The Most Inspiring Game Examples for Gamification Mechanics

Games have various claims to fame. One may have outstanding graphics, while another has compelling storyline. It is imperative to understand the characteristics of a first-rate game in order to apply Gamification to learning. What sets a game apart? Which aspects keep players engaged?

Here’s a list of games with excellent game mechanics. See what makes these games outshine others, and, how their mechanics can be applied to Gamified learning.

Lord of the Rings Online
When it comes to fantasy worlds, the Lord of the Rings Online creates an atmosphere of curiosity and freedom unlike any other. It features in-depth design and animation. Designing a world for a gamified system is important to improve the storyline and theme. In training, a serious game set in a fictional world can be a great tool to inspire learning. Curious learners are motivated to spend more time exploring the world, and in turn, gain more knowledge.

World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft first introduced the idea of using characters, profile photos and avatars to create customized heroes and villains. Players can choose from a wide range of skin colors, face shapes, hair styles, hair colors, and even piercings to create a truly unique avatar. They offer an in-game representation of the user, similar to the concept of virtual reality. The use of relatable avatars is a brilliant tool for first-person training experiences where the learner controls his or her own character.

The Sims
Modifying the avatars concept from the WOW Series, Sims offers more realistic virtual representation of ordinary, everyday individuals. The characters are more relatable and can be used to better understand human psyche and emotional connections. Similarly, the game also lets users create several personality traits for individual characters within the game. This is an important tool for emotion-based marketing or for training in emotive fields, such as therapy and counseling.

Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons offers creative choices for inventories and equipment, such as armor, weapons and potions. Users have thousands of possibilities and an opportunity to use limited resources to end the game. The game mechanic of equipment, earning new tools and gaining abilities from them, can be easily applied to corporate training. Learners work hard to earn their next piece of equipment, especially if it makes them more successful at a task within the serious game.

Super Mario Bros
As far back as the days of Atari and Nintendo, Super Mario Bros introduced the use of power-ups as a gamification technique. Power-ups allow the player to temporarily gain new abilities or powers. For example, picking a Fire Flower lets Mario throw fireballs, and catching a Super Star makes him momentarily invincible. Almost all games have adapted the exciting feature of power-ups. In Gamification of learning, a power-up could give the learner a hint to a question or extended time to complete a challenge.

The list of popular game mechanics is endless, and new gamification methods are constantly released to win the hearts and minds of individuals across the globe. Start compiling a list of your favorite game mechanics such as in-game currencies (in the case of Farmville), trading systems (Team Fortress 2) and quest method (Grand Theft Auto series). Then, think creatively on how to apply them to your Gamified learning and serious games!