Why Flappy Bird is so Addictive Despite Being So Simple

Flappy Bird is a 2013 retro-style mobile arcade game designed by Dong Nguyen. You play by controlling a small bird that falls unless you tap the screen, giving him a short boost upwards. If you hit a pipe, you lose, otherwise, the game keeps going on and on. In 2014 the game all of the sudden exploded, becoming the most downloaded app on the app store. Dong Nguyen eventually removed the app from the app store because he was feeling guilty, despite its simplicity, many people had become addicted to it. But why? 

    1. No learning curve

The game had no skills required to master the game. The controls are easy, all you need to do is tap. No need for strategy or super in-depth thinking. 

    2. Insane difficulty

The game is super easy to learn, but very difficult to master. 

    

    3. The score

This one is the most important, the score. You gain one point for going through the pipes. Humans naturally want to do better, get higher numbers. It's the same reason people get addicted to counting their steps, likes on social media, etc. 

That's why I think Flappy bird became so addictive. What do you think? Tell me in the comments below!