Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design, 2nd Edition

Level 12

The Nuts and Bolts of Mechanics

If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.

—Author unknown

THERE’S NOTHING WORSE than an empty level you just walk through,¹ so you need to start throwing things in the player’s way. Good things, bad things, things that make the player cry with pleasure and weep with sadness. You need mechanics. Lucky for you, there are four types of these beauties: mechanics, hazards, props, and puzzles.

The Mechanics of Mechanics

Before you dig in, be aware that “mechanics” is another term that suffers from MDS: multiple definition syndrome. Board game designers say mechanics are the gameplay systems used to play a game. These are things like turns, action points, resource management, bidding, and even rolling the die.

Video game mechanics are objects that create gameplay when the player interacts with them. They can be jumped on, activated with a button press, or pushed around. Combine them with interesting level layouts and enemies. Some of the more common video game mechanics include

• Moving platforms
• Opening/closing doors
• Pushable blocks
• Switches and levers
• Cranks
• Slippery floors
• Conveyor belts

Platforms are a beloved mechanic of action game designers. They come in a wide variety of styles and flavors that can be used to bedevil and delight players. Here’s a suitable-for-framing chart that I’ve devised to help you identify platforms in the wild. Be careful; some of them bite!

You would think that something like a ...