Game design may seem mystifying to the uninitiated, but Wallace Wang’s The structure of game design attempts to demystify the process of turning an idea into an actual playable game. Structured more like a textbook than a trade book, The structure of game design methodically breaks down the fundamental building blocks behind every game, from old-fashioned board games to the latest multiplayer online games. By understanding these foundational game mechanics, Wang asserts that anyone can learn how to design their own game.

Divided into three parts, the book first focuses on common design elements like rules, playing pieces, opponents, and randomness. Key concepts covered include game loops, risk versus reward, and how psychology and perception influence player behavior. While dry and academic at times, these chapters methodically outline the nuts and bolts behind games before shifting from design theory to practical application.

In Part 2, the book explores the elusive concept of “fun” by isolating different game mechanics, for example, puzzles, combat, and storytelling. While fun is subjective, Wang believes games only succeed if they offer meaningful player choices, a sense of achievement, and well-balanced challenges that test a player’s skills. By understanding why certain game mechanics appeal to players, the book provides practical guidelines for incorporating fun into new games.

Armed with this game design knowledge, the final third of The structure of game design covers the actual creation of games. From paper prototypes to digital apps, Wang offers step-by-step advice for turning an idea into an actual product, complete with chapters on playtesting, level design, monetization, and publishing. Aspiring designers are encouraged to start simple with card or board games before tackling complex video game development. The goal is to prototype core game mechanics quickly without getting bogged down in unnecessary graphics, backstory, or features that could dilute the essential gameplay.

While the structured, methodical approach caters more to analytical designer personalities, the book tries to be as broadly accessible as possible. Throughout there are sidebar profiles of successful game designers from diverse backgrounds, proving games can be created by anyone with persistence and creativity. However, the theory-heavy front half risks losing less technically oriented readers. Yet Wang leavens drier passages with enough practical examples, exercises, and concrete advice to appeal to different learning styles.

With over 40 published books spanning diverse topics from iPhone programming to stand-up comedy, Wang draws on his varied expertise to link the disparate worlds of game scholarship and commercial game production. While academic game programs focus on design theory and avant-garde games for art galleries, Wang asserts that amateur designers can also create wildly popular games like Flappy Bird. By balancing theoretical concepts with practical application, The structure of game design aspires to educate both aspiring indie designers working in their basement as well as students in formal game design programs working toward industry jobs.

While it may oversimplify the complexity behind hit games like Angry Birds or Candy Crush, The structure of game design provides interested amateurs a solid foundation for understanding games and prototyping original ideas quickly. Analytical designer types will appreciate Wang’s meticulous breakdown of game mechanics, while creative types may chafe at the rigid formulas. Yet as an affordable starting point for transforming an elusive game idea into an actual finished product, aspiring designers will find plenty of useful advice here worth returning to long after that initial flash of inspiration fades.