First, create a compelling game mechanic. The game mechanic establishes the rules of play and the context in which the mechanic will be used (think Mario).
This is a critical part of the game -- without a great game mechanic, nobody will play your game.
Second, make the onboarding experience simple enough that a new player can learn game fundamentals in a couple of minutes. Difficult game onboarding and mobile games just don’t mix.
Third, make the game just challenging enough to keep players in the game. If the game is too difficult to play, it will be quickly abandoned.
Fourth, make the graphics beautiful. How to do that is up to you -- some developers go for a simple, clean aesthetic, such as games developed by Ketchapp, while others can be elaborate such as what you might find in Mines of Mars or similar games.
Fifth, if you have a storyline, make it compelling. The storyline has to quickly draw the player in, or else they will lose interest.
Create characters that can help move gameplay forward by providing insights and clues that will help the player.
Sixth, make the game FUN. If it’s not immediately enjoyable, your game will flop. Sometimes, it takes a while to find the right combination that makes a game compelling, fun, and challenging in just the right amounts.
Last, but not least, be sure to run your game through extensive user testing. This will save you many headaches later on. Now, go on and create your own killer game!
