Analysis of a platformer tutorial level

Almost all games come with some level of instructional based intro level. Some games are very in direct in their teaching methods, filling screens with text and forcing players to under go certain actions before progress can be made, whereas other games tend to throw players directly into the mix and simply hope the player can figure things out as they go. Perhaps the best form of tutorial level are those that introduce the core concepts without telling you exactly what to do.

      In the book "theory of fun" by Raph Koster, it is explained that a form of fun is gained through the successful completion of a puzzle. In order to be entertained, it is arguable one must be learning. This would mean for the most fun to be gained through play not everything should be given away, or the play becomes more like reading an instructional video than play, yet the game needs to teach the tools needed to be able to solve the puzzles, without it becoming too frustrating too quickly. Once a player knows how to accomplish a task, then the frustration of skill can be achieved, but if the tools to solve the puzzle aren't given, the gamer will not enjoy themselves.

I find a good example of an elegantly designed tutorial level, can be found in a rather unexpected place. I would argue The Behemoth's Battle Block Theater introduces the puzzle game very well. Is it possible for a game where a narrator at some point describes something as tasting like "doo doo casorole, with a side of butt salad," ever be used to describe something elegant? Perhaps after a simple analysis you will find it can.

When you begin the game, to simply need to press forward to progress after you are introduced to the games rather absurd story. as you progress forward you pass many things, but nothing which requires you to do anything until you pass in front of an open door.

1.

Upon passing the door a button press is prompted over your head. It should be fairly obvious to a player what pressing this prompted button will do- it will cause the player avatar to interact with the open door. Most players would probably assume only two possibilities. Either this closes the open door, or you go inside of it. Since you cannot do much else in the game at this point, you press the button, and enter into a level selection level. here you find all the doors locked but one. Pressing y outside of this door, sends you into the first level. Welcome to the tutorial.

 

2.

Pretty much the moment you start playing this level you are introduced to the core mechanic of this game. Without any prompting, you are forced to figure out how to jump to progress in the level. You press forward from your start position, and you come face to face with a ledge that you must traverse over. By the completion of passing this obstacle, you know how to jump.

3.

 and almost immediately after learning the most simple jump, you are again challenged by facing a ledge in your way. Yet this ledge is larger than the last- a simple jump will not get you high enough to get over this wall. What to do? Perhaps here a player may press all available buttons. Eventually, a player will realize they need to press their jump button twice so they can perform a double jump.

4.

This level so far has implored you to move forward with wooden arrows. upon getting on top of the prior discussed ledge the player faces an arrow pointing away from them, focusing attention onto the gem that sits there. This is obviously important. when the player collides with it, the narrator speaks, there is a chiming sound and an icon appears on top of the screen marking that the gem has been collected. it is now obvious this is important for game completion. the player is now interested in collecting these gems when they see them.

5.

Passing over an unmissable golden object, the player seems to have opened a flag which emits sparks and a happy chiming sound. Still nothing is explained, but it is understood to the player that this is something good. Right below that, the player encounters their first enemy. the enemy doesn't kill the player by touching it- the player may figure this out because the enemy moves quicker than the player, but it does throw the player's avatar around, and in general an be a bit annoying to get around. Here a player is also introduced to water. If a player is either pushed into the water by the enemy, or they are curious and go into themselves, they will die. this puts them back a very short distance to their check point/ their flag. The level is designed so their first interaction with death is a safe one, with little repercussions, making learning fun. The player may also find that they lured the enemy into the water, and see it die. If so the player learns a way to defeat enemies.

6.

The next ledge up, a player finds three new unfamiliar blocks. The only way to progress is to step forward. this will begin causing the blocks with dots in them to explode. the newer blocks below appear to show fire, so initially a player may try NOT to touch these blocks. If they do, they may find that no matter how many double jumps they attempt they cannot progress. the only option left is t fall on the fiery blocks below. This sends the player upwards. the fiery blocks don't hurt you, they give you a boost!
now the avatar's head passes through the cloud black, but they aren't going high enough to progress. seeing another gem above them, a player will undoubtedly attempt to collect this gem, and in turn will eventually attempt and learn that they can jump after getting the boost from the fire brick. this jump will send them above the cloud brick, yet not high enough to find footing on any of the solid bricks they are used to. this leaves them only the choice of trying to land on the cloud- which they can.

the player just learned the dynamics of three new game elements, without being told anything. they now know the dotted bricks explode and also found in the time it takes them to fall onto the fire bricks and shoot into the clouds those bricks will regenerate. the player learned that the firey bricks give them an added boost, and they learned that they can pass through the cloud bricks, from the bottom, but once on top of the cloud, they are solid.

7.

Going forward the player finds an arrow pointing them forward... into a brick, but this one with a blue hole. This may seem odd, but the arrow has yet to direct the player into a dead end, so the player will press on- into the hole, out of another. the blue holed brick is understood to be a warp.

8.

 after the warp a player passes another checkpoint, then they are faced with two directions. A path to the left, the direction they were already going, and a path going back the way they cam, but above it. if the player ventures to change course and appear to go backwards, they find themselves in the presence of a glowing ball of yarn. If the player picks this up, the yarn is added to their gem icons on their hud on the top of the screen, and twinkle sounds are made, while the narrator mentions the yarn. it is understood this is another positive collectable, but more rare and out of the way than the gems which the player has been guided to, and almost forced to pick up so far.

9.

the alternative path from the one leading to the yarn will finally lead the player to the exit.... but nothing happens. The play will observe rather quickly due to contrasting colors, that the exit has a red emblem.... that looks like a gem. Knowing that green means go and red is stop, and as there are already two out of three gems collected, a player may assume that they need one more gem. There is one visible right beyond the exit. once the player picks this gem up, in big letters "EXIT OPEN" is displayed, and the exit begins glowing.

The player now has the skills needed to play the game at it's most basic level, and learned to do it with next to no verbal instructions.
This is perhaps one of the least boring ways to learn a game. Quickly you are taught all you need to know to play the game, without being forced to do anything but play the game.

If this isn't elegant design, I don't know what is.