In the beginning, every game was a novelty, because every game concept was new and untested. As the industry matured, genres became defined, and basic gaming mechanics were established. The majority of titles walk these well tread paths. That's not to say they do not invent, or that they are not creative. It is simply true that most games are familiar in play and presentation. Occasionally, beneath this canopy of common action games and everyday shooters, you might find something unusual.
Games with gimmicks don't necessarily break open new genres or reinvent old ones. They simply add a little something special to the classic mix. When based upon a solid foundation, that novelty factor can be the deciding element on how memorable the game ultimately is. Three games that showcase this extra push of notoriety are Okami, Drawn to Life, and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.
Okami is one of those games that you've probably heard of even if you've never played it. A visual masterpiece with a unique ink and wash painting look, Okami plays like a very polished Zelda style action adventure game. While the basic game play follows the classic combat and exploration challenges, Okami gives the player a unique tool: the Celestial Brush. At any point in the game, the Celestial Brush can be whipped out to draw magical symbols that have physical effects. Brush strokes can cause the wind to blow, the sun to shine, bombs to explode, or even enemies to be sliced in half. The brush is just a gimmick, imparting the same types of power more traditional tools and weapons have for past heroes. However, the act of drawing in these effects, independent of controlling the protagonist, creates a more direct and visceral feel of interaction with the game. The brush is cool, and you never have to fumble through an inventory window to find the right item.
Speaking of drawing, Drawn to Life takes the concept of interacting with a game via your own art to its logical conclusion. Drawn to Life is a simple 2-D platformer with some old school sensibilities. Visually it is cute, highly polished, and smoothly animated. By itself, it's a decent little game but what makes it remarkable is the drawing mechanic. You draw in your own hero. Other elements in the game can also be drawn or colored in, but it's the ability to design your own main character that's really neat. You are limited to a basic humanoid form, but even so, I was able to create a detailed orange dragon as my protagonist. Maybe it's an artist thing, but I probably doubled or even tripled the length of this game getting my personally contributed objects to look just right.
Another game that takes the road less traveled artistically is Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. It is the second game in a quirky RPG series that has its own unifying gimmick: everything is made of flat sheets of paper. This certainly gives these titles a unique look. Also, game mechanics revolving around the flatness of the characters is played upon to great affect. Thousand Year Door adds its own novelty to the mix: an interactive audience. The turn based battles take place upon a stage and timed button presses during the fights result in “stylish” moves and extra attacks. Watching all of this is an audience that will respond to how well you perform. Depending on how much the audience likes you, your characters can gain power and fill up super attack gages. Aside from the mechanical benefits, playing to the audience is just fun and helps to make the battles more exciting.
Often, the term gimmick is used as a negative descriptor, but gimmicks can add an extra spark of life to a game. Novel approaches to old ideas keep things fresh and innovative. Step out of your comfort zone. Today is a good day to play something unusual.