Hooks are (almost) everything. Your game without a good hook is a fishing rod without one. You have most of what you need to catch your target, but the hook makes it insanely easier. Read my first selection to discover my take on the subject.
Hey folks, welcome to Valentin’s kickass hooks selection #2 ! This time I’ll focus less on correcting hooks for game that failed and focus on promising games that thrive or are on the way of thriving. Let’s start!
Kabuto Park
Type of hook
Visual, concept, marketing, storytelling (pretty much everything in this game is a hook)
Official USP
Catch the cutest bugs, train them and win the Summer Beetle Battles Championship in this tiny bug collection game! (Kabuto Park’s steam page)
Marketing hooks
This game has a lot of bugs (reddit)
Games about bugs are rare, very cute art, cozy and wholesome game orientation (which is trendy nowadays), clear and exciting trailer.
When analyzing Kabuto Park, what struck me was that its most successful posts on reddit were not on videogame subreddits. It was on entomology ones (subs for bug geeks). Here’s a takeaway from this strategy: don’t limit yourselves to videogame social media. You’ve got a farming simulation? Post in IRL farming groups or subs. You’ve got an horror game? Post in places where you can find horror movie fans. And as kabuto park did, make dedicated posts for each of them.
And about “This game has lots of bugs” pun… I thought it was pure genius. I don’t know if this line was found in pre production or on the fly, but it does sound like an inside joke the developers had and tried for the best.
If I had to give it a shot, I’d say “Developing this game bugged me for a while but now it’s out for you to enjoy”? But it’s nowhere near the quality of the original.
Gnomes
Get marketing tips in your inbox!
Type of hook
Concept, game design (compared to kabuto park it seems scarce, will get back to that)
Official USP
Gnomes is a turn-based tower defense with deep roguelike progression, set in ever-expanding, procedurally generated biomes. Build, farm and defend your village as you push deeper into goblin-infested territory. Unlock powerful upgrades and craft your environment to survive the endless goblin horde (steam)
Marketing hooks
I made a tower defense where you can move your towers (gnomes) every turn – during the day you plant crops, build your defenses and arrange your gnomes, at night watch the chaos unfold as your gnomes defend against the goblin horde! (reddit)
There are times where you have to admit your shortcomings. I couldn’t see this one coming. The graphics are basic, sound design is not very advanced, the trailer says nothing about the game and the hook is interesting but not revolutionary. Yet, this game grossed more than $ 370 000 pre steam cut in just 4 months (and a 10 month developing time and a $700 budget working hours not included, which is a feat in itself).
Thing is, with the right analysis and the right kind of game for the right people at the right moment (that’s an awful lot of rights, right?) you can make your way to success. Dystopian made a very deep Turret defense game for TD fans with complex game design, on steam where people sometimes do not care for graphics (hello vampire survivors), especially TD enthusiasts (hello Bloon TD). But instead of making another Bloon TD copycat, they went with unique art, mechanics and GNOMES that clicked with lots of people.
So here’s my take on what a marketing hook should have been for this game:
“Offbeat art, deep gameplay, gnomes. TD fans, try it and you’ll love it”
As I said, I didn’t see it coming so that’s the best I can do for this one.
PS: Here’s an in-depth analysis of Gnomes’ marketing success. Interesting and crunchy details in it. (Thanks Chris, as always)
Building relationships
Type of hook
Concept, visual
Official USP
Experience life as a house in this silly adventure game! Play as a building as you roll, jump, and wave-dash across a cozy island. Meet eligible structures, romance them, and experience a bizarre, yet oddly familiar story.. or go fishing instead (though we replaced fish with cars to make more sense) (Building relationships steam page)
Marketing hooks
I’m making a game that’s kinda like ‘A Short Hike’ but stupid — play as a house, jump around, date other structures, and, of course, go fishing! (though I replaced the fish with cars bc that made more sense).
I already talked about it earlier, but nobody cares because you probably didn’t read my previous articles so here it is: Building relationships, which didn’t have a name at the time, is probably my favourite concept of 2025. Why? Because it’s just plain nonsense, and I love that kind of stuff.
But I played the demo and it’s not JUST nonsense… Dialogues are funny (although kinda creepy sometimes, but isn’t dating creepy sometimes too?), there is a soothing atmosphere in this island-based dating sim, and there are wacky surprises everywhere (I never “cooked” Ikea-like furniture for a bunch of buildings, but somehow buildings eating furniture makes sense).
Now that we have outlined that a good game is non negotiable behind an intriguing hook, here’s why I think the game will thrive: the game is silly and sounds like it’s a meme or a joke made game. The developer, Tanat, has a wacky humor that blends in perfectly with social media. A house bouncing around is highly shareable content, because it’s something crazy enough for having been seen nowhere else before. And finally, the game is deeply rooted into the cozy gaming trend and Tanat has been very active in the comment section of his posts.
“Building erection as never seen before” is my take on the subject.
This one’s a little rough around the edges, but why not?
Here ends Valentin’s kickass hooks selection #2. Stay tuned for #3, sometime in october!
PS: if you want to be featured there or need help fine-tuning your hook, shoot me a message and I’ll certainly consider it!
Header picture : Doot Tiny games
Article illustrations : Reddit, steam, developers copyright
