Telegram is no longer just a place for crypto signals and community chats—it’s the new launchpad for viral, tap-based crypto mini-games. In 2024, Notcoin and Hamster Kombat led the charge, drawing hundreds of millions of users through simple mechanics and massive airdrop hype. Now in 2025, Dragoin ($DDGN) has entered the arena with something different: a live game, a meme-driven brand, and a deflationary token model that could offer stronger long-term upside.
Here’s how the three compare across gameplay, user growth, tokenomics, and long-term potential.
Virality In TG Mini Games
Notcoin launched in January 2024 and quickly hit ~35 million users by March—all without spending on ads. The appeal? A tap-to-earn game where users could accumulate Notcoins that would later convert into the NOT token. But by early 2025, user interest had significantly declined.
Hamster Kombat went even more viral. Released in March 2024, it reached 150 million users in just 77 days, becoming the third-fastest app to hit that milestone after Pokémon GO and Threads. But virality doesn’t guarantee sustainability—active users dropped to 41 million by November, an 86% decline.
Dragoin, on the other hand, is still early in its user curve. It launched its Telegram mini-game in beta as part of a 25-stage presale and is building traction through organic gameplay and community feedback. While it hasn’t reached the raw numbers of NOT or HMSTR (yet), it’s focusing on engagement and retention from day one—not just virality.
Gameplay: Simple Taps vs. Engaged Players
Notcoin’s gameplay is ultra-simple: tap a button to mine coins. It worked brilliantly for onboarding crypto newcomers but lacked depth, leading to fatigue once the novelty wore off.
Hamster Kombat added more layers with strategic resource management, cards to boost profits, and a light narrative around managing a crypto exchange as a hamster CEO. It offered more engagement, but many players found it repetitive over time, and some left due to a lack of transparency around airdrop mechanics.
Dragoin approaches gameplay differently. Players guide flying dragons through obstacle-filled courses, collecting “dragoins” and earning real $DDGN tokens. The mini-game is more immersive than pure tap games, giving users something to do, not just tap. It’s casual enough for Telegram but active enough to keep users engaged—and crucially, it’s already live in beta, with rewards tied directly to real tokens.
Engagement and Sustainability
Notcoin and Hamster Kombat succeeded by making crypto accessible to the masses. But both are now grappling with sustainability. Notcoin is launching “Not Games” to revive interest. Hamster Kombat is preparing “Season 2” airdrops—but both face declining momentum.
Dragoin is betting on a different model: build a loyal base first through gameplay, community feedback, and organic engagement during the presale. With presale stages named after battles like “The Fall of Valyria” and “The Battle of the Bastards,” it’s using lore and branding to turn token accumulation into a participatory experience.
Unlike NOT and HMSTR, Dragoin’s gameplay isn’t a stepping stone to hype—it’s the product itself, and it’s already generating real engagement.
Final Verdict: Which Project Has the Edge in 2025?
- Notcoin brought users in quickly but struggled to keep them around.
- Hamster Kombat nailed virality, but retention and controversy became challenges.
- Dragoin may be the underdog, but it’s building differently—live gameplay, deflationary presale, real-time rewards, and a meme-fantasy narrative that gives it a viral foundation and a playable reason to stay.
As Telegram becomes the new front line of crypto gamification, Dragoin might be the first to blend meme coin energy with actual sustainability. And with 25 presale stages moving fast, early buyers still have a shot at the best entry point.
Learn More About Dragoin:
Presale: https://purchase.dragoin.io/
Website: https://dragoin.io/
Telegram: https://t.me/DragoinOfficial
Twitter: https://x.com/DragoinOfficial
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