Why Telegram Mini Apps Are Gaining Popularity

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Telegram Mini Apps are sending the mercury through the roof – with good reason.

With an estimated 950 million users on Telegram, these mini apps have tapped into the massive, entertainment-hungry user base and got them hooked.

Case in point, look at how the likes of Hamster Kombat and Catizen have gone viral in a short amount of time – enough to usher in a new era of mobile gaming.

In this article, we’ll explore what they are, and why they are the new Candy Crush.

What is a Telegram Mini App

Telegram Mini Apps are essentially lightweight web applications that run within the Telegram interface.

This means that users can access services, play games and perform other tasks without leaving the Telegram app.

This is a major advantage over traditional apps, which require users to download and install them separately.

Mini Apps are built using web technologies like HTML, CSS and JavaScript. They can be accessed through chatbots or directly within a chat.

Key features of Telegram Mini Apps

• Fast and agile – Mini Apps are designed to be small and quick to load, ensuring a smooth user experience even on slower connections.
• No installation needed – Unlike traditional apps, Mini Apps don’t require any installation, saving users storage space on their devices.
• Versatile functionality – From games and quizzes to e-commerce and productivity tools, Mini Apps can cater to a wide range of user needs.
• Interactive and engaging – Mini Apps offer interactive elements like polls, quizzes and dynamic content, making them more engaging than static websites,
• One-stop shop – Mini Apps seamlessly integrate with Telegram’s features, allowing users to share content, make payments and interact with bots without having to exit the app.

Popular Mini App genres

Mini Apps are being used in various sectors, showcasing their versatility. Some of the most popular genres of Mini Apps include the following.

• Gaming
• Social
• E-commerce
• Education
• Customer support

How gaming is driving Mini Apps’ virality

A quick look at the top Mini Apps on Telegram tells you that gaming is dominating the scene. These lightweight apps offer a truly frictionless experience.

Casual gamers can jump into a quick game of chess or test reflexes with an arcade challenge – all without leaving the messaging app.

They strip away the barriers of traditional gaming, namely laggard downloads, installations or switching between apps.

But it’s not just about convenience. Mini Apps tap into the social heart of Telegram.

A big part of the allure comes from PvPs (player versus player) with friends or the jockeying for positions on leaderboards.

The cherry on top is that players can earn rewards or tokens that can be exchanged for real-world money.

This is made possible thanks to the Web 3.0 and blockchain integration. You may have come across the ubiquitous ‘tap-to-earn’ mentions as you venture into this new era of mobile gaming.

The success of gaming Mini Apps can be attributed to this unique blend of breezy gameplay, social interaction and blockchain innovations.

Some of the best Telegram Mini App games to try

• Hamster Kombat – This game allows users to engage in battles with adorable hamsters.
• Catizen – A game where players raise virtual cats.
• Tomarket – A farming game where users cultivate tomatoes and earn tokens.
• Gamee – This app offers a variety of arcade games, including classics like Pac-Man and Space Invaders.
• MemeFi – A social capital based game where players join meme clans and battle bosses.
• X Empire – A fantasy RPG where players embark on quests and expand empires.
• Quizarium – This app offers a variety of quizzes on different topics.
• Chess.com – This app allows users to play chess against other users or against the computer.

Conclusion

We compared Mini App games to Candy Crush’s virality earlier in this article.

Tap-to-earn games not only tap into a similar idea of instant, rewarding feedback – they go further to cement the social aspect, making their appeal that much stronger.

But trends come and go, and it remains to be seen if Telegram is dextrous enough to keep the Mini App platform relevant for the long haul.

For now, it seems that Telegram’s versatility beyond Web 3.0 mobile gaming, coupled with vibrant user base numbers, are signs that it’ll be staying on top of the leaderboard.

Nic Tse is an ex-journalist, writing and editing in the fintech, lifestyle and media spaces since 2012. He’s now covering Web 3.0, blockchain, and crypto stories for aelf, a layer-one AI-enhanced blockchain.

Generated Image: Midjourney