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"The Simple Things"

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Wed 18/07/01 at 15:04
Regular
Posts: 787
Why is it that some of the most entertaining games are the most simple games?

Tetris. Drop different shape blocks to fill lines so they disappear. Highly addictive.

Bomberman. Walk drop bomb, hide round the corner. Simple enough, but somehow fast and frantic in multiplayer.

So what's next?

Super Monker Ball!

I mean this game you can play one handed, as you don't need to press any buttons to play it! It's just a case of directing the monkey, in his ball, to the bananas.

And yet I imagine it will be one of the most fun games in arcades in the near future, and amongst the most fun multiplayer GAMECUBE titles at launch.

So why is it that these simple ideas are so effective? Is it the pick up and play factor, so you can immediately get into it? Is it the steep, yet invisible learning curve, that keeps you improving at the game, without ever putting you in a position in which you are frustrated because you can't do it?

I was reading about a game earlier, Qix, I believe it was called. The idea of the game is simply to draw boxes, before the 'Qix' touches them. I read about this game, and wanted to play on it more than I want to play some of todays games, with their multiple weapons, and special skills.

I find that in Banjo Tooie you learn so many different abilities, that you forget what you can do! I did. I was a bit stuck, until I remembered what holding 'Z' and 'C-left' together did! It's a fun game, but sometimes I just don't feel like playing it, because it doesn't have that pick-up and play quality.

But Rare being Rare, they've included a number of mini-games, 18 I believe, that are all so wonderfully playable, and so very simple. Shoot at baloons, jump through hoops, collect glowing things on bumber cars, Ah delightfully simple!

Then there's my favourite game I've played this year, Mario Party. Mini-games so simple anyone can pick up and play, yet so very addictive that you'll never get bored of them. Again there's a wide range, from simple button bashers, to counting games, a tank battle, to skateboarding. Simple fun. Bashing buttons, jumping ropes. There's no shoot enemy, switch to print scanner, kill more enemies, chase woman, get stuck in room with poison gas, use grappling hook to escape. I'm not saying that that isn't fun, it isn't always appealing, thats all!

That's why one of the games I looking forward to hearing about on the GAMECUBE is Mario Party 4. Yes I'll get Eternal Darkess, and hopefully I'll love it, but I'm sure it won't have the same pick up & play pleasure that a simple game has. I appreciate the more complex games, and the adrenaline rush they can give you, the excitement of being chased, hiding from enemies, and the thrill of victory, but sometimes I just want an easy life!
Wed 18/07/01 at 16:35
Regular
"everyone says it"
Posts: 14,738
**er-no plays his Game&Watch from 1984 and ignores Goatboy's comment**

Goatboy, I would prefer to go and play Super Mario Kart (SNES) then go and play most of my DC, PS or N64 games!
Wed 18/07/01 at 16:29
Regular
"Infantalised Forums"
Posts: 23,089
er-no wrote:

Why? Well when you think
> about it simple is always best, simplicity rules, simple is
> effective.


Luddites. Each and every one of you.
I want bigger, faster, shinier, more involved, more processor power needed.
I haven't made it to 2001 to be playing games moving bloody blocks about a screen mate.

We're supposed to have shiny clothes and hover-cars by now, but fascination and rose-tinted glasses mean I'm still seeing Tetris and space invaders on my console.
Tekken - you hit a certain code at the start and you can play Invaders!
Wow...whoop-dee-doo, I just paid £35, poke your Invaders game somewhere soft, I want mega-graphics, anti-aliasing, complex gameplay.

But no, we're stuck with people saying "Ooo, the Atari console was cool!".
No it wasn't, I thought it sucked when I was 7 and it's even worse now.

Come on people, let go of these things, move forward and emerge into the 21st century rubbing your eyes and blinking confused as you clutch your BBC model B and Donkey Kong LCD games in retro-heaven, whilst I zoom about on hoverboards, eat my food in pill form and enjoy the latest technology and fads.
Wed 18/07/01 at 16:09
Regular
"everyone says it"
Posts: 14,738
'Think Different?' This was the slogan for the iMac computer, which Macintosh marketted it as the most simple internet set-up computer, and overall the most simple computer for a variety of things.

Now it is being called the most successful and most sold computer for home and office use in the world, and why was it so successful? It wasn't just the pretty colours it was the simplicity.

Any thing that is simple to use and easy to set up will become a great sales point as word of mouth spreads, simplicity eliminates the use of those ludicrus DIY manuals that seem to get more stupid and pointless as they go on.

As Meka said, Tetris was simple and is still being played on gameboys around the world, but Tetris had another great asset to it, it was addictive, people could play it for hours and hours on end and it didn't have a completion ending, infact you could aimlessly go on and on and on....etc

Its strange how most people like the big games with the visuals that leave you stunned, I prefer the simple games with the simple graphics that get me hooked.

If someone had said ten years ago to me when I was six I would be playing Super Mario 2 and a remake of FZero on a portable I would have thought it stupid, ten years on and still playing the same games, those simple but excellent Nintendo and Super Nintendo games on a portable, surely the market would have moved forward but no...

...if given the option now in ten years to be playing another simple remake of Fzero and Mario then just visually stunning games I would opt for the simple games.

Why? Well when you think about it simple is always best, simplicity rules, simple is effective.

Thanks
er-no
Wed 18/07/01 at 15:58
Regular
"Excommunicated"
Posts: 23,284
I was going to do a post on this. and better ;-)

Yep I agree, the most simple or the most addictive.

I was addicted to Snake on my phone.

Space Invaders is addictive.

and emm more :D
Wed 18/07/01 at 15:51
Regular
Posts: 14,117
Slaveunit wrote:
> Your Honour, that game was Bally!

There is a PC version called
> Jezball, in the Microsoft entertainment 4 pack.

Where can I get it from? Do you know if there's a Amiga emulated verion anywhere?
Wed 18/07/01 at 15:50
Posts: 0
Has anyone here played nibbles? It was on Q-basic in Dos and is one af the simplist and most fun games I have ever played. It is basically snake, but you collect numbers from 1 to 10 getting longer with each one, and then you go to the next level. As the levels progress there are more and more obstacles to avoid. Trust me, it's far better than snake. I also remember a game with gorillas throwing explosive bananas at eachother. You plan the angle and power, and laugh yourself silly. Great fun!
Wed 18/07/01 at 15:43
Regular
"Back from the dead!"
Posts: 4,615
Your Honour, that game was Bally!

There is a PC version called Jezball, in the Microsoft entertainment 4 pack.
Wed 18/07/01 at 15:31
Regular
Posts: 14,117
Yeah, I remember Bally. Well just the name, I can't remember anything about the game.

Does anyone know where I can get a game for my AMiga emulator? I don't know what the game is called, so I'll try and explain:

You were presented with a rectangle on the screen, you had to "claim" a certain percentage of the rectangle by drawing lines across it. But in the way were these things that flew about, and if they hit the line you died.

I know the description is pretty crap, but i don't know how else to describe it!
Wed 18/07/01 at 15:28
Regular
"Back from the dead!"
Posts: 4,615
I must say I am truely addicted to snake on my mobile phone!

Also, does anyone remember an amiga PD game, Bally?
Wed 18/07/01 at 15:04
Regular
"not dead"
Posts: 11,145
Why is it that some of the most entertaining games are the most simple games?

Tetris. Drop different shape blocks to fill lines so they disappear. Highly addictive.

Bomberman. Walk drop bomb, hide round the corner. Simple enough, but somehow fast and frantic in multiplayer.

So what's next?

Super Monker Ball!

I mean this game you can play one handed, as you don't need to press any buttons to play it! It's just a case of directing the monkey, in his ball, to the bananas.

And yet I imagine it will be one of the most fun games in arcades in the near future, and amongst the most fun multiplayer GAMECUBE titles at launch.

So why is it that these simple ideas are so effective? Is it the pick up and play factor, so you can immediately get into it? Is it the steep, yet invisible learning curve, that keeps you improving at the game, without ever putting you in a position in which you are frustrated because you can't do it?

I was reading about a game earlier, Qix, I believe it was called. The idea of the game is simply to draw boxes, before the 'Qix' touches them. I read about this game, and wanted to play on it more than I want to play some of todays games, with their multiple weapons, and special skills.

I find that in Banjo Tooie you learn so many different abilities, that you forget what you can do! I did. I was a bit stuck, until I remembered what holding 'Z' and 'C-left' together did! It's a fun game, but sometimes I just don't feel like playing it, because it doesn't have that pick-up and play quality.

But Rare being Rare, they've included a number of mini-games, 18 I believe, that are all so wonderfully playable, and so very simple. Shoot at baloons, jump through hoops, collect glowing things on bumber cars, Ah delightfully simple!

Then there's my favourite game I've played this year, Mario Party. Mini-games so simple anyone can pick up and play, yet so very addictive that you'll never get bored of them. Again there's a wide range, from simple button bashers, to counting games, a tank battle, to skateboarding. Simple fun. Bashing buttons, jumping ropes. There's no shoot enemy, switch to print scanner, kill more enemies, chase woman, get stuck in room with poison gas, use grappling hook to escape. I'm not saying that that isn't fun, it isn't always appealing, thats all!

That's why one of the games I looking forward to hearing about on the GAMECUBE is Mario Party 4. Yes I'll get Eternal Darkess, and hopefully I'll love it, but I'm sure it won't have the same pick up & play pleasure that a simple game has. I appreciate the more complex games, and the adrenaline rush they can give you, the excitement of being chased, hiding from enemies, and the thrill of victory, but sometimes I just want an easy life!

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