Something I’ve noticed before and have been noticing again is how much people love the feeling of variable reward. These moments where you hold your breath thinking: “will I make it”, “will i get it” or “how much will I get”.

Here’s some examples I’ve noticed in games which perfectly exemplify this sensation I’m talking about.

Jump king

Gameplay loop:

  1. Hold button down to select power with no indication that you’ve selected the right amount of power
  2. Hold your breath to see if you’ve made it to the next platform
  3. See yourself make the next platform or fall

Balatro

Gameplay loop:

  1. Select a set of cards for your hand
  2. Hold your breath to see if your hand makes enough points
  3. See your hand calculate and generate enough or too little points

So what?

If you’re making something you want to people to enjoy

  1. Identify the core gameplay loop
  2. What is a natural point at which you can introduce variable reward
  3. profit