Is that thing a penguin???
OK, so sometimes a thing is just too cool.
I recently discovered such a thing here. It’s a game called Line Rider. And it’s amazing.
Basically you draw a course for a penguin (at least, I think it’s a penguin…) who slides down and up and sideways on a sled. There’s no course when you come to the site. You make it all yourself. The goal is really just to make the coolest course you possibly can. It’s fun. And it’s addictive… even when you’re bad at it like me –
Lots of people are playing this game – there are more than 50,000 video clips of it at YouTube. Two of my favorites are this one and this one.
What’s special about this game? Well, one thing is the simple and elegant design of the thing. The physics are quite something. I actually felt the WHOOSH of the movement as my little guy slid to his demise. And I have to say that it was pretty exciting.
The other thing that’s special about this game is that you make it. As I already mentioned, there’s no course when you start – it’s a total blank slate. So your experience with the game is totally up to you. And that’s pretty much the best game design in the world, as far as I can tell. Because, well, there’s nothing more engaging than making our own stuff, whether it’s out in the world or in some kind of virtual environment. I think that a lot of the best games are great because they give players a context to be creative and to feel that WHOOSH (no matter what kind of WHOOSH that might be…).
Give it a try. I’d love to hear what folks have to say about it.