Cake Sort 3D Playable Ad:
From Concept to High Performance
Interactive Demo – Drag to Play!
Project Overview
PIE is a fast paced merge puzzle game that gives players a quick, satisfying taste of the real gameplay. The playable highlights the core mechanic by letting users drag and merge cake slices, supported by spark effects, motion cues, and simple interactions to create an intuitive and engaging preview.
Its goal is to show how fun and rewarding the game feels within seconds, boosting player interest and driving conversions to the app store.
Impact
Both the initial launch and further iterations delivered outstanding results, making this the most successful playable ad produced at AppLovin and contributing directly to the company’s overall profitability.
#1
App Store ranking achieved within the first week
2.2x
Increase in ROAS
(Return on Ad Spend)
250%
Increase in IPMs (Installs Per Mille) after launch
50%
Increase in ROV (Return on Value) across campaign performance
3.2x
Higher engagement rate compared to standard video ads
Challenge
Because this playable ad was created immediately after the game launched, there was very limited creative freedom. The ad needed to strictly showcase the core game mechanic in a short window while still feeling clear, engaging, and easy to follow. The main challenge was balancing accuracy and simplicity, making sure players understood the drag and merge action instantly and stayed engaged enough to complete the interaction and tap through to the app store.
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Interaction design and tap/drag experience
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Motion design for merge effects, coins, and feedback states
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UX flow planning for success, idle, and fail states
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Playable asset creation and visual polish
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Usability refinement and iteration on engagement cues
Creative Process
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I designed the playable flow to guide users into the core mechanic within the first second. The animated pointer and drag path reduced cognitive load and encouraged immediate interaction, which is critical for retaining users in the first impression window.
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Each successful merge triggered clear feedback through coins, progress movement, and visual effects. This reinforced the user’s sense of progress and leveraged reward motivation that drives continued interaction.
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After three complete merges, the user unlocked a booster. The unlock modal created a natural conversion moment by combining progress completion with a reward reveal. When the user tapped “Use,” the flow redirected directly to the App Store, capturing intent at the peak of engagement.
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This structure aligned the interactive experience with user motivation to achieve quick wins, receive rewards, and complete goals, while maximizing the likelihood of install at the optimal moment in the funnel.
Leadership & Ownership
Because of this major success, I became the title owner of the game, overseeing all creative directions and collaborating closely with designers, marketers, and engineers. Together, we produced 10+ high-performing video and playable ads, bringing in a significant number of new players and sustaining the game’s top-ranking performance.