The Best Game Expansions Make You Rethink the Game
Much of the joy in playing games comes from climbing the heuristic tree. We encounter a new game and don't know what works, so we try different tactics and see better
Ananda Guneratne
The Most Satisfying Reward Might Be To Remove a Problem
It is tempting to see progression in games as a process of gaining more and more resources and options. But options create noise. When players have many options, it takes more effort to
How Galaxy Trucker Succeeds at Onboarding Players
Complex games live or die by how well they onboard players. Among other things, this means making sure new players have simple tactics they can latch onto before they understand the game, also
“Save Anytime” Can Be a Design Trap
The ability to save is one of the biggest strengths of digital games. But saving comes with a major downside: all the short-term goals players were juggling in their heads go out the
Why Chess Isn’t on a Hex Grid
Square grids are perhaps the most iconic type of board in board games, due to classics like chess. While hex grids are a more recent innovation, the success of Catan has made them