Optimizing Mobile Game UI Usability through HCI Evaluation Methods and Emerging Technologies

The increasing complexity and popularity of mobile games have underscored the critical importance of User Interface (UI) design in enhancing player experience. As mobile gaming evolves, ensuring an intuitive and efficient UI has become a fundamental challenge for developers. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) evaluation methods in optimizing mobile game UI usability, with a particular focus on heuristic evaluation, cognitive walkthroughs, and usability testing. A systematic review methodology was employed to analyze and synthesize existing literature on these methods applied to mobile game UI. The study reveals that while each HCI method offers valuable insights, combining them leads to a more comprehensive understanding of usability issues, addressing both general flaws and context-specific challenges. Key findings suggest that heuristic evaluations are effective in identifying broad usability concerns, cognitive walkthroughs excel in task-oriented games with complex narratives, and usability testing provides the most detailed feedback on user satisfaction. Furthermore, the study highlights the need for adaptive usability evaluation methods in response to the growing integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) in mobile games. The research concludes by recommending the integration of these methods into the early stages of mobile game development to enhance user experience and reduce abandonment rates, while also suggesting areas for future research in adaptive usability evaluation techniques for next-generation gaming technologies.