What Are Blockchain Games?
If you are a gamer, you are accustomed to traditional online games.
In a traditional online game, any earned in-game assets and player accounts are controlled by the company that develops the game. If a player wants to sell some game assets earned, there are many hurdles to do that, it often involves breaking the terms of service and it may lead to banning. That is when it is possible to trade these assets because in many situations it's simply too much of a hassle to even try.
For a blockchain game, owning and trading in-game assets and in most cases, the game accounts is a given (an axiom if you'd like). The starting point. In some cases, the companies/owners behind the blockchain games reserve the right to restrict or ban accounts from playing the game, if they breach the terms of service, but NFTs and tokens owned can still be transacted, even by these accounts.
So, at a minimum, a game that is properly designed for blockchain comes at least with the guarantee that the players own their game assets and accounts. The other condition that needs to be met is that there is at least one marketplace where these assets are listed and can be traded for something else and eventually, if desired, for something like USD or a different widely-accepted currency.
A game that is fully on the blockchain also has gameplay actions recorded on-chain. Here, there are some remarks:
- most game genres are not suitable to be fully on-chain, but they can still store game assets, transactions (which automatically means their history too), and account management on-chain
- transactions on any blockchain are slow compared to realtime action needed for some game genres, that's why in these cases centralized servers or games ran mostly locally work much better for the gameplay
- turn-based games or games where the outcome can be calculated in one transaction may be suitable for full blockchain games
A game that is fully on the blockchain (assets and their management, account management, and gameplay) can be played even without a visual interface, by broadcasting transactions on the chain, although the need for a validation system for the transactions broadcast isn't eliminated, may that be centralized or decentralized. If the validation system is decentralized and the game economy doesn't fail, such a game cannot be stopped, unless the blockchain it runs on stops running or starts rejecting the game's transactions (very unlikely on a decentralized blockchain, if nothing outrageous is going on with the game).
However, that is a very geeky way to play a game and most people won't do it, that's why a good-looking interface and good player experience are very important, even for blockchain games.
Why Hive Games?
The Hive ecosystem became one of the preferred options where to develop and run blockchain games. Some of the key features that made Hive attractive for blockchain game developers are:
- its account management system, with easy-to-remember usernames instead of wallet addresses; one login for any app/game on Hive
- players own their accounts and assets, unlike in traditional gaming
- possibility to create and distribute or sell/buy fungible or non-fungible tokens on Hive-Engine (sidechain of Hive)
- easy way to manage game assets via what is called custom JSONs which are stored on-chain
- no transaction fees (there is a resource credits system that is regenerable in time like mana or stamina in games)
- its account recovery system for hacked accounts
- its community which includes many gamers already
- its native blogging capabilities
Players can experiment with the new paradigm blockchain games introduced in the gaming world: play-to-earn or play-and-earn.
They can earn with Hive games in different ways:
- earning rewards as they play and win or complete missions or tasks
- participating in team play or tournaments
- writing about their game accomplishments, strategies, etc. on a Hive interface
- uploading a video about the game on 3Speak
- live streaming their gameplay on Vimm
- holding enough of a certain token
- trading game assets
- by providing liquidity for trading pairs (diesel pools)
- renting out NFTs
- staking fungible and non-fungible tokens in-game
- taking advantage of various cycles (buy low, sell high)
- participating in airdrops
- sometimes, when inviting others to the game
And probably the list can go on.
What Genre of Games Can Be Found on Hive?
Yes, Hive games are blockchain games, either partially or fully. But as games, what genres are they?
Hive games fall into one or more of these categories, without being an exhaustive list:
- trading card game (most games on Hive are TCG)
- incremental game (Rising Star, Hashkings, dCrops, dCity, Splinterlands Land Expansion, etc.)
- esports (Splinterlands, Rising Star, Splinterforge, GLG, etc.)
- role-playing game (Rising Star, Splinterforge, Muterra, eXode, etc.)
- MMORPG (Splinterforge)
- boss-fighting game (Splinterforge)
- turn-based strategy (GLG, Ragnorak, Retzark)
- city-building game (dCity)
- first-person shooter game (Psyber-X, Crypto Shots)
- space colonization/exploration (eXode, TerraCore)
- tower defense (SoulKeep)
- fantasy (Splinterlands, Splinterforge, Muterra, etc.)
- sci-fi (eXode, Golem Overlord, TerraCore)
- idol game (Rising Star, Stardom Play)
- resource management game (Splinterlands Land Expansion, dCity)
- business management game (WOO)
- etc.
Which Are the Top Hive Games?
It is difficult to make a top of the games on Hive that is not subjective. Every game may appeal to a certain audience, and their audiences may be completely disjunctive. One may love a game for the same reason another hates it, and vice versa.
I am not familiar with many games on Hive, that's why some of them may not be on the list for now for this reason alone until I gather more information.
I will try to list the reasons why I believe someone may like a game along with the genre(s) it falls into.
Splinterlands
Launched: 26 May 2018
Co-Founders: Matt "@Yabapmatt" Rosen and Jesse "@Aggroed" Reich
Genre(s): Trading Card Game, Esports, Fantasy; Land Expansion: Incremental Game, Resource Management Game
Key Points:
- experienced core team
- battle-tested
- the game offers many opportunities to earn in a complex game economy
- the game can be fun for people who love the genre(s)
- the game keeps evolving and developing
- additional game modes, expansions, or games will be introduced
>>> Website Link
Short Description
Splinterlands has been for a long time the most successful game on Hive and well-known in the wider crypto world. At its highest point so far, it had around 500k MAU. It is argued many of them were bots, but many human players joined in that hype time as well. The company behind the game widened its focus to creating other games as well. A highly expected expansion to the main game is coming in phases in 2023. You can find out more about Splinterlands here.
Splinterforge
Launched: January 2023
Genre(s): Trading Card Game, Boss-Fighting Game, MMORPG, Esports, Fantasy
Key Points:
- players can use NFTs from Splinterlands to play Splinterforge
- not connected with the Splinterlands team
- partnership with Splex.gg for p2p marketplace
- like in Splinterlands, you can play with your own cards or rented cards
- besides Splinterlands cards, you have a hero that can be equipped
- equipment can be combined and imbued with runes or gems
>>> Website Link
Short Description
The gameplay of Splinterforge is simple: inflict as much damage as you can to a boss of your choice in every fight to earn rewards. Leaderboard rewards can be significant. You can find more details here.
Psyber-X
Launched: ?
Genre(s): First-Person Shooter, Esports, Trading Card Game
Key Points:
- gaming experience first, crypto earnings in the background
- needs to be downloaded locally on PCs
- the same team will launch a series of other games on Hive
- all games use the same fungible token and NFTs
>>> Website Link
Short Description
The Psyber-X team has built a gaming experience to fundamentally change how games entertain; using the blistering speed of Hive Blockchain technology to bring true digital ownership to all members of the Psyber-X universe, as well as provide the means to earn items that have a critical role in determining a character’s future in battle. There are multiple modes of play with more coming. There are currently: Team Deathmatch, Free-for-All (industrial zone), Capture the Flag, and Free-for-All (in a military intelligence fortification). Players earn when they achieve a kill in-game. The earnings come from an ante placed on their behalf through sponsored events or from all the player's wallets involved in the round. The $LVL token is designed to be the core currency of PsyberX, fueling the ecosystem that empowers players to earn, buy, sell, and trade Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), crucial for increasing the strength and reach of the best tribes and gangs in Zeelis and beyond.
Rising Star
Launched: September 2020
Genre(s): Trading Card Game, Incremental Game, Idol Game, Esports, Role-Playing Game
Key Points:
- strong incremental game traits (idle game) - you don't have to interact with the game all the time
- a way for musicians at the beginning of their road to promote their music
- many players play the game for fun, not necessarily for profit
- can be played completely for free, but it takes much longer to advance
- it has an anti-bot and an anti-multi-account policy
>>> Website Link
Short Description
This is one of the games with the longest history on Hive and with quite a loyal player base who enjoy playing the game. A player starts with a character that is a novice in the music industry and works to grow the character's career, all while earning rewards for playing various missions.
dCity
Launched: Beginning of 2020?
Genre(s): Trading Card Game, City-Building Game, Resource Management Game, Incremental Game
Key Points:
- inspired by Sim City, but focused on the math rather than the graphics
- a complex game, with many facets
- there are ways to earn passively with dCity, even for people who don't like complex games or can't keep up with the changes
>>> Website Link
Short Description
This is a game that can be played in many ways, depending on one's priorities, the amount spent, and the time one has. It isn't a fully idle game, because strategy needs to be adapted from time to time and research is also necessary when the strategy needs to be changed. But parts of the game economy can also be used fully passively.
Muterra
Launched: ?
Genre(s): Trading Card Game, Role-Playing Game, Adventure
Key Points:
- can be played for rewards with a small purchase
- you need an in-game tamer to unlock rewards and more maps
- ongoing airdrop based on your NFT holdings (lasts for several years, decaying in time)
- promo tamer sold via different communities and with the possibility to buy using their own tokens
>>> Website Link
Short Description
Your character (the tamer) interacts with NPCs, explores maps, completes quests, and kills mutees for rewards. The rewards part may not be added yet to the gameplay.
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