By Design: Making an Impression with Title Screens

As an aspiring game designer, it's important to take note of every component of a game and consider how it can be best executed to make a meaningful and lasting impression.  So where better to begin than with the first thing any player sees when they boot up a new game: The title screen.  Too often, these are subjugated to little more than simple text menus to start and load games with some unmemorable cursor or cartoon hand that points at the available options for selection.  But they have the potential to be so much more.  Title screens can make a powerful first impression into the experience a player is about to embark.  What more, they have the potential to create an imprinted emotion directly correlating to the game itself, as this will be a screen players will visit again and again each time they boot up the game, and even possibly when the credits finish rolling.  So what are some of the creative means in which title screens can be expressed and implemented?  And what types of title screens are best suited for the intended experience?  With these questions in mind, join us in the following design discussion as we take some time to dive into the many types of title screens found in the world of games.

Title screen from Xenoblade Chronicles.

By Design: The Birth of the Metroidvania

In a few short weeks, a new Metroid game (or re-imagined remake I should say) will be upon us in the form of Metroid: Samus Returns for the Nintendo 3DS.  And fans couldn't be more excited, considering it has been just about 15 years since the last release of a 2D side-scrolling Metroid.  During this absence, there has been a growing surge of indie games (independent developed games) who have had modest success using the Metroidvania formula, such as with Cave Story, Shadow Complex, or Axiom Verge just to name a few.  As many may be aware, Metroidvania is terminology used to describe games with similar concepts as found in the popular Metroid and Castlevania series, most notably Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.  So what elements makes a good Metroidvania?  How has this combination of series formed its own sub-genre that is still used today to define other similar games?  Do both series hold equal weight in the name Metroidvania?  Does the terminology stifle the potential growth / variation of games in this genre?  With these questions in mind, join us in the following design discussion as we explore the birth and rise of the Metroidvania.

Box art for Super Metroid (left) and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (right).

Before we dive too deep into the origin story here, it's important that we clarify what elements define a Metroidvania, as there can be varying opinions of such.  A game that is described as a Metroidvania typically contains many or all of the following characteristics:

• Non-linear, exploratory worlds often filled with secrets and/or backtracking.
• Upgrades that allow for new means in traversing the world and clearing previous road blocks.
• RPG or leveling-up mechanics that allow the character to grow during their adventure.
• 2D (or 2.5D) platforming-adventure action.

By Design: The Death of the Game Over

You may have seen the recent headlines on certain gaming outlets or Twitter: There will be no GAME OVER screen to be seen in Super Mario Odyssey.  Instead, players will lose 10 coins from their collected total and continue from their last checkpoint.  Sound familiar to other open-world sandbox games?  Is this a change long over due?  What does the future hold for the iconic 1-up mushroom and classic extra-life sound effect?  Do Game Over's and extra life mechanics still hold any relevance in today's gaming medium?  With these questions in mind, join us in our first design discussion as we dive into the origins and evolution of the Game Over.

Game Over screen from Super Mario 3D World for Wii-U.

Before the days of home consoles, video games had their explosive start in arcades.  At a token / quarter a pop, developers put in certain gameplay mechanics to motivate players to keep playing their games, such as leader-boards or the infamous Game Over / Continue screen.  By making games brutally difficult and allowing the player to buy more lives at the cost of a few more quarters, developers were able to earn additional revenue on their games as players fine-tuned their skills and sought out to reach the coveted ending.  Many modern arcade games share the same conventions today as this mechanic is well suited for the challenging and short nature of these games.