Life & fun · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to 21st Century Game Design

Who are we designing games for and how do we do it best?

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. 21st Century Game Design launched in 2015; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   Theory of Fun for Game Design▲67

   Thoughts on the most important element of any game's design

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

2. 2
   The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses▲72

   Ryan Hoover's fave book on The Twenty Minute VC

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

3. 3
   How Games Move Us: Emotion by Design ▲70

   A look at how games make us feel

   2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

4. 4
   Games People Play▲65

   The basic handbook of transactional analysis

   2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

5. 5
   Reality is Broken▲65

   Why Games Make Us Better & How They Can Change the World

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

6. 6
   Designing Virtual Worlds▲61

   The most comprehensive treatment of virtual world design

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

7. 7
   Rethinking Gamification▲66

   It is time to rethink gamification!

   2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

8. 8
   Reality is Broken▲60

   Why games make us better and how they can change the world

   2015 · amazon.ca · its alternatives →

9. 9
   Game Writing▲73

   Narrative Skills for Videogames

   2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

10. 10
    At a Higher Level - Episode #1 - Flow▲60

    Exploring game design through a variety of perspectives

    2016 · its alternatives →

11. 11
    Happy Mitten - 37: Board Games, Business, and Protospiel Ann Arbor▲51

    Interviews and play testing with designers and publishers

    2016 · happymittengames.com · its alternatives →

12. 12
    Happy Mitten - 33: Board Games, Business, and Scott Almes▲52

    Going from first time designer to published and full time

    2016 · happymittengames.com · its alternatives →

13. 13
    Gamewheel▲73

    Empowering creators in the digital world

    2015 · gamewheel.com · its alternatives →

14. 14
    Hello Tech Pros: Developing an Epic D&D Campaign Story▲61

    Like writing a series of adventure books

    2016 · gadgetsprimer.com · its alternatives →

15. 15
    Designing Interactions▲91

    Interviews with influential designers

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

16. 16
    Sketching User Experiences: Getting the Design Right and the Right Design▲75

    Sketching and early prototyping design methods

    2016 · amazon.co.uk · its alternatives →

17. 17
    From Barbie to Mortal Kombat▲67

    Explores the complicated issue of gender in computer games­

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

18. 18
    The User Experience Team of One▲64

    A Research and Design Survival Guide

    2015 · rosenfeldmedia.com · its alternatives →

19. 19
    Getting Gamers▲58

    The psychology of video games

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

20. 20
    Design for Humanity▲74

    The past, present, and future of anthropomorphic design

    2016 · its alternatives →

21. 21
    Graphism▲71

    Games for Designers

    2015 · graphism.fr · its alternatives →

22. 22
    Articulating Design Decisions▲64

    Learn to explain your design decisions so people agree!

    2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

23. 23
    Designing the Invisible▲69

    Create great web experiences

    2015 · fivesimplesteps.com · its alternatives →

24. 24
    Design Process for Pros▲37

    Best design practices in one place

    2018 · netguru.com · its alternatives →

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →