it does for me, especially between deep thinking tasks. This is a “Relaxation” game mode that takes away the timers. It’s great to play with my young children, who know it as “matching game.”

Download the game and try it out for yourself: iOS or Android

Guess Their Answer | TapNation

Kim Grewal, Senior Publishing Account Manager, EMEA

Why do you love it?

I have always loved quizzes and Guess Their Answer really challenges me to answer as many questions as I can in a short space of time. The variety of questions, from the Kardashians to Sports Brands, from food and drink to history, the game requires me to think on my feet and outside the box. 

How did you discover this game?

I manage the TapNation account at Fyber and always enjoy the challenging games my publishers create, so I make sure to keep an eye out for their latest releases.

How long have you been playing this game?

I have been playing for the last few months and enjoy that you progress from regional to national and then to international competitions. 

How does this game’s monetization model enhance your experience of playing?

The rounds within each competition are at a maximum of 3, so I’m able to play in short 10 minute bursts. The further you progress within the rounds, the more important hints become to beat your competitor, so the Rewarded Videos are presented at the perfect time.

How does playing this game contribute to your day-to-day job?

This game keeps my mind extremely active and stimulates and engages my brain by playing a few levels at a time. I love the challenge of not only competing to win the round, but also trying to find the key answers with the highest number of points which pushes me to think outside the box.

Download the game and try it out for yourself: iOS or Android

By Ravi Pimplaskar
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