Should I add a daily bonus?

The daily bonus is a staple in many mobile games to get players addicted by coming back every day for a free gift.  On paper it seems obvious to add this feature but it does add complications to the user experience.  While this is a very rich area for discussion among game designers I want to focus on one specific aspect, if my players miss a day in a progressive daily bonus should it reset?  You’ll find my answer below but I’d like to hear your thoughts after viewing four examples from current popular games.

Example daily bonuses:

 

Questions you have to ask yourself:

iOS Review: Tekken Card Tournament

I have a real love/hate relationship with this game. I want to spend money but it would be like throwing a penny down a well.

Breaking the top 10 for iPad free last week in the United States and number 1 in dozens of other countries, Tekken Card Tournament has entered the card collecting arena. (Appannie) Following in the footsteps of games such as Rage of Bahamut, it combines simple Rock, Paper, Scissors strategy game with addictive (and expensive) card collecting mechanics.  It leverages the strong IP and brand recognition of 8 classic Tekken Characters which encourage players to buy in and promises a real world tie into physical cards in summer 2013 on its iTunes page.  The graphics are 3D and would make a great stepping stone along the way to creating an actual Tekken fighting game, which many consumers are eagerly awaiting.  There are strong monetization features in this game such as multi-day events, 190 cards to collect (at as much as $6 for 5 random cards) and energy refills at $0.25 per match.