Within the past year there has been an influx of popularity on new and classic mobile games. Just some of these games include Clash Royale, Block Blast, and Geometry Dash. A question some people may ask; what makes these games so appealing?  

64% of students surveyed at West enjoy at least one of these games.  As one student said, “they are fun and give me something to do that’s not mindlessly scrolling.”  Another agrees, stating that, “they give me something to do when I’m tired and don’t have homework.” Others just find them fun and entertaining,   

Take Clash Royale, for example.  Clash Royale is a game of battles combining strategy, fast action, and social interaction all wrapped inside one three-minute game. Overall, the most appealing factor is how simple the game is to learn, yet how difficult it is to master. A competitive factor, trophies, an arena, and leagues give players a sense of achievement. 

 Similar to Clash Royale, Geometry Dash has been on the rise in popularity in the past months. Like Clash Royale, Geometry Dash includes simple controls with high difficulty. With the single one-tap control, you go through increasingly difficult obstacles with clear cut progression like coins and achievements for a constant goal to work towards. Players control an icon like a cube to perform movements through these obstacles.  The bright visuals and fast movements keep a strong appeal to younger audiences.   

On the other hand, Block Blast, where you drop different shaped blocks onto a grid, appeals to younger audiences, but for slightly different reasons. Block Blast has a low-pressure gameplay in contrast to Clash Royale and Geometry. The clean bright visuals mixed with dopamine rewards of big combos and rising scores keep the player engaged with the game. A big factor in the game’s popularity is the minimal reading and language needed to access the game.  This makes the game accessible to a wide range of ages and people.  

The big question in every young person’s mind; is there a game that combines all these elements? As of early 2026, there is no game that combines all the best elements of the three games into one single hybrid game: Clash Royale’s strategy, Block-Blast style puzzles, and Geometry Dash’s rhythm platforming. The question on my mind; what do you believe the next big game will be?