Short game ideas with one mechanic and one sitting

Why one mechanic is enough

Big projects stall. A game built on one verb, flick, stop, pour, can be built, tested and shown the same day. Game jams prove it: Ludum Dare entries are made over a single weekend, and many are fun because of the limit, not in spite of it.

Pick the verb first, then the theme. Add a score and a restart. Stop there and show someone.

12 short game ideas

• Paper toss. Mechanic: flick. A desk fan blows the paper off course. Try: "flick paper balls into the bin, a fan changes the wind each throw"
• Traffic stopper. Mechanic: stop. Raise the bollard for wanted cars only. Try: "raise the bollard to stop wanted cars, let the rest go, 3 mistakes"
• Drawbridge. Mechanic: hold. Boats below, cars above, one lever. Try: "hold the drawbridge lever, let boats pass, don't drop cars in the river"
• Catch the cat. Mechanic: move. A cat falls off shelves, catch it in a basket. Try: "catch my cat falling off shelves with a laundry basket, she gets faster"
• Pancake stack. Mechanic: drop. Stack pancakes as high as you can. Try: "drop pancakes on a stack, misaligned ones get trimmed, how tall can it go"
• Pour to the line. Mechanic: hold and release. Fill each glass exactly to the line. Try: "pour drinks to the line, overfill and it spills, 10 glasses"
• Park it. Mechanic: steer. Park in tighter and tighter spots. Try: "parking game, each spot is tighter, one scratch and you restart"
• Pigeon dodge. Mechanic: swipe. Walk to work without getting hit by pigeons. Try: "walk to work, swipe to dodge pigeons, collect coffee for points"
• Swat the fly. Mechanic: tap. Hit the fly, not the cake. Try: "swat flies at a picnic, don't hit the cake, 60 seconds"
• Slice the bread. Mechanic: swipe. Cut equal slices for the family. Try: "cut a loaf into equal slices, the family complains about uneven ones"
• Dart throw. Mechanic: aim and release. The board moves. Try: "throw darts at a moving board, bullseye doubles the score, 9 darts"
• Balloon pop. Mechanic: tap. Pop only the balloons of the color called. Try: "pop only the balloons of the color called out, wrong ones cost a life"

Short games on Roam

Bank It! is a paper toss flick game: flick it in, mind the fan. BOLLARD BOSS is reflex timing: stop the wanted cars, let the rest go. Drawbridge Panic! puts boats below, cars above, and you on the lever.

Questions people ask

What game can I make in one day?

Something with one input and one goal: a toss, a timed stop, a dodge. Add a score and a restart.

Why do small games get finished?

There is less to break. You see the whole game early and you know when it is done.

How long should a short game be?

One to five minutes per run is plenty. Short runs make people want another try.