NFT games are a quickly growing market within the crypto-verse, with millions of people playing them every day. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are a huge reason people engage in these games. Players hunt them down virtually and swap them as they become tradable items worth actual capital that can be converted into your favorite fiat currency (such as USD).
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NFTs are a new type of digital asset used as proof that you own something valuable in the digital world. NFTs can be artwork, videos, images, GIFS, or even useful consumables in a game. Each token is unique and has its own history, making it valuable to collectors and others who appreciate its distinct features.
NFTs can be used in games where the user can gain increased abilities, strength, aesthetic qualities, and so on. Of course, the only value NFTs for games have is what we give them. If people stop playing the game or it becomes less popular, the value for the NFTs will also decline.
If you read our guide on how to make money with Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs, you know the potential this market brings. However, due to the volatile nature of the broader market, this is not something to invest in without full knowledge of the high risks involved.
What Are the Best NFT Games? Our Top 12 Picks
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are non-interchangeable pieces of data stored on a blockchain, meaning that each token is different from the next. This makes them perfect for use in games, where players can own tokens with specific characteristics and utilities. With all this in mind, this page will cover 12 different blockchain-based NFT games where you can play and earn NFTs.
1. Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is a game that allows players to collect and battle digital creatures called Axies. Each Axie is an NFT that can be bought or sold in or outside of the game. They can also fight with other players in the game’s competitive arena. If you are already prone to playing turn-based fighting games, getting started with Axie Infinity could prove to be a way to turn your hobby into something lucrative over time.
Like what you might expect from Pokemon, Axie Infinity clearly received inspiration from the popular franchise. However, it is not a CCG (Collectible Card Game) or your ordinary console game. But instead, an immersive turn-based battle game in which players collect and battle other Axies.
The game also has two native ERC-20 utility tokens used for in-game currency and governance. Each Axie can be built to be unique and sold to other players interested in building up their strength on the platform.
2. CryptoKitties
CryptoKitties is an online collectible game that allows users to buy, sell, or trade digital kitties. You must have ethereum to purchase your first digital furry friend when you start the game. If you are a fan of cats and owning original art pieces, CryptoKitties might be a good NFT game to get started with.
Once you buy your first digital kitty, you now own a digital cat as an NFT on the Ethereum blockchain. From there, you then receive the ability to buy, sell, or breed your digital cat. Since each cat is unique and has a 256-bit distinct genome with 12 different attributes that can be passed down to baby cats, people can have much fun on this platform.
The game itself has no goal or purpose. Perhaps the most likely use is for you to take your virtual cat and frame it up on your wall, showing it off to anybody who enters your home.
3. The Sandbox 3D
The Sandbox is an NFT game similar to the highly-popular Minecraft game. As the name suggests, the gameplay takes place in a virtual sandbox where the players can manipulate it however they want, building and destroying items as they please.
It is best described as a multiplayer sandbox game. A native ERC-20 token (SAND) can be used to buy and sell in-game items and even digital real estate (LAND), which is treated as an NFT on the Ethereum blockchain. When you purchase real estate in The Sandbox, you can wait for it to increase in value before reselling it.
Considering the vast amount of time that people invest in games like Minecraft without receiving any financial benefit in return, getting started with Sandbox is a great option to consider. Especially if you want to turn your hobby of being creative in a digital metaverse into something which benefits you in real life.
4. Alien Worlds
Alien Worlds is another Minecraft-like NFT game where players can build and customize their own planets with the tools available. The gameplay is fun and exciting as you explore the world around you, discovering new creatures, friends, enemies, and maybe even a few valuable NFTs along the way.
This is an NFT metaverse project where players can buy and sell land, tools, minions, weapons, avatars, and so on as NFTs. The different planets in Alien Worlds are DAOs where the players have full voting rights and control. The native currency is Trilium (TLM), a cross-chain token used on the WAX, Etherum, and Binance blockchains.
Perhaps the most unique thing about this game is its space theme. To gain more influence on the planet, players need to get as much TLM as possible. In addition, there are multiple different planets which the governing players can customize.
5. Sorare
Sorare is a fantasy soccer game where you can collect cards that can be used for competitions. The cards come in a range of scarcity and are minted as NFTs. The most immediate target audience for Sorare are fans of soccer and anyone who wants to turn their interest in soccer into something potentially lucrative.
One remarkable aspect of this NFT game is that each card has its own identifier, making it completely unique for each person holding a card of the same player. When you own a Sorare NFT card, it is yours forever unless you choose to sell it.
When you have cards, you can use them to compete in weekly competitions, much like what you would expect if you are familiar with fantasy sports. The player’s performance determines your score.
As Sorare continues to grow in popularity, it is expected that scarce cards will become more expensive as other players are willing to spend more money to acquire them. Therefore, getting started in this game is a good idea, especially if you are a die-hard soccer fan seeking a means of monetizing your interests.
6. Decentraland
Decentraland, as the name implies, is a decentralized metaverse where the players have complete control over what happens and what is okay and not okay. All you need is a wallet such as MetaMask and your own unique avatar to get started.
Using the native token MANA, you can purchase the game’s many land plots as an NFT. You will be able to design your own virtual real estate plot, including a market, shops, entertainment, and even your own virtual university!
Many people use Decentraland to meet new people, shop for NFTs, and even gamble at a virtual casino! Your avatar in Decentraland can also be customized using NFTs purchased with MANA. This can include a variety of clothes, effects, and so on.
Due to the recent popularity and spiking prices of real estate in Decentraland, it would be easy for one to assume that this growth has not quite seen its peak. Since it is free to play, though, this is a great place to start if you want to see what all the hype behind metaverse projects is all about.
7. Gold Fever
Gold Fever is an NFT game with a jungle theme where players engage in an RPG survival game where NFT items can be used to harness extra powers and increase your overall combat capabilities. Like World of Warcraft, Gold Fever is an online RPG that focuses on building and improving the user’s character.
Gold can be earned as a reward for collecting tools and mining. It can also be used to purchase NFT items in the game, giving you more abilities and powers. Unless you want to buy gold, you will need to build and harvest it manually using tools that you can make using in-game assets.
NFTs for this game include clothes, companions, weapons, and aesthetic NFTs that can make your avatar unique. Of course, NFTs earned in Gold Fever can be bought and sold on exchanges by anybody interested in the game.
8. Gods Unchained
Gods Unchained is a free-to-play collectible card game, where players build their own decks from cards they get from opening packs or by winning them in competition against other players in PVP matchups. Instead of pure luck, this game is based on strategy and skill.
Each of the cards is backed as an NFT ERC-721 token. Each has its own unique attributes and powers. There is also a native ERC-20 token (GODS) that powers the game’s economic activity. To get cards from other players, you can try to use your cards and beat them in battle, or you can simply buy the card outright on a marketplace.
Games like this are a great way to potentially monetize your interest in card games, which would otherwise have no financial benefit. Indeed, this is one of the top reasons that people are, in droves, starting to play NFT games like Gods Unchained.
9. Battle Racers
Battle Racers is a PvP collectible racing game clearly inspired by giants such as Super Mario Kart. Instead of having standard vehicles and weapons that all players equally share access to, Battle Racers lets players create unique cars and weapons using NFTs to make things more exciting.
Imagine playing a racing game where you can craft your own vehicle and weapons using parts that are NFTs and not easily accessible to anyone. This is the whole idea behind Battle Racers, which uses NFTs to bring in more excitement and unpredictability to the world of racing games.
Outstanding players will quickly be able to craft a car that inherently dominates other players on the track. If you reach this point, you might find it most beneficial to simply list your vehicle on the marketplace and sell it to somebody else willing to pay cash for an extra boost in the game.
10. Etherbots
The concept of Etherbots is simple. Using four main parts (body, defense arm, turret, and melee arm) and different rarity NFTs, players can create their own robot and start a quest to be the best robot pilot.
Each part is equipped with its own stats, which players can improve by winning 1v1 duels with other players or simply buying them on the marketplace. Each Etherbot is unique and an ERC721 token, giving the player full ownership of the robot, which can be both purchased and sold.
Due to the rarity of different parts, no two robots are the same. This allows each user to create their own unique robot to improve, increase in value, and even sell for real money as an NFT. To make some money, a player would need to win some duels and get parts that put them at an advantage over most players before selling their robot.
11. Star Atlas
Star Atlas is an NFT game built on the Solana blockchain. Imagining a world in the future where civilization has become interstellar, players can create their own starships and explore the galaxy. Players can buy and sell the resources needed to build their own vessels, navigate through space, and fight for control of star systems.
Being one of the only games currently built on the Solana blockchain, those seeking to play an NFT game that is made on something other than Ethereum or Binance chains will love the unique aspects of Star Atlas. Being a metaverse, decentralized exchange, and immersive game, we see a lot of utility on the horizon for this NFT game.
Similar to what we see in Alien Worlds, Start Atlas is a metaverse project where players can engage in a world based in outer space, build their own cities, and even engage in DAOs to help be part of the governing body of different regions.
12. Splinterlands
Splinterlands stands out on this list of top NFT games for being the only one built on the Hive blockchain. It also offers cross-compatibility for Tron, Ethereum, and WAX. Like Gods Unchained, this is a good NFT game to consider if you are a fan of card games and want to turn this hobby into something that can potentially make you some money.
This is a free-to-play card game with several forms of gameplay, such as tournaments, quests, and ranked matchups. Like popular games such as Hearthstone and Magic the Gathering, players will collect cards, build decks, and battle other players.
When you own cards, it is an NFT that you own and can list on exchanges where other people can purchase them. One of the most exciting things about this game is that it runs on a truly shared, community-driven platform.
Can You Really Make Money Playing NFT Games?
NFT games are a new type of game that uses blockchain technology to create digital assets that can be traded on decentralized exchanges. These games are not only fun to play but can also make you some money. Many people are already earning a decent income with NFT games. Are NFT games and their utility tokens actually worth looking into?
As with making money trading NFTs, there are some nuances here.
What’s The Point of NFTs & Blockchains?
The main question I’m asking right now, is what’s the point of NFT gaming, because there doesn’t seem to be a solid reason behind it.
The point of an NFT is to digital prove that you have ownership of an item. NFTs are basically “certificates of ownership” or “digital receipts”. Sounds cool, right? But what’s the point if you don’t actually need to show that receipt to anyone?
In-game NFTs only work inside a single game at this point. You can’t trade your Cryptokitties cross-chain in exchange for some Mana. You can’t get a skin from Sandbox and trade it for some Gods Unchained cards. All of that stuff is managed on a centralized database within the gaming company.
So why not just pay people in bitcoin instead?
The sad truth is that a lot of these NFT games are really just ways for tech entrepreneurs to launch a token that they own a large percentage of. If the game gets popular, insiders can dump their tokens on the market and get rich. That’s the real reason for a “tokenized game”.
These games are not scams! You can play. You can earn. You can withdraw tokens and trade them for real money. However, I’m suspicious about the longevity of projects like this, where the incentives seem to be less about making a game that’s actually fun, and more about how to make money for the founders.
How Much Money Can You Really Make Playing NFT Games?
OK, so maybe you’re not that worried about the long term viability of NFT games, and you just want to make some money. Maybe you’re not even interested in the individual tokens like $MANA or $SAND, and as long as you withdraw your tokens and trade them for something actually useful like $USD or $BTC, you’re OK with that. With that in mind, can you actually make decent money playing NFT games?
I’m currently doing some research into the topic, so I don’t have all the numbers yet (post coming soon!), but my initial impression is that there are some serious limitations to how much money you can make playing NFT games. Most of the “big money” is being made by people who own and trade the tokens at the right times. Buy low, hold, sell high.
Playing NFT games isn’t going to be a full time income… unless you live in a developing country, and unless you grind day in and day out. At that point, gaming is kind of like a job, so it may not be that fun!
As I mentioned above however, I’m still looking into it, and these are just my initial impressions. I’ll update here with a link to the post when it’s done.
Nathaniell
What's up ladies and dudes! Great to finally meet you, and I hope you enjoyed this post. My name is Nathaniell and I'm the owner of One More Cup of Coffee. I started my first online business in 2010 promoting computer software and now I help newbies start their own businesses. Sign up for my #1 recommended training course and learn how to start your business for FREE!
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