Blog Post 1- What Makes Games Fun

Notes on what makes games fun and comments on first couple rounds of games we played in class...


Little Big Planet-

     In addition to being aesthetically appealing (those characters are so darn cute!) I think a strong feature that makes this game "fun"damentally (ho ho) appealing is the collaborative effort needed between players to complete certain challenges.  I think the fact that there are competitive challenges as well as collaborative ones makes the game more interesting than if there was only one kind of challenge.  Some games that I have played and also found fun that incorporated this aspect well are: Super Smash Brothers and Mario Party IV.
     I think that collaboration-type parts of games make the players get to engage with each other in a different way than strictly competitive/strategy games (maybe in a more social way?).  They also make games continue to be engaging even if you are losing.
    This game was also successful in that it was relatively easy to pick up- the controls are more or less intuitive.  I think games that don't require an excess of explanation or tutorials in the beginning are fun.


Apples to Apples-
 
   I think the fun in this game is based around the social interaction it creates.  Who you play with is a big factor in whether or not you will have fun playing it.  For me, the fun is in making the most absurd combination of adjective and subject possible.  Another thing that is fun about this game is that you get to know the other people playing with you better than you might with another type of game.  Lastly, it is also fun that at the end of the game everyone gets to have some cards that you won (if you won any) that "describe you" and everyone gets to feel special and unique.




Cards Against Humanity-

   Similar to Apples to Apples, the fun in this game is because of the social situations it provokes.  More so than Apples to Apples it forces players to push accepted sense of propriety.  I think that this game is absolutely hilarious and fun because it forces people to talk about things that don't ordinarily make their way into polite conversation but is still on everyone's minds.  If fun is talking about dirty things, this game is the best.


Once Upon a Time-

   I was really surprised at how fun this game was.  Again, like Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity, gameplay is heavily influenced by your fellow players.  The rules of play are relatively simple and the game is quickly learned.  To me- the fun in this game (again similar to Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity) is the absurdity that becomes the overall "story line" due to players competing to use up their cards.  This game is fun because it allows for the fun of competition but allows players to still have a good time and feel like they still have a chance at winning even if they are not currently in the lead.


Overall-
 
   Things that are fun: collaboration, competition, challenging propriety, straightforward rules.