What makes a good app?

Seeing how I just created the first app, this is a question that I have given quite a bit of thought to.  What does make a good app?  What makes people keep playing, keep coming back and keep downloading your games?  It's a good question - and one that can decide the success or failure of your app.

So, when it comes to games, this is the question - what makes a good app?  Here are some thoughts:

1)  Graphics:  This one probably goes without saying - but a game has to have good graphics and be visually attractive.  If it isn't, people won't download.  This sort of folds into item #2 below, but iPhone Apps are all about being attractive.  Now, that's easier said than done.  How do you get good graphics?  The answer may lie outside of your capabilities - I know I can barely draw a stick figure.  Go with the professionals.  Find a local company that builds Apps (I used Enter.Net) or hire a freelancer.

2)  Shiny!:  SHINY!  I like to refer to what I call the "ohh, shiny!" factor in life.  Our attention spans are shrinking as the demands on our time is growing.  So, based on that - make your app "Ohh, shiny!" friendly.  An app has to be constantly stimulating, constantly changing, and most important, have opportunities for non-stop interaction.  It seems simple, right?  But in practice, its harder than it seems.  I have seen way too many apps that have long cut-scenes and not enough of a chance to interact.  That's what apps need to be all about.

3)  Competition:  Regardless of how - an app should have an opportunity to compete.  Two-player apps are sometimes difficult to design and its not always feasible.  So, give your app an opportunity to have competition in another way - create a leader-board, have medals for completion or have a high score that can be beat.  One of my favorite apps is Finger Physics - its a free app that requires thought and coordination.  You get medals for finishing a level with speed - and this leaves you constantly wanting to beat your own record!

4)  Achievements:  If you've ever played an xBox game, you know that you are constantly trying to get achievements - chances for you to complete something specific to the game and get an award for it.  Achievements can be set up within a game without much programming difficulty - just hook your game into Open Feint.


5)  Content:  If a game isn't interesting, it ain't selling.  How can you make your content unique - based on who your target audience is?