The enemies in Echo copy any action that you perform until they’re highly dangerous walking death machines. Level design and smart enemy placement turn Echo’s stealth gameplay into something really special. I take a look in this critical video.

Ever wanted a glimpse at what games like Uncharted 4 and Titanfall look like before they’re finished?

In the past, I’ve thought a little about making a game, but never got around to learning actual coding. Recently, I’ve started to develop that abstract “what if” idea into a passion project of my own. I’m learning how to create maps, program quests, and write cutscenes with the help of a program that can build RPGs.…

Games lie to us all the time. Recently, some developers took to Twitter to share a few of their ones, revealing design tricks used in games ranging from Surgeon Simulator to Bioshock.

Sonic Mania’s a lot of fun but one of its most exciting features is a dangerous string of bosses. Reshuffling and changing what Sonic can do adds a lot of danger to each encounter. We take a look at the boss design in this critical video.

People have been playing Super Mario 64 for years but few have plumbed the depths of how it was constructed and the unique ways its world works the way speedrunners have.

“Magic is secretly, not really … it’s not one game,” head Magic: The Gathering designer Mark Rosewater told me. “It is actually a bunch of different games that all have a shared rule system. Every time I make a card set, I’m making the game for everybody, but for each person, it’s a different game to them.”

Nearly every open world game makes the player collect random garbage, and it’s almost never fun. Instead, collectibles often come across as content fodder, meant to pad up the time a player might spend with a game. Breath of the Wild is not like that at all.

The release of the former Wii U exclusive Yoshi’s Woolly World to the Nintendo 3DS demonstrates once again that gaming menus are best when they’re lists. Nothing fancier is needed. We don’t need to be able to wander every which way through them.

Undertale creator Toby Fox took to social media yesterday to show off some early notes about the game’s creation. The notes feature early concepts for gameplay systems as well as early sketches of some beloved characters.

Final Fantasy XV has some wonderful boss fights. Aranea Highwind offers an memorable encounter thanks to an onslaught of smart design choices. We take a closer look in this video.

Dishonored 2 lives and dies by its level design. Tricky guard patrols and magical abilities don’t mean much without a good playground to sneak around in. Luckily, the game has one of the best levels in recent memory: the transforming Clockwork Mansion.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Rage lately. Last week, I dove back in. Minutes became hours, and I soon realized I was having a blast. When I was finally done, I had to ask: why doesn’t Rage get the love it deserves?

“So what does a game designer do? Are you an artist? Do you design characters and write the story? Or no, wait, you’re a programmer?”

I stayed perfectly still after they chased me into the air vent. I hadn’t heard anything for several minutes. Surely they’d left by now. Crawling out of my hiding spot, I found myself face to face with one of my pursuers. He hadn’t moved. He started shouting, but he remained locked in place, unable to move at all. …

“Jenga.” Depending on where you’ve played it, the very word conjures up memories of family holiday gatherings or boozy dorm room parties. But, if Hasbro had its way, the world-famous tower game would have a different name.

A good video game menu is like a good roadie: It stays out of the way. But still, far too many menus waste far too much of our time. People want to play games, not mess around in menus!

Frog Fractions creator Jim Crawford gave a presentation titled Preserving a Sense of Discovery in the Age of Spoilers. You can watch it here, or read a transcript here. He recommends several games that illustrate his rules of game design. My favorite example: