Now in full color the 10th anniversary edition of this classic book takes you deep into the
influences that underlie modern video games and examines the elements they share with
traditional games such as checkers. At the heart of his exploration veteran game designer Raph
Koster takes a close look at the concept of fun and why it’s the most vital element in any
game. Why do some games become boring quickly while others remain fun for years? How do games
serve as fundamental and powerful learning tools? Whether you’re a game developer dedicated
gamer or curious observer this illustrated fully updated edition helps you understand what
drives this major cultural force and inspires you to take it further. You’ll discover that: *
Games play into our innate ability to seek patterns and solve puzzles * Most successful games
are built upon the same elements * Slightly more females than males now play games * Many games
still teach primitive survival skills * Fictional dressing for modern games is more developed
than the conceptual elements * Truly creative designers seldom use other games for inspiration
* Games are beginning to evolve beyond their prehistoric origins
