What are the Latest Facebook and Google Creative Trends for Puzzle and Hidden Object Games?

Facebook ads and Google ads provide powerful ways to reach and target your current and potential customers. Furthermore, the algorithms for these ad targeting platforms have become more sophisticated. Thus, marketers should learn more on the platforms. In order to do the heavy lifting for targeting, bidding, and optimizing their ad campaigns. So what’s left? Creative.

Creative is king in a world rapidly moving towards automated media buying. Optimizing creative is the most effective way to drive ROAS for Facebook and Google. To be effective, generating fresh creative ideas has to be strategic, efficient, and ongoing. Knowing the latest creative trends is a great first step in this process.

Creative trends change fast and they also vary dramatically across genres. It is good to know about broad creative trends. But you will also want to hone in on your particular niche. For example,  puzzle games, if this is relevant for you. Here’s an overview of the latest puzzle creative trends:

Puzzle and Hidden Object Games Creative Trends

Competitive Analysis

• Puzzle game competitors: June’s Journey, CC Friends Saga, CC Soda Saga, Gardenscapes, Homescapes, Toon Blast, Toy Blast, and Cookie Jam. Also, Sweet Escapes, Lily’s Garden, Funky Bay, and Best Fiends. Plus, Lost Island, Manor Cafe, Resort Hotel, Passion Puzzle, Design Home Express, and Meow Match. And finally, Diner Dash, Pet Rescue Saga, Choices, My Home: Design Dreams, My Cafe, Word Villas, Vineyard Valley, and Township.
• Hidden Object game competitors: Pearl’s Peril, Criminal Case, The Secret Society, Agent Alice, CSI Hidden Crimes, Diggy’s Adventure, Hidden City, Letters from Nowhere, Murder in the Alps, Mysteries of the Past, Tropicats, Adam Wolfe: Dark Detective Mystery Game, Adventure Escape, Hidden Objects Mystery Society, Pearl’s Peril, Seeker’s Notes: Hidden Mystery, Bubble Island, Survivors: the Quest, Temple Run 2, Township: Farm & City Building, Horse Haven World Adventures, Klondike Adventures, Diamond Dash, Stand O’Food, Virtual City Playground, Just Dance Controller, Just Dance Now, Trials Frontier, Ubisoft Club, Cage & Aviary Birds, Clipomatic, Colorfy, Color Your Call, Galatea, Murder Minute, Paint Color, Quiz Crazy, Shudder, Tarot
• To view competitive videos, click here.

Puzzle and Hidden Object Games Creative Trends

• Cinematic Storytelling: Romantic, dramatic stories (Murder in the Alps, Criminal Case, Galatea)
• Female-centered storytelling (StoryScape, Solve It, Galatea)
• Cats! “Find the Cat” concepts are becoming more ubiquitous and beginning to evolve (Criminal Case, Hidden City)
• Hidden Object Countdowns (Pearl’s Peril, Hidden City)

Concept: Story-focused challenges

• Attract Hidden Object players with hidden object challenges in a movie trailer-like format. For example, Murder in the Alps and Criminal Case
• Try counted clues in Criminal Case style (before and after)
• Use a series of images/hidden object challenges that tell a story (similar to Murder in the Alps)

Concept: Story-focused countdowns

• Use crime scenes to create more of a story in finding hidden objects. For example, Pearl’s Peril, Criminal Case, and Murder in the Alps.

Concept: Character-centric Stories

• Utilize simulation/role playing-style (e.g. Pocket Gems Episode) technique to tell character-centered stories (Solve It, Storyscape)
• Create simple puzzles that “save” your main character – targeting both solitary story-centric and self-challenge players (Homescapes)
• Tell character-centered stories with voice over and/or supers (Galatea, Dream Home Solitaire)

Concept: Gameplay Methods

• Combine live action people playing the game (relaxed, escapist) with gameplay (Klondike, Pearl’s Peril)
• Combine gameplay with leaderboards (Tropicats)

Concept: “Find the Cat”

• Incorporate saturated interiors with food with “Find the Cat” challenge or other short headers/items:
  • “Find the Gun”
  • “Locate the Dog”
  • “Find the Rope”
  • “Select 5 Cats”
  • “Find 5 Oranges”

(Criminal Case, June’s Journey)

• Consider using cinemagraphs like the bar scene (Pearl’s Peril, Hidden City)

Concept: Timed hidden object challenges

• Try different timed hidden object games that still incorporate a story, e.g. “Save Your Patient”. (Hidden City, Pearl’s Peril)