What makes up an outstanding hidden objects game? Quite frankly, there are lots of them on the web and digital storefronts, but unfortunately, a large majority don’t fit the bill and dish out a generic experience.

With that in mind, what are some of the elements hidden object games need to have to rise above their peers? Let’s take a good long look at a few highly recommended characteristics.

An outstanding art style

In hidden object games, like Uncle Hank’s Adventures, your task is to look for items scattered across a canvass filled with other objects. Due to the sheer number of things on-screen, it’ll be quite challenging to find all the pieces the game asks you to locate.

Because of this, hidden object games put a particular focus on the art style element. They have to look attractive enough to catch the eye of their players, fit the themes of their story, and avoid being as convoluted and messy as possible. After all, if too many visual elements jump into the fray, playing it will undoubtedly give players a bad case of eye strain.

A fun and interesting plot

Essentially, find the hidden objects games tend to lean towards stories that focus more on mysteries. For example, you may take the mantle of a detective trying to find the culprit behind a heist or a supernatural investigator attempting to solve a puzzle. Apart from this, there are also more lighthearted stories, like helping a town recover lost items or giving assistance to a farmer restore his homestead, like in the case of Uncle Hank’s Adventures.

Perfect balance of ease and challenge

Unless you’re an eagle-eyed person who can see ants from a flying airplane, hidden object games are traditionally difficult. They require intense focus and concentration, considering that even if you see an object, there’s a huge chance you’ll miss it due to the sheer number of on-screen elements. Sure, a difficulty curve adds to the thrill, but there needs to be an equalizer. This may come in the form of a hints mechanic or something akin to a vision-altering ability that highlights items.

Other puzzles and gameplay elements

Hidden object games don’t have to limit themselves to having players seek objects on the screen. They can introduce other minigames like match-3 puzzles. Moreover, it can also take the form of interactive novels where you can decide which routes to take, especially in story-heavy titles, and the ending will depend on the choices you’ll make.

Social aspects

Though optional and unnecessary, it would be great if hidden objects games would integrate social elements. Though having a multiplayer function is stretching it, having leaderboards and even time challenges would make fantastic additions. For example, there could be a ranking of players who finished certain levels the fastest.

So, what do you think are some of the other characteristics both paid and free hidden objects games need to have? Do you agree with our list? In any case, having the above-mentioned elements will definitely give HOG games the edge over their peers.