Great Games That Make Perfect Use Of Simple Gameplay

The genius of a great video game doesn’t always lie in complex mechanics or a massive skill tree. Sometimes, the most memorable experiences are built on a single, elegant mechanic that is explored and expanded upon in surprising ways. These games prove that less is often more, using simple rules to create a deep, engaging, and highly replayable experience. This approach, often seen in the indie gaming space, can lead to a sense of pure discovery and satisfaction that bigger, more complex titles can’t always match.

Baba Is You

Baba Is You is the definitive example of a simple mechanic leading to profound complexity. The core gameplay loop is a simple block-pushing puzzle, but the blocks themselves are the rules of the game. For example, a set of blocks that read “WALL IS STOP” dictates that you cannot walk through walls. However, you can push these blocks around to change the rules. You can change “WALL” to “YOU,” turning yourself into a wall, or you can make “IS” into “IS NOT,” effectively breaking a rule. The game constantly forces you to rethink the fundamental laws of its world.

Portal

With just two mechanics—the ability to place an orange portal and a blue portal—Portal created one of the most innovative and celebrated puzzle games of all time. The game’s rules are simple: you can shoot portals on specific surfaces and anything that passes through one will exit through the other with the same momentum. The genius of the game lies in how it combines these two simple rules with physics and level design. The result is a series of increasingly complex and mind-bending puzzles that are as satisfying to solve as they are brilliant in their design.

Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight is a masterclass in elegant mechanics and environmental storytelling. The game’s core gameplay revolves around a simple move set: jump, slash, and dash. As you progress, you gain new abilities and charms that build upon these core mechanics, but the fundamental controls remain the same. The game’s genius is in its level design, where every area is a complex, interconnected labyrinth that you must explore and master. The elegant combat system and seamless platforming make it a joy to play, proving that a deep, engaging experience can be built on a surprisingly simple foundation.

The Witness

From the creator of Braid, The Witness is a game that uses a single, simple puzzle—drawing a line on a grid—and expands it into a massive, island-sized mystery. The game’s rules are never explicitly stated; you learn them through observation and experimentation. As you progress through the island, new symbols and mechanics are introduced, each adding a new layer of complexity to the core line-drawing puzzle. It’s a game about learning and discovery, and the sense of satisfaction that comes from finally understanding a new rule is what makes it so brilliant.

Vampire Survivors

As a rogue-lite game, Vampire Survivors is a perfect example of a game that uses extremely simple mechanics to create an addictive and deep gameplay loop. The only mechanic you directly control is movement; your character automatically attacks. The challenge comes from dodging waves of enemies and choosing the right upgrades and weapons to create a build that can survive the onslaught. The game’s simplicity is its strength, allowing players to focus on strategy and progression without being bogged down by complex controls or mechanics.