Mobile Games Icon Trends by App Store Categories

Madeleine Hoyby 
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.

AppTweak's Metadata Benchmarks display the top 50 games' icons in the chosen category
Icon collage of the top 50 games in the Games category on the App Store, US. Source: AppTweak

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)

Icons of top 50 games
Icons of top 50 games – Arcade (Google Play, US) vs Casual (App Store, US). Source: AppTweak
 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)

Icons of top 50 Board Games
Icons of top 50 Games – Board in the US (App Store & Google Play). Source: AppTweak
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)

Top 50 icons in the Games - Card category, US
Icons of top 50 Games – Card in the US (App Store & Google Play). Source: AppTweak
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)

Icons of top 50 Games - Casino in the US
Icons of top 50 Games – Casino in the US (App Store & Google Play). Source: AppTweak
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)

Icons of top 50 Games - Music in the US
Icons of top 50 Games – Music in the US (App Store & Google Play). Source: AppTweak
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)

Icons of top 50 Games - Racing in the US
Icons of top 50 Games – Racing in the US (App Store & Google Play). Source: AppTweak
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)

Icons of top 50 Games - Role Playing in the US
Icons of top 50 Games – Role Playing in the US (App Store & Google Play). Source: AppTweak
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)

Icons of top 50 Games - Sports in the US
Icons of top 50 Games – Sports in the US (App Store & Google Play). Source: AppTweak
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)

Icons of top 50 Games - Strategy in the US
Icons of top 50 Games – Strategy in the US (App Store & Google Play). Source: AppTweak
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

Discover our top recommendations to optimize your game’s product page on the App Store and Google Play

Games: Word (App Store & Google Play)

Icons of top 50 Games - Word in the US
Icons of top 50 Games – Word in the US (App Store & Google Play). Source: AppTweak
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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Madeleine Hoy
by , App Growth Consultant at AppTweak
Madeleine is an App Growth Consultant at AppTweak helping apps increase their visibility. She has a passion for learning new languages & photography.