The merits of mobile casual gaming

There was a time when many people would scoff at video games as nothing more than childish playthings best left to kids and reluctant parents scouting the aisles of the toys section of retail stores. As technologies advanced, though, the audio-visual presentations of video games were better able to cope with the demands of satisfying narrative-driven content, especially with visionary game designers like Tim Schaffer, Hideo Kojima, Jacob Minkoff, and many more continuing to push the boundaries of video game storytelling. These days, a game like The Last of Us is arguably much more engrossing story-wise than most Hollywood productions, what with the added benefit of virtually being in the thick of things as they happen.

However, as popular as these AAA offerings have become, another branch of gaming emerged which, oddly enough, recalled the presentation and gameplay simplicity of the titles of yesteryear. The only difference is that, since they are now mostly offered on mobile devices, a lot more people have access to them; people who in the past wouldn’t have gone near a video game if their HP depended on it.

Aptly called “casual games,” these video games catered mostly to a demographic that just needed to while away the time in between tasks. That said, there’s no denying the addictive power these games have on gamers. Just ask anyone who’s had half of his hair pulled out due to the frustration inducer that is the now-defunct Flappy Bird.

Some of these casual games do so far as to emulate the real world as best they can. Gaming company IGT is one of the pioneers of the so-called “live online casinos,” many of which are featured on online games provider castlejackpot.com. While seemingly just digital casino offerings on the surface, these games incorporate live video feeds to provide more immersion to players, stoic expression on the blackjack dealer and all. Even then, the core gameplay is still within casual gaming standards, meaning that the focus is on momentary amusement rather than on pulling the player in for the long haul with a riveting tale.

And it’s that kind of gameplay focus that the audience of these types of games want anyway. Mobile casual gaming has been instrumental in bringing more people into the video gaming fold. Not all of them are necessarily what you would call hardcore; but at the very least, the popularity of casual gaming is a clear indication that there’s a bit of a gamer in every one of us.