The Philosophy of Video Game Puzzle Design
Puzzle games are extremely popular, but they’re notoriously difficult to design
The puzzle genre is one of the most popular in video games. That’s largely because it has a uniquely wide appeal — from the simple act of learning Tetris to the brain-melting experiences designed by Zachtronics. Although puzzle games aren’t known to tax gamers in the same way as, say, fighting a boss in Dark Souls, puzzle design and structure presents a unique consideration for game designers. Every aspect of design (from onboarding to progression) must be carefully considered in order to keep players from slamming their heads against a metaphorical wall.
Growing the Puzzle Genre
Depending on who you talk to, a puzzle game could be anything from casual “match 3” titles like Candy Crush right through to the subtly complicated Baba is You. As a genre, puzzle games have grown in numerous ways over the years. But one of the prominent factors in their growth relates to the way their content is presented to the player. Since its inception, many puzzle games have been built as just a series of non-connected…
