What’s In A Game?

This week I wanted to talk a little bit about game design and what I think makes a good game. Good games, in my opinion, don’t necessarily have the best graphics (though they can), they also don’t necessarily have the best story (sometimes they don’t even have a story). They don’t even have to have the best soundtrack (though they frequently do). Good games can be found in every single genre, every single art style, and can be created by anyone. Good games are good games because they are FUN. That’s it. The end. Is the game fun?

Now you might be thinking, “duh, all games are supposed to be fun.” And yes, it’s painfully obvious. And yet, so often, we as game developers fall short. Maybe the enemies were too difficult, turning a challenge into frustration. Perhaps the risk/reward balance wasn’t correctly calibrated, making victories feel hollow or defeats feel punishing. Travel might have been too cumbersome, with vast, empty worlds that failed to engage players or provide meaningful exploration. Or maybe the UI was unintuitive, causing players to struggle with basic tasks and eventually give up in frustration.

Another common pitfall is pacing. If a game drags in certain parts or rushes through others, it can break the immersion and lead to disinterest. Games that front-load all their excitement or save it for too late in the experience often fail to maintain player engagement. Additionally, overly complex mechanics or systems can alienate players, making them feel overwhelmed rather than intrigued.

Even narrative elements can trip us up. A poorly written story or unrelatable characters can make players indifferent to the game's world, undermining their motivation to continue. In multiplayer games, toxic communities or poorly implemented matchmaking can ruin the experience, driving players away despite the game’s potential.

Ultimately, while the goal is always to create a fun and engaging experience, there are myriad ways to fall short. Each element of game design must be carefully considered and balanced to ensure that it contributes to the overall enjoyment and keeps players coming back for more.

If I think back on my favorite games, the ones I keep going back to, they all have a single thing in common: they all contain the “Just one more day” factor. To illustrate, I’ll use a few popular titles that I consider “great games”: Minecraft, Red Dead Redemption 2, Vampire Survivors, Stardew Valley, Civilization VI, and Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Minecraft does not have the best graphics (though they’re deeply nostalgic and iconic by now). The OG game wasn’t even coded all that well and many of the features we see now are recent additions. But even from the beginning, it was DEEPLY addictive. How many of you have booted up Minecraft, started a new world, thought, “I’ll just play one more day” and then it’s 5 hours later and you are falling asleep IRL as you’re harvesting your wheat?

For Minecraft, the addictive nature of the game is in the game loop: you wake up, have 10 minutes to accomplish whatever task you want before nightfall (usually mine or build something), rinse and repeat. But that 10 minute day cycle is the secret ingredient. 10 minutes of real time is just enough time to get deeply stuck in a cave, and just when you think “okay I should head up soon because I have a lot of loot, don’t want to risk it” you see a diamond in the distance. And then, after you’ve successfully mined that diamond, you rush as quickly as you can back to your base. It’s inevitably nightfall (since it’s now been like 2 or 3 in-game day cycles) so you quickly go to sleep. Now you have to sort all your goodies. Oh, and your wheat needs harvesting. Oh, and you should probably breed your cows since you’re running low on food. Your armor needs upgrading now that you have the diamond to do so. Oh, and you wanted to fix that wall since a Creeper blew it up last night in your race to get back to your base. And before you know it it’s nighttime again and you think “I’ll just play one more day…”

Red Dead Redemption 2 has this “one more day” cycle too. But for this game, instead of the main game loop being the addictive nature, it’s the story. If there’s one thing that Rockstar excels at, it’s world building and RDR2 is no different. You literally cannot walk for more than 10 seconds before something interesting compels you to go investigate. And before you know it, you’re now chasing down a serial killer and now you’re all the way in the Grizzlies again (you were in Rhodes) looking for that Legendary Snowflake Moose.

Now a good game doesn’t have to be one where you have to necessarily sink hundreds of hours into in order to gain full appreciation of the game. Vampire Survivors is a good game. Why? Because when you die you can’t help but think “well maybe if I had been a little bit more strategic and had not gotten blocked by those demon flowers I would’ve been able to last longer.” And so you inevitably press Play Again. By this time, it’s been well over 30 minutes and you’re still on the toilet. You can’t feel your legs any more.

Another example of this “one more day” factor is found in Stardew Valley. At first glance, it’s a simple farming simulator with pixel graphics and a charming, relaxing soundtrack. But once you start playing, the game quickly reveals its depth. Every day you have to decide how to spend your time: do you tend to your crops, explore the mines, fish, forage, or interact with the townsfolk? Each day is filled with choices and tasks that seamlessly lead into the next, and before you know it, you’ve spent hours improving your farm, building relationships, and uncovering secrets. The genius of Stardew Valley lies in its ability to keep us engaged through a combination of routine and discovery. (As an interesting side note, Minecraft’s day is 10 minutes while Stardew’s is just under 13 minutes. It’s just enough time to get sucked in but not enough to fully finish a task, which then leads to “just one more day.”)

Then there's Civilization VI. This game requires a minimum of a 5 hour commitment simply because of "just one more turn". You tell yourself you'll stop after you build that 20 turn wonder or after you finish researching a particular technology, but then something else demands your attention. Maybe a neighboring civilization makes a surprise move, or a new strategic resource is discovered just outside your borders. The game constantly dangles the next big achievement or challenge just out of reach, ensuring you’re always looking forward to what comes next. I’ve never been able to successfully pause this game.

Now consider the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This game’s strength is in its exploration and sense of wonder. The world is vast and every corner is filled with secrets. To the tune of 900 secret korok seeds scattered around the map to be exact. Players constantly encounter new puzzles, enemies, and landscapes that beckon them to keep exploring. The game masterfully balances the thrill of discovery with a sense of progression, making it difficult to put down the controller. You’re always finding something new, whether it’s a hidden shrine, a powerful enemy, or a beautiful vista that you just have to stop and admire.

Good game design, then, hinges on understanding what keeps players engaged and coming back. It’s not about perfect graphics, a gripping story, or even the best music, though those can all enhance the experience. Don’t get me wrong: each one of those is extremely important, but only to the extent that it serves the purpose of the game loop. It’s about crafting a gameplay loop that feels rewarding, balanced, and endlessly captivating. Whether it’s through constant discovery, strategic depth, or a well-paced narrative, the best games make players lose track of time, promising just one more day, one more turn, or one more run. And that’s what makes them truly great.