Puzzle Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Puzzle Game Design.
Latest coverage
29 New Changes in the Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake — Redesigned Puzzles, Updated Miniboss Fights, and Deeper Dialogue
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake on Nintendo Switch features numerous changes, including redesigned puzzles to better suit modern controls and updated miniboss fights. New shortcuts and context clues also enhance navigation, making the classic adventure more intuitive for players.
Video games need to let players feel stupid
This article argues that many triple-A video games are overly afraid of players getting stuck, leading to excessive hand-holding and hints that diminish the satisfaction of solving puzzles. Games like Order of the Sinking Star, Routine, God of War, Marvel's Wolverine, and Halo: Campaign Evolved are discussed as examples of this trend, with the author advocating for more trust in players' problem-solving abilities to foster a greater sense of accomplishment.
"Coders will never forgive me for this level": Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 has a rotatable "fleshmetal" puzzle map that drove its own development team crazy
Principal designer Matt Bone discusses the challenging 'Vicious Circles' level in Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2, which features rotating 'fleshmetal' environments that frustrated both the coding and art teams. Bone highlights the technical hurdles of enemy navigation on moving platforms and the performance demands of animating intricate, rotating environmental art.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Drops New Look At the Designs And Ideas Behind Egypt’s Many Enemies
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis showcases the design of its Egyptian enemies, aiming to create a sense of danger and progression as players delve deeper into tombs. The developers are also focusing on challenging puzzle design, with the game set to launch on February 12th, 2027.
Mark Darrah, co-director of Dragon Age: Origins, has played Riven for 3 minutes and Factorio for 832 hours: 'If you want to know what kind of programmer someone would be, have them play Factorio'
Former BioWare director Mark Darrah discusses his gaming habits, highlighting an 832-hour playtime in Factorio and a brief three-minute session with Riven. Darrah, known for his work on the Dragon Age series, shares insights into game development, programming, and design, emphasizing the lessons learned from playing games like Factorio and his past projects.
Trine 6 försenas till nästa år efter feedback från speltester
Frozenbyte has delayed the release of Trine 6: Together in Time to March 4, 2027, following feedback from playtesting. The developers will implement two distinct puzzle modes, 'Freestyle' and 'Classic', to cater to both veteran and new players. Additional changes include refining character abilities, adjusting difficulty, and improving the tutorial.
Kingdom Hearts 4’s Mickey Sections Offer “Puzzle-Based Game Design” That’s “Refreshing, Interesting”
Kingdom Hearts 4 will feature playable sections with King Mickey that focus on puzzle-based gameplay, distinct from Sora's adventure. Co-director Tai Yasue explained that Mickey can create and utilize origami copies of himself to solve environmental puzzles. The game is slated for a late 2027 release on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
Kingdom Hearts 4's Goofy and Donald are playable for the first time ever, and Mickey's Paper Mario-style sections are "very different from Sora's adventure"
Kingdom Hearts 4 will feature playable sections with Donald Duck and Goofy for the first time in the series, alongside unique puzzle-based gameplay for Mickey Mouse in a 2D paper world, reminiscent of Paper Mario. The game is slated for a late 2027 release on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S.
Kingdom Hearts 4 Stops Teasing: D23 Panel Delivers the Full Extended Trailer
Square Enix and Disney provided an extended four-minute trailer for Kingdom Hearts 4 at the D23 panel, showcasing new gameplay and cutscenes set in the world of Coco. The trailer revealed that players will control characters other than Sora, including Donald, Goofy, and Mickey Mouse, who features in a puzzle-based origami world. The game is confirmed for a late 2027 release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
