A look inside Etherlink gaming and its first 7 offerings
While it may not have taken hold at scale just yet, gaming remains one of blockchain technology’s most promising use cases. From its potential to onboard unprecedented numbers of new users to its tremendous revenue-generating promise, it’s easy to understand why the quest to drive blockchain-powered gaming forward is— and always has been — one of the blockchain world’s most important and intriguing projects.
Here in the Tezos ecosystem, where gaming projects have long been viewed as a crucial point of focus, Etherlink — the critical bridge enabling seamless interaction and asset transfers across different networks within the burgeoning Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) ecosystem and its myriad of users — may be just the shot in the arm we’ve been waiting for.
To hear Trilitech’s Head of Gaming Efe Kucuck tell it, the emergence of Etherlink and its potential impact on the growth of the Tezos gaming ecosystem should not be underestimated…
“Etherlink gives Tezos games instant access to the EVM world. Developers get familiar tools, faster builds, and smoother execution. Players can bridge in with the wallets and assets they already use. It removes friction on both sides and pairs it with Tezos security.” -Efe Kucuck
This is precisely why Etherlink gaming has come flying out of the gate with multiple titles being released since Etherlink went production-ready earlier this year. This explosion of activity signals a watershed moment in the ongoing evolution of Tezos-powered gaming. Its significance for the overall health of the Tezos gaming space is certainly not lost on Efe and his many colleagues in the Tezos gaming realm…
The signal is clear. Teams are shipping faster, players are onboarding easier, and the chain holds up under real use. No other EVM has the same security model. Studios are not just building, they are sticking around because the growth environment is strong. -Efe Kucuck
As the launch of Etherlink continues to reverberate through the blockchain gaming space, let’s take a look at the fascinating gaming projects that have already launched on Etherlink, and take a quick glance into its promising future…
The First Wave (Live on Etherlink Now)
Sugar Match
Sugar Match is a match-3 puzzle game in the style of Candy Crush, but with a mean Sugarverse twist. Players take on opponents from across the globe to earn rewards in the form of gCNDY points in any of 3 distinct gaming modes: Rumble Mode, which offers a low-stakes opportunity to familiarize oneself with all the different aspects of the Sugar Match gaming experience via randomized boosters, Arena Mode for a deeper dive into the game’s more strategic elements with customizable booster deck builds, and VIB Mode for those confident enough to stake their gCNDY against opponents in a winner-take-all battle to the finish.
gCNDY points earn players rewards at the end of each Sugar Match “season”, garnering them in-game utility token CNDY tradable on Iguana Dex.
Sugar Match’s gameplay is significantly more complex than many of the other current Etherlink games, and as a result requires significantly more time to master. Combining traditional match-3 puzzle mechanics with a bevy of “boosters” and ways to disrupt your opponents adds a distinct and fun element to the puzzle game experience, and investing some time in getting the hang of Sugar Match offers both an enjoyable gaming experience and a very real chance to earn very real rewards.
For some deeper insights into the Sugar Match experience, check out Cryptonio’s post here!
Appleville
Appleville is a play-to-earn (PTE) farming game in which players plant and harvest crops on an ever-expanding farm to collect gold coins which can be used in-game, as well as Apple Points - which have dual in-game and out-of-game utility, since they can be accumulated to climb the game’s leaderboard. Leaderboard positions determine distribution of crypto rewards via $applXTZ token rewards airdrops which take place at the end of each Appleville farming “season”.
Appleville’s gameplay is slow and hypnotic. Individual crops vary from 5 seconds to 12 hours of farming time before they can be harvested, so a fair bit of patience is required to get the most out of Appleville. However, as is the case with so many things in life, patience can — and does — pay off. As your farm and gold coin/apple points balances grow, accumulating points and climbing the leaderboard become faster and more efficient. With every passing hour, the player can feel themselves getting closer and closer to tasting the sweetest fruit of them all… airdrops!
BattleTabs
BattleTabs is adorable. A digital re-imagining of the classic board game Battleship’s gameplay, BattleTabs invites players to a strategic naval duel against other BattleTabs players from across the globe. Commanding 4 unique ships — each with its own tactical cooldowns and special abilities, players attempt to sink their opponent’s fleet before their opponent sinks theirs.
Featuring very sharp graphics, a reasonable game completion timeline, and a large community of players (the BattleTabs website boasts more than 1 million players across platforms), BattleTabs offers a fascinating glimpse into what Etherlink-backed mobile gaming will one day look like.
Tournament winners and top performers can earn in-match rewards, collectibles, and NFTs as they navigate their way through the BattleTabs journey.
BattleTabs’ gameplay is simple, fun, and engaging. The in-game characters are (as mentioned previously) adorable, and its look and feel match up perfectly well against any other mobile game out there. Perhaps the combination of these elements explains its impressive popularity in a short time since its initial launch.
Cricket Champions
Cricket Champions is a digital Trading Card Game (TCG) that enables cricket fans around the world to assemble, upgrade, and play customized decks of cricket-themed cards in PVP and campaign matches to earn rewards in the form of new cards and card upgrades for in-game use.
While cricket may be a baffling sport to many in the West, it is incredibly popular in countries like India and Pakistan, offering a fascinating opportunity to bring a curated Web 3.0 gaming experience to the cricket-loving masses in that part of the world.
Even for those with little to no cricket knowledge or experience, Cricket Champions’ gameplay is surprisingly easy to navigate. While it leans more tactical and deliberate than some of the other Etherlink games currently on offer, the strategic depth of deck building, card acquisition, and match planning — coupled with its knack for helping the North American mind understand this beloved sport a little bit better — gives Cricket Champions a unique and interesting appeal.
Pike’s Arena
Pike’s Arena is an arena-style PVP melee game in which players collect food, grow their characters with every item eaten, and attempt to stab each other with spears, tridents, and other assorted pike weapons.
It offers a free-to-play “Warm Up” mode for players to hone their piking skills, “Pike Mode”, which offers player rewards in the form of $PIKE tokens — accumulated (when you win) to climb the Pike’s Arena leaderboard and earn standings-based rewards/airdrops, and an “XTZ Mode” where players bet actual Tez against their opponents, with the winner of each battle taking the pot. Skins and other cosmetic perks get unlocked along the way in the Pike’s Arena journey, allowing players to customize their murderous avatars and stand out in the arena.
Pike’s Arena’s gameplay is simple and easy to understand. There is, however, a fair bit of strategy involved when it comes to approaching and battling opponents in the arena. Battling it out with opponents from all across the globe with a little something at stake is not only a fun way to kill a couple of hours, it’s a window into the seamless and blazing-fast experience that Etherlink gaming has to offer.
Uranium Miner
Uranium Miner is a simple play-to-earn (PTE) game that offers player rewards in the form of in-game “uranium shards” which can be “refined” and later converted into tokenized real-world asset Uranium (xU308) via airdrops that take place at the end of every mining “season”. Yes, you read that correctly, a game that offers real life rewards that can be converted to real tokenized uranium! Shards are collected through the relatively simple task of clicking to collect as they come one at a time down a virtual conveyor belt.
In-game “Boosters”, “Upgrades”, and “Level Ups” increase the frequency and ease with which Uranium shards can be accumulated over time, thereby paving the way for increased efficiency in earning player rewards.
In spite of its basic user interface and simple gameplay, Uranium Miner’s potential to earn players rewards, interesting upgrade options, and satisfying processes make it a surprisingly enjoyable PTE gaming experience. Be careful, though, it’s pretty addictive!
For a deeper dive into the Uranium Miner experience, check out Cryptonio’s post here!
What’s Next?
Reaper Actual
Reaper Actual might just be one of the most highly anticipated blockchain-backed gaming projects in recent memory. Unveiled in demo form at TezDev 2025 in Cannes, Reaper Actual represents an ambitious endeavour to blend Etherlink-backed elements into the traditional (and massively popular) persistent open-world first-person shooter (FPS) gaming experience.
Developed by Distinct Possibility Studios under the stewardship of MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) veteran John Smedley — credited in the creation of more than 70 games across multiple platforms, including massive titles like the EverQuest series, Tanarus, and Planetside 2 — and backed by $30M+ in funding, Reaper Actual represents an incredible opportunity to position Etherlink and Tezos at the forefront of blockchain’s emergence in the contemporary gaming space.
While Reaper Actual is currently scheduled for early access launch in 2026, the Distinct Possibilities team has invited players to get ahead of the curve and stake their claim in the Reaper Actual Universe via the release of Foundation Alpha Series 1 bundles. In addition to receiving limited-edition Reapers with unique loadouts and one or more bases in the Reaper Actual world, these bundles offer Foundation Alpha access to the game, the ability to participate in playtests with the developers and other Foundation Alpha players, a special Foundation Alpha role in the Reaper Actual Discord, and other perks to come. Foundation Alpha Series 1 bundles are available in 3 tiers: Standard, Charon’s Pact Edition, and Stygian Oath Edition. All 3 bundles become available in limited quantities October 8th, 2025 at reaperactual.com.
Those interested in tracking Reaper Actual’s progress, watching out for future Alpha and Beta releases, and getting involved early can join the Reaper Actual Discord here.
Onwards!
While blockchain-powered gaming has certainly seen more than its fair share of fits and starts, its enormous onboarding and revenue-generating potential have kept this industry’s brightest minds laser-focused on finding a way to break through.
With Etherlink in play, the Tezos ecosystem finds itself well-positioned to make the most of the incredible opportunity on offer. As this relatively new bridge to the EVM ecosystem continues to find its feet and attract builders, innovators, and developers to the Tezos cause, we could be in for a very interesting period in the Tezos gaming sphere.
And, with skilled folks like Efe Kucuck leading the way, there’s no telling where this might all lead, but we’ll let Efe tell us where he thinks it’s going…
“Toward scale. Bigger games, more players, and content designed for today’s market. Tezos is becoming a natural home for gaming through Etherlink, not a bet on the future but a platform ready right now.” -Efe Kucuck
If this is only the first wave, the plays to come could be even bigger.
Early Days, Big Plays: Etherlink Gaming’s First Wave was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.