Thank you. Yeah, I really, really enjoy coding. Maybe too much. I think its because I like deductive reasoning and solving puzzles. And that's basically what writing, game design, and coding all are. Solving puzzles which you've created for yourself. Of the three, though, I would say that coding is the most immediate, least ephemeral, which lends it a certain instant satisfaction.

Good points all. I particularly appreciate your open-mindedness. Not many can claim possession to such a characteristic. You recognize that all decisions concerning game design need to be made relative to that game specifically. There are very few hard and fast rules for game design, only those which work for each game particularly.

Thank you kindly for the mention; I appreciate it. And congratulations to all others as well.

I would like to say that Burnout 2 is one of my favorite games of all time. Until recently, I'd played Burnout 2 more than any other game ever. There isn't a single racing game in existence that can compare to the perfect control. Burnout 2 was also my first lesson in impact, and not just crashing into cars, but I mean that visceral emotion of driving fast. Burnout 2 nailed it like none other has. I could seriously talk about this game all day, but I'll save you the agony. On a related note, other amazing racing games that come very close to Burnout 2 are Rush 2 and Trackmania Nations. Pure also has much potential, though I've just begun playing it.

Very interesting article. I really appreciate this perspective of re-analyzing convention and asking questions that challenge established design. I'm gonna think a lot more about this. But for now, I wanted to mention one game I did not satisfice on: Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat. Man, that game is one of a kind. In fact, I would replay levels many times over until I earned platinum medals before moving on to the next level, or any of the several other levels I'd unlocked. Jungle Beat is simply enjoyable. And the scoring system is genius; it encourages you to retry again and again to perfect your score, but in ways that I felt were noble and acceptable, not annoying or intentionally beyond human capability.

Another, more recent game with which I would challenge myself was Batman: Arkham Asylum. I would not accept a lame completion of a fight nor of a stealth room. If I didn't get it right, and it didn't feel cool enough, then I would restart. I am a huge proponent of restarting or retrying sections. I have to challenge myself to meet my own standards of quality, and the option to restart is very much appreciated.