There are many ways to invite player creativity in games. Perhaps surprisingly, many of these ways don’t involve building blocks and constructing worlds from scratch.
In this post, we will be excluding sandbox games, such as Minecraft and Roblox, as well as life simulations (e.g., The Sims) and level creators (e.g., Super Mario Maker).
We will look at examples from the following categories:
- Solve your way out
- Creative destruction
- Try. Die. Repeat.
- Many paths to power
- Unusual abilities
- Road full of riddles
- Invent a recipe
- Combined powers
- Throwable objects
- Destructible objects
These categories represent most, but not all, of the strategies developers can use to invite player creativity. You can explore a more complete list of strategies in 20 Strategies for Generating Player Creativity in Games.
This is a speed run: prepare to move quickly through the list!
1. Solve your way out
Custom “lifesize” solutions in Fantastic Contraption
The purpose of Fantastic Contraption is to create new machines that help you move a ball from point A to point B. Players have plenty of room since it’s a virtual reality environment!
Building your way home in Factorio
In Factorio you know the ultimate goal, but you have to figure out how to accomplish it. Solving the open-ended problem of “How do I make what I need to build a rocket and get off this planet?” invites a lot of creative thinking.
Building homesteads, machines, and props in Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom offers players a wealth of creative opportunities that span many of the categories in this article. In particular, TotK encourages players to solve their own way forward by building their own homes, vehicles, and props for Addison, the “sign guy.”
2. Creative destruction
Destroy your way to a perfect heist in Teardown
In the fully destructible environment of Teardown, players must use a lot of creative thinking to develop plans and find efficient solutions.
“Execute masterful kills” in Bulletstorm
The game’s description says it all: “Execute masterful kills with Bulletstorm… [which] rewards you for performing the most creative and deadly kills imaginable.”
Creative combos in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
In Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, you’re a Jedi who is growing in the Force. Your growth invites creativity by delivering a wealth of both physical and Force-driven fighting options.
3. Try. Die. Repeat.
Creative attempts in Dark Souls 3
Like other games in the series, Dark Souls 3 requires constant experimentation and learning from mistakes — all ways to invite creative thinking.
Tripping enemies with gumballs in Deathloop
Your goal in Deathloop is to kill eight “visionaries” without dying before the next day. Takes a lot of repetition, learning, and creativity to get through.
4. Many paths to power
Customizing the passive skill tree in Path of Exile
Path of Exile offers a “vast web of 1325 skills that provide passive bonuses to your character.” Experimentation is invited — a key behavior in creativity.
Playing with the rich skill trees in Borderlands 3
The skill trees in Borderlands 3 give players options and tough choices on how to develop their character, which invites creative thinking.
5. Unusual abilities
Float jumping in Super Smash Bros (various)
Super Smash Bros gives players dozens of characters to play, each with their own distinct abilities. For instance, Princess Peach has a floating jump ability that invites creative combat moves.
Using neon powers in Infamous: Second Son
Infamous: Second Son gives players a suite of crazy neon-driven abilities that let them explore many creative ways of overcoming dangerous situations, including scaling walls and leaping between buildings.
Getting funky with the dubstep gun in Saints Row IV
Saints Row IV gives players many options for mayhem — which invites ample opportunity for creativity.
6. Road full of riddles
Solving one stunning puzzle after another in Monument Valley 2
Players must navigate many creative challenges, including mazes and optical illusions, to bring Ro and her child together in Monument Valley 2.
Solving player-made puzzles in Little Big Planet
In Little Big Planet, players must overcome creative challenges produced by other players. Creative solutions to creative challenges.
Puzzle-solving in forced perspective in Superliminal
Superliminal requires players to leverage forced perspective to solve a series of puzzles. This requires adaptation and creative use of what’s available to the player.
7. Invent a recipe
Creating your own spell recipes in Magicka
As a wizard in Magicka, players create their own spells with amazing effects from eight different types of magic.
Creating your own meal recipes in Burger Bistro Story
In Burger Bistro Story, players need to create menus that satisfy their customers while managing their restaurant.
8. Combined powers
Putting your skills together in Deep Rock Galactic
Co-op is key in Deep Rock Galactic. The complementary abilities of each role unlock many creative ways to mine the resources while fighting off the enemies.
Finishing battles together in Tales of Vesperia
With some creativity and timing, combo moves between pairs of players can continue indefinitely in Tales of Vesperia.
9. Throwable objects
Throwing refrigerators in Deus Ex: Human Revolution
That’s right. You can throw refrigerators in Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Imagine the creative fun you can have!
Throwing styrofoam cups in Dead Space 2
As this author learned the hard way in this game, when you’re low on ammo, use whatever is around. In Dead Space 2, your kinesis ability allows you to throw even insignificant things like styrofoam cups at enemies.
Throwing lots of things in PUBG
In PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), players can throw melee weapons to enemies and loot to their teammates. This ability invites a lot of creative gameplay.
10. Destructible objects
Blowing holes in walls in Rainbow Seige 6
The Destruction mechanic invites many creative opportunities by giving players the ability to break through walls (among other things).
Destroying everything in Control
From desks to file cabinets to concrete walls, players can find endless, creative ways to destroy their way through the challenges of Control.
Exploding the nuke in Fallout 3
In Fallout 3, players get to decide the ultimate fate of the town Megaton, which has an unexploded nuclear bomb in the center of it. Perhaps this isn’t the best example of destructible objects in a game, because there is only one (the bomb), but the author couldn’t think of a more fitting way to wrap up this article. Enjoy!
Now what?
Check out 25 Examples of Prosocial Behavior in Games!
