4 Tips for Developing a Board Game App
Nothing is more addictive and fun than a good board game. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, especially when you’re playing it on a mobile phone. If you’ve decided to develop an exciting board game app, this is the best time to do it.
In 2021, the board games market size grew to approximately $2.56 billion. This figure is expected to reach $29.87 billion by 2026. As you can see, developing a board game app is a lucrative venture, and it doesn’t require extensive media as other games do.
You can tackle the project on your own or work with a small development team. Here are simple tips to help you develop a board game application.
1. Use a Games Development Kit (DevKit)
Board games are easy to create. You can build one using a dev kit instead of creating the entire game from the ground up (unless, of course, you’re trying to). Before you get a dev kit, ensure it can work with both Android and iOS operating systems.
Smaller and more intuitive mobile board game apps heavily rely on volume—and they’re perfect for people who have a few minutes to spare. Such apps are developed through cross-platform capabilities. A good example is App Game Kit. It offers these capabilities.
2. Create a Storyboard
The first step to developing an app is creating a storyboard. As the name suggests, a storyboard is a board that conveys how the story will flow from start to finish.
Storyboards are important for a game app because they act as a foundation for your application. They help you map out the entire process before you begin developing your game. Also, they let you identify any development issues along the way.
With games accounting for nearly 43% of all mobile phone usage, you have to run through your storyboard multiple times to build an exciting board game app.
When loan companies build mobile apps, they create storyboards that show the most important actions on each screen. For example, there may be a “loans near me” screen and a “loans top-up” screen. These screens may become actual menu items on the app.
3. Bring Together your Art and Sound Assets
When developing a board game app, bring together your art and sound assets early into the development process (not later on). Art assets for a board game such as chess can include rotating backdrops, chess pieces, and intuitive interface designs.
Polish these assets in the beginning to ensure your game looks clean and professional. It’s the only way you can sell your board game app. Most first-time developers make the mistake of adding these assets too late in the development process.
4. Test Your Game
Testing your game application is imperative if you want to achieve success. Besides testing it yourself, ask other experienced game developers to test it as well—especially on a platform you’re unfamiliar with.
After testing, polish your app. Ensure that the game not only works perfectly well but also looks stunning. Spend much of your time polishing your game app and make sure every art and sound element is in place.