We're back at dissecting games: understanding how they designed their game for massive success, and where they are potentially missing out on further glory! For full content see: https://megacool.co/blog/how-love-balls-became-a-viral-smash-and-6-ways-to-improve-it/

1. THE DISSECTION OF
Love Balls

2. DISCOVERY ONBOARDING GROWTH

3. ONBOARDING GROWTHDISCOVERY

5. Let’s get started by
finding Love Balls on the
App Store.

7. This must be it – plus, it’s
there as a promoted app
as well from the search
term “love balls”.

8. Let’s tap on the listing
and get more
information…
This must be it – plus, it’s
there as a promoted app
as well from the search
term “love balls”.

10. Gameplay explained in 7
words - and love the
smiley face at the start of
the video!

12. In one image, the
gameplay is made even
clearer

14. First a smiley face, now a
heart – appealing,
emotive imagery

15. First a smiley face, now a
heart – appealing,
emotive imagery
I’m sold, I’ve downloaded
– now let’s open and give
it a try.

16. ONBOARDING GROWTHDISCOVERY

18. Published by Lion Studios

20. And developed by
Supertapx game studio

22. Alright, an incentive to
agree to use device data!

23. Emotive language is more
effective than a simple
“Yes” or “Agree”
Alright, an incentive to
agree to use device data!

25. Clear, flashing call-to-
action

26. Clear, flashing call-to-
action
Social icons, but out the
way. Nothing distracting.

27. Clear, flashing call-to-
action
Social icons, but out the
way. Nothing distracting.
Nice clean home screen.
Tapping the screen to
play!

29. Tap to get started – clear
instruction

30. Tap to get started – clear
instruction
An ad, already?

32. Clean, simple instructions
– concept explained in
seven words!

35. Level complete – already
getting an ad though…

36. Level complete – already
getting an ad though…
This was fun. Let’s play
some more.

38. Asked to rate already? I
only completed two
levels!

40. Level 3 – good point to
introduce a new game
mechanic

42. I like that I wasn’t asked
for this up front – but is
level 3 still too early?

43. I like that I wasn’t asked
for this up front – but is
level 3 still too early?
What do they want to send me push
notifications for, anyway? How will it be
used, what’s in it for me? Without that kind
of information, I’m unlikely to Allow.

45. This is a very subtle way
of showing incentivized
video ads. At this stage,
though, I’m not even sure
what I need coins for?

46. This is a very subtle way
of showing incentivized
video ads. At this stage,
though, I’m not even sure
what I need coins for?
Let’s try another level…

48. This appears if you linger
too long trying to figure
out the solution. Good to
give players a chance to
figure it out for
themselves.

49. This appears if you linger
too long trying to figure
out the solution. Good to
give players a chance to
figure it out for
themselves.
Let’s see how it works.

51. It shows where I should
draw the line!

52. Let’s play more
It shows where I should
draw the line!

54. This is a new mechanic –
no floor to the level = the
balls fall and die :(

55. This is a new mechanic –
no floor to the level = the
balls fall and die :(
Helpfully, the game
shows you how to solve
the level, explaining the
new mechanic without
text.

57. A few levels later - would
be cool to see a replay of
my solution here

58. A few levels later - would
be cool to see a replay of
my solution here
Hold your horses! What’s
this?

60. It’s a button for the game’s shop – very
unobtrusively presented, with no pushiness to
get the player to buy

62. It was highlighted
because I now have
enough coins to buy a
new pen. This is the first
time I’ve had any idea
what the coins I’d been
collecting were for.

63. It was highlighted
because I now have
enough coins to buy a
new pen. This is the first
time I’ve had any idea
what the coins I’d been
collecting were for.
Let’s go back and see
what’s there.

65. Back to level select –
what’s this?

67. Ah, it’s cross-promo for
other games. Notice how
it incorporates Love Balls’
imagery as part of this ad.

68. Let’s get back to the
game…
Ah, it’s cross-promo for
other games. Notice how
it incorporates Love Balls’
imagery as part of this ad.

69. ONBOARDING GROWTHDISCOVERY

71. Level 25 was a little more
complicated!

72. Level 25 was a little more
complicated!
What happens if we press
Share?

74. Okay, fairly standard
options – let’s see what
happens if I want to share
to Twitter.

76. Not the most enticing
format here – the text is
quite generic (although
good to use the game’s
name as a hashtag), and
there’s no imagery to
show the level I just
played.

78. What - I’m sharing an
image? It didn’t look like
that in the Twitter stare
view..

79. This illustrates how static
images don’t really show
off the game – this
screenshot is pretty
meaningless to anyone
who’s not played.
What - I’m sharing an
image? It didn’t look like
that in the Twitter stare
view..

80. Let’s play some more!
This illustrates how static
images don’t really show
off the game – this
screenshot is pretty
meaningless to anyone
who’s not played.
What - I’m sharing an
image? It didn’t look like
that in the Twitter stare
view..

82. This is new – but I only
found it because I
happened to go back to
the level select menu…

83. This is new – but I only
found it because I
happened to go back to
the level select menu…
Let’s see what it does!

85. It’s a completely new
game-mode, with new
rewards, designs and
levels – I could have
missed this if I’d not
tapped back a layer in the
UI!

86. Assuming this is how much more time I have to
try to complete it and that 92% of attempts
have been successful!
It’s a completely new
game-mode, with new
rewards, designs and
levels – I could have
missed this if I’d not
tapped back a layer in the
UI!

87. Let’s try the first
challenge…
Assuming this is how much more time I have to
try to complete it and that 92% of attempts
have been successful!
It’s a completely new
game-mode, with new
rewards, designs and
levels – I could have
missed this if I’d not
tapped back a layer in the
UI!

89. This is a visual departure
from the regular levels –
cool content that I might
have missed had I not
been inquisitive.

91. I failed (it’s a step-up in
difficulty, ok…) – but
what’s this?

93. Ah, it’s the same as
sharing! Must say that
“Get help” it’s a much
more enticing CTA than
simply “share” - Let’s see
what happens here.

95. This looks better! More
detailed text, AND an
image from the level
itself.

96. This looks better! More
detailed text, AND an
image from the level
itself.
Also, while the more
specific text is good, the
typo of “stuck” is less so :(

97. This looks better! More
detailed text, AND an
image from the level
itself.
Also, while the more
specific text is good, the
typo of “stuck” is less so :(
Let’s share and see what
happens!

99. That said, an image isn’t
the best way to represent
the gameplay – a GIF or
animated clip would show
the level (and my attempt
and game feel) much
better!

100. That said, an image isn’t
the best way to represent
the gameplay – a GIF or
animated clip would show
the level (and my attempt
and game feel) much
better!
Let’s click this link and
see where it takes us.

102. Hm, my expectation was
to open up the game again
at the same level, but it
doesn’t look like they
have implemented
universal linking.

103. Hm, my expectation was
to open up the game again
at the same level, but it
doesn’t look like they
have implemented
universal linking.
Let’s continue

105. Aaaand we’re back at the
app store listing.

106. Aaaand we’re back at the
app store listing.
Let’s see if we can open
the game level from here.

108. Clicking the link just
opens up the game. Since
I came from the link of
someone being “stuck” at
a level, the game should
have opened at the same
level when clicking the
link.

109. Let me show you what I
mean with another
example

110. Let me show you what I
mean with another
example

111. Let me show you what I
mean with another
example
Share a GIF clip of the
players latest attempt

112. Let me show you what I
mean with another
example
Share a GIF clip of the
players latest attempt
When you’re friend clicks
the link

113. If your friend is a
new player

114. Show the same
information in the
background of the “Open
iOS App Store” prompt.
If your friend is a
new player

115. Show the same
information in the
background of the “Open
iOS App Store” prompt.
And when clicking “Open”
opens the App Store …
If your friend is a
new player

116. Then clicking “Open”
should take the new
player either:
1. Via tutorials and
then be asked if
he/she wants to
try the leve, or
2. Straight to the
same level as the
share was sent
from

117. If your friend is
an existing player

118. If your friend is
an existing player
Clicking the link
should send you
straight to the same
level as the share
was sent from

119. If your friend is
an existing player
Clicking the link
should send you
straight to the same
level as the share
was sent from
Let’s go back to the daily
challenge to complete it

121. Back at the daily
challenge.

122. Back at the daily
challenge. If I struggle too much I
can watch a video ad to
get a hint. However, there
is only one hint per level.

123. Back at the daily
challenge.
What if you could get
e.g. 5 new hints for
every friend who
starts to play Love
Balls because they
installed the game
via your share?
If I struggle too much I
can watch a video ad to
get a hint. However, there
is only one hint per level.

124. Back at the daily
challenge.
What if you could get
e.g. 5 new hints for
every friend who
starts to play Love
Balls because they
installed the game
via your share?
If I struggle too much I
can watch a video ad to
get a hint. However, there
is only one hint per level.
Alright, let’s complete this
challenge.

127. Love this – connects the
single-player experience
to a wider, multiplayer
context.

128. Love this – connects the
single-player experience
to a wider, multiplayer
context.
This is a much more
enticing CTA than simply
“Share” – much more
likely to tap!

130. Nice – after completing
the level, there are in-
game rewards for me to
choose.

131. Let’s go back – are there
more Daily Challenges I
can try?
Nice – after completing
the level, there are in-
game rewards for me to
choose.

133. More Daily Challenges to
try, and more rewards to
grab!

134. Let’s go back to the main
menu
More Daily Challenges to
try, and more rewards to
grab!

136. Let’s see what the social
icons does

138. Okay, the first one opens
a Facebook page for Lion
Studios (remember the
publisher and not the
developer Supertapx?).

139. Wonder what’s causing
this.
Okay, the first one opens
a Facebook page for Lion
Studios (remember the
publisher and not the
developer Supertapx?).

141. Next one is the Instagram
page of Lion Studios.

143. And a YouTube channel.
It’d be good if this was
more specific to Love
Balls – you have to scroll
far down before seeing
the familiar Love balls.

144. Let’s check the share
option.
And a YouTube channel.
It’d be good if this was
more specific to Love
Balls – you have to scroll
far down before seeing
the familiar Love balls.

146. The share icon triggers
the iOS share modal to
pop up as before.

147. The share icon triggers
the iOS share modal to
pop up as before.
Let’s see how iMessage
works

149. This is an odd image to
share from a horizontal
game..

150. This is an odd image to
share from a horizontal
game..
The recipient would
understand much more
about the game if a GIF of
the players last level was
shared, or there was a
pre-set GIF of the game.

152. What do these two icons
do?

154. Ah, the star button is to
rate the app.

155. Ah, the star button is to
rate the app.
What about the button
with the three bars…

157. Okay, this is for the
leaderboards. Long way
to go ;)

158. If you’d like to see more dissections or learn about how
Megacool can improve your game’s engagement and organic
growth, get in touch!
You can hit us up on Twitter @megacool_co, visit megacool.co
or drop us an email at hello@megacool.co. We look forward to
chatting with you!
THE END
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