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5 Best NFT Games in 2022
Harry Stewart
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August 18, 2022
Although Non-Fungible Token (NFT) gaming is in its infancy, the exciting new concept could be the next big thing. A slew of innovative new titles are already competing for consumer crypto-wallets, and big-name developers are sure to soon get on board.
But like any emerging technology — especially in the blockchain space — NFT gaming can confuse some newcomers. To help demystify the platform, we’re providing some essential background info on NFTs, how they can intertwine with gaming, and how to get started.
And to kick start your NFT gaming journey, we’ll cover the top five titles in 2022. From monster-rearing adventures to Minecraft-style creation games, our picks span a wide range of genres.
What are NFTs?
An NFT is a modern blockchain innovation that allows the creator to secure ownership and retain the scarcity of a digital file.
Any digital file could be an NFT, from JPG pixel art to virtual real estate or an MP3 tune — or, an item in an NFT game. Transforming a file into a blockchain token enables the community to buy, sell, and trade ownership efficiently with a reduced fraud risk.
While others can create copies of an NFT file, they can’t replicate the ownership. Consider art as an analogy. Anyone can re-print a Picasso (copyright infringement notwithstanding). However, the original painting doesn’t lose its scarcity and remains valuable to collectors. NFTs take the same collectable-value concept into the digital realm.
The NFT differs from cryptocurrency as it represents a unique digital asset. Crypto coins, on the other hand, are not unique since your Bitcoin is no different to anyone else’s Bitcoin.
However, NFTs and crypto are similar because they use the same blockchain technology. A blockchain, in essence, is a shared, unhackable ledger that lets you securely record transactions and track assets. For better or worse, NFTs are tied to cryptocurrency values.
What are NFT games?
NFT games incorporate secure blockchain tokens into their mechanics to create a unique, decentralised gaming experience. When a player collects or unlocks an asset in the game, they retain ownership as an NFT.
So, when you slaughter a high-level boss and loot a sweet new broadsword, for example, you become the sole owner of the weapon. Essentially, you’re a part-owner of the game. These digital assets — items, skins, characters, collectables, etc. — can be traded with other players via an in-game blockchain-operated marketplace.
Although traditional online games also let you trade through in-house marketplaces, the developer retains ownership of the assets. Many monetise these in-game assets through the controversial micro-transaction model. Players pay real-world cash to use an item in the game, even though they never truly own the digital asset.
With NFT games, the player obtains ownership of their new digital asset, which is stored securely on a verifiable blockchain ledger as a unique NFT. But more importantly, many NFT games follow the lauded earn-to-play model. In this business model, they can trade their newly-earned digital assets on external NFT marketplaces. These assets can subsequently be cashed in for traditional real-world currency.
Not all NFT games follow the play-to-earn model, some are purely for play. And those that do won’t necessarily offer a lucrative income. Point being, we don’t recommend quitting your day job just yet to make a living playing NFT games.
How to start playing NFT games
Even though many NFT games are free-to-play, you’ll need a cryptocurrency wallet to get started. All NFT games offer tokens as rewards, and a crypto wallet lets you store these securely.
Look for something that works well with Ethereum, the preferred cryptocurrency in the NFT gaming space. Many NFT gamers recommend MetaMask.
You’ll need to take the following steps to get started:
- Obtain a crypto wallet
- Connect your crypto wallet to the game via its website
- Start playing the game
Some play-to-earn games require you to pay a cryptocurrency fee before you can begin your virtual adventure. Most prefer Ethereum, which is why MetaMask is a popular choice with a good reputation for that particular crypto coin.
Free-to-play NFT games, however, don’t require any upfront investment, so there’s no need to purchase Ethereum.
Finally, all NFT games have a unique currency, which you use to buy upgrades, often from other players, inside the game. For example, Axie Infinity uses AXS tokens, and Sandland runs on SAND tokens. You can purchase your preferred tokens through an online NFT marketplace, like OpenSea, and store them in your crypto wallet.
5 Best NFT Games in 2022
As the NFT gaming scene has yet to hit the mainstream, you won’t see any blockbuster AAA titles just yet. However, several big-name developers, like Ubisoft and Square Enix, have announced plans to enter the space.
Nonetheless, currently, most NFT games are low-budget, indie releases with relatively rudimentary graphics (Grit and Star Atlus are two notable exceptions).
But that’s not to say they aren’t fun. These early pioneers provide an exciting insight into the endless possibilities of NFT gaming. Creative gameplay, immersive world-building, and engaging in-game economies make today’s top titles worthy of your time and, perhaps, even a few of your hard-earned tokens.
For anyone with a dual interest in blockchain technology and gaming, it makes sense to dabble in NFT games. From a space exploration saga to a fantasy battle card game, these are our top five NFT titles in 2022.
Best Card Game: Gods Unchained
Led by the director of “Magic: The Gathering Arena,” this fantasy battle card game is an obvious choice for fans of the series. Like the Wizards of the Coasts’ award-winning tabletop game, players pit their best card combinations against other contenders. Each collectable card has distinct strengths and weaknesses, and the gameplay involves a significant degree of strategy.
Although it sounds rife for pay-to-win domination, the Gods Unchained game is refreshingly skill-based. Players often win matches through clever scheming rather than the strength of their hand. Earn powerful new cards as you progress, which you can buy or sell via the Immutable X crypto marketplace.
Best Virtual Pet Game: Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is a hugely popular monster-rearing game where players raise all sorts of weird and wonderful creatures. The game starts by giving you three pets you must nurture and eventually breed. Like in real life, each new generation inherits the genetic attributes of their parents.
The idea is to crossbreed exotic new beasts with desirable attributes, which can be sold or traded on Ethereum NFT marketplaces. The highest-selling creature went for a whopping US$820,000, so there’s money to be made. Around 2.8 million people play the game daily and spend billions of dollars through the marketplace yearly. As a result, it’s widely considered one of the best NFT games on mobile and PC.
Best Battle Royale: Grit
Battle Royale fans will love this western-themed shooter. Inspired by blockbusters like Fortnite and Apex Legends, the objective of Grit is to remain the last man standing. But rather than just gunning your opponents down, the player must hijack the final train on the map. It’s an innovative twist on the classic battle royale formula that rewards cooperation and solo play.
The play-to-earn game lets you use NFTs to customise your skins, boost your abilities, and unlock new guns. A free-to-play mode allows you to earn some NFTs, although the scope is somewhat limited if you don’t put any tokens in yourself. Nonetheless, near AAA-level graphics and innovative gameplay offer a glimpse of what’s in store for NFT gaming in the future.
Best Creation Game: The Sandbox
This widely popular creator platform lets users accumulate digital assets and transform them into re-sellable NFTs. Like an NFT-powered version of Minecraft, the platform gives you the option of building assets and playing games. The key difference is you own the fruits of your labour, which you can sell for tokens through its in-built marketplace.
The Sandbox lets you explore other players’ custom-built worlds and vote on new metaverse mechanics. Minecraft fans who’ve spent countless hours crafting their majestic blocky kingdoms should give this one a good hard look.
Best Exploration Game: Star Atlus
Similar to No Man’s Sky, this epic intergalactic saga sees you soar through the outer reaches of space. Players accumulate NFT resources by mining lucrative materials, which can be traded through the in-game marketplace or used to upgrade their fleet. PvP fiends will be pleased to hear large-scale spaceship battles are a core, although optional, game component.
AAA-level graphics and immersive gameplay push this promising NFT title closer to mainstream gaming. Although there’s no free-to-play mode in Star Atlus, the initial investment is modest for avid space exploration fans. It’s available to play now, but you’ll have to wait until the end of 2022 for the full release.
Summary
We’ve covered a fraction of the bewildering array of NFT games available today. As the blockchain-enabled model becomes more popular, we can expect more well-known IP from big-name developers to join the ranks. Who knows? We might see non-fungible Super Mario mushrooms sometime soon.
Jumping on the NFT gaming bandwagon now will allow you to familiarise yourself with the exciting technology before it becomes the next big thing. Dedicate enough playtime, and you could even earn some extra cash in the process.
About the Author: Harry Stewart is a Canberra-based freelance writer covering everything from travel to tech.
