Puzzle Games

Defining aspects of a Puzzle Game Some sort of problem requiring thought or strategy The puzzle is the main function of gameplay, unlike minigames which appear in all sorts of other game genres Accessibility. Puzzle Games are thought driven, so they have straightforward gameplay. They don’t demand much skill

Some sort of problem requiring thought or strategy

The puzzle is the main function of gameplay, unlike minigames which appear in all sorts of other game genres

Accessibility. Puzzle Games are thought driven, so they have straightforward gameplay. They don’t demand much skill

Physical Influences Rubik’s Cube Popular Because: Simple, portable, challenging, addicting, doable Slider Puzzle Jigsaw Puzzle Pegs

Rubik’s Cube

Popular Because: Simple, portable, challenging, addicting, doable

Slider Puzzle

Jigsaw Puzzle

Pegs

What Kinds of Puzzle Game Are There Repetitive Simple, repetitive, and addictive more often Similar to early arcade games in that respect Challenge increases through time restrictions and speed, mainly Designed Encompassing story (perhaps) Successive, designed levels Challenge increases through difficulty, rather than speed

Repetitive

Simple, repetitive, and addictive more often

Similar to early arcade games in that respect

Challenge increases through time restrictions and speed, mainly

Designed

Encompassing story (perhaps)

Successive, designed levels

Challenge increases through difficulty, rather than speed

Repetitive Puzzle Games Repetitive Addictive Simple Pick up, put down, come back later Short play sessions Constant sense of accomplishment Infinite length

Repetitive

Addictive

Simple

Pick up, put down, come back later

Short play sessions

Constant sense of accomplishment

Infinite length

Bejeweled Cloned many many times because of its success Flash game, ported to many portable devices, works great on cell phones Every move is a rewarding action Game goes on forever, basically, with no purpose other than playing for a longer time (That varies slightly from clone to clone)

Cloned many many times because of its success

Flash game, ported to many portable devices, works great on cell phones

Every move is a rewarding action

Game goes on forever, basically, with no purpose other than playing for a longer time

(That varies slightly from clone to clone)

Text Twist Flash Game Each “level” has the same form. Gameplay never changes. Race against the clock creates difficulty. Constant sense of accomplishment through guessing words

Flash Game

Each “level” has the same form. Gameplay never changes.

Race against the clock creates difficulty.

Constant sense of accomplishment through guessing words

Tetris The classic addictive puzzle game Major factor in the success of the original Gameboy Inspired numerous spinoffs and clones, good and bad Today, it’s one of the most profitable mobile games Infinite game length. As long as you succeed in the game, the game keeps going Constantly rewarding. Each time you clear a row, there is a sense of accomplishment

The classic addictive puzzle game

Major factor in the success of the original Gameboy

Inspired numerous spinoffs and clones, good and bad

Today, it’s one of the most profitable mobile games

Infinite game length. As long as you succeed in the game, the game keeps going

Constantly rewarding. Each time you clear a row, there is a sense of accomplishment

Portable Games Ever since Tetris, all new handheld systems look for a smash hit puzzle game to give the system “must have” status Meteos and Lumines were Sony and Nintendo’s competing Tetrisy system sellers. Neither achieved quite that level Every portable system has it’s share of puzzle games

Ever since Tetris, all new handheld systems look for a smash hit puzzle game to give the system “must have” status

Meteos and Lumines were Sony and Nintendo’s competing Tetrisy system sellers. Neither achieved quite that level

Every portable system has it’s share of puzzle games

More Repetitive Games Klax Interesting combination of falling blocks and connect four Surprisingly deep strategy Minesweeper Significantly varying difficulties Ultimately random and repetitive gameplay Challenge by level, Accomplishment by time

Klax

Interesting combination of falling blocks and connect four

Surprisingly deep strategy

Minesweeper

Significantly varying difficulties

Ultimately random and repetitive gameplay

Challenge by level, Accomplishment by time

Designed Puzzle Games Can have a story or overarching purpose Levels or challenges are specifically designed, not procedurally generated or based on random chance Difficulty increases by being more challenging or complex, not by changes in speed Beatable, but also limited

Can have a story or overarching purpose

Levels or challenges are specifically designed, not procedurally generated or based on random chance

Difficulty increases by being more challenging or complex, not by changes in speed

Beatable, but also limited

Lemmings Little Lemmings march to their doom and you have to force some of them do certain things to get the rest home safely Designed levels Sense of Sadness when they die. Sense of Pride when they make it. Sense of Humor when they die funny.

Little Lemmings march to their doom and you have to force some of them do certain things to get the rest home safely

Designed levels

Sense of Sadness when they die.

Sense of Pride when they make it.

Sense of Humor when they die funny.

Designed Flash Puzzle Games Just as common in flash games as repetitive games The only difference from level to level is the design of the puzzle, the rules don’t change, all the puzzles take the same form You can’t play them for hours on end. You either run out of levels, or the game gets too hard

Just as common in flash games as repetitive games

The only difference from level to level is the design of the puzzle, the rules don’t change, all the puzzles take the same form

You can’t play them for hours on end. You either run out of levels, or the game gets too hard

Adventure Games Classic point and click adventure games are all just a series of complex puzzles, Unlike other casual puzzle games, the puzzles are not all the same style Everything from the original Text Adventures to the point and click games from Sierra and Lucasarts, to the Myst games are all like this

Classic point and click adventure games are all just a series of complex puzzles,

Unlike other casual puzzle games, the puzzles are not all the same style

Everything from the original Text Adventures to the point and click games from Sierra and Lucasarts, to the Myst games are all like this

Flash Adventure Games Crimson Room You are trapped in a room and have to figure out how to escape it using the stuff inside it LOGAN’s Mystery of Time and Space Like Crimson Room, except a long series of different rooms to get through Also, not sucky like Crimson Room is Numerous other “escape the room” games They all cater to a very different audience than more casual games, just like real Adventure Games Not as accessible as abstract games like Tetris

Crimson Room

You are trapped in a room and have to figure out how to escape it using the stuff inside it

LOGAN’s Mystery of Time and Space

Like Crimson Room, except a long series of different rooms to get through

Also, not sucky like Crimson Room is

Numerous other “escape the room” games

They all cater to a very different audience than more casual games, just like real Adventure Games

Not as accessible as abstract games like Tetris

Flash Hybrid Games Lenny Loosejocks in space Roam around 9 planets, and find out how to get to the bomb Defuse the bomb by solving a minigame puzzle Puzzle Pirates MMO aspect, roam around in a world with other players Actual gameplay consists of different puzzles, but all are tied together as tasks to do on a pirate ship

Lenny Loosejocks in space

Roam around 9 planets, and find out how to get to the bomb

Defuse the bomb by solving a minigame puzzle

Puzzle Pirates

MMO aspect, roam around in a world with other players

Actual gameplay consists of different puzzles, but all are tied together as tasks to do on a pirate ship

Portal Portal Source Engine First Person Use a special gun to make teleportation holes that you must use in a variety of ways to get through the room FPS look makes it unique, because it is still, ultimately, just a designed puzzle game http://youtube.com/watch?v=GWzmL05OlYA

Portal

Source Engine

First Person

Use a special gun to make teleportation holes that you must use in a variety of ways to get through the room

FPS look makes it unique, because it is still, ultimately, just a designed puzzle game

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GWzmL05OlYA

More Designed Puzzle Games Block Dude TI-83 Calculator Game Math Class is perfect application for a pick up and play puzzle game Snood Very easy to understand mechanics, but it does take a bit of skill. How well you do the level can be as motivating as just completing it RoboBlitz Like Portal, unique in being a 3D puzzle game. It gives the appearance of a platformer, and it partially is

Block Dude

TI-83 Calculator Game

Math Class is perfect application for a pick up and play puzzle game

Snood

Very easy to understand mechanics, but it does take a bit of skill.

How well you do the level can be as motivating as just completing it

RoboBlitz

Like Portal, unique in being a 3D puzzle game. It gives the appearance of a platformer, and it partially is

What Makes a Good Puzzle Game? Simple, easy to understand gameplay Accessible interface Some sort of sense of involvement between the player and the game. Some sort of accomplishment or other motivation to continue playing Even a clever and unique game isn’t very good if it’s just dull (See: Planned)

Simple, easy to understand gameplay

Accessible interface

Some sort of sense of involvement between the player and the game. Some sort of accomplishment or other motivation to continue playing

Even a clever and unique game isn’t very good if it’s just dull (See: Planned)

What Makes a Wildly Successful Puzzle Game? Repetition Tetris, Bejeweled, Lumines, Text Twist- gameplay doesn’t change, even from start to end of a level Mummy Maze, Planned, and others get old because they get harder and more complex, but that’s the only way to increase difficulty for static puzzles Source of addiction: Continual progression with a continual sense of accomplishment

Repetition

Tetris, Bejeweled, Lumines, Text Twist- gameplay doesn’t change, even from start to end of a level

Mummy Maze, Planned, and others get old because they get harder and more complex, but that’s the only way to increase difficulty for static puzzles

Source of addiction: Continual progression with a continual sense of accomplishment

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