Good Bones: Game Designs That Just Work

Ever heard the expression “good bones”? It’s said of houses undergoing renovations, of classic cars that need a bit of a spruce up. It’s even said of unfinished creative masterpieces. It’s a nod to rock-solid foundations, or a certain lineage that observers can safely bet will produce excellent results. It’s a saying born out of knowing a thing or two about a particular market. Often it’s relied upon as a harbinger of success.

In gaming, good bones could mean a lot of things. It could be a reference to the titles in a series that have gone before, laying down a game design foundation, or to a development team that’s established and talented, who know what they’re about. It could also refer to the tried and true tropes of a tried and true genre.