In 2024, the world of gaming is evolving at warp speed. And crypto gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry. Also, let’s be honest, who among us hasn’t dreamed of playing video games for a living? The issue is, historically, NFT gaming projects have struggled with reliability issues. Many that thrived for a time plummeted at some point.
Still, 2024 is well upon us, and the whole sector of GameFi projects has had 3 years (practically a century in crypto terms) to mature.
We’ve selected the 5 best NFT games to play now. All the games on this list deserve to be here, whether through a huge following, great and reputable team, stellar gameplay, or simply by managing to survive for years and getting battle hardened while still retaining the core appeal (we’re looking at you Pokem…Axie!).
List of the best NFT games in 2024:
Shrapnel: AAA extraction shooter with player customization and blockchain integration for secure asset control.
Gods Unchained: Strategic digital trading card game offering full control over NFT cards and in-game assets.
Heroes of Mavia: Competitive mobile game combining base building, strategic resource management, and cryptocurrency earning.
Bloodloop: A Valorant-esque hero-shooter MMO featuring competitive gameplay and unique hero abilities.
Axie Infinity: Platform for collecting, breeding, and battling Axies with cryptocurrency rewards.
1. Shrapnel
Shrapnel is an action-packed NFT game that combines strategic extraction and intense combat, putting your skills to the test in a high-stakes environment called ‘The Zone.’ This AAA extraction shooter game is developed by Neon Machine based in Seattle, and looks set to bring NFT games from fringe to mainstream, offering a thrilling experience you won’t want to miss.
As a player, you’ll take on the role of a MEF Operator and choose from three unique operator classes: Assault, Survivalist, or Infosec. Each class brings distinct abilities to the battlefield, so your approach is tailored to your playing style.
Customization is a key element, with extensive gear options, but be prepared to lose them if you fall in combat. The twist? Securing loot means extracting it to the designated extraction point, which adds an extra layer of tension to the game.
What sets Shrapnel apart is its AAA quality and commitment to community-driven content creation. The game provides robust tools for generating and sharing your own content, which, in theory at least, offers endless replayability. This means you can create and share your own unique experiences within the game, fostering an active and vibrant community.
The official token is SHRAP, which is an ERC-20 standard token, but it’s minted on Avalanche. That’s another thing Shrapnel has going for it - it’s avoiding Ethereum gas fees, plus it’s established on a chain that’s growing in popularity as almost a default “gaming chain” of crypto.
With a focus on true ownership of in-game assets through NFTs, Shrapnel offers an immersive and rewarding experience. Mark your calendars for early access in 2024 and the full launch in 2025 – this game isn’t to be missed.
2. Gods Unchained
Gods Unchained, known for its strategic gameplay and unique NFT trading options, has established itself as a leading title in the decentralized NFT digital trading card game arena (wanna try saying that 3 times in a row) since its 2018 launch. It’s a very old game in crypto gaming terms, but it’s still going strong, which is part of the reason it’s found its place on our list.
This game from Immutable gives you full control over your digital cards. You can collect, trade, and even mint your own as NFTs on platforms like OpenSea. The in-game currency, GODS, makes transactions (fairly) seamless.
Immutable’s focus on player ownership is commendable.You earn cards through battles and quests, and the ability to mint them as NFTs reveals a world of trading possibilities. The strategic gameplay itself revolves around reducing your opponent’s health from 30 to zero with your expertly crafted decks. The variety of collectible cards, each representing mythical gods and their powers, keeps the game exciting and challenging.
As someone who has played Yu-Gi-Oh, Hearthstone, as well as Gwent, we can honestly say that Gods Unchained gameplay is legitimately fun. The cards and NFT you hold obviously play a part, as well as the RNG that’s inherent to all card games, but there’s a very real strategic element that allows for a lot of skill expression.
Gods Unchained has carved out a niche in the NFT gaming space by combining traditional card games with the security and ownership of blockchain technology. It’s no wonder this pioneering title enjoys such a dedicated following among NFT enthusiasts.
3. Heroes of Mavia
Get ready for some tactical thinking on the island of Mavia, where building and defending your bases against rival armies will make you battle-hardened and reward you with real cryptocurrency. The game is built on Base and developed by Skrice Studios.
The first mobile game on our list, Heroes of Mavia pits you against other players, forcing you to upgrade your infrastructure and command your forces wisely. As you conquer enemy bases and complete challenges, you earn the coveted in-game currency.
There are 3 tokens in the game, MAVIA, Ruby and Sapphire. MAVIA serves as the governance token and gives you a voice in the game’s development. Ruby and Sapphire are in-game tokens that can be earned by playing the game (Ruby) or purchased with fiat (Sapphire), and both are used in the game for entering tournaments, crafting items, buying extra builders etc.
Building bases is integral to Heroes of Mavia, but it’s also about strategic resource management. You’ll need to outmaneuver opponents by collecting valuable resources like Gold and Oil, strategically deploying various units, and making wise decisions (or at least wiser than your opponents) to stay ahead.
On a personal note, we think that mobile gaming will be increasing in popularity, as most people nowadays are glued to their phones (60% of all browsing is done via mobile devices!). Some of the best play to earn crypto games are likely to be mobile games, and that’s where Heroes of Mavia looks poised to take its piece of the pie.
Intense battles, high-stakes strategy, real-world rewards and the convenience of doing it all on your phone create an immersive and addictive gaming experience. With your skills honed and strategies refined, you’ll be earning real cryptocurrency while commuting on your way to work. Who needs a side hustle when you can earn by playing games on your phone?
4. Bloodloop
BloodLoop is poised to become a groundbreaking hero-shooter and MMO web3 game set to fully launch by the end of 2024, where blockchain technology seamlessly integrates with competitive 5v5 matches. Developed by a Swiss studio 7 Digital Labs, this title aims to merge intense Valorant-esque gameplay with blockchain-powered asset ownership.
In BloodLoop, you enlist in high-stakes combat where strategic teamwork and diverse hero abilities are key to success. The game’s primary mode, Energy War, tasks you with transforming Exotic Matter into Energy and escorting it to a loading area. For a more relaxed experience, they also offer other modes such as free-for-all (similar to Deathmatch in Call of Duty series).
Selecting the right hero is essential. Each character boasts unique weapons and three abilities, including an impactful ultimate ability. Understanding their strengths is vital for developing winning strategies. We had the pleasure of playing the beta Season 1 test in June, and though the game did have its kinks and technical issues, as most betas do, we can genuinely say the game was fun to play and rewarded learning how to maximize the potential of each hero.
BloodLoop focuses on true ownership, using the Avalanche Subnet to integrate blockchain into in-game items. Exclusive NFT collections like Genesis offer performance upgrades, while S.E.M. Capsules enable staking and earning BLS, the native token of the game.
Community engagement is at the forefront, with guilds, new characters, and maps planned. The team does seem to listen to feedback, and this dynamic, evolving NFT game is definitely one we are eagerly watching.
The game is also available on Epic Games, which, similar to Shrapnel, brings a more mainstream appeal to NFT gaming.
5. Axie Infinity
Okay, so, we really tried to not include Axie Infinity in this list. It had its time in the spotlight back in 2021, when people were quitting their day jobs, literally, to play the game. Its native token AXS peaked at over $150, and it’s now sitting around $5. That’s a 97% drop – which is actually not that uncommon among crypto gaming tokens in the past couple of years.
But… it’s proven to be resilient, and is still going pretty strong. They still have over 850,000 followers on X (Twitter) and people are still playing this game. And we gotta say, we respect the devs’ dedication to not letting this project die. The resilience of Axie Infinity shows the enduring appeal of well-designed NFT games, much like some of the best metaverse games out there.
In Axie Infinity, you’re in a world where you can collect, breed, and battle creatures called Axies. Developed by Sky Mavis in 2018, Axie Infinity operates on the Ronin Network, an Ethereum-linked sidechain, and features an extensive in-game economy involving two tokens: AXS (Axie Infinity Shards) and SLP (Smooth Love Potion).
By battling using your Axies, you earn tokens, which can be traded or used to breed new Axies. This play-to-earn model allows you to earn substantial rewards while still enjoying the fun of the game. There is an “entrance fee” of sorts - you need to purchase 3 Axies (NFTs) to be able to play in the arena.
You can also buy and customize virtual land, which adds a new level of depth to your gaming experience.
The bottom line
We are certain 2024 will prove to be the inception year of some of the best and most impactful NFT games to ever be made.
Shrapnel’s extraction shooter, Gods Unchained’s strategic digital card play, Heroes of Mavia’s immersive base building, Bloodloop’s hero-shooter MMO action, and Axie Infinity’s breeding and battling ecosystem are attracting new eyeballs by the thousands.
