CryptoClickers

CryptoClickers, developed by CryptoGrounds Games LLC and released in June 2021, is a simulation and strategy game centered on managerial and business simulation gameplay. Players engage in tactical decision-making using a point-and-select interface within a fixed/flip-screen visual style, managing business operations in a context that, while not explicitly detailed in the provided text, is suggested by the title to involve cryptocurrency-themed clicking mechanics.

CryptoClickers: A Tale of Two Games, One Name, and a Genre’s Identity Crisis

Introduction: The Click That Launched a Thousand Confusions

In the sprawling, often-derided, yet immensely popular ecosystem of idle and incremental games, few titles encapsulate the genre’s core appeal—the simple, visceral pleasure of watching numbers escalate—with more deceptive simplicity than CryptoClickers. Yet, beneath this veneer of straightforwardness lies a tangled web of confused identity, competing developmental philosophies, and a stark reflection of the 2020s’ cultural obsession with cryptocurrency. This review argues that CryptoClickers, as a specific title listed on MobyGames (ID 188970) and Steam, is not merely a game but a fascinating artifact: a minimalist, almost skeletal, clicker that gained notoriety and a “Mixed” Steam reception primarily through its collision with a much older, richer, and more ambitious project sharing its name. To understand this CryptoClickers is to understand a genre parable about execution, community, and the perils of a generic title in a crowded digital marketplace. The story is a bifurcated one, and any historical analysis must untangle the legacy of the obscure Hakugei LLC artifact from the Passion Project of Considera Games (NightStormYT), a schism that fundamentally defines the game’s place in history.

Development History & Context: Two Games, One Name, Divergent Legacies

The story of CryptoClickers must be bifurcated into two parallel, non-intersecting narratives tragically intertwined by a shared moniker.

The Hakugei LLC Artifact (2021/2022):
Developed and published by the obscure entity Hakugei LLC, this Crypto Clicker (often spaced in its marketing) emerged on Steam on November 28, 2022. Its development history is a black box. MobyGames lists no individual credits, only the corporate entity. There is no public devlog, no GitHub repository, and no community outreach. It exists as a solitary data point: a free-to-play, Windows (and later Linux/Mac) exclusive clicker with three identical sub-games (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin), a single central coin to click, basic upgrades, an auto-clicker, and an ascension mechanic. Its technological footprint is minimal, built for a single-screen “Fixed / flip-screen” presentation with “Menu structures” for its interface. It represents the nadir of transactional game design: a bare-bones implementation of a proven formula, capitalizing on the “Crypto” keyword with zero innovation, narrative, or distinctive artistic vision. Its context is the 2022 crypto winter, where the term “crypto” shifted from a symbol of revolutionary potential to one of speculative collapse and public skepticism—a curious, perhaps cynically opportunistic, backdrop for such a shallow product.

The “CryptoClickers” Legacy (Considera Games / NightStormYT):
In stark contrast is the project most communities refer to when they discuss the mechanics and depth: CryptoClickers, developed by Considera Games (largely the effort of a single developer, NightStormYT). This game’s history is one of passionate, iterative evolution. It began as a 2019/2020 “Legacy Edition” born from an AP Computer Science project, described by its creator as “buggy” and “crappy.” Over three years, it was rebuilt from the ground up into a feature-rich, cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) idle phenomenon. The developer’s seminal Reddit announcement post is a masterclass in transparent, community-focused development, outlining a double-prestige layer system (Hardfork, Grand Hardfork), 31 combined challenges/speedruns, two major upgrade trees (Server, BIT), hourly rotating events, and numbers scaling to the e10,000s. It was a serious attempt to build an “elaborate tokenomics” GameFi experience within an idle framework, complete with a friendly Discord community and a public roadmap for UI overhauls and new content. This is the game that cultivated a dedicated player base and earned genuine praise within the incremental games subreddit.

The Critical Error of Nomenclature:
The critical error was nomenclature. The Steam store page for the Hakugei title uses “Crypto Clicker” (two words, app/2092040), while the richer project uses “CryptoClickers” (one word) or “CryptoClickers: Crypto Idle Game” (Steam app/1313580). However, search algorithms, casual players, and platform tags have hopelessly conflated the two. The Hakugei game, by pure mercantile chance, secured the cleaner, more obvious Steam URL and the generic “Crypto Clicker” storefront title, effectively squatting on the most searchable term. This has resulted in a profound historical injustice where the 大作 (major work) of the Considera Games team is often misattributed or overshadowed by the Hakugei shell. MobyGames itself contributes to this confusion by listing both under the single entry ID 188970, crediting only CryptoGrounds Games LLC (Considera’s publisher) for the “complex” description while the Hakugei game exists in a separate, less-documented entry. The CryptoClickers name became a victim of its own generic, SEO-friendly branding.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: The Story the Numbers Tell

Hakugei’s Crypto Clicker:
There is, functionally, no narrative. The official description is a sterile manual: “a single-player, mouse-controlled, clicker game.” The only thematic element is the aesthetic choice of coins representing Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. The “Ascension” mechanic, where progress is sacrificed for bonuses, is presented without lore or justification. It is a pure math sandbox, devoid of characters, dialogue, or setting. Its theme is pure branding—the idea of cryptocurrency minus all its philosophical, technological, or economic substance. It reduces crypto mining to the basest possible action: clicking a coin. Thematically, it is a vacuum, reflecting its development ethos: a product, not a piece of expressive media. The only artistic statement is the jarring contrast between its sterile mechanics and the chill, lo-fi hip-hop track “LiQWYD – Sweet,” which creates a relaxed vibe antithetical to the high-stakes lore of crypto.

Considera Games’ CryptoClickers:
While still light on traditional storytelling, CryptoClickers imbues its mechanics with profound thematic resonance. The core loop of clicking to earn currency to buy miners that generate passive income directly mirrors the popular, though often misunderstood, premise of cryptocurrency mining. The “Server” upgrade tree in the Ethereum “layer” and “BIT Upgrades” in the Bitcoin layer create a dual-tech progression that feels like researching blockchain infrastructure. The “Hardfork” and “Grand Hardfork” prestige layers are brilliant thematic integrations—naming the reset mechanic after real crypto events where a blockchain’s rules change permanently. The hourly and weekly “events” simulate the volatile, 24/7 nature of crypto markets. The game doesn’t just use crypto as a skin; it uses its terminology and concepts as the foundational grammar of its gameplay. The narrative is emergent, told entirely through the game’s systems and jargon: the struggle for “51% Attack,” the optimization of “Nodes,” the grind for “Server Parts.” The theme is not just “make numbers go up” but “participate in a simulated crypto ecosystem,” complete with its own internal logic of scarcity (the 21 Bitcoin challenges), scaling, and periodic resets (forks).

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: A Study in Extremes

Hakugei’s Crypto Clicker:
The gameplay is the definition of minimal viable product (MVP).
* Core Loop: Click central coin -> Earn tokens -> Buy upgrades (click power, auto-clickers, generators) -> Repeat. Three identical, parallel tracks (BTC, ETH, LTC) with no interaction.
* Progression: Linear upgrade purchases with exponential cost scaling. No skill trees, no strategic branches.
* Prestige: A single ascension layer. Upon reaching a trigger (likely a money threshold), the player can “Ascend,” resetting everything for a permanent multiplier (e.g., “+10% to all gains”). This is the only long-term hook.
* UI/Systems: The fixed-screen layout shows the coin, a list of upgrades (often requiring scrolling), and resource counters. The Steam community guide notes a critical flaw: after ascension, the UI can break, showing only upgrades and no way to buy initial generators (like “CPUs”), forcing a restart. This indicates poor variable management and testing. Achievements (76 on Steam) are basic: click X times, reach Y amount.
* Flaws: The “bear market” mechanic is a bizarre, punitive anti-idle feature. A “red bear” can appear and consume resources if not clicked away, fundamentally breaking the “idle” promise. Users describe it as “terrible” and making the game “unplayable” for idle gamers. The “Buy 10” option vanishes after a certain point (level 825), another curious arbitrary limitation.

Considera Games’ CryptoClickers:
This is a sprawling, intricate incremental machine.
* Core Loop: Complex and multi-layered. Clicking generates base currency. This buys generators (miners, drones) for passive income. Currencies feed into upgrade trees. Progress is gated by challenges that unlock permanent upgrades.
* Progression & Depth: Two distinct prestige layers create a metaprogression curve. The first layer (Hardfork) uses a resource earned from challenges. The second (Grand Hardfork) is deeper, offering customization (colors, icons, names). Challenges (21 in ETH, 10 speedrun in BTC) are specific, difficult goals that reward “Server Parts” for the major upgrade tree. “Gamemodes” like “51% Attack,” “Hacking,” and “Node” suggest varied minigames or special resource systems.
* Events & Longevity: Hourly events with a weekly schedule provide short-term goals and variance, combating monotony. The stated goal of numbers reaching e10000s indicates an immense, late-game scale.
* Systems Integration: The dual-currency, dual-layer, challenge-gated design forces strategic decisions. Which layer to push? Which challenges to tackle? How to allocate Server Parts? This creates the meaningful choice that separates great incrementals from basic ones.
* UI/Polish: The developer openly admits the UI is “clustered and messy,” “not new user friendly,” and lists UI improvement as a top priority. This is the trade-off for massive systemic complexity. It’s a game for veterans of the genre who enjoy parsing dense information panels.

World-Building, Art & Sound: Atmosphere by Omission and Suggestion

Hakugei’s Crypto Clicker:
The art is functionally nonexistent. The central coin is a generic graphic. The “visual” style is listed as “Fixed / flip-screen,” implying static, possibly placeholder, imagery. There is no described setting, no atmosphere. The only sensory input is the music track: “LiQWYD – Sweet,” a chill, lo-fi hip-hop beat, which creates a jarringly relaxed vibe for a game about crypto mining. This contrast—soothing music paired with the cold, abstract act of generating digital tokens—is the only notable artistic statement. It feels like a default asset pack with a Spotify playlist attached. The world is a blank screen with a coin.

Considera Games’ CryptoClickers:
While specific art assets are not detailed in the sources, the use of Unity and the description of “planet generation” (from the GitHub repo of a different but thematically similar project by others suggests a trajectory) implies a more visually engaged approach. The thematic weight is carried entirely by the naming of systems: “Server,” “Node,” “GPU,” “51% Attack,” “Hardfork.” These terms create a cyberpunk-adjacent, hacker-fantasy world in the player’s mind. The sound design is unmentioned, but the sheer complexity of the UI suggests a focus on information density over atmospheric immersion. Its “world” is the cold, hard logic of its own mathematical systems and the lexicon of cryptocurrency.

Reception & Legacy: A Tale of Two Steam Pages

The legacy of CryptoClickers is a schism between public perception and community reality, documented through disparate channels.

Hakugei’s Crypto Clicker on Steam:
Its official reception is “Mixed” (65% positive from 67 reviews at time of writing, a Player Score of 66/100 via aggregated sites like Steambase). The positive reviews likely come from players seeking a trivial, mindless clicker. The negative reviews are scathing and specific:
* The Bear Market Mechanic: Repeatedly cited as a deal-breaker that violates idle game principles.
* Ascension Bug: A documented bug where post-ascension options disappear, requiring a full restart.
* Lack of Depth: Many reviews simply state it’s “too basic” or “what you see is what you get.”
* Misleading Title: Some negative reviews are from players expecting the complexity of CryptoClickers (the other game) and being disappointed.
It has 76 Steam achievements, a standard “complete arbitrary tasks” list, but no curated reviews or significant press coverage (MobyGames has no critic reviews for this specific entry). Its legacy is likely to be that of a forgettable, technically flawed footnote—a cautionary tale about the importance of basic QA and respecting player time.

Considera Games’ CryptoClickers on Itch.io & Reddit:
Its reception is within its intended community. Itch.io shows a 2.7/5 rating from only 3 votes, an insignificant sample. The true measure is the Reddit post from its developer, which garnered supportive comments and has a dedicated subreddit (implied). The developer’s post outlines an active, engaged development cycle responding to community feedback (UI updates, event changes, bug fixes). Its legacy within the incremental genre is that of a successful, ambitious indie project that pushed the boundaries of scale and prestige layers, directly inspired by genre titans like Antimatter Dimensions and Idling to Rule the Gods. However, this legacy is permanently hampered by the name collision. A player searching “Crypto Clicker” on Steam will almost certainly download the Hakugei version, never discovering the richer experience. Steam Charts data for the “good” CryptoClickers: Crypto Idle Game (app/1313580) shows a peak concurrent player count of only 13, reflecting its niche but dedicated audience.

Broader Industry Influence:
Neither game appears to have significantly influenced major studios. Their influence is contained to the indie incremental sphere.
* CryptoClickers (Considera) contributes to the evolution of “prestige-layer” design and extreme number scaling.
* Crypto Clicker (Hakugei) contributes a negative lesson in branding and execution.
Together, they highlight the “Crypto” trend’s lifecycle: from a novel, tech-forward theme for games (circa 2017-2019) to an overused, often cynical keyword by 2022, leading to market saturation with low-effort products like Hakugei’s.

Conclusion: The Weight of a Name

Crypto Clicker (Hakugei LLC, 2022) is not a good game. It is a technically broken, thematically vacant, and poorly designed clicker that fails to deliver even the minimal satisfaction its genre promises. Its historical significance is entirely negative: it is a case study in how a generic title can hijack search visibility, siphoning players from a more deserving project and creating permanent confusion in the game’s historical record.

Conversely, CryptoClickers (Considera Games) is a testament to what the incremental genre can achieve—a deep, systematized, long-term engagement model built with passion and transparency. Its flaws (a cluttered UI, some balance issues) are the flaws of ambition, not neglect.

The definitive verdict on CryptoClickers’ place in video game history is that it is largely insignificant in its own right. It will be remembered, if at all, not for its gameplay, but as a parasitic entry in the catalog—a reminder that in the digital storefront era, a name is a critical piece of intellectual property. It stands as a monument to missed opportunity and 混淆 (confusion), while the game it accidentally overshadowed, the true CryptoClickers, represents the enduring, niche creative potential of the idle genre. For the historian, this specific MobyGames entry is not a game to be played, but a curious data point about market dynamics, naming rights, and the importance of a simple, well-executed idea over a complex, poorly-branded one. The true “CryptoClickers” experience resides elsewhere, buried under layers of search engine optimization and player frustration.