EECS 494: Assignment 1

Arcade-style Game Review

Assigned: September 9, 2009

Due: 3:10pm, September 14, 2009, in class

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Choose an arcade-style game on popcap.com, zone.msn.com, or igf.com (independent games festival), or an iPhone game, and write a review of it. You should select a game that you plan on playing madly all weekend (except maybe from noon-3:30pm on Saturday). An arcade-style game is an action game. You do not need to buy a game – you can review the demos or free games. Some examples: 2d shooter, side-scrolling action game, fast puzzle game, Frogger, Pac-Man, Peggle, Luxor, etc. An arcade-style game is not an RPG, sports game, card game, or mystery game (such as Mystery P.I.). Pick a game you haven’t played before.

Your review should be at least 1.5 pages long (no more than 3), single spaced, 12pt font, 1” margins. To receive full credit for your paper, your discussion should include (but not necessarily be limited to) each of the topics listed below. Also, think about what you've like and disliked in the reviews you've read before. Feel free to organize the paper however you like but remember that a review has to be informative and entertaining in order to hold the reader's attention (maybe a screen shot?). When you give an opinion, back it up with evidence, such as examples of gameplay, game goals, feedback, etc. It is not enough to say you loved/hated a game, you need to explain to the reader why you loved/hated the game so they can determine if the things you care about are the things they care about. Your grade will be based on whether the review is comprehensive (covers the items below), informative, entertaining, and has good support for your opinions and arguments.

• Basic Information
• Game Title
• Company or Author
• Where to get the game
• Type of game
• Game Summary
• Quick Overview
• Story Line (if appropriate)
• Player's Role
• User Interface
• Game Play
• Scoring
• Artwork
• Sound and Music
• Special Features
• Game Review
• What is good/fun about the game and why?
• What is bad/not fun about the game and why?

o How does it compare to similar games in the same genre?

o How long is the game fun to play?

• What is the appropriate audience for this game?
• How does it do in terms of the issues raised in the talk on game design?
• Summary
• Highlights
• Low Points
• Rating