Article:
Game Design: What Makes a Good Game?

If you were to walk into your local game shop right now, how many games would you find that use almost the exact same play format as Magic: The Gathering? I can name many right off the top of my head: VS. System (resources and endurance as mana and life), World of Warcraft TCG, Pokemon, and even Yu-gi-oh. But why are these games so successful in copying one game? Obviously Magic had to do something right or else it wouldn’t have spawned so many copy cats. After all, imitation is the greatest form of flattery.

When Magic first came out, it had all the key ingredients for a perfect game (which is why it is so popular). The simple concept of two wizards battling while dealing damage through creatures and spells, not to mention a simple way of playing the spells with mana. But with that simplicity came innovation through this being the first time the “mana” battle system was introduced to the gaming community, which sparked a generation of spin offs. Last but not least, there was that oh so popular fun-factor in the game itself, where players just loved to prove which one was best.

However, it seems today that coming across a game that has all three of these factors in it is rare, and honestly it is quite disheartening. I constantly wait for the next huge game that isn’t just a carbon copy of Magic, because honestly there truly hasn’t been such a trading card game since then.

What can you do to change this though? If you’re a designer, then think to yourself about what can be done to create a new game experience for the player, while still making sure it keeps their interest. Everyone plays games for an experience of sorts, and once the experience becomes cliché (such as with the Magic spin-offs) the players lose interest and the company loses money. That’s another battle that Wizards of the Coast has to fight each year when they create a new Magic set; they must be sure to bring something new to the table as each block of cards comes out.

One of the biggest things to remember when coming up with a game is that you must be willing to play the game yourself. Not because its your game, but because the game itself speaks to you in a way that keeps you playing whether or not you made it.