With modern processing power, today’s generation of gamers often expect the very best in terms of an immersive game design that looks, feels and sounds realistic. However, there is something to be said for the simplicity inherent in the best game designs of yesteryear. What’s more, this isn’t about nostalgia for 8-bit gaming platforms because some of the very best arcade-style games came about in the browser era when much more sophisticated games were possible. Indeed, a classic like Bubble Shooter, for example, still stands up to the test of time to this day. Originally based on console games like Bust-a-Move or Puzzle Bobble, it gave gamers in the early 2000s a very playable browser game that replicated the old-school console game experience. What is it about such titles that mean they still work well today?
Rule 1: Easy-to-Learn Game Mechanics
Classic games are often given the title of being classics because they can be picked up in moments without the need for a tutorial or any directions at all. If you think about one of the all-time greats, Pac-Man, for example, there’s virtually nothing to learn. Just move the little yellow character, and the game’s functions and features become apparent by trial and error within a play or two. The same goes for the many straightforward point-and-click games out there, too. Complex controls, which mean memorizing multiple button or key controls, are a barrier to instant enjoyment. That said, golden game designs offer a challenge that gets progressively harder to master, even though a five-year-old could play.
Rule 2: Feedback Loops That Never Fail to Satisfy
Another golden rule of classic game design is that rewards need to be instant, frequent and obvious. Think of a burst of bubbles when the right color combination is achieved or even the rewarding sound effect when you shoot down the mothership in Space Invaders, for instance. Repetitive actions only feel rewarding when you get some form of sensory hit as a player. Careful attention to these moments is what makes classic games stand out from the many titles that were developed in the past, but which have failed to live long in the memory.
Rule 3: An Endless Challenge That Doesn’t Spiral into Excessive Complexity
More often than not, classic game titles will provide an escalating level of difficulty that slowly ramps up the demands on player skill that are required to make progress. What they tend to do is test reflexes in more exacting ways or require the sort of knowledge that you only get from playing. In some cases, randomization is used to make the play increasingly complicated. In other cases, you might find that time limits are progressively more demanding. In many classic game designs, there is no way to win overall – there’s no completion that can be achieved. What their designs ask gamers to do instead is to focus on clearing one more level, dealing with one more clearance or even simply beating the highest score.
Rule 4: Game Flow Prioritized Over FOMO
The final golden rule of classic game design is that it is for everyone, usually on an even playing surface. Far too many games badger players for daily log-ins or provide rewards based on certain outcomes. Classic games are there to be played or dropped, enjoyed or not, without the pressure that comes from maintaining playing streaks and so on. In short, being able to play as much or as little as you want is a key feature of winning classic gaming, something that helps to build loyalty through immersion and rhythm at the player’s, not the designer’s pace.
Conclusion
Okay, no one is going to argue that a simple game in which you line up similarly colored bubbles or smash a pixelated ball back and forth with virtual bats can offer anything like the experience of Assassin’s Creed, Monster Hunter Wilds, or Final Fantasy. And yet, simple games continue to endure. Designers must remember that sheer playability often wins over even the most intricately put-together game designs. Follow the golden rules and you’re more likely to have a hit title on your hands, one that not only has a wider appeal among gamers but one that is longer lasting, too.