Over the past two years, iPhone gaming popularity has risen to match that of portable gaming on the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP. The rise in device appeal comes not only from consumers, but also from game developers. According to Game Developer Research, Apple devices have surpassed the DS and PSP in game developer appeal. And, why not? When you hear "rags-to-riches" stories of people making a $250,000 in profit in just two months, like Steve Demeter of Trism, you can't help but catch a touch of gold fever. But don't quit your day job just yet to become a game developer. Before you dive headfirst into the world of casual games on the iPhone and Touch, there are a few useful hints for creating a successful casual iPhone game that any aspiring developer should know.

Let's start at the beginning: graphics. You can't really be considered a video game without graphics, right? In a world of HD and 1080P, many first-time game designers may think that they have to go out of their way to create superb graphics for iPhone gamers. Wrong. Surprisingly, graphics is one of the least important things gamers look for in an iPhone app. They want their games to have sharp-vibrant colors without frame rate issues or flicker. Simplicity is key - just look at Bejeweled. Wasting development dollars and time, trying to push the technology of the iPhone, is overkill.

What's more important than graphics is the gamer experience.

Gamers want instant gratification from their iPhone games. Typically, casual gamers are playing their iPhone on the way to work, on line in a grocery store or in a waiting room. Wherever they play, it usually revolves around a short time frame. Casual gamers play in spurts, not prolonged periods of time. In 15 minutes, a gamer wants to load up a game and potentially best his or her score from the previous session. However, be sure to give gamers the option to come back to the game in case they are on the way to reaching a new score or level and get interrupted. Saving the games state for later play will also save a few hairs from turning grey.

Designers must also realize that ease-of-use is king on the iPhone. Whether controls are driven by the built-in accelerometer, an on-screen control stick or touch-screen play they must be intuitive. Gamers do not want to read through lengthy manuals in order to figure out your game. That being said, gamers also do not want to sit through a tutorial on the game just to play. Doing so would kill their 15 minutes of playtime and leave your application a distant memory. Also, if you're controls are on-screen, they should not block the action in the game. Consider that design suicide.

Competition is in the nature of any gamer. Who doesn't want to have the high score? Nearly everyone loves to see their name up in lights so give them the option to upload their score to a leaderboard. Just remember, not everyone wants to do this. So designers should also give gamers the ability to opt out of the leaderboard. However, there is a corollary to this design feature: once we opt out, of anything, don't ask us again. Prompting gamers over and over for the same information is always tedious and frustrating. Gamers also want to compete with a human directly, just as much as they like competing for a spot on the leaderboard. If you can include multiplayer functionality, that's great. However, if multiplayer comes with a stability cost - leave it out. The last thing any gamer wants is to have the game of his or her life only to see the application crash.

Can we play for free? If you're game is published by EA, the public may be willing to give you a try. However, if you're entering the arena from "points unknown," you had better give gamers the option to try before we buy. There are way too many apps in the iTunes store to find an unknown, even by accident. For level based games, consider giving away a single level. Then give gamers the in-game option to add on additional levels.

Most games have music, but some games have really lousy elevator music. Gamers won't fault you for bad music or no music at all in a game. However, what they will attack you for is not giving them the option to listen to their own music library while they play your game. If you're entering the world of simple puzzle games, realize that this mandate points especially towards you.

Finally, a game has to be fun. Honestly, that is all a game needs. If you put a game in front of someone and they want to play it multiple times, then you have created a successful and fun game. Bejeweled and Tetris are puzzle games that change every time you play. That factor alone puts them ahead of the curve in casual gaming. If you want to keep a gamer's attention, deliver enough nuance to warrant his or her attention. That way your game will not only be successful, it will also be memorable.