Oleh Hlovatskyi
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How to make a game app for Android

It’s hard to imagine anyone these days who doesn’t hold a smartphone in their hand or use it at all. The demand for smartphones is constantly growing, as are the applications that are created for them. Android mobile games are a huge market with a potential audience of over 2 billion users. Hits like Angry Birds and Pokemon Go inspired millions to create their games. In this article, we want to discuss how to develop gaming apps for Android.

Perspectives and directions of Android games development

how to create a game app for android

According to Admob, 62% of smartphone users install a game within the first week after purchasing the device, but few mobile games can recoup development costs. Creating apps for Android has certain peculiarities:

  • – Only 3% of gamers spend money on mobile apps,
  • – 80% of app store sales are mobile games,
  • – In 2010, the mobile games market was valued at $33 billion,
  • – In 2017, revenues from mobile games exceeded $50 billion, representing 43% of the entire global gaming market,
  • – Women between the ages of 35 and 44 are the primary consumers of mobile gaming,
  • – In 2015, there were nearly 165 million mobile-only gamers in the U.S.

To successfully create a mobile game, it’s worth researching audience needs and major genres and choosing a platform to develop and plan.

How to create a game app for Android: Unity, Unreal Engine, and Android Studio

how to develop a game app for android

The Unity and Unreal Engine game engines are the leaders of all. They are the most popular among amateur and professional Android game developers. Almost 60% of modern mobile games and applications are made with these tools.

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There is a constant battle between these two competitors, and for mobile development, Unity wins. The thing is that developers are actively developing modules for VR, AR, and computer vision, which allows for making games using these technologies. Unity even has a visual programming tool called Unity Visual Scripting, which lowers the threshold of difficulty in entering the work with this program.

In the case of Android Studio, the development process is much more complicated because there’s no handy interface or any other similar program at your fingertips. The development process requires not only a more in-depth knowledge of coding but also skills in graphics, 3D and audio editors. But the end-game will not be limited by the capabilities of the selected Android Studio.

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To fully develop a game on Android, especially a large project, there is a need for Java, C#, and Python developers. Of course, it is possible to create an Android game with one coding language, but it will be more difficult.

Android Studio has everything developers need for comfortable coding and debugging applications. If necessary, the functionality of this development environment can be enhanced with additional plugins.

How to build a game app for Android: main steps

Small projects can be done with the help of freelancers, but for the implementation of more ambitious game projects, it is worth getting a team of like-minded people. Regardless of the budget and complexity, choosing programmers, managers, and designers is an important success factor.

To create a mobile game for Android, you need to go through certain steps. Here is a step-by-step plan on how to develop a game app for Android.

Idea and plan

The idea is the most difficult and responsible step to creating a successful mobile game. The idea must appeal to a mass audience.

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Proper planning, or lack thereof, can make or break a project. To unlock the potential of a project, the story will help: in the game world, it is of great importance. To make it to the end, the user needs a goal, which requires a story, no matter how simple.

Choice of coding language and tools

For building an Android game app, any engine, and approach to development can be used. Coding languages C#, Kotlin, or Java is the most popular for developing Android games.

Graphics design

Creating a game design is much more complicated than creating a regular app design. There is a great need to consider many factors, such as the story, the characters, and the final look and feel.

Testing, launch, and monetization

Before you launch a game you should test it, but don’t get hung up on this. Many Android game owners are trying too hard to make a perfect app, always delaying the release. This is a serious mistake. It is better to release the game faster without critical bugs. If the audience likes the game, it can be improved.

In the final stages, it is worth thinking about the monetization of the project. There are several common ways to take care of it:

  • – In-app purchases. The Freemium model is the most common method of monetizing mobile games.
  • – Advertising. Many games combine advertising with in-app purchases. This strategy can bring significant income.
  • – Premium versions. You can offer players a free demo and ask them to pay for further use.

If your game has gathered a significant audience, do not stop there. Updates and improvements will make it better and attract more satisfied gamers.

How to make a game app for Android: principles of a simple game

how to build a game app for android

A simple game can be called one where there is not some contrived plot in the first place. For example, a simple game is when the character must reach a certain finish line, enriching on the way by collecting some signs in the form of coins and bypassing the emerging obstacles. Such a game will not be difficult to make. Here’s approximately how it would be done:

  • – The developers should choose a suitable background. Greenish tones are great for this type of game.
  • – Then developers have to create the main character of these adventures. He or she can be in the form of a person or any animal.
  • – Developers add bonus signs. They have to be evenly arranged in interesting places in the location, the same thing can be done with the obstacles. Developers can scatter on the way logs, set the hills, and so on.
  • – Next, it will be necessary to establish contact between the hero and the other elements. It is necessary to determine what will happen if the hero encounters an obstacle or when he grabs a coin, as well as in which case the game will end and under what conditions it will continue.

Now you know how to develop simple gaming apps for Android. As you can see, if you have global plans for the Android game market, you will need a competent Android Mobile App Development team.

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Apart from C#, Kotlin, or Java programmers and knowledge of development environments, the Android game development team should have graphics designers, copywriters (for the story and game history-making), and marketers with experience in game promotion. SoftUUP is a prime example of such an Android game development team. And thanks to our web and mobile development company, now you know how to create a game app for Android.

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