w h o a z o n e



I've spent a lot of time playing, designing, and thinking about games. There are a handful that I've come across in my life that I consider "perfect games".

It's really important I make clear up front that "perfect games" are not necessarily perfect, as per the definition of the word perfect. They may contain parts that are weaker than others- but the game as a whole does not suffer for their inclusion.

Before getting into the specific titles, here's the criteria:


Strong Verbs

The foundation of a good game design are a clear and restrained pool of verbs. What is the player doing in a game? Control over action forms the basis of what makes interactive entertainment different from, say, a movie. But what makes a strong verb is a core action that feels firmly integrated into the mechanics of a game- omni-purpose tools that solve a wide range of situations and are broadly adaptable.

Deep Exploration of Said Verbs

A good game has strong verbs. A great game will remix and recontextualize its verbs seemlessly: adding twists that provide unique challenges without invalidating previous skill tests, but rather building upon them.

Surprise and Delight

The key to avoiding boredom is to surprise the player- predictability is the enemy of engagement. These surprises should be delightful- a minigame that is instantly understandable (especially when it recontextualizes existing verbs), a secret reward that makes the player feel smart and observant, or something that makes the player think "no way! ... but of course you can do that!"

Fun First, Fun Immediately.

Fun is king. All elements of a game are in service to entertainment- not the other way around. Fun is not to be "earned" after an hour of play. The entertainment value should be clear and evident immediately. If the fun element is the carrot that is being chased and the chase isn't fun, it's back to the drawing board.

Keep It Simple

Say No as Little As Possible

Encourage creativity- make the possibility space seem infinite. Use smoke and mirrors to redirect away from areas where you're saying No for the player's benefit- never let the player "hear" the developer saying no.

Never Tell The Player How Easy You Think It Is

Never ever ever ever belittle the player. Games are empowering. Your ego does not matter. Difficulty menus, if they exist at all, should be empowering (i.e. unlocking previously hidden "expert" challenges for tremendous success in normal play)

A Game, Not a Lifestyle

Games have been described as "a series of interesting choices", and that starts with the choice to play. Never punish the player for not playing, or reward them simply for playing. They should come for fun, or not at all.

Timeless Presentation

All media ages. A distinct style that is committed to will find a way to defy this as long as possible.

The List

  • Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990)
  • Super Mario World (1990)
  • Yoshi's Island (Super Mario World 2) (1995)
  • Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (1995)
  • Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996)
  • Kirby Super Star (1996)
  • Bejeweled 3 (2010)
  • Portal 2 (2011)
  • Undertale (2015)
  • Firewatch (2016)
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)
  • Super Mario Odyssey (2017)
  • Dicey Dungeons (2019)
  • Hades (2020)
  • Phasmophobia (2020)