2005 TRENDS IN

Casual Game Design

Scott Kim, PuzzlemasterCasual Games Summit, Mon, Mar 7Game Developers Conference 2005

SEQUELS

MULTIPLATFORM

SEQUELS

Common in all mediaSEQUELS

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

MOVIES:Spiderman II

PC GAMES:Sims II

CASUAL GAMES:Bejeweled II

Good business

• PITCHING: Easy sell• MARKETING: Built-in audience• PRODUCTION: Re-use assets• GAME DESIGN: Proven play pattern

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How to improve the original?

• WORSE: Matrix Reloaded• BETTER: Shrek II• SERIAL: Harry Potter

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Case study: Bejeweled

First web downloadable hit, still sells.

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Case study: Bejeweled

• Change look: Sweet Tooth, Nisqually…

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Case study: Bejeweled

• Change look: Sweet Tooth, Nisqually…

• Add modes: Bejeweled II, Tetris

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Case study: Bejeweled

• Change look: Sweet Tooth, Nisqually…

• Add modes: Bejeweled II, Tetris• Change rewards: Bejeweled II

SEQUELS

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

3 in a row = clear

4 in a row = bomb

5 in a row = hypercube

Case study: Bejeweled

• Change look: Sweet Tooth, Nisqually…

• Add modes: Bejeweled II• Change rewards: Bejeweled II• Change goal: Jewel Quest

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Goal: turn board gold

MULTIPLATFORM

Good business

• PITCHING: Easy sell• MARKETING: Built-in audience• PRODUCTION: Re-use assets• GAME DESIGN: Proven play pattern

MULTIPLATFORM

Multiplatform titles

• Top Gun (Mforma) MOVIE > MOBILE

MULTIPLATFORM

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a

TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.

Multiplatform titles

• Final Fantasy (Square Enix) PS2 > MOBILE

MULTIPLATFORM

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Multiplatform titles

• Driv3r (Atari/Sorrent) PS2 + MOBILE

MULTIPLATFORM

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.QuickTime™ and a

TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Design issue: adapting

• BAD: Rubik on PC, Final Fantasy movie

• GOOD: Lord of the Rings movies• NATURAL: Tetris, Pacman mobile

MULTIPLATFORM

Design issue: adapting

• Bejeweled (Popcap/Jamdat)

MULTIPLATFORM

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.

Turn-based games on small boards are easy to translate

Design issue: adapting

• Zuma (Popcap/Sorrent)

MULTIPLATFORM

Action games are harder to translate

Design issue: adapting

• Dell Crossword (Blue Lava Wireless)

MULTIPLATFORM

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Old puzzles in a new medium can be an awkward fit

Design issue: adapting

• Daily Puzzle (Sorrent)

MULTIPLATFORM

Instead, design to fit the limits of both media.Design for

the more limited medium first

Scott Kim, Puzzlemasterscottkim.com