Simple game ideas that still feel new
A simple game has one core action and one way to fail. What keeps it from feeling like a clone is a single twist. Here are twelve simple ideas, each written as action, fail and twist, plus a way to try them on Roam right now.
The formula
Write three words before you start: the action (tap, drag, jump), the fail (miss, crash, run out) and the twist (what makes it yours). Flappy Bird is tap, hit a pipe, and pipes with tight gaps. If your idea needs a fourth line, it is not simple yet.
12 simple game ideas
- Jump rope to space. Action: tap to skip. Fail: miss a skip. Twist: every skip lifts you higher, until you are in orbit.
- Traffic stopper. Action: tap to raise a bollard. Fail: let a wanted car through or stop an innocent one. Twist: you read the plates.
- Drawbridge. Action: hold to raise the bridge. Fail: a boat hits it or a car falls in. Twist: both arrive at once.
- Egg catch. Action: drag a pan. Fail: drop three eggs. Twist: some are golden and some are rotten.
- Umbrella walk. Action: tilt the umbrella with a drag. Fail: get soaked. Twist: the wind changes the rain angle.
- Ice cream stack. Action: tap to drop a scoop. Fail: the cone tips. Twist: each flavor weighs a different amount.
- Doorbell dash. Action: tap to ring and run. Fail: get caught on the porch. Twist: some neighbors are fast.
- Parachute drop. Action: tap to open the chute. Fail: too early you drift, too late you crash. Twist: a target on a moving truck.
- Shadow match. Action: rotate a shape. Fail: wrong fit before the timer. Twist: the light moves, so the shadow changes.
- Snore control. Action: tap to nudge a snoring dad. Fail: wake him. Twist: snores get louder near the baby's room.
- Bubble pop. Action: tap bubbles. Fail: pop a bomb. Twist: bombs look like bubbles for a split second.
- Cat on a keyboard. Action: drag the cat off. Fail: it sends the email. Twist: the email is to your boss.
Three simple games to play on Roam now
Jump Rope to Space is the first idea above as a real game: skip, skip, skip, all the way to space. BOLLARD BOSS is the traffic stopper: stop the wanted cars, let the rest go. Drawbridge Panic! puts boats below, cars above and you on the lever. All three are on Roam, a free iPhone app where you can also type your own simple idea and play it.
Play it on Roam
Make a simple game with Roam
Write your action, fail and twist as one sentence and type it into Roam. It comes back playable on your iPhone.
Try: "traffic cop at one crossing, tap to drop the barrier for wanted cars only, 3 mistakes and I am fired"Questions people ask
What is the simplest game to make?
A one-button timing game: something comes, you tap at the right moment. Flappy Bird showed how far that can go.
How do I make a simple game feel original?
Keep the action and change one thing: who you are, where it happens or what failing means.
How long does a simple game take to make?
In an engine, an evening to a weekend for a first version. In Roam, you can play it the same day from one sentence.
Keep exploring
- Short game ideas with one mechanic and one sitting
- Mini game ideas for parties and short breaks
- Mobile game ideas that play well on a phone
- Unique game ideas from flipping who you play
- Video game ideas worth making, from tiny to big
- Horror game ideas: one rule, one place, one twist
More on Roam: All Roam games Games to play, by kind