What makes a game "charming"?
I hear the term applied to certain games such as EarthBound, Kirby's Epic Yarn, and most recently, Yo-Kai Watch. I use the term too and a game's "charm" often earn bigs points with me. But I never really stopped to think about what it is exactly that makes any particular game charming. Is it the music? The graphics? Humor? It must be something unique to certain games that make them stand out, no? I'm just curious what elements makes for a charming game.
While we're on the subject, what other games have you played that you found to be particularly charming?
While we're on the subject, what other games have you played that you found to be particularly charming?
Comments
On the Wii, for instance, I though A Boy and His Blob hit all the right notes for "charm", and Wario Land Shake It was pretty close in that regard, too.
Graphically, they both felt like what you "wished" games could have looked like, as a kid. (i.e. playable 80's cartoons)
The other big part is a game being willing to be "quirky" (the source of charm in a game like Earthbound).
I feel like a lot of it comes down to graphic style and soundtrack tapping into some intangible quality that makes you feel like a kid again.
Wow I never even thought of that. But you're right, Kirby's Epic Yarn and Yoshi's Woolly World are two games I find to be incredibly charming and playing them I do feel like I did when I was a kid discovering similar games for the first time. I definitely have to check out A Boy and His Blob on Wii now.
I also 2nd Boy and his Blob on Wii! That was a great game! Also Ori and the Blind Forest on Xbone!
I wouldn't say it's a straight-up swappable term for cute. It has more to do with the personality of the game. If a game is pleasant and appealing, it has charm.
Games like: Katamari, Catherine, Earthbound, Earthworm Jim
He does the moonwalk! The moonwalk!
Originality and quirkiness is charming to me. It could be the story, graphic style, music, characters, events. Tons of qualifiers.
Games like: Katamari, Catherine, Earthbound, Earthworm Jim
This is sort of where I come from on the subject. I think a game becomes "charming" if it feels like it offers something unique, either in the visual design, music, story themes, game play, etc.
Shovel Knight creates something new out of something old. The graphics, music and game design are reminiscent of an older time, yet it also offers the player new characters, a new world and new experiences.
Child of Light has a very dream-like, storybook, water-color style to its visuals and characters.
Both are stark contrasts to the current mainstream trends of dime-a-dozen, high-definition, grit and gray, everybody's-a-space-marine-with-a-huge-gun in modern games...and it's that contrast that makes them charming.
By the way, another game I found particularly charming was Chibi-Robo! on Gamecube.
I was playing Final Fantasy 6 and was surprised but how good the writing/translation is, there is a bunch of really fun bits of personality thrown in there. Also really good animation helps, like when they animate non-important stuff that shows extra care went into it. Something about those exaggerated expressions or little pantomime scenes, really hit the right notes.
-Lovable characters
-Whimsical
-Fantastical, a sense of true adventure. Almost like a fairy tale being played out in gaming form
-Usually a unique look or striking art style or brilliantly designed levels/gameplay
-That "Phantom Tollbooth" type of quirky charm that maybe you can't quite put your finger on, but you just know it tickles your inner child's sense of wonder and imagination