Game mechanics describe how games can engage and motivate players.

The 5 game mechanics we focus on in Playable are challenge, compete, reward, mirroring, and have fun.

In each game concept, you can use not just one but a combination of the game mechanics that best work for your audience and your brand.

In a challenging game, there are obstacles players need to overcome or a task they need to complete.

This game mechanic is often used in skill games or knowledge games, which challenge players to achieve a task within a time limit. In a drop game, for example, players are challenged to catch falling images in order to collect enough points before time runs out.

The challenge players need to accomplish should not be too easy or too difficult. Otherwise, the game will be trivial or impossible, and players will disengage.

When competing for a prize or to solve a challenge players are 'against' someone.

In skill and knowledge games, players win a prize based on how well they completed the game. They compete against each other to perform better than other players.

Reward is what players get for playing the game.

Reward applies to all game categories. In luck games, rewards will be based on prizes (extrinsic rewards) as they are the defining feature of this game category.

In knowledge and skill games, instead, a reward can also be the challenge or the game itself (intrinsic reward). For example, quickly solving a puzzle with many pieces can be satisfying in itself without any prizes to win.

In games that use mirroring, players get to see how they compare to others but not necessarily in a competitive way.

This game mechanic is often used in knowledge games. For example, when answering questions in a quiz players can be shown how many people chose the same answer as them before moving to the next question.

This game mechanic is at the core of all games and game categories.

It can seem like a no-brainer, but offering your target audience a way to have fun with your brand can be a way to stand out and increase engagement with the audience.