Exploring the Landscape of Mobile Games Built on Adobe AIR and Unity

The world of mobile gaming is a vast and ever-evolving space, with countless titles available on app stores. Two of the most popular game development frameworks used to create these titles are Adobe AIR and Unity. But how many games currently available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store were built using these platforms? This article aims to explore this question and provide insights into the vast ecosystem of mobile game development.

Understanding Adobe AIR and Unity

Adobe AIR and Unity are both powerful game development platforms, each with unique features and advantages. Adobe AIR was originally positioned as a way to deliver rich internet applications, including games, via the Adobe Flash technology. However, with the decline of Flash, Adobe AIR has evolved into a robust platform for mobile game development. Today, Unity has become the more dominant and widely-used game development framework, known for its cross-platform capabilities, vibrant community, and extensive asset store.

Searching for Games Built on Adobe AIR and Unity

To ascertain the number of games built on Adobe AIR and Unity, researchers often use a combination of search criteria and app store data. For instance, the app Lambi, where you control a sheep and jump across platforms, can be found on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

The following search criteria, when used in Google, can help identify games built on specific platforms:

Search Criteria for Google Play Store

Site: By using the search parameter, you can limit the search to the Google Play Store.

InURL: By including inurl: followed by the app name, you can search for specific keywords in the URL. For instance, if you search for the app Lambi, you can use the query: inurl: lambi.

An example of this query is:

inurl: lambi

This query can help identify apps that are named Lambi and are available on the Google Play Store. However, it's important to note that not all app URLs will include the full app name, so the query may not return all relevant results.

Search Criteria for Apple App Store

The Apple App Store provides less direct information about the app's underlying technology. However, you can still search for specific apps to determine which platforms they use. For the app Lambi, the following search criteria can be used:

App Store lambi

In this search, you may not see explicit mentions of the app's technology. However, app descriptions, user reviews, and the app's features can provide clues about the platform used. Unfortunately, the Apple App Store does not provide as much transparency as the Google Play Store regarding the underlying technology of apps.

Case Study: The App 'Lambi'

Lambi is a mobile game where players control a sheep and navigate across platforms. This game can be found on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Here’s how you can locate it:

Google Play Store

To find Lambi on the Google Play Store, you can use the search query:

inurl: lambi

Visiting the resulting app page, you will find details such as:

The app title The app package name User reviews and ratings

While the package name may not directly indicate the development platform, it often provides clues. For instance, the package name might include keywords like "" or "com.unity" if the game was built using either Adobe AIR or Unity.

Apple App Store

To find Lambi on the Apple App Store, you can use the search query:

App Store lambi

While the Apple App Store does not provide as much detailed information about the app's platform, you can still gather useful information such as:

The app title and description User ratings and reviews The app's features and gameplay mechanics

By examining these elements, you may infer whether the app was developed using Adobe AIR or Unity based on the app's description, screenshots, and user feedback.

Conclusion

While specific tools and techniques can help in identifying games built on Adobe AIR and Unity, the transparency of app stores can be limited. The Google Play Store offers more detailed information, while the Apple App Store provides user reviews and ratings that can sometimes give clues about the platform used.

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the mobile gaming landscape, researchers and developers must be creative in their approach, combining various search strategies and data analysis techniques. As the technology landscape continues to evolve, maintaining an up-to-date understanding of the platforms used in game development can provide valuable insights into the current state of the mobile gaming industry.