Anatomy of Game Design

Anatomy of Game Design takes some of the most popular and beloved games of all time and dissects them to see what makes them tick. Each game is then used to discuss larger topics in game design, such as systems design, randomness, monetization, game theory, and iterative approaches to game development.

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People have played games forever, but it’s only in the past few decades that people really started thinking about what games are, how they work, and how to make them better.

Anatomy of Game Design takes some of the most popular and beloved games of all time and dissects them to see what makes them tick. By breaking down the systems and content of each game, the underlying systems of game design are laid bare.

Eight games are analyzed – including Settlers of Catan; Centipede; Candy Crush Saga; Papers, Please; Magic: The Gathering; and more – each representing a different genre or era of game design. Each game is discussed in detail, using the same methods for each game. What are the verbs of the game that give the player agency? How do those verbs fit together to form a core loop that makes the game engaging? What are the systems that power the gameplay? What is the larger flow that makes the game interesting over and over again?

Each game is then used as an example to tie back to one or more larger topics in game design, such as systems design, randomness, monetization, game theory, and iterative approaches to game development.

Key Features:



Uses well-known games to provide specific, discrete examples of broader game design theory


Discusses eight popular games using the same methodology to allow comparison of different types of games
Includes both high-level theory and academic perspective and practical, real-world guidance from a working game designer who has created these games for commercial release
Provides clear direction for deeper inquiry into game design or related fields such as psychology, anthropology, game development, or systems thinking