October 9, 2024

The "Hexa Sort" Competitor Analysis

Why Hexa Sort?

Developed by gamebra.in and Mindstorm Studios and published by Lion Studios, “Hexa Sort” has become one of the big hits of 2024 in Hybridcasual.

With innovative mechanics that mix sorting and stacking, “Hexa” began its growth stage in January and today generates $550k in IAP revenue per week, enjoying a strong share in the US market.

“Hexa Sort” has become the game to follow this year. Many studios aim to find the right innovation to update the original proposal.

That's why getting to know your main competitors is a priority.

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Hexa Sort - October 2024 (Source: AppMagic)

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Over the last 12 months, many puzzle games with similar game mechanics were launched by various studios - ABI Games, VOODOO, Falcon Games and many more. Here's a release timeline of some game titles.

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The Competitors

1. Pencil Sort by Griffon Game

Released on: 9 May 2024

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Pencil Sort - October 2024 (Source: AppMagic)

The main innovation of “Pencil Sort” is that it brings coloring to the metagame.

Gathering pieces is the goal of the levels (as in “Hexa Sort”), but it also generates a “pencil coin” that enables the player to color collectible pictures.

Another highlight is the humor of the paintings, which draw reference to well-known artworks.

“Pencil” has the usual hybridcasual features, such as daily rewards, rewards for winning levels, spin, piggy bank, etc.

In addition, the game has a strong market share in Japan and South Korea.

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2. Hexa Puzzle Game: Color Sort by Higgs Studio

Released on: 29 January 2024

Hexa Puzzle Game: Color Sort - October 2024 (Source: AppMagic)

The main difference between the Higgs game and the “Hexa Sort” is the number of stacked pieces in each pile. This small change makes the game easier to play because it allows the player to know exactly which pieces are in each pile, making fewer mistakes.

Like “Pencil Sort”, “Hexa Puzzle Game” has collectible paintings filled with stars collected in the levels. It also has various features, such as daily tasks, spin, Piggy Bank, competition, etc.

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3. Hexa Stack: Sorting Puzzle by Falcon Games

Released on: 6 March 2024

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Hexa Stack: Sorting Puzzle - October 2024 (Source: AppMagic)

“Hexa Stack” is very similar to Higgs' ‘Hexa Puzzle Game’. The main difference is the city builder as a metagame.

In this Falcon’s version, there are some features that have become famous in other games (e.g. “Royal Match”), such as level racing, the floor is lava, among others.

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4. Hexa Away by GOODROID, Inc.

Released on: 23 May 2024

Hexa Away - October 2024 (Source: AppMagic)

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“Hexa Away” is a mix between “Hexa Sort” and “Tap Away” (Popcore’s hit). Instead of stacking, the player has to unlock the pieces according to the arrows on top of the stacks.

Although ingenious, I understand that “Hexa Away” is closer to “Tap Away” than “Hexa Sort” . Not using the stacking mechanic makes all the difference.

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