Types of Games in Level Design

This course will be retired on September 30, 2023.

There are many categories of video games, often classified by their characteristics or goals—not by the type of gameplay they contain. Are you curious to learn about the growing variety of genres and subgenres? Want to discover which game genres appeal to you? No matter what your interest, this course takes you through what you need to know about genres in the game world.

In this course, you will learn about the types of games that exist in the industry and their unique characteristics. You will explore platforming, racing and strategy games, and identify the factors and requirements that level designers must consider when designing these video games.

Game genres can also have subgenres, and many games fit into multiple genres! We will explore the subgenres of games that branched off from other genres, taking advantage of their mechanics to create entirely new genres, each with their own level design considerations.

Module 1: Platformers

• The platformer genre

• Advanced platformers

Module 2: Racing games

• The racing genre

• Designing a race track

Module 3: Strategy games

• What is a strategy game?

• Turn-based strategy games

• Real-time strategy game

Module 4: Beyond strategy games

• Top-down action RPGs

• MOBAs

• Tower defense