Life & fun · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to Level Up!

The Guide to Great Video Game Design

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Level Up! launched in 2018; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   Level Up Your Life▲88

   Live your life like a videogame

   2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

2. 2
   Theory of Fun for Game Design▲67

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

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

3. 3
   Game Writing▲73

   Narrative Skills for Videogames

   2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

4. 4
   Getting Gamers▲58

   The psychology of video games

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

5. 5
   Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter▲64

   An insightful & entertaining tour of the art of video games

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

6. 6
   21st Century Game Design▲83

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

   2015 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

7. 7
   The Art of Video Games▲73

   From 8-bit to 3D, great coffee table book

   2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

8. 8
   How Games Move Us: Emotion by Design ▲70

   A look at how games make us feel

   2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

9. 9
   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 →

10. 10
    UXD Book▲69

    A career guide for UX Designers

    2016 · its alternatives →

11. 11
    Below▲80

    Explore. Survive. Discover.

    2015 · whatliesbelow.com · its alternatives →

12. 12
    Tom Clancy's The Division: New York Collapse▲58

    An interactive field guide to expand the popular video game

    2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

13. 13
    My Designer Is Driving Me Crazy!▲77

    Learn to get the design you want by joining the creative pro

    2015 · its alternatives →

14. 14
    Learn from Great Design▲62

    An in-depth look at great design through "masterclasses"

    2015 · its alternatives →

15. 15
    At a Higher Level - Episode #1 - Flow▲60

    Exploring game design through a variety of perspectives

    2016 · its alternatives →

16. 16
    Level Up! Newsletter▲101

    Helping web designers and developers level up their skills

    2015 · mailchimp.com · its alternatives →

17. 17
    Designing the Invisible▲69

    Create great web experiences

    2015 · fivesimplesteps.com · its alternatives →

18. 18
    Games People Play▲65

    The basic handbook of transactional analysis

    2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

19. 19
    Get Real▲61

    Thought provoking questions for going deeper in conversation

    2016 · play.google.com · its alternatives →

20. 20
    GROW v3▲60

    Amazing combination game

    2015 · eyezmaze.com · its alternatives →

21. 21
    Confessions of a Teenage Gamer▲65

    The TRUTH behind competitive gaming

    2016 · amazon.com · its alternatives →

22. 22
    Size Up!▲60

    A simple and amazingly challenging concept game

    2015 · play.google.com · its alternatives →

23. 23
    Gamewheel▲73

    Empowering creators in the digital world

    2015 · gamewheel.com · its alternatives →

24. 24
    Designing Mobile Apps▲68

    Learn the basics to design your mobile app.

    2015 · appdesignbook.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 →