Level Up.pdf

352 LEVEL 12 The Nuts and Bolts of Mechanics
• Add new elements with each progression. Progression doesn ’ t mean
every level: it can be a grouping of levels. Progression can represent a
major element like a new weapon or enemy or minor like a change in an
enemy ’ s movement pattern or bonus modifier. Even a different
background art, sound effect, or song keeps the game from getting stale
or repetitive.
• Consider limiting the minigame ’ s controls to only a few buttons. Assign
only one action per button or control stick to keep control schemes simple.
• If possible, allow for player customization. The web - based minigame
Upgrade Complete (Kongregate, 2009) allows the player to upgrade
EVERYTHING, including the player ’ s ship, the background graphics, and
even the copyright screen!
• How does your minigame end? Does it have an end? Make sure the
victory condition is clear to the player. Some games can be played
“ forever ” — or at least until the kill screen appears.
Minigames don ’ t even need to be segregated from the core game. The
platformer/puzzle game Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure (EA
Games, 2009) and the RPG/puzzle game Puzzle Quest (D3, 2007) combine
two styles of gameplay; platforming and puzzle. If you do this in your own
game, just make sure you allow time for the player to make a “ brain shift ”
between the two gaming styles; give them a second to reorient themselves
with a “ ready ” screen or pause in the action.
And finally, when you ’ ve run out of all other creative ideas of minigames and
puzzles, you can always resort to “ Whack- A - Mole. ”