Which game style to choose? All ten styles compared

Picking a game style is the first decision you make, and the one that shapes everything after it. The same person, the same photo and the same birthday theme feel completely different as a one-tap flyer, a retro run and jump, a top-down brawl, a soppy climb through the years, a sprint to the finish line, a kart race against the family, a night holding the fort, a puzzle room or a tiny treasure hunt. Pick right and the game feels made for them. Pick wrong and Grandad is stuck on wave two, muttering.

Here’s how all ten styles compare: what they feel like, how they play, who they suit and how to set the win level so the ending actually gets seen.

One thing takes the pressure off: you’re choosing the style the game opens with, not the only one they get. Every game has a Games button in its menu, so whoever you send it to can switch between all ten with the same characters and the same message at the end, and each style keeps its own leaderboard. So pick the one that suits them best for the first impression.

The ten styles in one minute

• Flappy flyer: tap to flap through themed obstacles. Simple, addictive, quietly infuriating. Best for laughs and leaderboards.
• Platformer: run, jump, collect coins, stomp baddies and beat an end boss. Best for gamers, nostalgic dads and kids.
• Arena battle: survive waves of themed bots in a top-down arena, then beat the boss. Best for rivalries and chaos.
• Story climber: jump upwards through your shared story, milestone by milestone. Best for love, big birthdays and tears.
• Endless runner: your person sprints on their own while you jump, slide and squash baddies all the way to the finish. Best for commuters and anyone who wants a game for the bus.
• Kart racer: tiny karts on a hilly themed track that drive themselves while you hop, grab item boxes and race your cast for a set number of laps. Best for families and siblings.
• Beat-’em-up: walk the street, combo your way through waves of themed baddies, then win a pillow-fight boss battle against one of your cast. Best for siblings, stag and hen dos and leaving dos.
• Survival: hold the fort through the night with your cast on it, then dash about by day carrying snacks to fix it up. Best for zombie fans and group chats that love a crisis.
• Escape room: point-and-tap puzzle rooms full of clues, locks and codes, with your cast as the hint-givers. Best for puzzle lovers and quiz-night champions.
• Quest RPG: a pocket-sized top-down adventure with a sword, a village full of your cast and a treasure behind every mini-quest. Best for explorers and kids who poke into every corner.

All ten use the same characters, every theme and the same endings, and each style keeps its own leaderboard inside your game. They all keep going after the win, too, so there’s always a score to beat. The full line-up lives on the games page.

Flappy flyer: one tap, maximum giggles

What it feels like. Your person flaps through themed obstacles (balloons and rogue candles for a birthday, stray rockets on Bonfire Night) grabbing collectibles, while other cast members fly past to cheer or heckle. Each go lasts seconds. You’ll say “one more” at least nine times.

Controls. Tap the screen, click or press the space bar. That’s all of it.

How hard. Easy to understand, genuinely hard to master.

Who it suits. Group chats, competitive families, siblings, friends who claim they’re “not competitive”, and anyone you’d like to watch fail repeatedly with love.

Best occasions. Birthdays, Christmas, New Year, Halloween, leaving dos and anything where the whole group will play.

Win level advice. The default is 20 points, and you can pick anything from 5 to 200. For non-gamers, 10 to 15 means they’ll see the ending without a tantrum. For keen players, 30 to 50 is a fair challenge. The birthday tradition is to set it to their age, which is lovely for a 7th and character-building for a 70th. After the win, flappy keeps going in endless mode, so the leaderboard stays lively long after the ending.

Platformer: run, jump, stomp the boss

What it feels like. A side-scrolling adventure with proper retro energy. Your person collects coins, stomps themed baddies, grabs power-ups and faces an end boss, who can be another member of the cast.

Controls. Arrow keys and jump on a computer. On phones, big on-screen touch controls appear, so small thumbs and big thumbs both manage.

How hard. Moderate, and fair. The levels are always beatable, so nobody gets stuck on an impossible jump. It rewards a bit of practice without punishing beginners.

Who it suits. Proper gamers, anyone who grew up with a console, nostalgic dads and kids who like to explore.

Best occasions. Birthdays, Father’s Day, Christmas, graduations and new jobs.

Win level advice. The default is 50 coins, and you can pick 10 to 300. For younger children or casual players, 20 to 30 keeps it breezy. For seasoned gamers, push it to 100 or more and let them grumble.

Arena battle: chaos with auto-aim

What it feels like. A top-down arena brawl against waves of themed bots, with pickups everywhere and a final-wave boss who is one of your cast. Colourful, loud and very satisfying.

Controls. Move with WASD or the left thumbstick. Aiming is automatic for beginners, or you can go twin-stick and aim yourself with the mouse or right stick.

How hard. Easy to pick up because of auto-aim, with more depth for anyone who switches to twin-stick.

Who it suits. Siblings, office rivalries, friends with unresolved board-game beef, teenagers and gamers who like a bit of action.

Best occasions. Birthdays between rivals, Halloween (zombies and bats make great waves), Christmas, the office theme for a leaving do, and stag and hen dos.

Win level advice. The default is 3 rounds, and you can pick 1 to 5. One or two rounds suits beginners and short attention spans. Five rounds is for players who’ll treat it as a challenge.

Story climber: the sentimental one

What it feels like. A vertical jumper with heart. As your person climbs, story milestones appear, each with a year and a caption: “2016: we met at the worst party in Leeds”, “2019: you learnt to cook (the smoke alarm learnt to scream)”. At the top, their partner, family or friends are waiting.

Controls. Hold the left or right side of the screen, or use the arrow keys on a computer. Jumping is automatic, so all they do is steer.

Climbing style. When you make it, you choose how it climbs. Classic wraps around the screen edges, so going off one side brings you back on the other. Bouncy walls turns the edges into walls you bounce off. It’s slippery, so speed builds up, and the faster you go the higher you jump. Wall bounces kick you upwards, and jumps that skip several floors chain into combos for extra points.

How hard. In classic style, the gentlest of the ten. It’s about the story, not the skill. Bouncy walls adds a bit of skill for anyone who wants to show off.

Who it suits. Partners, parents, grandparents and anyone who would rather feel something than set a high score.

Best occasions. Anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, milestone birthdays, retirements, weddings and Mother’s or Father’s Day. For ideas on the big numbers, see our milestone birthday ideas, and for couples, our anniversary gift ideas by year.

Win level advice. The default is 6 milestones, and you can have 3 to 12. One milestone per year together works beautifully up to 12 years. For longer stories, pick the 12 moments that matter most rather than cramming. Optional cartoon memory scenes made from your photos are coming soon; for now, the year and caption do the heavy lifting, and good captions do a lot.

Pro tip: Write your story climber captions in order first, then cut to the best ones. A caption with a specific detail (“the tent that flooded in Tenby”) lands far harder than a general one (“our first holiday”).

Endless runner: run, jump, slide, repeat

What it feels like. Your person sprints through a themed world on their own, and all you have to worry about is what’s in the way. Jump the obstacles, slide under the low stuff, land on baddies to squash them, and grab goodies and power-ups as you go. Run the distance and you reach whoever is waiting at the finish (their partner, their mum, the dog) for the ending. Then it keeps going, faster, so the distance leaderboard gets properly silly.

Controls. Tap to jump (every jump is full height) and tap again in mid-air for a double jump. Slide with the ▼ button on a phone, or use Space to jump and the down arrow (or S) to slide on a computer.

How hard. Easy to start, because the running is done for you. The challenge is timing: a double jump at the wrong moment sends you straight into whatever the theme is throwing at you. It rewards a few practice goes, and once the win level is passed it speeds up, which is where the leaderboard gets serious.

Who it suits. Commuters, anyone who plays games in short bursts on their phone, teenagers and anyone whose idea of cardio is running for the bus.

Best occasions. Birthdays, new jobs (a new job game for your best friend), leaving dos, Valentine’s Day for long-distance couples and postcards. A runner along the seafront in the Postcard look, dodging runaway suitcases and collecting stamps, makes a brilliant holiday postcard.

Win level advice. The default is 1,000 metres, and you can pick anywhere from 200 to 10,000. For non-gamers or a younger child, 300 to 500 metres gets them to the ending without tears. For keen players, 2,000 to 3,000 is a fair challenge.

Kart racer: family arguments on four tiny wheels

What it feels like. Side-view karts on a hilly themed track, with your person at the wheel and the rest of your cast as the rival racers. The karts drive themselves; your job is to hop over hazards, launch off the hills for big air and grab the ? item boxes, which give you a boost, a shield or something themed to throw at the kart in front. Arrows on the road are boost pads. Cross the finish line for the ending (first place gets the bragging rights); after that it carries on with endless races for the leaderboard.

Controls. Tap to hop, then tap the item button to use whatever you’ve grabbed. On a computer it’s Space and Shift.

How hard. Easy to start, because nobody has to steer. Winning takes good timing on the hops and the cheek to throw things at your nan.

Who it suits. Families, siblings, competitive friends and anyone who still talks about a board game from 2009. Best occasions: Christmas, birthdays and family reunions.

Win level advice. The win level is a number of laps: 3 by default, anywhere from 1 to 10. One or two laps for little ones and grandparents, 3 for most people, and 5 or more for the cousin who claims they “never lose”.

Beat-’em-up: pillow fights only

What it feels like. A cartoon side-scrolling street with a bit of depth. Your person walks along, punching through waves of themed baddies, then settles it in a pillow-fight boss battle against one of your cast (you choose who gets the Boss role). Strictly comedy violence: pillows, POW! bubbles, nobody gets hurt. After the win it carries on with endless stages for the score leaderboard.

Controls. Walk with the on-screen thumbstick on the left, or arrows or WASD. Tap POW fast for a jab-jab-uppercut combo; jump, then POW in the air for a flying kick. Baddies show a “!” before they swing, so you can step out of the way.

Who it suits. Siblings with decades of unfinished business, stag and hen dos, and leaving dos where the boss is a good sport and plays the boss.

Win level advice. The win level is the number of bosses: 1 by default, up to 3. One boss for most people; three for the sibling who still claims they won that fight in 1998.

Survival: hold the fort till morning

What it feels like. A cosy fort sits in the middle of camp with the rest of your cast standing on it, lobbing things at whatever creeps out of the dark. Your person runs about throwing too. When the sun comes up, it’s snack-run time: carry snacks back to the fort to patch it up and power up your helpers. Survive the nights and you see the dawn, and the ending. Then it keeps going for the leaderboard.

Controls. Drag to move and tap the BIG button for a big throw. On a computer it’s WASD and Shift. Throwing is automatic at night, so you can concentrate on running about.

How hard. Easy to start, because the throwing is done for you. The skill is in the daytime: deciding whether the snacks go on fixing the fort or on powering up your helpers.

Who it suits. Zombie fans, group chats that love a crisis, teenagers, and families who’d love to see Grandad up on the battlements.

Best occasions. Halloween (obviously), Bonfire Night, birthdays, stag and hen dos, and the office theme for a leaving do, because every team knows what holding the fort feels like.

Win level advice. The default is 3 nights, and you can pick 1 to 12. One or two nights suits younger players or a quick laugh. Three is right for most people. Six or more is for anyone who thinks they’d last until the end of a zombie film.

Escape room: crack the code before tea time

What it feels like. A cosy point-and-tap puzzle room in your theme’s colours. Search the rug, the plant pot and the bookshelf, read the notes, then crack a safe keypad, a letter lock and a colour button panel. There’s a scrambled portrait of your cast to put back together, digits that only glow when the lights go off, and things to count (count twice). Your cast stand around the room as the hint-givers, which would help more if their hints did. Escape the rooms before tea time. Every room is different, so it never turns into a memory test.

Controls. Tap or click anything to search it or open it. The keyboard works too.

How hard. Gentle on the fingers, a proper workout for the brain. There are no reflexes involved and the timer is a gentle one. If you’re stuck, ask for a hint: it costs 10 seconds, which is cheaper than a family argument.

Who it suits. Puzzle lovers, quiz-night champions, crossword grandparents and anyone who reads every clue twice. It’s also lovely for two people huddled over one phone.

Best occasions. Birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, Mother’s or Father’s Day, and anything for someone who’d rather think than dodge.

Win level advice. The default is 3 rooms, and you can pick 1 to 10. One or two rooms makes a puzzle for a cup of tea. Three suits most people. Five or more is for the friend who finishes the crossword before breakfast.

Quest RPG: a tiny adventure with a sword

What it feels like. A pocket-sized top-down adventure. You start in a village where your cast live, then head out into a little world of meadows, ponds and hedge mazes. Every treasure sits behind its own mini-quest: baddies guarding a chest, bushes to cut down with your sword, a friend from your cast who has lost their things, a big baddie who drops a key, a hedge maze, and three pressure plates that open a gate. An arrow points to the next thing to do, so nobody wanders about lost for long. There’s someone to find, too: their other half (or whoever is first in your cast) waves them off in the village, runs on ahead, pops up beside each treasure to tease them and is waiting by the last one. There’s a new world every time you play.

Controls. Drag to walk and tap the HIT button to swing your sword. On a computer it’s the arrow keys and Space.

How hard. Moderate and friendly. The arrow keeps you heading the right way and each quest is short. It rewards a bit of exploring more than fast fingers.

Who it suits. Adventurers, explorers, kids who poke into every corner, and grown-ups who still read every sign in every game.

Best occasions. Birthdays, Christmas, graduations, new jobs and Father’s Day.

Win level advice. The default is 5 treasures, and you can pick 1 to 20. Two or three suits younger children or a quick go. Five is right for most people. Ten or more is for someone who fancies a longer adventure.

The big comparison table

Style	Feels like	Controls	Difficulty	Win level	Where your cast appears	After the win	Best for	Top occasions
Flappy flyer	Short, frantic, addictive	Tap, click or space	Easy to learn, hard to master	20 points (5 to 200)	Fly past to cheer or heckle	Keeps going in endless mode	Group chats, families, rivals	Birthday, Christmas, New Year
Platformer	Retro adventure	Arrows and jump, or on-screen pad	Moderate, always beatable	50 coins (10 to 300)	End boss can be one of them	Keeps going for the leaderboard	Gamers, kids, nostalgic dads	Birthday, Father’s Day, graduation
Arena battle	Chaotic brawl	WASD or thumbsticks, auto-aim	Easy with auto-aim	3 rounds (1 to 5)	Final-wave boss is one of them	Keeps going for the leaderboard	Siblings, offices, stag and hen	Halloween, leaving do, stag and hen
Story climber	Sentimental journey	Hold left or right side, or arrows; auto-jump	Gentle (bouncy walls is trickier)	6 milestones (3 to 12)	Waiting at the top	Keeps climbing for the leaderboard	Partners, parents, grandparents	Anniversary, Valentine’s, retirement
Endless runner	Fast, breathless sprint	Tap to jump, slide button; auto-run	Easy to start, timing is everything	1,000 metres (200 to 10,000)	Waiting at the finish	Keeps going, faster, for distance	Commuters, teens, long-distance couples	Birthday, new job, postcard
Kart racer	Hilly, noisy race	Tap to hop, item button; auto-drive	Easy to start, cheeky to win	3 laps (1 to 10)	Rival racers	Endless races for the leaderboard	Families, siblings, rivals	Christmas, birthday, reunions
Beat-’em-up	Comedy pillow scrap	Stick, POW and jump	Easy combos, watch for the “!”	1 boss (up to 3)	The pillow-fight boss	Endless stages for the score	Siblings, stag and hen, offices	Stag and hen, leaving do, birthday
Survival	Cosy siege with snacks	Drag and BIG button, or WASD and Shift; auto-throw	Easy to start, tactical by day	3 nights (1 to 12)	Defending the fort with you	Keeps going for the leaderboard	Zombie fans, group chats, teens	Halloween, Bonfire Night, leaving do
Escape room	Puzzles against the clock	Tap or click, keyboard works too	No reflexes, a brain workout	3 rooms (1 to 10)	Standing about giving hints	Keeps going for the leaderboard	Puzzle lovers, quiz champions, couples	Birthday, Christmas, anniversary
Quest RPG	Tiny treasure-hunting adventure	Drag and HIT button, or arrows and Space	Moderate, an arrow shows the way	5 treasures (1 to 20)	Villagers and quest-givers	Keeps going for the leaderboard	Explorers, kids, curious gamers	Birthday, Christmas, graduation

Quick decision guide: if they…, pick…

• If they live in the family group chat, pick flappy flyer. Short rounds and an endless leaderboard keep the chat busy for days.
• If they own a games console (or used to), pick platformer, and set a higher coin target.
• If they commute, or play games on the bus, pick endless runner. A go fits between stops, and the distance leaderboard gives them something to beat on the way home.
• If they’re your sibling and you’re still not over that Monopoly game, pick arena battle and cast yourself as the final boss, or kart racer with the whole family as rivals, or a beat-’em-up with yourself as the pillow-fight boss.
• If you want them to cry a little, pick story climber with a milestone per year.
• If they love a puzzle, a quiz or a crossword, pick escape room. Nobody needs quick fingers, and your cast are on hand with hints (mostly unhelpful ones).
• If they read every sign and open every chest in every game, pick Quest RPG. There’s a new little world every time, and an arrow so they never get properly lost.
• If they love zombie films, or the group chat loves a crisis, pick survival, and put the whole gang on the fort.
• If they’re a grandparent who rarely plays games, pick story climber, escape room for a crossword fan, or flappy flyer with a low win level of 5 to 10. A birthday game for grandparents often works best as a climb through the family’s story.
• If they’re a young child, pick platformer for the big touch controls and always-beatable levels, story climber for the auto-jump, or Quest RPG with a low treasure count for a first adventure.
• If it’s for a whole office, pick flappy flyer for the leaderboard, or arena battle or beat-’em-up for the boss joke.
• If it’s for your partner, pick story climber for an anniversary, or flappy flyer for a birthday with plenty of in-jokes. A Valentine’s game for your boyfriend can go either way.
• If you really can’t decide, pick flappy flyer. It’s the easiest to love.

Can the same cast star in more than one style?

Yes. All ten styles are live and they all use the same characters, so once your people are drawn they can star in as many games as you like. Make a story climber for the anniversary, then reuse the same cast for a kart race at Christmas or an escape room on a rainy Sunday. Nobody needs drawing twice.

Pro tip: If you’re torn between two styles, make both. Building and playing games with demo characters is free, so play each one for a minute and keep the one that made you laugh more.

Once you’ve chosen, our walkthrough on how to make a personalised video game takes you through every remaining decision, and the cheeky mode vs family mode guide helps you set the tone.