Gaming has been rapidly growing in recent years. Currently valued at $173 billion, the gaming industry is showing signs that it will surpass the $300 billion mark by 2027.

Behind this boom is a rise in new players on mobile platforms, making gaming a more accessible experience for the estimated 2.6 billion gamers worldwide. 

But an emerging trend is changing the face of gaming. For the older generations, games were considered “unproductive” and a “waste of time”, but the advent of play-to-earn gaming turns this idea upside down. 

The play-to-earn model allows you to play a game with the potential to earn money.

However, the crypto gaming space is adopting a play-and-earn approach, a system that prioritizes playability and user experience of the game while giving players the chance to earn.

For most, being online just for fun is no longer a primary motivation. Players are realizing that they’re making little to no return on big investments. So they’ve looked for ways to monetize their hobby, but there aren’t many opportunities for casual players to cash in — until now.

The rise of blockchain games has flipped the tables in the gaming industry by making the players — and not only the game developers — the main financial decision-makers. One advanced blockchain technology that provides this ability is Cardano.

Cardano is a decentralized public blockchain and a cryptocurrency project that is completely open-sourced. It is ripe with great NFT games that have the potential to withstand the test of time.

Why Cardano?

Cardano is a 3rd gen blockchain. It is the result of years of research by distinguished academics who set out to address the latency, throughput, scalability, and environmental shortcomings of 1st and 2nd gen chains like Bitcoin and Ethereum.

To give an example, imagine trying to convert a steam engine to an electric one while it’s running. Yes, it can be done, but you’re basically replacing all the guts of your previous technology while it’s in operation, and you have to get it all just right. That’s what Eth2 is doing.

Now imagine someone like Tesla, who built their technology around the electric engine, to begin with, and with every iteration are improving the design (like the new tabless batteries, the new main bus that reduces wiring from 3MI. in a car to something like 300 yards, etc.)

Basically, gen 3 just has a much more obvious path to success, and the platform allows it to pivot and improves much faster than previous generations.

Similar to Ethereum, Cardano is a blockchain platform that offers many different NFT games. Until recently, the interest and the corresponding value of the Cardano coin had been rather consistent. However, 2022 has been marked as the boom of the metaverse. The sudden interest in the Cardano coin since 2022 has risen to new heights. 

Cardano is popular amongst crypto enthusiasts because the transaction fees on its games are extremely low. With the barrier-to-entry easily accessible, it’s highly likely crypto gamers can find great NFT games in this blockchain.

This means that a list is in order. Here is a list of 15 greatest Cardano NFT games in the market today.

Best 15 Cardano NFT games

1. HashGuardians 

The first on the list, HashGuardians, is considered one of the most popular NFT games on the Cardano blockchain. As a play-to-earn game, HashGuardians rewards players through its native digital currencies such as $ADA or other stable coins including $DOGE, $GARD or $HGLK. As players progress through each level, they can claim an item from HashGuardian’s treasure box containing various NFTs.

The HashGuardians Universe is a 2D gaming metaverse based on the Cardano blockchain.

There are 10,000 unique HashGuardian NFTs to collect, each being minted on-chain and entirely owned by you. Ownership of a single HashGuardian will be required for initial participation in the HashGuardians universe and the play to earn economy. Each species, weapon, armor, and gadget will have its own rarity and gameplay benefit, so you can collect just one or build an entire HashGuardian collection. The choice is yours.

2. Cardano Warriors

Cardano Warriors is not only perceived as one of the best NFT games out there but also one of the most secure ones. Cardano Warriors is a play-to-earn role-playing NFT game that allows earning digital tokens by competing in retro gameplay. The game ecosystem contains a large NFT collection for its members, which perhaps also justifies the popularity surrounding it.

The possibilities of exploration in the Kingdom of Acandor become endless when you have your own piece of land. You can collect rare resources and build essential storage warehouses; forge new weapons, trade products and receive rewards by allowing other players to use bits of your island – the more visitors you have, the more you will thrive!

3. CropBytes  

CropBytes is another Cardano-based NFT game that allows players to earn by farming, feeding and trading game assets (NFTs). CropBytes is a simulation game where the main earning scope is increasing the value of your digital assets and trading (or selling) them via the CropBytes marketplace.

CropBytes is an online crypto game based on the real-world farming economy, where you own assets in the game. Use your assets to provide goods and services to other players or trade them in the market to grow your investment and make daily returns in Cryptocurrency.

4. CryptoMage  

For all the wizardry fans, CryptoMage will not fail to impress you. Players can choose their in-game wizard that performs ‘the magic’ for them. The wizard described is an NFT that uses its magic powers to create valuable in-game assets. By improving your in-game skills and consequently the wizardry level, players can earn more for their digital assets by trading in the marketplace.

CryptoMage is the game on the Cardano Blockchain centered around incredible wizards who create magic, help other mages get out of crystals, increase their skills, find totems, learn craft, compete with other mages and pets, complete quests, and much more. All the mages are collectible. Each Mage or Totem is one of a kind and 100% owned by you. They cannot be replicated, taken away, or destroyed. Cryptomage is your NFT.

5. Cornucopias    

Another name in the play-to-earn open-world series, the Cornucopias platform consists of numerous fun-packed activities. Centred around various mini-games and different activities, players can find various things to do with their friends. The open world of Cornucopias is divided into several sections, referred to as Zones. Each Zone offers a different theme and aesthetics, making it a truly immersive experience for NFT lovers.

Cornucopias ‘The Island’ is a massive Play-To-Earn, Build-To-Earn, and Learn-To-Earn blockchain-based game where players can be rewarded with and/or own land, properties and other NFT-based assets with real-world value all by playing games in a fun and safe Metaverse.

6. Digital Kings

Developed by a group of passionate gamers and NFT enthusiasts, Digital Kings offers a perfect combination of real-world values to digital assets. Players begin their journey in Digital Kings by selecting from a variety of kings, each with its own unique abilities and stats. Apart from digital asset Kings, players can select several other NFTs such as buildings and inventory items. 

DigitalKings is a play-to-earn crypto game. Players can generate DKC – the utility token – through managing their kings and clearing dungeons. The game offers a variety of kings with different abilities and stats. Each King is an NFT; besides Kings, the game offers other NFTs such as items.

In a time where Men and Beasts lived in harmony and peace, the Kings ruled the lands to maintain the order of power within the three kingdoms.

In the shadows, a group of beasts were plotting to take over the world. The once prosperous lands were struck by the calamity of beasts. Now that they have control over the 3 kingdoms, the beasts built an empire consisting of dungeons where each beast boss lives.

To restore the harmony that this world once witnessed, the Kings made an alliance. This coalition was a resistance group that sought to take revenge on the beasts and bring back the 3 kingdoms. Without their army of unequal power, the Kings have one option; fight by themselves. Their goal is to conquer every dungeon within the new Beasts’ Empire.

7. Mixed Heroes 

Mixed Heroes is quite popular among those who view NFTs purely as collectables. Featuring a large collection of NFTs on the Cardano blockchain, Mixed Heroes offers each unique token based on hand-drawn characters. Definitely a great option in the Cardano NFT games collection.

Mixed Heroes is a long-term CNFT project with 9.999 unique mixed heroes. There are also some ultra-rare NFTs.

8. HHMC 3D Coyote NFT

HHMC or Hell Hyenas Motorcycle Club is a virtual motorcycle club that aims to create an ecosystem where players can hop on their bikes and take off on a (virtual) road trip without any coding knowledge. The earlier claims made by Web3 pundits are somewhat coming true. Indeed there is something for everyone to be part of in the age of metaverse!

More than guns and bullets, you’ll choose an Outlaw armed with adaptive, swift, and lethal abilities that create opportunities to let your gunplay shine. No two Outlaws play alike, just as no two highlight reels will look the same.

9. Bears Club

Another popular community-driven game for those interested in digital assets and blockchain technology. Those part of the Bears Club can enjoy the play-to-earn nature of this NFT-based game, allowing players to interact with virtual characters. True to the nature of NFTs, each virtual character is unique and special. 

Inspired by great projects in the scene, Bears Club was created, seeking to build an awesome community while delivering amazing artwork and a cool play-to-earn game.

Bears Club is a play-to-earn game project, one that aims to deliver a fun and interesting club simulation game, where players will be able to manage, customize, sell and trade their own club inside Cardano Forest.

10,000 unique bears with hand-drawn and digitally painted traits were released to fund the game. Those NFTs will be essential to the gameplay, unlocking items and features inside it.

10. Reddish Panda 

Although it may initially sound like a Chinese takeaway restaurant, it’s far from it. Reddish Panda allows users to own digital animals and spread awareness about them. Each digital animal you purchase, help raise awareness and money to save real red pandas in the world. Evidently, the main purpose of Reddish Panda is not for players to earn through their NFTs, but rather to use blockchain technology to pursue a noble cause. 

Reddish Pandas is a collection of 10,000 unique NFTs, with algorithmically selected attributes, living on the Cardano network. They are focused on helping real red pandas, by donating a great part of the sales to foundations. Owning one of these amazing NFTs will give you participation in governance, royalties for merchandise selling, and lots more.

11. Curse Birds 

Curse Birds is another one of the Cardano NFT games, but it’s a pet-themed app. Described as one of a kind blockchain-based social media platform that provides opportunities to hatch eggs, raise birds and go on many adventures. In addition to creating and trading your digital bird flock, players also get the opportunity to invest in unique eggs through the in-game token economy.

CurseBirds is a flock of five birds who grew up to be true a-holes. They are birds blasting curse words. ​CurseBirds CNFT is a visionary CNFT collection aiming for an active and open community.

12. Blockchain Samurai 

Blockchain Samurai is a must-mention – we cannot simply ignore all the Samurai lovers out there in the world! A collectable game, each Samurai NFT is unique and lives in a transparent, open and uncensored virtual world. It primarily targets the artist community with a strong passion for Samurai and their ancient traditions. 

Blockchain Samurai aims to create a new collection of NFTs minted on the Cardano blockchain. Their NFTs have a unique take on traditional feudal Japanese designs.

13. ADA Handle 

Perhaps more interesting for tech-savvy individuals, ADA Handle offers a unique opportunity to craft your own Cardano wallet address. Enabling users to easily craft and mint a handle on the Cardano blockchain that can be used as an address for your wallet. What’s interesting about ADA Handle is the fact that it sits on Cardano Layer 1. In simpler terms, even in an unlikely event of a smart contract bug, routing will always be 100% accurate. 

Each Handle is a unique NFT, minted and issued on the Cardano blockchain. These NFTs act as unique identifiers for the UTXO that they reside in.

With a predictable standard, dApp developers can query the Cardano blockchain at any time to determine the current residing address of a Handle.

14. The Shy Salamander Society     

Ever thought of discovering your very own society? The Shy Salamander Society has made that possible. Launched as an NFT collectable platform, these slithering creatures are owned by society members who can also earn passive income by mating these creatures. The Shy Salamander Society’s future will also include collaborating with other NFT societies for special cross-chain events. 

The Shy Salamander Society is a NFT collection slithering around on the Cardano Blockchain. The collection consists of 5555 Males, and 5555 Females. Owning any of these assets will allow the owner to collect passive income through mating. Owning both a male and a female will allow the owner to produce their own NFTs during each mating season.

15. DeadPXLZ

Although stated as the last on the list here, DeadPXLZ is the very first interactive NFT collectable on the Cardano blockchain. DeadPXLZ offers players to purchase a unique digital character which can be traded on the marketplace. The rarer your character (NFT) is, the more money you can expect to earn in return for it.

DEADPXLZ is a collection of 10,000 unique NFTs minted on the Cardano blockchain called PXLZ. They are interactable: you can change their mood and background with one-click, or show their stats with two-clicks. Each PXL features between 0-8 attributes and 1 type. The DEADPXLZ ecosystems plans to become a Play to Earn experience. The project stands among the top 10 CNFTs in terms of transaction volume.

This concludes our list of the top 15 greatest Cardano NFT games. While this blockchain platform is relatively new, its potential is substantial. With the number of blockchain players increasing daily, the market landscape will surely get more competitive. We, therefore, expect new entrants to offer more value and unique propositions, like Cardano, to create a name for themselves.