From coingecko by Sankrit K Edited by Vera Lim

What Are Tap-2-Earn Games?

Tap-2-Earn (Tap-to-Earn, or T2E) crypto games are simple click-based games that reward users for merely tapping on the screen. They add additional layers of engagement, like storylines, and upgrades, for more immersion. They are becoming popular owing to their easy gameplay and potential for a crypto airdrop as an incentive.

Key Takeaways

Play-to-Earn (P2E) games come in many packages — from simple fantasy trading cards to high-speed racing. As of June 2024, there are over 3,200 GameFi projects, according to data from Footprint Analytics.

Source: Footprint Analytics

Despite a sizable portion of the internet-penetrated population being active gamers, web3 games have yet to become mainstream due to their complexity and the prerequisites of understanding blockchain technicalities.

Source: Transak

But now, a new sub-genre of P2E games is taking the internet by storm because of its sheer simplicity and virtually no entry barrier — Tap-to-Earn games.

In this article, we will discuss Tap-to-Earn games; what they are, their genesis, and some top games out there.

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Origin of Tap-to-Earn Games

The success of Tap-to-Earn (T2E) games directly correlates with Telegram’s successful effort in integrating cryptocurrencies within the messaging app and the TON blockchain.

Telegram, the 4th largest messaging app with over 350,000 DAU, provided fertile ground for the growth of T2E games, where its vast user base of over 900 million users presents a ready-made audience for these games. Moreover, Telegram's open platform and bot functionality made it easy for developers to create and deploy T2E games within the app.

Source: Token Terminal

Some popular T2E games include Hamster Kombat, where users manage a virtual hamster CEO of a crypto exchange, and TapSwap, which allows users to mine tokens by tapping.

The adoption of T2E games on Telegram has been nothing short of phenomenal. Notcoin, one of the first T2E games, amassed over 40 million players and launched its own token, NOT.

80 billion NOT tokens were airdropped to users and the token’s market cap quickly surged to over $2.7 billion. This success has attracted a wave of new developers and investors to the T2E space, further accelerating its growth.

Why Are Tap-to-Earn Games Successful?

In their infancy, Tap-to-Earn games are undeniably very successful. Whether or not they will retain this excitement and sustain it in the long run is debatable.

So, what made T2E games popular in the first place? Their success can be attributed to three key characteristics:

Simplicity and Accessibility

Tap-to-Earn games are probably as simple as web3 games can possibly get. Users have to do just that — TAP!

There is virtually no entry barrier to these games. If you know how to download Telegram and start chatting with friends, then chances are you will do just fine figuring out the game as well.

A learning curve is typically a big deterrent for most people when picking up a new game in an unfamiliar genre. There are thousands of games online, each unique in its own way. As a result, people accustomed to a specific type of game (e.g. RPG) may find it hard to get into games of other genres (e.g. FPS), while casual players might be deterred by the amount of effort and investment needed to excel at traditional web3 games. This is generally not the case for T2E games as there is virtually no learning curve.

Accessing and playing T2E games on Telegram can be reduced to 3 simple steps:

Gamification of Simple Actions

The core loop of tapping might seem mundane, but T2E games cleverly layer on reward systems to make it engaging. Each tap earns you in-game currency, points, or resources. This constant feedback loop triggers a sense of progress and achievement, even if the underlying action is simple.

By transforming simple, repetitive actions into engaging gameplay, these games keep players hooked. For instance, games like Hamster Kombat and YesCoin involve tapping to collect in-game currency or rewards, which can then be used to progress further or unlock new features.

Many Tap-to-Earn games feature progression systems such as levels, achievements, and leaderboards. These systems provide goals for players to strive towards, making the repetitive actions feel rewarding and purposeful.

Financial Incentives

Tying everything together is a financial incentive. With almost no skill requirements and virtually uncapped upside potential, Tap-to-Earn games offer a compelling value proposition for players.

Allowing users to earn cryptocurrency through simple, repetitive tapping actions makes for a highly attractive earning model, particularly for those who are new to cryptocurrency and looking for an accessible entry point. In Tap-to-Earn games, players can accumulate digital assets without needing significant capital investment or advanced technical knowledge.

Players earn tangible rewards, typically in the form of cryptocurrency, which can be traded or sold for real money. This adds a layer of financial motivation that traditional games lack, while typical web3 games require significantly more time investment.

For example, the Notcoin airdrop was estimated to be worth around $1 billion in NOT tokens. If someone received a relatively small amount of NOT, say 10,000 tokens, during the airdrop, their potential earnings could range from $147.40 (at the current price) to $283.60 (at the peak price).

How to Play Tap-2-Earn Games? Mechanics Explained

We already covered, concisely, how to play Tap-2-Earn games in the previous section. This section will serve as a more in-depth tutorial on getting started with these clicker games.

1. Download the Telegram Mobile App

Tap-2-Earn games are, technically, not limited to the Telegram app. However, most T2E games are being built as mini-games within the Telegram app as the platform offers an incredibly easy onboarding experience for over 900 million of its users.

We recommend using the Telegram mobile app as the games may not be available via desktop.

2. Choose a Tap-to-Earn Game

This is probably the most difficult part of the process — to choose from an ocean of options.

With every game essentially having similar gameplay — tap-tap-tap — why would you even want to choose or how do you choose one?

You’d want to be strategic in choosing a game because the reward-to-time ratio may be very low because of the large number of active players owing to the ease of entry.

Moreover, the “airdrop” aspect of many of these games is mostly speculative and their tokens may witness poor price discovery if their utility is minimal or even a high sell pressure soon after they are listed on an exchange. For example, Notcoin’s token, NOT, fell by approximately 11% soon after the airdrop claim period ended.

Below are a few points on how to choose a Tap-to-Earn game:

3. Set Up Your Wallet

Next, you need to set up a wallet. Connecting your wallet is usually a mandatory step to qualify for a potential airdrop. And in the event that you are allocated tokens, a wallet is essential to withdraw or transfer them.

Your choice of wallet depends on the T2E game.

If the Tap-2-Earn game is built on the TON blockchain, then you can use Telegram’s built-in wallet feature. If the game is on a different chain that Telegram Wallet does not support yet, then you'd have to use one that does.

4. Open the Game and Play

Finally, open the game, follow the on-screen instructions, and start playing.

Many of the games have more ways (tasks) to earn in-game coins than just tapping. For instance, you could earn additional rewards by verifying that you are a follower across all their socials or by simply watching a YouTube video.

5. Keep an Eye Out for Important Announcements

Keep an eye on the game’s Telegram channel, X account, or any other active social media platform to stay updated on things like airdrop date announcements, eligibility criteria, changes to the roadmap, and more.

Top 3 Tap-to-Earn Games

Riding on the success of Notcoin, many new Tap-to-Earn crypto games have hit the market.

After thorough research, here are our 3 picks (listed in the order of the size of their Telegram groups at the time of writing):

Hamster Kombat

Hamster Kombat is perhaps the most popular Telegram-based tap-to-earn game after Notcoin, amassing over 150 million users in a short span.

In this clicker game, players relentlessly tap the screen to earn in-game currency that go by “Hamster coins”, which has captured the attention of both gamers and crypto enthusiasts alike.

Players take on the role of the CEO of a virtual cryptocurrency exchange, earning coins by tapping on digital hamsters. These coins can be used to upgrade the exchange, participate in battles, and engage in daily tasks to boost earnings. The game features NFT integration, allowing players to trade and sell hamster characters on a marketplace.

Hamster Kombat also offers a referral system and multiplayer mode, enhancing its social and competitive aspects.

Click here for the Telegram channel.

Click here for T2E Hamster Kombat Telegram bot.

TapSwap

TapSwap is a Tap-to-Earn clicker game on Telegram that has onboarded over 55 million users at the time of writing and has over 18 million daily active users.

The core mechanic of TapSwap involves tapping the screen to earn coins, known as “Shares.” These Shares can then be converted into TAPS tokens, which are the game’s native cryptocurrency. Each tap increases the user’s coin balance until their energy runs out, requiring a cooldown period before they can continue.

Upgrades include increasing the number of coins per tap and reducing cooldown times. Boosts can also be activated to double the coins earned per tap temporarily.

TapSwap has plans to introduce additional features such as staking, a launchpad for new projects, and crypto payment APIs.

Click here for the Telegram channel.

Click here for T2E TapSwap Telegram bot.

Pixelverse

In Pixelverse, players earn rewards by tapping the screen, engaging in quests, and participating in battles within a cyberpunk-themed environment. The game logs over 10 million daily battles, showcasing its high level of engagement and popularity among users.

Players can earn additional rewards by completing daily quests and activities. For instance, players can earn 30,000 coins by just joining the Pixelverse Discord server and verifying in the ‘Tasks’ tab.

Pixelverse recently secured $5.5 million in funding from top venture capital firms, including Delphi Ventures and Mechanism Capital. This funding is set to support the platform’s global expansion and development of new features.

The game's cyberpunk aesthetics, complete with neon-lit streets and advanced technology, create a visually stunning and immersive experience.  The gameplay primarily revolves around tapping and allows players to engage in battles, complete quests, and earn PIXFI tokens, the game's native cryptocurrency.

Click here for the Telegram channel.

Click here for T2E Pixelverse Telegram bot.

Conclusion

It was clear from the start that the success of Play-to-Earn games was tied to accessibility and simplicity. By utilizing TON and Telegram, Tap-to-Earn games are benefitting from Telegram's effort in integrating cryptocurrencies and bots within the messaging app and its close relationship with the TON blockchain. There is a growing interest in bots and mini-apps on Telegram, like trading bots that automate and execute a wide range of trades. 

Still, it is too early to say if Tap-to-Earn games are just a fad or if they will play a sustainable role in the overall process of blockchain adoption.

Do note that this article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Tap-to-Earn games are still very new, and come with a fair share of risk and no guaranteed returns. Always do your own research before investing in any protocols and connecting your wallet.