Mexican Lottery
An ad-free, offline-first React Native mobile app to play Lotería Mexicana, featuring randomized card calling with custom recorded audio to recreate the traditional family experience without ads or limitations.
Project Overview
Understanding the Project
The Goal
Build a simple, reliable Lotería Mexicana caller app that works without ads, subscriptions, or internet requirements. The key feature was the ability to announce each drawn in a randomized order using a real recorded voice audio to make the experience feel authentic for family play sessions.
The Challenge
Keeping the app lightweight and easy to use while ensuring a smooth and predictable game flow: randomized card order, no repetitions until the deck is completed, and responsive audio playback controls. The app also needed to work fully offline and remain stable across different Android devices.
My Role
I built the app end-to-end as a solo developer, including UI, game logic, and audio integration. I also recorded and processed the voice prompts using my son’s voice to deliver a more personal and authentic experience.
Role
Solo Developer
Timeline
2020
Platform
Mobile
Team
Solo
Screenshots
Visual Showcase
Start screen with a simple call-to-action to begin the game
Main gameplay screen showing the current card and playback controls
Additional gameplay example with different cards and ongoing deck progression
What I Built
- Built the mobile app using React Native with Expo for fast iteration and deployment.
- Implemented deck shuffle logic to call cards in a randomized order without repeats per session.
- Integrated audio playback to announce each drawn card using locally stored sound files.
- Recorded and processed custom voice prompts using my son’s voice to personalize the experience.
- Created a simple game flow with a start screen and in-game playback controls (play/pause).
- Displayed the current drawn card prominently and provided quick access to recent/next context via thumbnails.
- Packaged all assets locally to keep the app fully usable offline.
- Exported and packaged the Android build as an installable APK for direct distribution outside the Play Store.
Tech Stack
Mobile
Frontend
Media
Architecture Design Decisions
These decisions were intentional to ensure the site feels professional, calm, and easy to navigate:
- Offline-first approach to ensure the app works anywhere without internet
- Ad-free experience focused on family gameplay and zero distractions
- Randomized deck calling with no repeated cards until a full cycle is completed
- Simple, large-tap UI controls optimized for quick use during group play
- Minimal screen flow to keep the experience immediate: start, play/pause, and card display
Results & Learnings
The result is a practical, family-ready Lotería app that removes the typical friction found in many free alternatives (ads, limitations, or online dependency). It demonstrates my ability to build and ship complete mobile experiences, integrate media assets (audio), and deliver a polished utility product with a clear user-focused goal. The app was also built and exported as an Android APK, enabling direct installation and distribution outside the Play Store.