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Matej Lančarič

UA Mobile Growth Extraordinaire ·

Helping you stay 2.5 steps ahead of the games industry. Don't be too serious, except about UA.
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As the UA landscape evolves, so do the creative trends that shape how games communicate with their audiences. With the rise of Applovin and increased spend on SDK networks, I’ve decided to bring you a monthly trends review of top-performing playable ads across different genres.

For those that read only summaries, here are playable trends January in a nutshell:

A small structure change
- Most of the recent playables have start to look the same after couple of months, so this time I decided to bring your different approach and highlight what I liked/disliked on certain games and their creative usage of playable ads
Creative breakdown: Flambé: Merge & Cook
- My oh my did they cook last month? Quite literary. So many different sub-genres of merge playables. This is a textbook example of how to think when creating playable ads at scale.
Quick look: Cell Survivor and Voidpet Dungeon
- So fresh and so clean. No creative stealing, just pure gameplay. I keep saying that using only playable with core gameplay is not correct approach. But if you have to, do it right and mimic the game as closely as possible.

Creative breakdown: Flambé: Merge & Cook

Oh it is simple merge game, what special can you create, they say. Well lets start with what they used in playable ads in January alone:

Cutting
Customer Serving
Sorting
Threading
Cleaning up
Freezing families
Full screen board merge 2
Tables serving
Panic in the kitchen
Order taking

Are you not entertained?

Having a clear template in mind and switch things around when needed

One thing the playables have in common? (most of them) is the simplicity and repeatability and patterns. Same layout just different core mechanics being switched. Another benefit is expectation from the user and brand awareness. Imagine having 3 different playables but with same layout, structure, button collors, CTAs, end cards. The additional hook of understanding that this is the same game but has many things to offer can be irresistible for the user.

Logo in top left corner
Progress happening on upper part of the screen
Game happening on lower part of the screen
CTA bottom right corner visible all the time
Score on top
Almost unlimited gameplay
Identical end card

You can create your own templates in playablemaker.com

Same Core Gameplay, Many Mini Games

As said before, its all the same game, same genre. Merge items, cook some food. But the right questions were asked:

How many mini games we can create with merge mechanic?
- Cutting food, Serving food to a customer, Popular thread mini-game, Cleaning up, Full screen board merge 2, Fulfilling orders, Sorting food…
How many stories can we tell?
- Freezing families, Unhappy customers, Panic in the kitchen – you name it!
Combine and put in a blender and voila, playable ads everywhere.

Why This Works So Well

Flambé: Merge & Cook nails the balance between simplicity and variety. All playables share the same clean structure – logo, progress bar, lower gameplay area, constant CTA, and an identical end card -creating familiarity that reinforces brand memory. Yet within that familiar frame, the ad creatives swap core mechanics like cutting, sorting, serving, or cleaning. This repeatable template lowers production effort while keeping engagement high, because users feel both comfortable and curious. They instantly recognize the game but keep discovering new micro-stories and challenges, which builds organic interest and trust.

How To Apply This To Your Game

Start by building your own “universal playable template.” Define consistent layout rules – logo placement, main interaction zone, visible CTA, and rhythm of progress. Then, remix the content: vary the mechanic, theme, or emotion while keeping the flow identical. Think of it as a modular ad system, where each mini game or scenario is a new flavor built on the same recipe. This keeps production efficient, experimentation fast, and audience recognition strong – the trifecta of scaleable ad performance.

Quick look: Cell Survivor and Voidpet Dungeon

So fresh and so clean. No creative stealing, just pure gameplay. I keep saying that using only playable with core gameplay is not correct approach. But if you have to, do it right and mimic the game as closely as possible.

In the world of freezing families, be a Cell Survivor (or Voidpet Dungeon)

Cell Survivor and Voidpet Dungeon show how clean, honest core gameplay can still feel exciting in a market full of fake drama and bait hooks. Both playables lean into what the game actually is: tight combat systems, progression, builds, and moment-to-moment decision-making, instead of overpromising features that don’t exist. This builds trust twice – users immediately understand what they’re getting, and post-install expectations are perfectly aligned, which usually translates into better retention and less buyer’s remorse on the install.

If you insist on using “pure gameplay only” playables, this is how to do it right: mirror the real experience as closely as possible. Use the actual camera angle, UI style, pacing, and difficulty curve from early levels, and highlight what truly differentiates your game – meta depth, build choices, boss patterns, or team synergies. Add just enough guidance (simple arrows, short tips, light UI polish) so the ad feels approachable, but resist the temptation to bolt on fake puzzles or drama. You stay authentic, you still look polished, and you attract players who actually want your real game, not the fantasy version

Data from PlayableMaker – what is being created?

Our friends at PlayableMaker have shared their latest data and insights for January 2026, revealing trends in templates, game mechanics and ad network usage. Here’s a quick summary:

New Popular Templates for January 2026

Spin The Wheel 3 Spins: Each segment of the wheel is editable to feature whatever rewards or messages you choose. Ideal for promotions, educational content, or just fun interactions, this template can be tailored to fit any campaign or game.
Chatbot With Video: Simulate typing and interaction with an AI bot. Type your question and install the game!
Blockdoku 3 Colors: Create favorite Blockdoku experience with this block‑puzzle template. Blend the logical depth of sudoku with the satisfaction of fitting block shapes as users drag and drop pieces onto the grid to complete lines and regions. Tailor layouts, visual styles, and difficulty settings to suit any audience – while adapting colors, messages, and rewards to match your brand or campaign.
Drop Merge Unlock Characters: Drop items into the container and let user create chain reactions. Unlocok new items in each level. Keep combining to create new varieties and rack up points in this satisfying merge puzzle game.
Merge Game Cute Hook: Simply click a button to reveal a merged object. Ending with video showcase of your real game.
Block Fill Color IQ: Create favorite Blockdoku experience with this block‑puzzle template. This time user has to fill the whole area, will he succeed? Tailor layouts, visual styles, and difficulty settings to suit any audience – while adapting colors, messages, and rewards to match your brand or campaign.

Game Mechanics Trends – most used game objects

Blockdoku Blast (13%): Newcomer went for top spot right away!
Slot Machine (11%): Slots and casinos are always on top, many customers creating new templates utilizing core mechanic of their campaign.
Item Sort (11%): Still popular, even in todays examples, sorting is simply a winning mechanic.