Clicker games are casual games where players tap the screen or click their mouse to earn resources, which expand their power or influence over the game’s world. Spending certain resources on upgrades or buffs allows the player to earn more income or power at a faster pace. Clicker games are sometimes known as idle games since players only need to tap the screen to engage with them. Many idle games allow players to passively accumulate resources even when not logged in.
Making a clicker game, either through Unity, Godot, Unreal Engine, or another engine, requires the player to understand the genre’s key elements. Clicker games must have low complexity and easy onboarding to engage a mass audience immediately. At the same time, the games need deep progression systems that provide both short- and long-term goals to keep players grinding. The challenge of making a clicker game is balancing that grind with automation, so that players don’t burn out and remain interested in playing the game.
Clicker games that have helped define the genre include Cookie Clicker, Clicker Heroes, Eggs, Inc., and Idle Apocalypse. Each clicker game features a main sprite that the player interacts with, resources they gain to expend on upgrades, and a deep progression system that takes an extended amount of time to unlock. Read on to learn how to make a clicker game by defining its theme, designing its main sprite, programming the logic for increasing and tracking the score, adding visual and sound effects, and creating interesting upgrade items.
1. Think about theme and fantasy
Think about theme and fantasy to make a clicker game that matches the game’s target audience, such as economy and tycoon themes, RPGs and hero themes, and dark or survival themes. Knowing the clicker game’s target audience, such as their age, gender, and the platform they play on, helps the team create a clicker game that the players actually want to play. When the team creates a game their player audience is excited about, they’re able to rack up massive amounts of downloads, such as the following clicker games based on Google Play Store’s data.
Choose an economy or tycoon theme for a clicker game when the target audience prefers games similar to city builders or money empires. Economy and tycoon clicker games focus primarily on building businesses and factories, then upgrading and expanding them to earn millions of dollars. Cookie Clicker is an example of an economy or tycoon theme since it focuses on building cookie factories and expanding the player’s cookie business. I played Cookie Clicker and found it enjoyable as an idle game, but it didn’t capture my attention for long.
Consider choosing a hero-focused or RPG theme for target audiences that prefer adventure, leveling up characters, and combat. RPG clicker games focus on letting players create a hero and using them to fend off monsters or go on adventures. Players must click on monsters to deal damage or upgrade their character to deal more damage automatically. Clicker Heroes is an example of a hero or RPG-themed clicker game since it lets players defeat monsters to earn gold, and then use that gold to buy more characters to take on more monsters.
Simulation themes are similar to empire and tycoon clicker games, except that they focus more on productivity game loops, such as farming or gardening. A simulation theme uses settings such as farms, colonies in space, or even a lab to generate various resources. The resources are then automated over time, increasing their yield. Egg, Inc. is an example of a simulation theme that features a farm which players are able to upgrade via a lab to produce even more eggs.
Clicker games with a dark or survival theme feature dystopian settings or resource scarcity that requires players to click on either their character or enemies to collect resources. Zombies are a popular theme, with players having to keep their character or characters alive in a zombie apocalypse while providing them with resources such as food and water. Idle Apocalypse is a clicker game with a dark theme in that it requires players to build a tower that brings about the apocalypse.
2. Design the main clickable sprite
Design the main clickable sprite to make a clicker game by focusing on the sprite’s thematic connection, evolution, readability, and ergonomic design. A main clickable sprite is the primary on-screen object the player repeatedly clicks or taps to drive the core loop. The sprite typically acts as the face of the game; it has to both make sense in context and be satisfying to interact with. In Cookie Clicker, the main clickable sprite is the giant cookie.
Focus on the sprite’s thematic connection to ensure the sprite makes sense for the theme of the clicker game. The sprite’s thematic connection refers to how the sprite connects with the game’s theme. A dairy cow makes sense for a simulator clicker game set on a dairy farm, for instance. A soccer ball doesn’t make sense for that type of theme. Considering that the main sprite acts as the face of the game, it must be marketable and tell the target audience exactly what the game is about through its design alone.
Determine how the main clickable sprite evolves to design a sprite that’s exciting to upgrade and represents the player’s progression. Progression systems are a key part of clicker games, and they’re represented most effectively through the sprite’s visual evolution. A hero sprite who starts off looking weak but ends up with epic armor is a satisfying way to show how much stronger and richer they’ve grown. I remember seeing the original Cookie Clicker when I was working at Riot. I thought it was an amusing social experiment, similar to Progress Quest, which is the text version of Cookie Clicker. Clicker games are expressions of humans’ unusual relationship with progress tracking. We’ve been conditioned to respond to the improvement of numbers rather than powers and capabilities in life.
Consider the readability when designing the main sprite to ensure it isn’t lost amidst the chaos happening on screen. Readability refers to how easy it is for the player to see the main sprite on the screen. Clicker games usually have a lot of visual elements, with VFX only adding more visual clutter. Some methods to improve the readability of the main sprite include adding high-contrast colors to separate the sprite from the background, placing the sprite in its own dedicated area on the screen, and using colors that make the sprite pop out from the rest of the visuals.
Always keep ergonomics in mind when designing the main sprite for a clicker game. Players must hold their hands in a specific way to interact with the sprite, which leads to fatigue when not positioned comfortably. Having the main sprite at the top corner of the screen makes the player tire more quickly since they have to hold their hand up higher. For mobile clicker games, placing the sprite toward the center or lower edges of the screen provides a more comfortable experience than at the top. For desktop clicker games, ensure the sprite is small enough or far away enough to avoid having the player accidentally click on other UI elements.
Design the main clickable sprite with visual improvements that make interacting with it more enjoyable, such as using micro-animations and reactions. Visual improvements are additional elements the design team adds to the main sprite to make it more exciting to interact with. Micro-animations make the sprite seem more alive. Adding reactions when the player clicks on the sprite, such as the sprite rapidly reducing or expanding in size, or closing its eyes, or dancing, improves the game feel.
3. Create a variable to track the player’s score
Create a variable to track the player’s score by determining the variable’s purpose, what actions affect the variable, how it scales, and how the score is visually depicted. A variable is a clearly defined piece of a game state that increases or decreases according to specific rules set by the design team. The game’s UI then accesses the variable to show how many points or how much money the player has accumulated.
Determine the variable’s purpose to track the player’s score through a variety of means. A player’s score changes based on the type of information the variable is holding. A variable measuring the player’s progression requires different data than a variable measuring the player’s score versus other players in a specific region, such as when displaying a leaderboard.
Design the different actions and modifiers that affect the variable when tracking the player’s score. Several actions and modifiers affect the variable, such as when the player defeats an enemy, crosses a milestone, or collects a certain number of items. The modifiers must impact the variable in some way to encourage the player to interact with a specific element of gameplay. Cookie Clicker demonstrates this behavior with its golden cookies, where players must click on the golden cookie before it disappears, and when successful, receive a random bonus to their cookie production.
Balance the tracking variable’s pacing with player satisfaction. A player’s score requires two variables: one keeps track of the player’s current score, and the other determines the maximum score the player must reach to win the game or level up. The variable handling the maximum score must be large enough to keep the player engaged, but small enough that the player feels they’re making progress. The maximum number scales as the player advances in the game. To reach level 3 in their farm, for example, the player only has to make $1000, but to reach level 300, they need $300,000,000,000.
Design the visual display for the player’s score and determine where it fits into the UI. Either on the screen or in a menu, clicker games need to depict both the player’s current score and their progress toward any relevant milestones prominently. Adding other visual enhancements, such as colorful flashes or animations, further increases player satisfaction when their score changes. One of the first aspects of a clicker game that determines whether I stick with it is how much work I have to put into understanding the UI. Complex UI is an immediate uninstall, while clean and scannable UI keeps me around.
4. Program the logic to increase the score
Program the logic to increase the score by defining the basic score formula, determine what active and passive factors increase it, and then design the UI to reflect the score. The logic refers to the code or definition behind a game rule—a specific design element that dictates how the game behaves, such as how the player’s score increases.
Define the basic score formula to begin programming the logic to increase the score. A basic score formula includes the new score and how players achieve the new score, typically by a set number that is added to the formula when the player clicks. This number is typically called Points Per Click. The basic formula is the starting point for increasing the score, with modifiers added over time. A generic basic score formula looks like New Score = Old Score + Points Per Click.
Determine what active or passive factors and modifiers affect the basic formula to program the logic to increase the score. Clicker games feature tons of ways to either actively or passively boost how many points a player earns. Active modifiers are buffs or random events that the player is able to activate to increase how many points their clicks generate. A consumable that increases the points by a multiplier of three for 24 hours affects the basic formula, for example. Passive modifiers come from buildings or upgrades that generate resources over time, with these resources often acting as points. Passive modifiers are sometimes called Coins Per Second, and are added to the basic formula to increase the score.
Design the UI to make it clear to players how the score is increased when programming the score’s logic. Running the formula occurs on the game’s backend, but adding a visual display via the UI helps players understand the logic. When players understand the logic, they’re able to better strategize and increase their outputs. Making the logic clear improves player satisfaction, since it aids them in learning and playing the game. I prefer a clear spreadsheet-like UI that shows me my production inputs and outputs to make strategic choices for my egg empire.
5. Add visual or sound effects
Add visual or sound effects by adding sprite reactions, particles and trails, UI shakes, audible click responses, milestone reward chimes, and thematic SFX to increase emotional engagement and satisfaction when making a clicker game. Visual and sound effects are additional factors that make the clicker game stand out from others, while increasing player enjoyment. Clicking on a static sprite isn’t exciting, but clicking on a sprite that jumps or shakes is. Game feel is vital in a clicker game, and when the interactions lack VFX or SFX, I’m quick to click out of the game due to sheer boredom.
Include sprite reactions through visual and sound effects to make them come to life. Sprite reactions don’t need to be long or complex animations. A simple visual effect of the sprite becoming bigger or smaller, pulsing, or even having a brief color change provides plenty of pleasing visual feedback. Sound effects such as small chirps or chimes that occur when the player clicks on the sprite enhance the experience, too. The goal is to make the sprite feel alive and as though it’s reacting to the player.
Add particles and trails as a visual effect to make certain actions feel more satisfying and long-lasting. Particles and trails are visual effects such as smoke and fire trails, visual reverberations, and even magical bursts. Tailoring particles and trails to the game’s theme makes interacting with specific gameplay elements more immersive. When clicking on a cookie, crumb particles burst from it, for instance. Particles and trails mustn’t stay on the screen long, especially when avoiding visual clutter on the screen.
Consider adding UI and screen shakes when adding visual and sound effects to the clicker game. A UI or screen shake is when the screen appears to literally shake, as if the game world is experiencing an earthquake. Including this type of visual effect snags the player’s attention, and makes them aware of any dangers or significant milestone achievements. Enhancing the shake further with a rumble or chime sound effect further gains their attention.
Include sound effects, such as chimes, when the player reaches significant milestones. Clicker games require a lot of time, so when players finally reach a milestone, they must feel as though all the time they spent grinding toward that milestone was worth it. A chime or tune sound combined with a visual effect makes achieving that milestone feel more rewarding.
Use sound effects that match with the clicker game’s theme to avoid breaking immersion. Sound effects that match with the theme include elements such as farm and outdoor noises for a simulation clicker game set on a farm, or clanging and thuds during combat for a RPG clicker game. When a sound effect seems out of place, such as a duck call when the player clicks a cookie, it adds confusion to the player’s experience and breaks their immersion and concentration. Additional or background sound effects must duck, or lower, its volume so that the click SFX is the main sound asset throughout the game, ensuring the game’s identity is clear.
6. Create upgrade items
Create upgrade items such as producer upgrades, click boosters, global multipliers, temporary buffs, and content gates to keep players engaged over a long period to make a clicker game. Upgrade items are spendable objects that players use to modify the core progression rate. The items affect either the point per click or coin per second rate, as well as giving players new buildings or systems to further automate the production process.
Consider what producer upgrades to include in the clicker game when creating upgrade items. Producer upgrades are buyable buildings or units that modify the coin per second rate. Players are able to purchase a new bakery to produce more cookies in a given amount of time, for example. Since producer upgrades influence the passive amount of resources that the player receives, the upgrade must be paced out enough to keep the player engaged.
Determine the type of click boosters to have in the clicker game and at what point they become available for players to use. Click boosters directly impact the points per click base number, typically applying a multiplier. Some click boosters last only a short time while others are permanent changes, increasing the point per click number from 5 to 8, for example. Certain skills are a method of applying click boosters, but designers must balance the powerful boosts for late-game to keep players involved.
Include global multipliers during special events when creating upgrade items for a clicker game. Global multipliers are game-wide upgrades that run for a certain amount of time. They apply a set multiplier to a certain resource to give players a satisfying boost. A global multiplier multiplies damage outputs by 5x, for instance. Tying global multipliers to holidays or anniversary events is a fun way to encourage new and returning players to engage with the game.
Create temporary buffs to give players a boost when making upgrade items for a clicker game. Temporary buffs help break the stagnation that some players experience during the long grind of clicking sprites. These buffs use a modular formula, xN, where N stands for a specific number, such as x3 or 3x. In this example, players who receive this temporary buff have a multiplier of three to a specific resource for a certain amount of time. Cookie Clicker uses golden cookies as temporary buffs, requiring the player to quickly click the golden cookie before time runs out to receive the buff.
Design content gates to keep players from progressing too fast while still allowing them to upgrade their production systems. Content gates are milestones that players must reach before they gain access to new types of upgraded items. Typical milestones include having a certain number of buildings or requiring the player to spend a certain number of gold or coins to unlock the upgrade tier. Content gates maintain pacing in the game by keeping players grinding for that next upgrade tier or item.
7. Implement a save and load system for the game progress
Implement a save and load system for the game progress by determining what data to save, the save triggers and frequency, the load rules, and designing the UI to inform the player of their save and load information to make a clicker game. Saving and loading refers to how data is saved in the game. Implementing a save and load system ensures that players don’t have to start over each time they boot up the game, which is vital for a game genre as grindy as clicker games.
Determine what data gets saved to implement a save and load system for the clicker game. Not every piece of data needs saving, and including every byte of data rapidly increases bloat of the player’s platform. The key type of save data that designers must include are primary player score and currency amount, owned upgrades and producers (including how many there are and their level), any multipliers, buffs, and prestige bonuses the player is using or has purchased and not used, and any unlockables, achievements, or progress that the player has made. Ensuring these specific data points are saved allows the game to recreate the player’s session.
Decide when the game saves the player’s data and what triggers a save event to implement a save and load system that helps players avoid losing progress. Save frequency refers to how often the game saves itself within a time interval. A typical save frequency is a save event every 10-15 minutes. Other elements are capable of triggering a save, too. Reaching a milestone, acquiring a new character, or buying a new upgrade are considerable options for triggering a save event.
Define how to restore load data safely in a clicker game to avoid corrupting data. Load game executions sometimes lead to corruption, but choosing optimal places for the player to load a game helps reduce the chances of that occurring. The most common time to load data is at the game’s start before it launches the gameplay. When a load file isn’t detected or missing, have the save and load system default to a new game while giving the option of recovering the last save file’s location. Further restore load data safely by including multiple save slots to give players the chance to back up their saves.
Determine how the UI informs the player about saving or loading progress when implementing the save and load system for a clicker game. The UI must tell players when a game is saving to avoid having the player lose progress by quitting the game mid-save. Including a visual cue, such as text that appears on the screen, is a method to inform players about the save’s progress. Including additional information, such as how long until the save or load is complete or how long until the next autosave, further enhances the experience since players know exactly what to expect.
