10 Best Crypto Games to Play & Earn in 2022

As implicated in the name, play-to-earn games are games where you can earn money and acquire financial rewards, or gains from playing the game.

Are they a scam?

The concept of earning money within a game through rewards and trading assets for financial profit may seem impossible. If you have been living under a rock far from blockchain technological developments. We cannot deny the existence of scams and rug pulls. But we advise you to do due diligence whenever money is involved. I will explain this further below.

How can you get started?

In order to get started, I believe that it is important for every person to conduct their own research on the different games that pique their interest. Visit the creators’ official website, look at the whitepaper, and try to gauge whether or not the project has value. Are there multiple earning options? How much creative room are you giving? Is the community active on Discord or Twitter? Read and watch videos reviewing projects. In simple terms, go 007 on the project. Exercise your spy craft and big brother skills to know more information about the game.

Familiarise yourself with basic crypto terms such as Tokens, NFTs non-fungible tokens, metaverse, crypto wallets such as Metamask, and how to send and receive funds from your wallet. Another major factor to consider is security; you need to understand the importance of your private wallet keys and how to keep such delicate information safe.

An important point to remember as a newbie is that never risk any amount of money that you are not willing to lose. The crypto market can be very volatile and there are many factors that can affect your investment, tokens or NFTs.

Do free play-to-earn games exist?

Yes!!! FREE play-to-earn games do exist. Some of them will be mentioned more in detail in this article whilst others will not be mentioned in this article. I have compiled a short list for you to consider of the best free play-to-earn games in 2022:

• Gods Unchained
• The Sandbox
• Splinterlands
• Tank Battle
• Crazy Defense Heroes
•  Upland
• Voxie Tactics

Axie Infinity

Battle and collect fantasy creatures called Axie.

Axie Infinity is arguably the most popular play-to-earn game. The pokemon-inspired game has more than a million active users. In the game, gamers can battle, breed, and collect different creatures named Axies. These creatures can be used to explore and discover the new world. Within the game, users can battle other users in an arena or trade the Axies at will. These NFTs are customizable and can be bought and sold at marketplaces for a profit.

The game’s native token is called AXS (Axie Infinity Shards.) You can earn interest whilst holding AXS and participate in the Axie Infinity economy by making payments with the token and also staking. Players have another option of making money by harvesting SLP Smooth Love Potions. Unfortunately, you cannot start playing this game without injecting any financial investment first. 2022 has not been a good year for the game thus far; it has suffered significant setbacks and drops in user engagement. In May 2022 the game’s token was down by 30 percent.

Blockchain	Supported Devices	NFTs	Community	Tokens	Pros	Cons
Ethereum/Ronin	Android/Mac/PC	Yes	Yes	AXS/SLP	Wide Community Support.	Starting costs can be expensive & gameplay can be repetitive

The Sandbox

Creative user-generated blockchain gaming metaverse.

The Sandbox is a blockchain-based game similar to Minecraft. The comparison stems from the block-like textures. But The Sandbox seems to outclass the Minecraft game by a long shot. The Sandbox offers multiple limitless possibilities in terms of creating, earning, and playing. The user has the free will to build and customize the virtual piece of land that they own. The community is very involved in managing the platform. The Sandbox appeals to the creative side of its users, allowing them to build other games within the game. These in-game creations can be sold for profit to the highest bidder for $SAND tokens. Players can also make money from renting out their portions of land, or buying or selling off assets like in the real world.

It has a thriving community of users that fuel the ecosystem by sharing ideas and interacting to create fantastic experiences with the platform for other users.

This game gives users a unique sense of ownership and creative freedom. So if you are someone who would like to flex your creative muscles, then I believe that this game is for you. The Sandbox remains in active conversations as being one of the best virtual world metaverse games.

Users need to purchase LAND in order to enjoy the full benefits of the game, although it is free to play.

Blockchain	Supported Devices	NFTs	Community	Tokens	Pros	Cons
Ethereum	PC	Yes	Yes	SAND	No coding skills required to create virtual worlds	Slightly higher transactional costs than Decentraland

 

Decentraland

Decentralized User-owned, virtual game world.

People like to draw comparisons between Decentraland and, The Sandbox.  Both games explore the ideas of virtual worlds and the metaverse. The sky is the limit to what you can do with a creative friendly game such as this. This is the power of playing in virtual worlds. You have millions of digital assets that you can trade and use for your avatar and country.

Each player is free to create, build and explore. You can easily buy or sell plots and trade assets within the virtual world, and even offer services within the universe by working as a freelancer for other players or for the game developers.

Inexperienced builders can still create art, scenes, and other things using the builder tool. Players can participate in virtual events at will. For the experts, you can build other applications and games within Decentraland. Players have got veto power to decide on how the world works. This democratic, empowering, and liberating feeling makes each player feel important and thus cements the value of being part of the community.

Decentraland gives us the ability to live in a somewhat perfect world of our making despite location or background. It’s a game where every avatar counts, so to say.

Blockchain	Supported Devices	NFTs	Community	Tokens	Pros	Cons
Ethereum	Web	Yes	Yes	Mana/Land	Wide industry support, multiple ways to earn. Virtual world owned by its users.	It is still bug-prone.

                                                                                                                                                                   

Gods Unchained

Collect & Battle, ESports Trading Card Game.

Gods Unchained is a game that seems to match its dramatic name. It’s a super cool card game that gives you full control over the items in the game, allowing you to collect rare cards, build powerful decks, or simply sell cards for profit. Remember, it’s no longer just about having fun playing a game but it’s now about making bank whilst enjoying a good game. 

The game runs on Ethereum and uses Immutable X as well as a decentralized application for commission-free peer-to-peer trading. It’s a version of the classic card game where players battle other players using decks of cards, basic cards, and genesis cards. GODS token is the in-game currency that can be used to purchase these cards and is earned by defeating other players in battle.

Blockchain	Supported Devices	NFTs	Community	Tokens	Pros	Cons
Immutable X/Ethereum	MAC/PC	Yes	Yes	Gods	Free to play	Gameplay can be repetitive

 

Plants vs Undead

Grow your own garden for defence.

Plants Vs Undead sounds more like a zombie apocalyptic game. I must admit, the title sounds a bit scary. It is about a planet that has been hit by a meteorite, turning the animals into the undead, which will be trying to kill the trees. Fortunately, the flora on the planet has also evolved due to the meteorite. The plants can defend themselves against mutated zombie animals. This sounds pretty cool.

You do not need to invest any amount for you to start playing the game. Each player starts with free default assets. As you play the game you gradually acquire seeds, which can grow into plants that you can sell in the marketplace. The in-game currency is Light Energy LE which can be interchanged with the game’s native token PVU token.

This game is a good starting point for a beginner without any funds at their disposal wanting to get started in play to earn gaming. Even if you do not have an appetite for scary zombie-themed content, I believe that this game won’t give you nightmares.

Blockchain	Supported Devices	NFTs	Community	Tokens	Pros	Cons
Binance Smart Chain	Android/PC/Mac	Yes	Yes	LE/PVU Token	Lots of plant types to experiment with	Game takes a while to be challenging

 

Pegaxy

Breeding and racing game.

We cannot talk about gaming without mentioning a racing game. Pegaxy is a derby racing game involving mythical horse-like creatures. Players are allowed to enter any race for free. They will be competing against 14 other racers in an attempt to emerge victorious amongst the top three racers. The racers will be able to earn VIS tokens for performing well in the race. Each race requires knowledge, strategy, and skill to win. Each racer can participate in 25 races per day.

You can make money from racing, breeding Pegas and selling them, renting out your Pegas to other racers, and operating just as a manager. Although, the racing is free the horses are not free. To be a success in the game you would have to purchase the best breed of horses in order to be competitive. If you enjoy the adrenaline rush of speed and competitive edge of racing, then Pegaxy is for you.

Blockchain	Supported Devices	NFTs	Community	Tokens	Pros	Cons
Polygon	Mobile/PC	Yes	Yes	PGX/VIS	Good earning possibilities.	Game is surprisingly limited

Lucky Block

Classic lottery and NFT gaming combo.

Hosted on the Binance Smart Chain, Lucky Block is a crypto gaming platform that enables you to win awesome prizes for holding their NFTs. Users stand a chance to win lucrative prizes on a daily basis. Lucky Block’s team also places a high value on philanthropy, with 10% of all jackpots donated to charity. A fantastic range of prices that can be won from playing Lucky Block includes $1 million dollars in Bitcoin, a luxury vehicle, or even a house worth $1 million dollars.

The platform is well secure and audited by Solid Proof. Lucky Block NFTs make each player be eligible to earn rewards in $LBlock token. This game rewards those who are in it for the long haul; it is not a get-rich-quick type of game. You will be handsomely rewarded for holding for long periods of time. Their ERC-20 token is available on all leading exchanges which provide added liquidity and attracts new investors.

To show you how well it has been performing, although recently launched earlier this year. Lucky Block has already managed to build a community of 57,000 holders and 108,698 combined social following. 

Blockchain	Supported Devices	NFTs	Community	Tokens	Pros	Cons
Binance Smart Chain (BSC)/ Ethereum	Mobile/PC	Yes	Yes	$LBLOCK	Audited by a third part for added security	You cannot participate in the lottery without holding any NFTs

 

Battle Infinity

NFT-based fantasy sport metaverse game.

Here is a game that sounds like Axie Infinity. But has its own competitive edge that separates it from other games. It is a great NFT-based Metaverse crypto game. In which payers can manage their fantasy sports teams. You can compete with other players (PvP) and battle it out until one becomes victorious. The game is not cantered on one sporting discipline; you can play any sport of your choosing from hockey, soccer, cricket, boxing, etc. This opens up IBAT to a wider market of gamers, and audience. A one-dimensional game would extinguish the interests of its players in no time.

IBAT is focused on providing a quality metaverse experience for gamers. From the onset of its launch, the game has been performing well.  The game is a perfect balance between gaming, NFTs, Defi, and the metaverse. The creators tried their best to add value to their player’s assets not just by trading NFTs but by also staking.

Blockchain	Supported Devices	NFTs	Community		Tokens	Pros	Cons
Binance Smart Chain Network	Mobile/PC	Yes	Yes	$IBAT		The game combines NFTs, DeFi, and gaming, creating a special ecosystem that fits everyone.	It might be confusing to a newbie connecting wallets and getting set up. Unfortunately, Game cannot be played for free.

 

Illuvium

Collection & Auto Battler Game in Fantasy World, Pokemon on Steroids.

The Illuvium game is a battling game built on the Ethereum network. It is regarded as the first AAA play to earn crypto game. This shows that this project is a well-funded and perfectly made game. The players can explore 7 breathtaking landscapes habituated by alien lifeforms. You get to experience the joys of exploration unravelling the cataclysmic events that Illuvium has experienced.

At the moment it can only be played on a PC or Mac. To play the game you get to discover, hunt, and train Illuvials or aliens. Creating the ultimate A-team to help each player survive the battle and conquer unfamiliar territories.

The player’s assets can be traded in the marketplace for actual money. I recommend this game to those who enjoy the adventures of exploring new worlds and battling other players along the way. If you liked the Pokemon franchise, then you will definitely love this game.

Blockchain	Supported Devices	NFTs	Community		Token	Pros	Cons
Ethereum/ Immutable X	PC/ Mac	Yes	Yes	ILV		Players can Trade with real -world money.  Immutable X, Peer-to-peer trading with no gas fees for their community members.	Funds required purchasing in-game NFTs in order to join real Illuvium battlefields.

 

Splinterlands

Collectible trading card game.

Splinterlands is simply a card game. That allows you to trade sell and lease card assets. Every player is allowed to build and hold a collection of cards that can be sold on marketplaces such as Open Sea, Monster Market, Peak Monsters, etc. Players can combine cards and trade with each other. They can advance as they get more cards. Splinterlands gives you the ability to make more money by renting out cards to other players.  If you wish to sell on a marketplace then you are free to choose a marketplace of your choice.

In simple terms, you can make money by playing, trading, selling, and renting out your cards. Through participating in challenges and tournaments players can gain rewards. You can win digital currency, rare cards, card packs, and magic potions.  Users can buy a variety of in-game credits; you can earn credits and other digital assets. By participating in the Splinter Talk social media community you can earn Hive cryptocurrency tokens.

Splinterlands is compatible with multiple blockchains such as Tron and Wax. It also gives frequent free airdrops, and who would not want something for free?

Blockchain	Supported Devices	NFTs	Community		Tokens	Pros	Cons
Hive	Web/Android/IOS	Yes	Yes	SPS		Cross-compatibility with other blockchains such as Ethereum, Tron, and WAX. Buy in-game credits in a variety of crypto.	It is not efficient for large card volume purchases.

  

How can you be successful in play-to-earn gaming?

It is true what they say, that practice makes perfect. This is not a dodgy get-rich-quick scheme, if it was a get rich quick scheme. Then you would know from the onset that the game is not ruled in your favour and you have very low chances of success. Primarily gaming was created for our enjoyment and pleasure. As long as you do not enjoy what you do, then there are high chances that you will not be as successful as you would be when you love what you are doing.

Can we actually make money with play to earn gaming?

Like Obama said it Yes, You Can!! It is possible to make a good amount of money from playing blockchain games. However, there are a few important factors that you need to consider. For example, there are games that require initial capital input for you to start acquiring NFTs, levelling up, qualifying for rewards and customizing your avatars. It may take you a bit of time to recoup that initial investment of a few hundred dollars.

In this time you will be learning the ins and outs of the game and becoming more confident and competent enough the be a success within the game. So it also depends with how far you are willing to go in order to do well within the game.  People like to talk about how Axie Infinity is being used to sustain the livelihood of people in the Philippines. Which is true but it does not apply to every player.

The moment you decide to become realistic and know that you do not always win, sometimes you will lose. But you should bear in mind that with practise you can always get better and improve at gaming. As you improve your game, earning will become easier.

What is the best play to earn game for me to play?

The best game for you is the game that suits your interests that you understand and enjoy playing. It is not necessarily about the popularity of the game or the hype around a game that makes it a good game. The best game is to one you feel is tailor made for you. It is not at all dependent on other people’s opinions.

Other factors that will influence your decision are obviously the value of the tokens, the activity of the community, nature of bonuses and rewards etc.

Conclusion

The blockchain technology behind crypto gaming opened up different avenues for players to earn and hold NFTs. There are no signs of slowing down this development, the play to earn gaming world is already in full throttle. There is no stopping any time soon. Games keep improving from traditional gaming to satisfy the ambitious nature of the human mind. The more we embrace play-to-earn games the more developments we shall see in virtual worlds and the expansion of earning streams.

(с) The article is written by Tatenda Hillary Kamwendo, 2022