Mini game maker: one mechanic, one minute, one more try

What makes a mini game work

WarioWare by Nintendo built a series out of games that last a few seconds, and WarioWare D.I.Y. on the Nintendo DS let players make their own. The lesson holds: one verb, one goal, and you know if you won before you finish blinking.

Three parts. One input: flick, tap, hold or swipe. One twist that makes it hard: wind, speed, a fake-out. And a score you want to beat, so the minute turns into ten.

Ten one-line prompts

• Flick. "Flick paper balls into the bin, a fan blows harder each level."
• Timing. "Jump rope that speeds up, each skip goes higher, reach space."
• Reflex. "Stop only the wanted cars at the barrier, let the rest pass."
• Lever. "Raise the drawbridge for boats, lower it for cars, nobody crashes."
• Press. "Wait for green, then crush it with a hydraulic press."
• Stack. "Stack pancakes as high as you can, the plate wobbles."
• Catch. "Catch falling toast butter side up."
• Dodge. "Dodge my sister's water balloons for 30 seconds."
• Aim. "Throw a hat onto a moving statue."
• Count. "Count the sheep that jump, the fast ones count double."

Tune it in three asks

• Speed. "Start slower," or "ramp up every five seconds."
• Feedback. "Bigger splash when I score." Mini games live on that hit of feedback.
• Restart. "Instant retry." The fastest retry wins.

Mini games on Roam

Bank It! is paper toss: flick it in, mind the fan. Jump Rope to Space is skip, skip, skip to space. BOLLARD BOSS stops the wanted cars. Drawbridge Panic! is boats below, cars above, you on the lever. Hydraulic Press Crush is wait for green, then flatten it. In an engine, even a tiny game needs art, sound and a build. On Roam it is one sentence.

Questions people ask

What is a mini game?

A very short game built on one mechanic, usually under a minute a round, like a flick, a tap on time or a quick reflex test.

How do I make a mini game?

Pick one input, one twist and a score. In Roam you write that in a sentence and play it.

Can I make a mini game with no coding?

Yes. Roam builds the game from your description on iPhone, and you tune it by asking.