Mobile Games Icon Trends by App Store Categories
by Madeleine Hoy
App Growth Consultant at AppTweak
— 6 min read
In the hyper-competitive world of mobile games, the icon is often the first point of interaction for potential users. It’s no surprise then that developers are constantly evolving their design strategies to make their icons more eye-catching and effective.
We had a look at the icons of the top 50 games on the Google Play and App Store to see if we could identify major trends among each game category. Here’s a summary of our analysis for the top 10 gaming categories with the most pronounced trends.
How does your game icon play a role in conversion?
Before we jump into the trends, it’s important to understand the significance of your mobile game’s icon. Your icon must be unique and recognizable to stand out among millions of games in the app stores. It’s not only about aesthetics but also about communicating the essence of the game to potential players.
If you have a mobile game, or if you are about to launch one, make sure to closely analyze other games’ icons in the same category. Thanks to AppTweak’s Metadata Benchmarks, you can view the top 50 icons in the gaming category and get a quick overview of the main colors and elements used.
Take a look at these 10 expert tips and best practices to design an optimized game icon
Google Play (Games – Arcade) vs iOS (Games – Casual)
| Main elements (Games – Arcade) | Key trends |
|---|---|
| Main colors | Black, white, yellow, orange, red, blue |
| Main figures | Geometrical shapes (circle, square), movements, faces |
| Text | None |
| Style | Cartoon |
| Main elements (Games – Casual) | Key trends |
|---|---|
| Main colors | Black, light grey, blue, beige, yellow, orange, yellow |
| Main figures | Cats & characters |
| Text | Low presence |
| Style | Cartoon |
Games – Board (App Store & Google Play)
| Main elements | Key trends |
|---|---|
| Main colors | White, black, yellow, orange, blue, beige, brown |
| Main figures | Dices, dominoes, & women characters on Android, mixed on iOS (higher presence of puzzles & word games) |
| Text | The name of the game is often highlighted |
| Style | Retro |
Games: Card (App Store & Google Play)
| Main elements | Key trends |
|---|---|
| Main colors | Green, black, white, grey, red |
| Main figures | Only cards on Android; while a mix of cards, slots, and charades on iOS |
| Text | Some brand names, on iOS: cash, slots |
| Style | Classic solitaire |
Games: Casino (App Store & Google Play)
| Main elements | Key trends |
|---|---|
| Main colors | Black, white, dark purple, yellow, brown, red, green |
| Main figures | Slots machines, roulette, cards |
| Text | Big font, colorful and shiny text |
| Style | Bling Bling |
Games: Music (App Store & Google Play)
| Main elements | Key trends |
|---|---|
| Main colors | White, black, pink, blue, purple |
| Main figures | High presence of piano tiles, balls in movement |
| Text | Low presence |
| Style | Galaxy |
Games: Racing (App Store & Google Play)
| Main elements | Key trends |
|---|---|
| Main colors | Black, brown, grey, white, blue, red, orange |
| Main figures | Almost only cars, few bikes and characters |
| Text | Low presence |
| Style | Realistic vs. cartoon |
Games: Role Playing (App Store & Google Play)
| Main elements | Key trends |
|---|---|
| Main colors | Black, beige, white, grey, pink, brown, blue |
| Main figures | Characters and people |
| Text | Low presence |
| Style | Manga vs. heroic fantasy |
Games: Sports (App Store & Google Play)
| Main elements | Key trends |
|---|---|
| Main colors | Black, grey, blue, green |
| Main figures | Balls in movement |
| Text | Low presence |
| Style | Cartoon vs. realistic |
Games: Strategy (App Store & Google Play)
| Main elements | Key trends |
|---|---|
| Main colors | Dark colors, light brown, yellow, blue, red |
| Main figures | Close-up on angry warrior faces |
| Text | Low presence |
| Style | Fantasy |
Games: Word (App Store & Google Play)
| Main elements | Key trends |
|---|---|
| Main Colors | Light colors, black, beige, yellow, red |
| Main figures | Words and letters |
| Text | Repetition of “word” or “cross word” are everywhere |
| Style | Scrabble |
Conclusion
In the highly competitive arena of app stores, gaming apps vie for supremacy. Capturing user attention amidst a sea of options can be challenging. However, mobile games can leverage the opportunity to distinguish themselves by frequently updating their icons in unique ways.
Seasonal icon revamps and A/B testing of your gaming app’s visual assets are practical strategies for assessing the performance of your creative components. But before you jump into designing your game icon, it’s imperative to conduct a thorough competitor analysis. Examine competitor icons, identify the trending icon colors within your category, or how often they update their icons.
Benchmarking against competitors is crucial not only to differentiate your offering but also to maintain design consistency. Certain designs or color palettes resonate more with users in specific categories. Consequently, game developers must factor this into their strategy when designing their icons.
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