How do i get approval for a game on app store ?

Hello everyone,

I’m currently working on publishing my game on the App Store with the goal of generating revenue. I recently developed a small game and submitted it for review, but unfortunately, it was rejected. The reason provided was that similar games with comparable gameplay are already available on the store.

I would really appreciate some guidance on this. Specifically:

* What kind of changes or improvements should I focus on to make my game stand out and meet approval criteria?

* How much uniqueness is generally expected in terms of gameplay, visuals, or features?

* Are there any best practices or common strategies developers use to differentiate their games enough for approval?

I’m open to modifying gameplay mechanics, UI/UX, adding new features, or improving overall polish — but I’d like to understand what areas matter most from a review perspective.

Any advice, suggestions, or personal experiences would be really helpful.

Thanks in advance!

Maybe you could post a screenshot or two of your game here? Or at least a short description? It's hard to answer the questions without even knowing what the game looks like in the first place.

Considering they say it's not unique enough it's probably not an issue of polishing. But polishing never hurts. I haven't done any app store stuff in a long time but I remember their approval process to be somewhat random, where my game was accepted, but an update with a few bugfixes was rejected for random reasons.

Referring to their guidlines at 4.1

developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines

1. Don't copy the latest hot app on the store

2. Don't copy a UI/name with only minor tweaks (e.g. Flappy Birb)

3. Don't make something that could be confused as impersonation of a different app

4. Don't use someone elses brand/icons/etc.