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As billions of people enter their second month in isolation, the need for fun, social interaction has never been higher. Like elsewhere, many smartphone users in LATAM are turning to mobile games to help them recreate pre-virus fun with friends and family, or just stay entertained while cooped up at home.
Why are these apps so popular during COVID-19?
“As the quarantine goes on, people are using these apps not just as a way to pass their time, but also in order to connect with their friends,” says the editor of Spanish-language tech publication Social Geek, Sergio Ramos.
“These games apps have gained popularity recently through word of mouth, as well as people sending invitations to their friends to spend some virtual time together. Given that many of these apps can be connected to users’ Facebook accounts and access their friends list, they also let people regain contact with old friends and acquaintances that they might not have otherwise spoken to,” Sergio explains.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the top mobile games in LATAM right now.
Parchis Star
Fans of Parqués, the popular Colombian board game, are in luck as it has been reimagined into the Parchis Star games app, which is taking countries like Mexico and Colombia by storm.
The app, which stays true to the original rules of the Parqués board game where players progress across the board based on the rolls of the dice, offers the same aesthetic and lets users compete with one or more other players. Users can chat during the game, personalize their own boards, and winners even get prizes. The app is free and already boasts more than ten million Play Store downloads.
Stop
Stop is a turn-based game where players have to write down words for each of the five randomly selected categories. Now in app form, users can virtually play against each other and find friends using personalized nicknames, by connecting through Facebook, or via Game Center, Apple’s social gaming network. Available in both Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese, the fast-paced gaming app is sweeping LATAM right now.
UNO!
A familiar family favorite across the globe thanks to its easy-to-understand rules and fast pace, downloads of the UNO! app are now increasing in LATAM as isolation measures prevent usual friends and family members from meeting up for a game.
The UNO! app allows players to “Buddy Up” and play in 2v2 mode, as well as get all their friends together in the “Fun Room” to play a game with their favorite house rules. Also offering players the chance to hold tournaments and win prizes, it’s no wonder the app-based version of this household classic is thriving across LATAM.
Houseparty
Houseparty is the perfect combination of virtual socialization and playing fun games with the people you miss. The app lets users video call up to seven other friends and family members, and once in the call, users can play games including word association game Chips and Guac, Heads Up, Quick Draw, and Trivia. In the month of March alone, Houseparty saw a record-breaking 50 million sign-ups and became the number one social app in 82 countries, many of those in LATAM.
Preguntados
Preguntados is the ultimate app for Spanish-speaking trivia lovers. The roulette is divided into six parts, including categories such as art, sport, geography, and entertainment, and players can invite friends to be their opponent and even chat with them during the game. With hundreds of thousands of potential questions and the chance to even create their own questions, LATAM mobile users are scratching their trivia itch with this virtual version of a family classic.
Whether it means being quizzed on trivia, recreating a classic board game, or simply keeping up with friends from a distance, there’s no doubt that LATAM mobile users are relishing the fun to be had and connections made thanks to mobile games.
Learn more about the LATAM mobile market at MGS GVC 1.0.
