Mobile Hyper-Casual Game Development: From Idea to CPI Test
80% of prototypes don't pass the CPI test. That's normal. In hyper-casual games, iteration speed matters more than perfection: an idea can fail in 3 days rather than 3 months. We are engineers who have launched such projects over 10 times. Our approach: first validate the mechanic on an audience, then build the full product. Spending budget on a CPI test to weed out a weak idea is cheaper than releasing a game nobody wants. [Contact us] if you want to test your idea.
How does the technical implementation look?
Tech stack. Unity — industry standard. LeanTween or DOTween for animations. One scene, minimal assets, ProBuilder for quick geometry prototyping without a 3D editor. The entire code fits in 2-3 classes.
Core loop. Tap → action → visual feedback → progress → next tap. Input.GetMouseButtonDown(0) or Touchscreen.current.primaryTouch.press.isPressed (New Input System) — on every frame in Update(). Haptic feedback via Handheld.Vibrate() or CoreHaptics (iOS) to reinforce response.
Level progress. A linear progress bar, counter, timer — anything simple. PlayerPrefs.GetInt("level", 1) for data storage. For a hyper-casual game, that's enough — no need for Hive, SQLite, or complex persistence.
Why is the CPI test critical?
The main principle: don't build the full game without validating the idea. Prototype in 3–5 days → fake store page → Facebook/TikTok targeting → measure CPI (Cost Per Install). Target CPI for hyper-casual is up to $0.20–0.30. If higher, the mechanic doesn't attract; change the idea. Only after passing the CPI test does full development begin with polish, 20–30 levels, analytics. For example, for a client from the gambling sector, we made a "push and fly" mechanic prototype in 5 days, CPI was $0.18, which allowed launching the full game in 6 weeks without unnecessary risks.
How to test an idea in 3 days?
The process is extremely condensed: one day to prototype on Unity with ProBuilder and basic mechanics, one day to integrate ad SDK (MAX Mediation) for a test build, one day to buy traffic and collect metrics. If CPI stays within $0.25 — idea passes. Otherwise, find a new one. Savings of up to 80% of budget compared to full development without testing. For distributing test builds, we use TestFlight (iOS) and Firebase App Distribution (Android) — this allows quick distribution without review.
How to monetize a hyper-casual game?
In-app purchases hardly work in this genre — the paying audience is minimal (ARPU < $0.10). We use banners and interstitials between levels. MAX Mediation by AppLovin is the standard for hyper-casual. It unifies AdMob, Unity Ads, ironSource, Meta Audience Network in one waterfall. Initialization:
MaxSdkCallbacks.OnSdkInitializedEvent += sdkConfig => { MaxSdk.ShowMediationDebugger(); // for testing InterstitialManager.Instance.LoadInterstitial(); }; MaxSdk.InitializeSdk(); Interstitials are shown not every level — at least every 2 levels and no more than once per 60 seconds. Otherwise, App Store review will reject under 4.3 Spam. According to the App Store Review Guideline 4.3, ad frequency must be no more than once per 60 seconds. Violating frequency is a common mistake. Also, don't forget the ATT (App Tracking Transparency) request on iOS — if not shown, IDFA will be unavailable and eCPM will drop. In Unity, this is done via Application.RequestAdvertisingIdentifierAsync.
| Network | eCPM (example) | Fill Rate | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|
| AdMob | $8–12 | 95% | Minimal |
| Unity Ads | $10–15 | 90% | Medium |
| ironSource | $9–14 | 93% | Low |
With proper configuration, eCPM can reach $10-15, providing stable revenue. More details on MAX setup can be found in the official documentation.
Process of work
- Idea analysis: assess mechanics, competitors, CPI potential.
- Prototype: create MVP in 3–5 days on Unity with minimal graphics.
- CPI test: buy traffic on Facebook/TikTok, measure cost per install.
- Full development: if CPI passes — add levels, polish, analytics (Firebase, Adjust).
- Publication and optimization: release on stores, monitor eCPM, Retention, iterate.
Typical beginner mistakes
Too complex mechanics — a hyper-casual game must be understandable in seconds. Many spend time polishing before validating the idea. Early polish kills the budget: test first, then design. Often ignoring the CPI test, releasing a full game immediately, which leads to failure. Also a mistake is showing ads too frequently: it causes user churn and App Store rejection.
Timelines
| Phase | Duration |
|---|---|
| Prototype for CPI test | 1–3 weeks |
| Full game after test | 4–8 weeks |
Cost is calculated individually after discussing the mechanics. Savings from early idea filtering can preserve up to 80% of budget compared to full development without testing. Consult us about your project — we'll help with prototype and tests. [Contact us] to discuss your idea.