What Makes a Good Incremental Game?
Having played incremental games for several years, and even having developed some myself, I've learned what makes a game enjoyable and engaging. Many incremental games exist, but only some are truly good. Let's explore the core elements that contribute to a successful incremental experience.
Understanding the Incremental Genre
Incrementals are fundamentally about a number that steadily increases. These games are often categorized into two subgenres:
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Clickers: Incrementals that feature a primary clicking mechanic.
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Idle Games: Incrementals that progress even without active player input.
Games like Cookie Clicker blend both elements, offering both a click-based activity and buildings that generate resources passively.
Balancing Active and Idle Gameplay
Personally, I dislike heavy reliance on clicking. Excessive clicking leads to two unfavorable options: repetitive strain injuries or the necessity of an autoclicker, neither of which enhances gameplay. Games should strike a balance between active and idle play.
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Unbalanced Games: When clicking far outweighs idle progress, the game essentially becomes an active game that requires constant attention. Tap Titans suffered from this issue.
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A Incorporated also had a problem where most of the production came from tapping random drones.
I prefer games where active participation provides a boost, but idle progress remains viable. A simple solution to excessive clicking is implementing timed intervals, as seen in Black Market.
The Importance of Goals
A compelling incremental game needs a clear goal that motivates players. The best goals involve unlocking new features at specific milestones.
- Feature Unlocks: Communicating to the player, "You unlock more content at this milestone," provides a strong incentive to progress.
Realm Grinder, for example, uses reincarnations to unlock content. However, it could improve by clearly indicating what unlocks when, rather than relying on external guides.
Avoiding Repetitive Gameplay and Balancing Difficulty
Even with goals, overly repetitive gameplay can kill motivation. Five Leaf Clover, while unique, suffers from excessive repetition. To combat this:
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Introduce New Gameplay: Add new mechanics and content to keep things fresh.
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Automate Existing Tasks: Once a player has mastered a mechanic, allow them to automate it to avoid constant micromanagement.
Furthermore, the game should be balanced, so that goals are attainable without excessive grinding. As the saying goes, doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results is insanity.
User Interface (UI) Design
A cluttered UI can overwhelm new players. Games should gradually introduce features as players progress.
- Progressive Unlocks: Unlock features as players reach certain milestones (e.g., "This tab unlocks at a million donuts").
Trips excels at this by progressively revealing content. Conversely, Demon War Idle Rebellion immediately presents a cluttered UI, which immediately discouraged me from playing. Even with deep lore and compelling gameplay, a bad UI can ruin a game.
Complexity and Discovery
Overly complex games, like Sandcastle Builder, can require external guides to be understood, which is bad development. While depth is valuable, expecting players to know everything without instruction is poor design.
- Trial and Error: While trial-and-error discovery can be excellent in some games, it's difficult to implement well.
If you're unsure about your implementation, err on the side of caution, get feedback, or avoid it altogether.
Monetization
Finally, the game should not be ruined by aggressive monetization. Ads and microtransactions are acceptable, but they shouldn't dominate the experience.
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Ad-Watching Simulators: Adventure Quest Dragons turned into an ad-watching simulator with its 30-minute bonus for watching ads.
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Pay-to-Win: Civ Crafter included upgrades you could speed up by paying, which is also detrimental to the experience.
The incremental genre has become stale with too many clones. It's important to learn from past mistakes when creating a new game.
Final Thoughts
If you're developing an incremental game, consider these points:
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Balance Active and Idle: Ensure both playstyles are rewarding.
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Steady Feature Unlocks: Space unlocks appropriately to maintain player engagement.
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Clean UI: Avoid overwhelming players with too much information.
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Avoid Cash Grabs: Don't rely on excessive microtransactions and ads.
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