A mockup of a hidden object game. The player might be instructed to find a pair of binoculars, a lion, and a purple ribbon.
A hidden object game, also called hidden picture or hidden object puzzle adventure (HOPA), is a subgenre of puzzle video games in which the player must find items from a list that are hidden within a scene. Hidden object games are a popular trend in casual gaming.[1][2] Time-limited trial versions of these games are usually available for download, although many are free to download on app stores. They primarily make money through in-app purchases and ads. Popular themes include detective crime stories, adventure, gothic romance, and mystery.[3]
Definition
In a hidden object game, the player wanders from one place to another to discover objects that allow the player to finish the game. The player adds objects to their inventory. A hidden object puzzle within the game provides more objects or clues that will assist the playing in completing the game.[4]
Hidden object games (HOGs) are categorized into several subtypes based on gameplay:
HO/HOG (Hidden Object Game): The classic format where players find objects based on word lists.
AHOG (Adventure-Hidden Object Game): Combines hidden object scenes with narrative-driven exploration and puzzles.
iHOG (Interactive Hidden Object Game): Features interactive elements and advanced adventure mechanics, requiring object manipulation and puzzle-solving.
FrOG (Fragmented Object Game): Players search for object fragments to assemble into a whole.
HOPA (Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure): Focuses heavily on puzzles and point-and-click adventure gameplay alongside hidden object scenes.
Each subcategory offers a unique mix of object-finding and other gameplay elements.
Boosters and hints in hidden object games are essential tools that enhance gameplay and help players progress through levels. Here is a list of some common types of boosters and hints:
Magnifying Glass: Highlights the item, helping players locate specific objects.
Zoom Booster: Allows better focus on intricate areas within the scene.
Time Extensions: Adds extra time to complete levels, useful in timed challenges.
Some boosters are accessible as daily rewards or can be obtained through in-game currency.
History
Hidden object games originated in print publications such as the I Spy books or a regular feature in Highlights for Children, in which the reader was given a list of objects to find hidden in a cluttered illustration or photograph.[3] An early hidden object game was Mother Goose: Hidden Pictures, released for the CD-i in 1991. Other early incarnations are the video game adaptations of the I Spy books published by Scholastic Corporation since 1997.[3]
Mystery Case Files: Huntsville, released by Big Fish Games in 2005, came at the rise of casual gaming in the mid-2000s. Mystery Case Files: Huntsville established many of the principles in both gameplay and narrative that would be predominant in hidden object games since then.[3]
More recently within indie games, new takes on the hidden object genre have changed the approach. For example, Hidden Folks is considered more of a searching game, where the players have to find one character among hundreds on the screen that look similar to each other, similar to Where's Wally?.[3]
Popularity
Huntsville broke prior sales of casual games, and the series' third iteration Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst was the third best-selling game on personal computers during the end-of-year sales period of 2007. This motivated gaming companies to expend in this sort of storytelling that focuses on puzzles with little animation.[3]
Hidden object games draw players who were fans of games like Myst.[3] In 2021, Big Fish Games' player base was 85% female, 76% of whom were over the age of 55.[3]
