Level Elements
Below are common elements that are present in levels across multiple games; consider using them when you get lost.
| Name | Definition |
|---|---|
| Avatar | the game entity the players control inside the game. For instance, Mario and Luigi in Super Mario Bros (Nintendo, 1985). |
| Boss | an enemy that poses a bigger threat than most. An example is Iceman from Megaman (Capcom, 1987). |
| Collectible | a game object that can be collected by the players. An example is the coins in Super Mario Bros (Nintendo, 1985). |
| Enemy | a hazard that takes the persona of a character. Goombas from Super Mario Bros (Nintendo, 1985) are one example of enemies. |
| Environment Tile | entities used to decorate the game, usually not interactable. Clouds in Super Mario Bros (Nintendo, 1985). |
| Hazard | entities that hinder the player from completing their goal. An example is the spikes in 1001 Spikes (Nicalis and 8bits Fanatics, 2014). |
| Inaccessible Area | an area that players cannot reach, but that might become accessible at some point in the game. For instance, dungeon rooms in The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo, 1986) that require a key to enter. |
| Level | section of the game, where players act towards winning the game. An example is World 1-1 from Super Mario Bros (Nintendo, 1985). |
| Mechanic | an element in the game, visible or not, that enforces a rule. An example is the checkpoints in Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega, 1991). |
| Object | any entity that appears in a game scene and can change state. It includes hazards, enemies, power-ups and etc. |
| Power-up | a collectible that positively impacts the players. The mushroom in Super Mario Bros (Nintendo, 1985) is an example of power-up. |
| Projectiles | moving entities projected from a hazard or avatar. Hammers thrown in Super Mario Bros (Nintendo, 1985) are an example. |
| Rule | describes how the game is played and controlled. An example is a rule to collect all pellets to win in Pac-Man (Namco, 1980). |
| Scene | a slice of a level/world that revolves around a concept, usually a challenge. |
| Screen | the part of the game level/world that is currently visible to the players. |
| Solid Tile | a game object that prevents the players from passing through it. An example is the floor in Super Mario Bros (Nintendo, 1985). |
| World | a large game area that is built from multiple levels. For example, Brinstar in Super Metroid (Nintendo, 1994). |
Level Design Patterns in 2D Games.pdf — Ahmed Khalifa, Fernando de Mesentier Silva, and Julian Togelius
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