Australians are often celebrated for their competitive spirit and their enthusiasm for embracing new technology, two qualities that truly stand out in the land Down Under. These have combined to make Australia something of a hotbed for innovation in crypto and NFT gaming.
As well as domestically produced games, US and Asian developers often use Australia as a proving ground from limited releases. Here, we take a peek at the crypto games that have been trending Down Under in 2023. Chances are high that their popularity will spread elsewhere throughout 2024!
Axie Infinity set the standard for NFT games
Singapore-based Sky Mavis’ Axie Infinity went down a storm with Aussie players when it was first released in 2018. It has generated Ether sales of more than $1 billion and has seen more than 2.8 million daily players. In short, it has set the standard for NFT gaming.
Players are tasked with assembling a team of little creatures called Axies and sending them into arena battles or pitching them into various other dangers in Adventure mode. Success in either is rewarded with two types of tokens. Players can also breed their Axies as long as they have at least two, and both types of token.
Polker leverages Australia’s love for casino games
Many Australians also have a passion for gambling and feed more money per capita into the gambling industry than any other nationality. In fact, online poker is behind only slots and sports betting in terms of popularity. If you click here, you can get an idea of how many online poker sites Australians have to choose from. Polker offers them all the excitement and strategy of poker but with NFT rewards.
Polker has different game modes, including tournament play, which is standard poker, or Adventure mode, which opens up whole new worlds. The latter allows you to experience a mixture of fictional characters are real world players in different setting. You can also create and customize your own poker rooms and tables. If you are not a fan of gambling, you can play for fun, so Polker really is a poker game that anyone can enjoy.
Star Atlas is futuristic in more ways than one
This exciting space exploration game is set in the 2600s, but it also feels like a step forward in development terms compared to the other NFT games under discussion. The game emerges from the confluence of blockchain, real-time graphics, DeFi technology and traditional multiplayer video gaming.
Pilot your spacecraft into the great unknown, exploit mining opportunities, forge alliances and decide whose side you are on when the inevitable factions start to emerge. You’ll need Solana crypto to get started, but there are rewards to be had too. In some ways, Star Atlas is reminiscent of the early sandbox games of 20 years ago with its grandiose and seemingly endless possibilities. But today, it has the technology to really deliver.
Tamadoge delivers old fashioned collecting fun
Own up, who remembers Cryptokitties? Tamadoge is a modern game that pays its respects to an old classic. Breed and nurture your virtual pooches and take them into battle to earn TAMA currency.
Although it is reminiscent of both games, this is more than just a pastiche of Cryptokitties and Tamagotchi. The developers plan to take the game in exciting new directions, including taking virtual dogs for a walk in the real world.
This is just the beginning
These games are trending in Australia right now. Axie Infinity is already starting to become popular with a wider audience and the same will almost certainly be the case with the other games mentioned. This, though, is only the beginning. Metaverse games have been around for a few years now, but at last they are starting to achieve mainstream popularity. It will be intriguing to see what new experiences the next year or so might bring.
