Today I worked out a couple of principles that make arcade games fun.
First, you have to feel in control of your ship/car/man/whatever. So that when you get hit, you say “Oh, shit! I should have thrusted!” (Asteroids) instead of “Oh well, another ship gone. I wonder what hit me?” (Star Castle).
Second, you should be able to control the form of your attacks — in short, have a strategy: Qix, Space Invaders, Asteroids, Pac-Man. Counter-examples: Space Firebirds, Scramble, Sneakers.
Third, there should be two goals; the primary goal (getting points) should not overlap 100% with the secondary goal (clearing screens). In Pac-Man, for example, you can go for the monsters (points) or the dots (screen); in Asteroids, the saucers or the rocks; in Invaders, the creatures or the mystery ship. Whereas in Star Castle, you just go for the cannon; in Galaxian, the aliens; in Qix, area.
Interestingly, the only games with all these features are Pac-Man, Space Invaders, and Asteroids — the three #1 games.8
Anyway, I’m hot to write new games.
Par Jordan Mechner le 11/03/1982