The video game market is oversaturated with content. With countless games lining the virtual shelfs, it can be hard to find the most interesting and inventive. But that doesn't mean they’re not out there! There are games, both indie and AAA, that are thinking about how to redefine genre expectations. While there are certainly more niche games that are focusing on creating completely new experiences, this list is primarily focusing on the games that are maximizing their genre’s potential. Those other games will have to wait until a future post. Instead, take a look at the games that are perfecting their genres, combining old and modern convention, and offering new perspectives.

Braid

If you’re a serious gamer, chances are you've heard of Braid. This game was pivotal in spurring the indie game scene in 2008. Braid consists of five main worlds, each with its own take on time manipulation. Jonathan Blow, the creator of Braid, had a unique vision for puzzle design. Many of the challenges in each level came organically during the design process, rather than as preconceived plans prior to design. Essentially, the mechanic would give birth to a rule that had not initially been thought of, but was then implemented into a puzzle. To Blow, puzzles were ideas that were to be expressed to the player. Solving it expressed the players understanding of the idea, rather than his or her ability to solve an arbitrary challenge. Many of the worlds contain previously played level layouts, with the only difference being the world’s mechanic. Rather than creating the layout around the mechanic, Blow saw how the changes to gameplay could be a greater concept to solve. This design process of creating puzzles based on rules derived from the mechanic contributed to the acclaim the game received.

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Super Mario 3D World

The Super Mario franchise is renowned for its ability to teach gameplay mechanics organically rather than through straightforward tutorials. Super Mario 3D World is a great look into quality level design and mechanic introduction for platforming and adventure driven games. Each level is designed around a mechanic which is explored through a classic Chinese story structure called Kishōtenketsu. It is a four step arrangement consisting of intro, development, twist, and conclusion. Each mechanic is introduced in safe space, expanded on with a greater level of challenge, given a dangerous or unexpected twist, and concluded with a tie-in to the flagpole at the end of each level. This structure allows for players to fluidly adapt to new elements. Once completed, these elements can be mixed in later levels. Cutting down on straightforward tutorials and designing levels around mechanics can drastically enhance a games playability.

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Portal 1 & 2

Portal is a legend of the puzzle solving genre for its complex level design and engaging story. The player awakes in a room within a testing facility and is sent from chamber to chamber to solve puzzles. To solve them, the player is unsurprisingly given a portal gun. One button fires a blue portal, another an orange. The player can then walk into one and appear at the other. Portal is acclaimed for its ability to take this simple mechanic and turn it on its head with different additions like energy balls, gravity, and enemies. It is also praised for its storytelling. The story divulges very little directly and, for that reason, provides an air of uncertainty and discomfort. Some hidden away areas offer the player vague details into where Chel, the protagonist, is. The story always gives just enough to keep the player engaged and questioning everything. Together, gameplay and narrative form a compelling, challenging, and memorable experience.

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Super Time Force

Super Time Force is a side scrolling shoot’em up about rewinding time with a twist. At the start of a mission, the player will choose between one of several character with its own traits. Throughout play, as well as upon death, the player will have the ability to rewind time. This is crucial, as each level has a time limit. Once time has been rewound to the desired point, the player will once again choose a character. Upon selection, play will resume from the current point, and a ghost of the previous life will replay everything it had done. It will kill the same enemies it had, and die at the same spot. This ability can be stacked as many times as necessary, meaning the player can theoretically kill every enemy, rewind, and run through the level as a new character never firing a shot. Also, if the player is killed by an enemy, rewinds, then kills the enemy before it is able to kill the ghost as it had, the ghost will join the player a-la Galaga as an augmentation to the player’s current attacks. SFT shows how efficiency can become the primary mechanic in order get through the level cleaner and faster.

If you like classic games, I highly recommend games like tetris or hangman. If you are looking for a fun multiplayer game, play 10000 mines will also appeal to you. I also want to recommend 1000mines.com, where you can play this beautiful and interesting game. What are your favorite games? Which ones do you spend the most time in?