Decentraland and Splinterlands remain the two most consistent names on any best-blockchain-games list, ranked here by active players and total in-game asset value over a 30-day window. Play-to-earn titles let players convert effort into tokens they can trade or cash out, the model that’s kept these five games at the top of the space.
Oddly enough, players can actually make money in such games by completing game tasks and missions, reselling their assets or renting them to other players. Thus, they receive some kind of in-game currency, which can later be used to purchase NFTs or transferred directly to a cryptocurrency wallet. Players then have the option to sell or exchange it for tokens or the currency used for real payments.
We are here to break down the features of 5 blockchain games that are currently considered the best in terms of the number of players and the total value of assets in Dapp’s smart contracts. What is Dapp you can learn from our previous article about the creation of NFT games.
Top 5 Blockchain Games: Best Titles In the Spotlight
So, in no particular order, here are 5 best blockchain games in the play-to-earn format that cause the most buzz in the gaming community. We will consider the number of players and the value of assets over the last 30 days to get more stable and objective information.
Axie Infinity
| Genre | Platform | Blockchain | Tokens | Free-to-play |
| Creature battler | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Ronin, Ethereum | SLP, AXS | No |
One can’t simply ignore Axie Infinity. Originating from CryptoKitties and Pokémon, this game remains the leader among the top blockchain games in terms of the number of players and the total amount of incoming value to dapp’s smart contracts.
Here, players breed cute little creatures called Axies and take part in battles against other players or the game’s AI. The game requires an initial investment – one needs to buy 3 Axies to start playing. In dollar terms, it will be about $75 for one creature.
Winning battles and daily quests allow players to get Small Love Potions (SLPs). These are the utility tokens of the game, which can then be used to breed more Axies and sell them to other players.
What affects Axie prices? The price of Axies may be determined by their in-game power, usefulness, and demand from players. Axies created in the early days of the game are more expensive. In addition, there are the mythical Axies, which look more colorful and are especially rare. As a rule, the rarer attributes also provide the most utility in the game and result in a high price. With the rise of Axie Infinity, the creature market is now influenced not only by players, but also by NFT collectors.
How to get Axie for free? One can receive scholarships from other players who are looking for someone willing to temporarily take over the management of their Axies. Formally, we are talking about rent: the renter is actually developing someone else’s account, receiving part of the profit for it. Note that only the owner of Axies, i.e. the sponsor of the scholarship, can claim the SLP tokens the renter mines. Thet latter get his or her share from this sponsor. In most cases, income is divided in half.
Gods Unchained
| Genre | Platform | Blockchain | Tokens | Free-to-play |
| Trading card game | Windows, macOS | Ethereum, Immutable X | GODS | Yes |
The best blockchain games include card games without fail. Gods Unchained is a fantasy collectible card game with colorful graphics and a catchy style. Its first major advantage is that there is no initial investment. The essence of the game is the battle of two players in the arena. Each player initially has a deck of thirty cards. When players win a battle, they take their opponent’s deck. Every card in Gods Unchained is an NFT, so players own their cards and can sell them on the secondary market. The native token of Gods Unchained is GODS.
What is Immutable X? The game is made by the same team behind the Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution called Immutable X. This means the game is powered by Ethereum and uses Immutable X where Dapps can trade peer-to-peer without fees and process up to 9,000 transactions per second. Immutable X launched its marketplace in 2021, and today it serves as a gas-free trading hub for Gods Unchained cards, as well as a number of other NFT projects.
How to get unique cards? Players have basic cards that they earn for free just by playing the game. Also, even before the launch of the game, there were special card sets on sale that players could buy to avoid grinding. Now they are no longer produced. But they can be bought from other players on the Immutable X marketplace.
Splinterlands
| Genre | Platform | Blockchain | Tokens | Free-to-play |
| Trading card game | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | HIVE, WAX | DEC, SPS | Yes |
Since the release of Splinterlands in 2021, it hasn’t left the top positions of the best blockchain games list on DappRadar. Splinterlands is a turn-based card game with fast-paced and easy-to-learn gameplay. Each card is an NFT with power and rarity attributes to determine its value. Unlike other card games with long, sometimes overextended battles, those in Splinterlands only last a few minutes. The rules are simple, so even beginners can quickly figure them out.
How to earn tokens? The game token, SPS, is used to buy, trade, and rent cards for battle. There is also a secondary token, DEC (Dark Energy Crystals), which allows players to purchase various in-game items and power-ups. Players earn these tokens by completing tasks and daily quests, challenging other players in ranked games, or participating in tournaments. Cards can be combined to level them up for better stats and additional abilities. If desired, everyone can convert their cards into cryptocurrency at any time.
What is the main feature of the game? Unlike other games, Splinterlands often receives updates and additions, thus attracting more and more new players. For example, recent updates have brought new rare cards to the game. Splinterlands runs on the Hive blockchain, but thanks to the cross-chain functionality, tokens can also be traded on Wax and Ethereum.
Off The Grid
| Genre | Platform | Blockchain | Tokens | Free-to-play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extraction shooter | PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S | Avalanche | GUN | Yes |
Off The Grid is one of the games that changed how people look at blockchain gaming. Instead of building the experience around NFTs, the developers focused on creating a competitive extraction shooter first and added digital ownership as an optional feature. Players can collect and trade selected weapons, equipment, and cosmetic items, but anyone can simply enjoy the game without interacting with blockchain at all.
Why is it different?
Unlike many earlier Web3 projects, blockchain stays in the background. The game aims to attract shooter fans first, with ownership becoming an additional feature rather than the main reason to play.
Pixels
| Genre | Platform | Blockchain | Tokens | Free-to-play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farming MMO | Browser | Ronin | PIXEL | Yes |
Pixels proves that blockchain games don’t have to revolve around combat or speculation. Players build farms, gather resources, complete quests, and trade with others in a persistent online world. After moving to the Ronin network, the game quickly became one of the largest Web3 titles by daily active users. The game currently tops DappRadar’s platform leaderboard, with a 24-hour trading volume of $7.54 million.
How do players earn?
Completing quests, crafting items, and taking part in seasonal activities rewards players with PIXEL tokens and other tradable in-game assets, while the main focus remains on long-term progression rather than short-term rewards.
Future of Crypto Gaming
Now there are many projects in development that can take their place among the top blockchain games. If they really have weight, we will definitely return to their consideration. But it’s already obvious that blockchain games have firmly established themselves in their niche. A bunch of new games are in development. The Kevuru Games team was working as a game development outsourcing team on several NFT projects: Guild of Guardians, Gooniez Gang, MechaChain. Characteristically, the waiting lists of these games numbered hundreds of thousands of future players, and the first NFTs were sold out in the first hours.
Game publishers who want to try themselves in web3, often find that the best way is to outsource blockchain game development. At Kevuru Games, we have professionals who know the specifics of play-to-earn game design. Many developers who are pros in AAA games, aren’t familiar with NFT mechanics. If you’re looking for blockchain game dev or Web3 game art outsourcing, contact us.
The combination of blockchain and gaming should prove to be a win-win for gamers and developers alike. Players will have more control over their assets and a chance to earn money from their efforts. Developers will be able to earn a percentage of resold tokens and create more buzz around their new projects. Everyone wins. So welcome to blockchain.
