Trending Game Genres on Yandex Games | by Yandex Games | Yandex Games for Developers | Medium

Trending Game Genres on Yandex Games

Yandex Games
Yandex Games for Developers
6 min readJul 19, 2022

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In the world of gaming, there are all sorts of different genres and subgenres to choose from. While some are easy to pick up and play for a few minutes just to kill time, others require serious dedication to get good at.

When browsing a vast catalog of games, looking for something specific might feel like a chore: that’s why we don’t just stick to preset category labels but also add subgenre tags to every game. Let’s explore the most beloved genres among players on Yandex Games, our HTML5 game distribution platform.

Top-5 Genres

These are the genres that define modern browser gaming and see the most traffic, according to our analytics.

1. Bubble Shooters

Bubble shooter games first became popular in the early 2000s, and they have continued to be the absolute king of mobile and browser gaming ever since. There are many variations within the genre, but the basic premise remains the same: clear the screen by shooting all the bubbles before they reach the bottom of the field or the end of the track.

Bubble Master by Citigo is a quintessential, endlessly entertaining bubble shooter with leaderboards and a whole lot of mechanics to learn

2. Match-3

In this incredibly prevalent genre of casual games, which ranks second in our catalog, the player must match three or more identical items on a grid. Match-3 gameplay mechanics are often quite simple and are easy to pick up and play, making them perfect timekillers.

Despite their simple gameplay, Match-3 games can be pretty addictive and challenging. Players must carefully plan their moves to create the right combinations and achieve the highest score possible. Some Match-3 games also include power-ups and special items that can help the player clear the board more quickly.

Skydom by The Pew Pew is a perfectly bubbly match-3 game with a drawn-out campaign and multiplayer challenges

3. Action

A broad genre that includes beat-em-ups, shooters of all kinds, fighting games, and more. There are many action titles to choose from, and new ones are released daily. Yandex Games hosts a fair share of them.

When you feel like blowing off some steam, an action game is a perfect way to spend your time. You can find all sorts of action games in our catalog but be warned: some of them are pretty intense!

Time Shooter 2 by GoGoMan is a creative take on the FPS genre where time moves only when you move

4. Arcade

Arcade games first became popular in the 1970s. They often featured bright, colorful graphics and loud sound effects, attracting players of all ages. These games were simple to learn and addictive, quickly drawing in large crowds of players. With the advent of home video game consoles in the 1980s, arcade games lost some of their popularity, only to re-emerge decades later to dominate once again in mobile and browser gaming.

Feeling nostalgic? Jump into Galaxy Shooter by King Games Studio, take command of your spaceship, and shoot up some aliens!

5. Puzzle

Puzzle games are a great way to unwind, and plenty of them are available to play right in your browser. The variety in puzzle games is immense: whether you’re a fan of classic puzzles or more modern takes on the genre, Yandex Games has them all!

Connect letters into words in OpenMyGame’s Sea of Words: with thousands of levels, you’ll never get bored!

Runner-Ups

The following game genres deserve an honorable mention: they are also massively popular and are constantly approaching the top spots on Yandex Games. Let’s take a look at each one of them, in no particular order!

.io Games

In just a few years, .io games have won over millions of players worldwide. It’s a relatively young genre of free-to-play multiplayer games that emphasizes simplicity and speed.

The mantra of .io games is keeping game mechanics and the general premise very simple, accompanied by basic graphics and an ability to play massively multiplayer games at the click of a mouse (or the finger’s tap!). Another defining characteristic of .io games is that they’re highly competitive: they may be simple to learn but are often difficult to master.

Zahvat.io by DRA: capture as much area as possible by encircling chunks of the map while avoiding other players

Platformer

Platform games task the player with guiding a character through a series of obstacles, often by jumping from one platform to another. Platformers are some of the most popular video games in the world, and many all-time classics belong to this genre. However, platformers have evolved to include a wide variety of styles and gameplay mechanics.

Metroidvania, run-and-gun, and puzzle are just a few of the many subsets of this genre. Yandex Games has a great selection of platformers to choose from, so get ready to jump and run your way to victory!

Test your skills in Pixel Adventure by AlexPaulGames, a hardcore platformer where there’s no room for mistakes

Tabletop

We love board games! If anything, they are the inspiration behind modern gaming as a whole. So it only makes sense that we would want to play them online. And today, there are more ways than ever to enjoy them on the go: Yandex Games lets you do just that. Shuffle your decks, arrange the chess pieces, and prepare to roll the dice in our collection of grappling tabletop games, available through any modern browser.

Consider yourself a Grandmaster? Show off your moves to other players in Chess Master: Multiplayer by CodeThisLab

Strategy

To excel in strategy games, players need to focus on planning and execution. Many strategy games also feature elements of resource management: for a better chance at winning, you have to make the proper use of resources, build up your forces, and carefully consider each move.

On Yandex Games, this genre is represented by a whole host of different titles, from familiar concepts to more innovative ideas.

IriySoft’s Takeover is a real-time strategy game where you command squads of units to protect your strongholds from enemies and seize their buildings to win

Role-Playing Games

Yandex Games is a great place to find all sorts of RPG games. Whether you’re looking for a traditional experience with engaging lore or something more action-packed, you’re sure to find something to suit your taste. Plus, new games are added all the time, so there’s always something fresh to try. So why not dive in and explore our catalog for a quick adventure?

Fruitshake’s Age of Revenge, while simple to play, offers hours of deep RPG gameplay, tons of quests, and a multitude of storylines

There are many more game genres that you can find on Yandex Games: while some are more popular than others, all of them have dedicated fans. Whether you’re a game developer with years of experience or just a novice who’s just embarked on this journey, we welcome you to publish your games on our platform.

With our advanced recommendation algorithms, free targeted advertising, and millions of active players, your game will find an audience in no time. All you need to do is check out our Developer’s Guide for a smooth start with Yandex Games!

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Yandex Games
Yandex Games for Developers

We’re a browser games platform hosting over 20K+ games and reaching 30M+ players worldwide.