an afternoon at the musée mécanique, san francisco’s retro arcade
Back in 2015, I wrote an article about arcades becoming archaic, based on thoughts on a visit to Dave and Buster’s. I thought it was time to revisit, or perhaps reimagine the topic, with thoughts on a recent visit to…
safeway monopoly and game design for collectors
From February to April this year, Safeway ran its Monopoly promotion. I had to do the shopping for a couple of big events, so at the cash register after some large purchases I was given stacks of Safeway Monopoly tickets,…
escape room design: story first, puzzles second
Because escape rooms have their roots in games, I think an all-too-common design problem is the focus on creating really great puzzles. While clever, interesting and unique puzzles do add to the player experience, they are not the most interesting…
3 multiplayer game design techniques for human interaction
The standard for fun multiplayer games was set long before anything digital existed. Playing cards around a table, shooting pool at a bar, or enjoying a board game night with friends are social activities that effectively use multiplayer design in…
a rhapsody for disneyquest
There is a nondescript blue block of a building in a corner of the newly-reimagined Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort. This unremarkable structure contains five floors of arcade games, virtual reality experiences and interactive exhibits. The place is…
death and victory on the oregon trail: card game vs. video game review
Unlike most of my friends, I never played The Oregon Trail when I was a kid. My first exposure to it was a few weeks ago, in card game format, and I was excited to see what all the fuss…
foldit, player motivation and video games for science
Picture this: You’ve just come home from a long day at work, and have the promise of a free evening before you. It’s been a stressful day, and you want to relax. Do you a) fire up your favourite video…
the game design of rock climbing
Lately, I’ve gotten into rock climbing, and it has quickly become one of my favourite pastimes. While climbing is a great workout and a fun social activity, it is the design of rock climbing in gyms that separates it from…
switching up the controls, from atari to nintendo switch
I sat down with a self-professed “retro gamer” one rainy evening, and we played Pac-Man and Frogger on an Atari connected to an old TV. The difference was that this Atari was set up a little differently, connected to aluminum…
