Whether you want to create your own indie games or work in the gaming industry, you’ll need to know about game design. this seems like a complex topic because it covers so many different ideas like storylines, characters, animation, gameplay, and visual/graphic effects.
but you have to start somewhere and this list is the best place to start.
You are reading: Best books about game design
I’ve selected the 20 best game design books, from graphics to storytelling to user experience. this is similar to my main game art book post, but instead of concept art books, I’ll be covering the technical mechanics of game design for people interested in the whole shebang.
note: If you’re serious about game design, I highly recommend this game design video course at pluralsight. adds over 20 hours of step-by-step video tutorials on all aspects of game design. and this comes with a free trial account so you can test if this might work better for you than a book.
level up! the guide to great game design
Building an indie game is tough work and there’s no shortcut. You need to put in the hours and craft ideas that resonate with players. But where do you even get started?
level up! Scott Rogers’ Guide to Great Video Game Design is the perfect guide for anyone interested in video game design. Scott opens the first few chapters by talking about idea generation and marketing. you’ll learn what makes a great idea for a video game, so you can quickly weed out bad concepts.
Later in the book, you’ll learn about the technical pre- and post-production processes that apply to professional game design. you’ll learn about mobile game design and console game design, so there are plenty of overlaps regardless of which system you prefer.
In this latest edition you’ll get expanded chapters that talk about game monetization and documentation for scaling a project from scratch. this also includes tips for game designers who eventually want to get into aaa studios.
This is a great book for indies and professionals who just want to learn and master the art of game design.
the art of game design: a lens book
Jesse Schell is the author of this incredible book featuring the best attitudes and questions to ask before building a video game. The Art of Game Design presents over 100 questions to help designers think about the psychology, gameplay, usability, storyline, and what makes a game fun.
You will learn to plan game ideas and consider which ideas work best together. There are no single right answers because it’s hard to gauge which titles will become hits. who would have thought that games like katamari damacy or animal crossing would become as popular as they are today?
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend this book to a complete beginner because it’s challenging. you’ll need to think through the game design process in great detail, and it helps to have created a few games in your spare time.
However, taking a copy and keeping it in your library for reference is not a bad idea.
the definitive guide to writing and designing video games
The challenge of creating a video game comes from wearing many hats. Most people excel in one area like graphics/art, programming, or writing gameplay mechanics.
but most indie game developers learn all these topics and that is the goal of the ultimate guide to writing and designing video games. In this book, you’ll go far beyond the simple mechanics of the game to the thrill that drives players to grab that controller over and over again.
The main points of the book are based on how to write suitable scripts for video games. these are more than just dialogues and cutscenes. these scripts dictate why players play and, although they are much more important in RPGs, they are still an important part of the design of all video games.
You will also learn how to create a game bible that contains all the information about your game world.
In later chapters, you’ll learn about the professional gaming industry with tips for getting started and presenting your ideas. This is the definitive guide to game creation, and while it doesn’t touch on game mechanics, it does cover fundamental topics that every aspiring game designer should know.
fundamentals of game design
If you’re looking for a compendium of video game design then this is the book you need.
game design fundamentals by ernest adams has a total of 576 pages full of tips and tricks for the game design process.
You will learn about brainstorming and early development along with interface design, storytelling, usability, and technical aspects of games for different devices.
Inside you’ll get lots of advice from industry experts, but you’ll also get free worksheets and exercises to help you develop your own ideas. this is perfect for indie game designers who have no idea where to start and need a great reference guide.
but this can also be useful for concept artists and programmers to understand what makes a great game. If you work on any part of the gaming pipeline, you should consider getting a copy of this book.
how games move us: emotion by design
Here’s one of the more recent publications written by games designer & researcher Katherine Isbister. This book helps readers understand the emotional side of game design with information about the most popular games and how they evoke empathy from the players.
how games move us: emotion by design is really an introduction to great storytelling within games. this is much more of a culture book than a design book, looking more at gaming culture and who it is for.
but through katherine’s studies and insights you can learn what makes the world’s most popular video games so great.
There is rarely a single answer to this debate, just like there is no best way to create a movie. but katherine’s book is valuable for anyone who wants to create games that fully immerse the player in real emotion rather than just creating simple shooters for thrill and excitement.
game features
I’m surprised how many MIT Press books cover the art of game design. Most actually aren’t too impressive but Characteristics of Games is one of the best you can get.
This book covers the entire history of video games, which goes far beyond simple video games. Topics include sports, board games, and recreational activities such as billiards and darts. the goal is to connect ideas and draw conclusions based on similarities between the world’s most popular games.
Understanding true game design has more to do with human psychology. what do people want from video games? how do they want to feel and what makes them come back for more?
If you want to be a successful game designer, you’ll need to answer these questions and find ways to replicate those answers in your work. And frankly, this is one of the best books to be introspective about game design.
All three authors work in the professional gaming industry, so you get real feedback & information from well-respected experts in their fields.
basics of drawing and video game art
I wasn’t going to include this book in the list until I recognized that it goes far beyond simple artistic techniques. This book is obviously targeted at game artists who want to improve at concept art or 3D modeling.
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But the basics of drawing and video game art encompass more than just artistic techniques. This book looks at the future of gaming and draws connections between the world’s most popular series.
You will read insights and anecdotes from the gaming industry that discuss the quality of art in relation to the production of a game. this also includes fine art galleries versus concept art & aaa headline graphics.
This book is really intended for artists first. you learn all about character art, environmental art, anatomy, and how to design realistic concepts for games.
but you’ll also learn about game design trends over the last 30 years and how much graphics have evolved. this provides insight into the future of gaming, which can be incredibly valuable to aspiring game designers.
slay the dragon: writing great video games
A huge part of game design is the actual writing and character development. If you’ve never written fiction stories before then you may struggle with this task.
luckily slay the dragon: writing great video games can take you from complete novice to proficient story writer in just 230 pages. Both authors have experience writing for games and movies, so they know how to tell stories that grab attention.
but the difference in games is the interactivity. sometimes the scenes will be different depending on the player’s actions. this type of non-linear scriptwriting can be tricky and was actually covered in lane raichert’s interview.
The difficulty of writing a game is also what makes it so much fun. in any case, the most frustrating part is not knowing how to deal with it.
This book teaches everything you need to know, from the basics of genre selection to character development to leaking information to players to keep them engaged. if you want to be a game writer or if you want to create your own games from scratch, this book is a must before developing your plot.
an introduction to game studios
Many designers learn by studying the past and emulating the greatest successes. This seems to be the goal with Frans Mayra’s book An Introduction to Game Studies.
It’s pretty short at only 208 pages, but it covers a lot of ground. you learn the history of gaming from the 70’s through each decade to modern times. You’ll also learn the basics that make gaming so much fun and what makes certain games so memorable to the culture.
You’ll be immersed in a lot of theory and creative writing, which can be very important during early development. frans teaches you how to think about gaming from a broader perspective of how it can affect groups of people and culture in general.
Most of this book is a theoretical analysis that uses real-world examples and case studies to lay out the fundamentals of game design. it doesn’t offer a step-by-step approach to creating video games, however it can help you think outside the box when building your own ideas.
game design: how to create video games and board games, from start to finish
I don’t always look into tabletop games for inspiration but they are a great place to start. Video games follow many of the same rules as traditional games and the objectives are often similar(multiple players, competition, score keeping and rules for who wins).
game design: how to create video games and board games, attempts from start to finish to make you a complete novice and help you understand the game design process. the book spans 276 pages describing many bugs and misconceptions picked up by amateur game designers.
the author lewis pulsipher has been teaching game design in the united states since the early 2000s and is on top of modern games. he is still very active in the community, contributing articles and speaking at conferences every year.
His writing style in this book is very cordial but relaxed. it’s a fun read and will teach you many common mistakes to avoid during the game design process.
however, it is not a complete solution to creating a game from scratch, so I recommend combining it with another game design book, such as game design fundamentals.
fun theory for game design
If you want to create a memorable game you’ll want to make something that can stand the test of time. People can still play the original Super Mario Brothers to this day and enjoy themselves. That’s a feat very few game designers can achieve, but there may be a method to this madness.
the theory of fun for game design was recently updated in full color with hints and tips for aspiring game designers who want to create memorable games. this update includes screenshots and illustrations showcasing popular features and games that encourage users to come back for more.
In the first few chapters, you’ll learn how game design works and what makes gaming fun. most of it comes from the author’s personal experience as a game designer in the industry.
In later chapters, you’ll learn about historical video games and what makes them stand out from a sea of long-forgotten games. This book will only be of interest to people who want a broader view of game design, whether creating games in a studio or simply studying the history of games.
games, design and gameplay: a detailed approach to iterative game design
If you’re looking for a pragmatic step-by-step approach to game design look no further than Games, Design and Play. It’s one of the newest and hottest books covering game design in the modern era.
Spans 288 pages that focus on the details of game design, exploring the little micro-interactions and graphics that sell the world’s biggest titles. this is also a guided book that takes you by the hand along the way and helps you create a new game idea from scratch.
The authors see game design as an art form with many right answers. This book teaches you a common workflow to follow from the initial idea to the creation of the game world, player goals, end goals, and game mechanics.
You’ll also receive spreadsheets and document templates to help you sketch out new ideas. with each idea you will find yourself questioning the fundamental aspects that make a game playable. what makes people come back? what sells this world and the gameplay? what needs improvement or what feels out of place?
This is, in my opinion, one of the most pragmatic books on game design.
if you learn this without previous knowledge, you will learn a lot about game design. And best of all, you’ll learn it the right way.
the gamification of the learning and instruction field book: ideas put into practice
At 480 pages long this is one of the most detailed game design books on the market. But this goes far beyond regular game design into the concept of gamification for modern interfaces.
This book covers topics such as detailed game mechanics and the moral underpinnings of game design. you can choose this book if you want to apply gamification to an existing user interface. but it’s better to use it with a new idea that you want to build from scratch.
The Learning & Instruction Fieldbook Gamification literally takes you from initial conception to final production with worksheets and quizzes to help you develop ideas along the way.
does not specifically cater to designers, developers, writers, or any aspect of the game design process. rather it connects with the fundamentals of gaming that make playing a video game fun and exciting.
This is perfect for mobile or console game designers who want to create addictive yet valuable gaming experiences.
game design workshop: a game-centric approach to creating innovative games
The author of this book Tracy Fullerton is a game designer with years of experience teaching at USC. Her specialties are in game direction and digital media so she has a lot to say on the entire process of game design.
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and that’s why his book Game Design Workshop: A Game-Centric Approach to Creating Innovative Games is one of the best titles you can have to master the game design process.
You will study existing games and break down the main components that make popular titles so compelling. You’ll learn foundational skills and practice exercises to help you generate great ideas from scratch. And best of all, this book requires no technical knowledge, making it perfect for artists who want to delve deeper into game design.
tracy’s writing style is very easy to follow. he has a natural knack for teaching and this shines through in his writing work.
In this 535-page book, you’ll learn everything from idea generation, prototyping, writing, testing, and reviewing new ideas to the game design process. is the perfect book for professional game designers and independent creators alike.
videogame narration: what every developer should know about narrative techniques
Writing a video game storyline is much more in-depth than crafting a small fanfic novel. You need to develop realistic characters from scratch and consider how they might interact with each other. This also includes plotlines and twists that keep players interested in the game.
video game storytelling is one of the best writing books for video game designers. Author Evan Skolnick has written for magazines and comics, so he is a well-versed writer in all fields. But his advice for writing video games comes from hands-on experience in various Activision games.
This book takes you through a step-by-step process to analyze your writing and how it applies to all stages of game design. he will start with initial ideas and learn to develop them into more realistic worlds with believable characters and plotlines.
You’ll get plenty of real life examples to help you see the turning points in major video game stories. Plus, you’ll learn practical tips to help you break down the game design process into actionable steps to keep your narrative on track.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in writing their own game. it’s practical, affordable, and covers insider tips you can’t find anywhere else.
flow: the psychology of the optimal experience
User psychology is a huge facet of great game design. If you don’t understand what the user wants to do then you’ll never be able to deliver a great experience.
And when it comes to user experience psychology books, I can’t think of anything better than flow: the psychology of optimal experience. the author mihaly csikszentmihalyi is a professional psychologist who shares his insights into what makes a user flow naturally through a typical experience.
These ideas can be applied to anything from mobile games to checkout lines at the grocery store.
but this book discusses the principles for bringing people into a natural state of flow and self-awareness where activities just seem to happen one after another.
Please note that this is a psychology book, so it’s not specifically about game design. But if you want a better look at people’s psyches and the activities that increase happiness, you’ll want to read this book.
game design: principles, practice and techniques
While it’s somewhat of a misnomer to call this the “ultimate” guide to game design, it’s still a fantastic book on the foundations of what makes great games.
All three authors are computer game designers who know how to communicate their ideas in a non-technical way. And that’s the goal behind game design: principles, practice, and techniques.
if you want to learn how to design games and apply it to your work without turning to programming, then this book is for you. It’s just under 200 pages long, but it includes a lot of design theory, such as 2d vs 3d games, multiplayer games, storytelling, difficulty curves, and how to handle in-game objectives.
Authors often refer to professional games from the last few decades using their successful features as prime examples for modern game design.
In the later chapters, you’ll learn about professional game production, from brainstorming to pitching your concepts and everything you need to develop a potential blockbuster. the writing style is fun to read and this book works great for both beginners and experts.
creating the game art
I can only recommend this book to game designers who want to be involved in the art side of production. Creating the Art of the Game looks into 2D and 3D production pipelines to help you understand how ideas come to life through graphics and rendering.
the author matthew omernick is a professional 3d game artist, but he also has years of experience as a game designer.
Each chapter discusses the advantages and disadvantages of individual workflows and stylized methods of rendering graphics. the author does not claim that one specific method is better than another. however, he does share thoughts on his favorites and what he notices work well in the real world.
again, this is primarily an art book, so it may not be of interest to all game designers/developers. but if you want to get involved in the artistic creative process, I would definitely recommend adding this book to your reading list.
game feel: a game designer’s guide to virtual feel
The entire gaming experience encapsulates more than just gameplay. It involves graphics, music, sound effects, and how the game makes the player feel in the moment.
a knowledgeable game designer knows this and knows how to use it. Game Feel: A Guide to Virtual Feel for Game Designers teaches aspiring game designers what to look for in their games to increase user engagement and excitement during gameplay.
The book has a total of 376 pages and can be a bit verbose in some cases. but the content is genuinely well written and will help you adjust to the modern world of game design. You’ll learn how players relate to their avatars and what drives them deeper into an imaginary game world.
I would recommend this primarily to serious game designers or anyone with more gaming experience. a beginner may struggle with this text because it assumes some knowledge of game mechanics and how they work on a fundamental level.
but if you’re interested in the addictive & emotional aspect of video games that you will enjoy reading from cover to cover.
improving games: the art and process of game design and development
This is certainly the newest book in the entire list and it’s also one of the most affordable titles. Making Games Better teaches designers and developers how to create beautiful games that work well for the players and help studios/indie devs earn money.
will examine both sides to see which workflows fit best in a studio setting and which concepts often lead to the best end results for gamers. this book also goes into great detail with the documentation for managing a game with a team of people. even documenting a game you run yourself is crucial to stay on top of all features and changes.
both authors have years of experience creating professional games for clients like sony and bioware. His advice is sure to be useful to anyone looking for professional or indie game development.
all the books in this publication are amazing and offer a detailed look at the professional task of game design. More gamers are turning to indie development, and with a decentralized release process, it’s now easier than ever to build a high-quality video game from scratch.
If you’re not sure where to start, I recommend a book that covers everything like games, design, and gaming. but you can find many more specific resources in this list that deal with narration, animation, and custom interactions for modern games.
No matter where you are in the learning process, you will surely find something in this post to help you improve. if you’re willing to try anything and fail along the way, you’ll learn the art of game design relatively easily.