A game that has evoked an emotional response in me is GeoGuesser. GeoGuesser is a game where players are placed into a random setting anywhere in the world and must guess where they are based on the street view provided. Although originally designed as a simple game, the game successfully transforms into a genuine observation game intent to a form of exploration and discovery (kinds of fun: discovery & challenge).
Personally, what makes GeoGuesser an intriguing game to me lies in how the game recontextualizes real-world data into a game system. The game’s details, whether from the color, architecture, etc., can all be clues, helping train players to read/ consider the surrounding environment closely, turning a passive scenery into active information being processed. This then creates a unique loop where, in each round that the players guess incorrectly, it doesn’t create a feeling of failure but rather creates an opportunity for the players to be more precise with their guesses.
In the emotional aspect, the game creates a mix of curiosity, excitement, and slight frustration (especially when we’re so close yet not exact). There is also a thrill in recognizing patterns in identifying a country from hints such as language, landscape, etc., creating a satisfaction when the player’s instincts create a somewhat accurate guess.
Looking at the overall design of the game, GeoGuesse illustrates how games can create a meaningful emotional feeling when stepping out of the traditional mechanics such as combat or progression systems; the game then needs to rely on the players’ curiosity as a core mechanic. This then turns the act of simply guessing into a helpful experience of playful education.
