22. Revolutionizing Casual Puzzle Games with Equity and Power
Discussion about the benefits of Equity and Power in Casual Puzzle Games.
Casual puzzle games, led by titles like Gardenscapes, Travel Town, and Gossip Harbor, have captivated millions of players worldwide.
These games thrive on their ability to provide escapism and relaxation, delivering a rewarding way to pass time through narrative-driven building mechanics and progression systems.
But what if these experiences could evolve even further, offering players not just a way to pass time but a sense of equity and power that transforms their time into meaningful value? This is where we’ll be focusing on this article.
The Next Evolution: Equity and Power
In short — generic casual puzzle games are ripe for further innovation. It’s pretty easy to see when you understand depths of game, monetization and economy design in general — and understand well product layers on top of those.
While existing systems leverage narrative and builder tie-ins effectively, they often lack a deeper layer that connects progress to "power" and/or player-built “equity” in a way that fundamentally enhances the player experience.
Think about a world where every move you make in a game contributes to something tangible — ownership, progress, and the ability to make a real impact within the game world.
Reimagining Progression
Consider the potential of integrating equity-building systems into casual puzzle games:
Resource-based Power and Equity Growth
What if solving puzzles in a Merge or Match-3 game generated resources that could be invested into character abilities and/or in-game infrastructure? For instance:
A farming mechanic where harvested crops boost a player’s ability to solve puzzles.
A city-building layer where constructing specific structures unlocks advanced solving mechanics or power-ups.
Puzzle-solving that levels up characters, unlocking unique abilities that enhance gameplay.
A mix of above with a systemic tie-in, with e.g., building mechanics and upgrades affecting to the power of characters, and so on.
Power Progression and Growth
Beyond resource management, think further about systems that directly enhance player agency and power, e.g.,:
Skill Trees and Abilities: Players could unlock and upgrade skill trees, enabling more effective puzzle-solving or granting unique gameplay mechanics. For example, a player could unlock a special power-up that clears multiple rows or generates bonus resources when triggered strategically.
Character Evolution: Characters could evolve over time, gaining new traits or abilities. For example, upgrading characters improves their effectiveness in puzzles and introduces synergy between abilities, creating strategic depth.
Dynamic Challenges: Introducing adaptive difficulty systems that scale with player progression ensures a sense of accomplishment while maintaining engagement. Players could unlock powerful tools to tackle harder puzzles, adding layers of satisfaction.
Dynamic Interactions Between Layers
Such systems are already seen in puzzle RPGs, but on a larger scale casual puzzle games have yet to fully embrace this depth. By introducing these mechanics, developers can create a more engaging and meaningful player journey that feels personalized and empowering.
Side Note: Interested of the future of Match-3 Puzzle RPGs? See my article about them here (https://gamesalchemy.substack.com/p/whats-next-for-match-3-puzzle-rpgs):
These mechanics also touch deeply physiology and psychology of us — and you can use these for power-up’ing your product and design approach. Read more what I’ve written about topics around these things here (https://gamesalchemy.substack.com/p/8-physiology-and-psychology-how-they):
Example Case: Best Fiends
A good example of what I’m after with power and equity takes place in Best Fiends, which integrates character power progression seamlessly into its gameplay.
In Best Fiends, players unlock and upgrade characters, each with unique abilities that enhance puzzle-solving strategies. This layered progression system not only enriches the gameplay experience but has also proven commercially successful, generating over $550 million in IAP revenue according to AppMagic.
Best Fiends, Worldwide Revenue (Source: AppMagic). That's plenty of $ there but I think there is much more of it for others to take from the table with right product approaches.
The game’s ability to tie puzzle mechanics to character development demonstrates the potential of these innovations in driving both engagement and monetization — yet, it’s interesting we haven’t seen these used in the ways I’m describing them; thus, there’s an opportunity for someone to capitalize even-more on it.
Side Note: Interested to learn more opportunities for casual puzzle games? Find here more about what I’ve written about next +$1B Merge games (https://gamesalchemy.substack.com/p/the-next-billion-dollar-merge-games):
Redefining Free-to-Play Monetization
Innovating around equity and power doesn’t just enhance the player experience; it opens new doors for monetization strategies:
Loss Aversion: When players risk losing progress or resources they’ve invested in their equity, they are more likely to engage with monetization options to protect their gains.
Power Progression Incentives: Players might pay for boosters, upgrades, or premium content that enhances their sense of in-game power and progress. This can significantly drive LTV.
Compounding Rewards: Consistent engagement could be rewarded through systems that compound over time, such as bonuses for streaks or loyalty. These mechanics not only retain players but also encourage spending to maximize benefits.
Side Note: What other monetization opportunities could be tied to these systems as well as used more in casual puzzle games? I think Intrinsic Monetization approach could be providing some further depth on certain types of games on this side. You can find more about Intrinsic Monetization and what I’ve written about it here (https://gamesalchemy.substack.com/p/intrinsic-monetization-alternative):
Enhancing User Acquisition and Onboarding
Merge and Match-3 games already have robust pipelines for user acquisition and onboarding. By introducing layers of depth tied to equity and power, these systems can be further optimized.
Hybrid Casual games, which blend accessibility with depth, demonstrate that casual players are open to more complex mechanics if they’re introduced thoughtfully. 4X category is a great example here as well about how midcore and hardcore depth can be introduced for players, which I’ve covered more on my article here (https://gamesalchemy.substack.com/p/11-the-next-frontier-in-4x-pure-hybrid):
The key lies in crafting a smooth onboarding experience that gradually exposes players to these deeper systems, ensuring they feel empowered rather than overwhelmed.
Furthermore, I do believe you could formalize Ads and UA strategies based on intrinsic strategies and new unique selling points coming from use of power and equity in game design, about which I’ve written more here (https://gamesalchemy.substack.com/p/24-unlocking-the-power-of-intrinsic):
Why Now?
The hybrid casual trend has proven that the boundaries of casual gaming can be pushed successfully.
By combining the accessibility of casual games with the depth of investable progression mechanics, the next generation of puzzle games can set new benchmarks for engagement and revenue. This is a blue ocean opportunity for developers willing to innovate. With solid execution, these changes can redefine the casual puzzle genre, transforming games from simple time-fillers into experiences where players can thrive, strategize, and build legacies. It’s no longer just about escaping into a game world; it’s about owning a piece of it and wielding power within it.
The casual puzzle space is primed for this transformation. Let’s build a future where players not only play but prosper.
Extra Read
Whilst this article focuses on just power and equity and their leverage in casual puzzle games, I think social gameplay would have lots of possibilities and depth for casual puzzle games. I’ve written about these types of systems more deeply here, which I think you’ll find very useful with the ideas this article provides (https://gamesalchemy.substack.com/p/21-exploring-the-future-of-social):
On top of social layers, I believe you could explore in puzzle games’ meta games things like economic and real-life inspired systems and mechanisms. Read more about them here (https://gamesalchemy.substack.com/p/26-unexplored-frontier-in-game-design):
Who’s ready to redefine what it means to play a casual game?
Great take on casual puzzle games. A lot of evolution can happen, and I think the gameplay will go through changes in the next years - more strategic, multiplayer, mini-games, maybe personalisation as well (skins, environments...) ?
The UA is also going to look different. While casual games are prob one of the most advanced gaming category, we'll probably see even more creativity coming along, highlighting new features, storytelling...