  With the advent of mobile games and the according growing and competitive
market, game user research can provide valuable insights and a competitive edge
if methods and procedures are employed that match the distinct challenges that
mobile devices, games and usage scenarios induce. We present a summary of
parameters that frame the research setup and procedure, focusing on the
trade-offs between lab and field studies and the related decision whether to
pursue large-scale and quantitative or small-scale focused research accompanied
by qualitative methods. We then illustrate the implications of these
considerations on real world projects along the lines of two evaluations of
different input methods for the action-puzzle mobile game Somyeol: a local
study with 37 participants and a mixed design of qualitative and quantitative
methods, and the strictly quantitative analysis of game-play data from 117,118
users. The findings underline the importance of small-scale evaluations prior
to release.
