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[Toeofdoom]

I'm rather surprised no-one mentioned Braid, really. I'd also add Audiosurf if there are headphones and accessible USB ports, possibly Zeno Clash.

The whole games lab thing kinda crashed and burned at Swinburne (I'm in final year now). In first year, the lab was tiny, noisy as hell and consisted mostly of guitar hero, stepmania and brawl with a few other fighters now and then (ie. competitive games). The first half of second year, it was pretty much the same, except worse and it was shut down around then because it was just getting silly. It was mostly soundproofed but the noise from people stomping up and down the stairs was really pissing off people in nearby offices and the people who wanted to play interesting games simply couldn't. You can still get in there now if you book it but it seems to be mostly a meeting room.

So yeah, I'd recommend removing most competitive games and all speakers, with a sign about being quiet and not bringing food in? Your games lab or students might be a little different, of course.

[Melly]

I haven't played them, but it seems most people agree that both Mario Galaxy games are excellent examples of high quality traditional game design.

[Kramlack]

Commander fucking Keen and Jazz Jackrabbit, to express the importance of COLOUR.

[Gainsworthy]

GAMESLAB? WHERE GAMESLAB? I COME TO GAMESLAB! I MEET YOU! WE PLAY GAMES!

Unless I have to be a game design student. Didn't even know UNSW offered games design. I wouldn't have done it, BUT STILL.

Also, give my thanks to whoever cooked this idea up. Back in 2007, there were two arcades. TWO. Now, zero. There's a Raiden and a Time Crisis 2 and a whole bunch of Streeties just sitting behind a curtain. No Lights, no power, no access. I feel sorry for them.

[FishyBoy]

Noby Noby Boy, definitely. Totally goes against the highly goal oriented, achievement based design that games go for these days. It has achievements, but I don't think that was a decision they willingly made.

[Golds]

http://cactusquid.com/
 
Check out especially Psychosomnium and Mondo Medicals.  Both of them are in Cactus Arcade

[Cagey]

Flower, Sun, and Rain should definitely be researched.  Very, very uniquely designed game that breaks one of the two rules of game design; aka it doesn't attempt to be fun, instead purposefully putting the player in tedious and annoying situations.  But it's a very strong game with a very strong narrative for doing just that.

Sounds very interesting... I'll have to check it out. Cheers.

The whole games lab thing kinda crashed and burned at Swinburne (I'm in final year now). In first year, the lab was tiny, noisy as hell and consisted mostly of guitar hero, stepmania and brawl with a few other fighters now and then (ie. competitive games). The first half of second year, it was pretty much the same, except worse and it was shut down around then because it was just getting silly. It was mostly soundproofed but the noise from people stomping up and down the stairs was really pissing off people in nearby offices and the people who wanted to play interesting games simply couldn't. You can still get in there now if you book it but it seems to be mostly a meeting room.

Our games lab is hidden behind two locked doors, and only accessible by certain people. Means we get it all to ourselves

GAMESLAB? WHERE GAMESLAB? I COME TO GAMESLAB! I MEET YOU! WE PLAY GAMES!

Unless I have to be a game design student. Didn't even know UNSW offered games design. I wouldn't have done it, BUT STILL.

Also, give my thanks to whoever cooked this idea up. Back in 2007, there were two arcades. TWO. Now, zero. There's a Raiden and a Time Crisis 2 and a whole bunch of Streeties just sitting behind a curtain. No Lights, no power, no access. I feel sorry for them.

It's on the 3rd floor of the CSE building. Come check it out! You can only get in here if you know someone with a key, or someone who knows someone with a key (so PM me if you want to visit!). It really isn't an arcade - I'm surprised how academic it actually is!

Cheers for all the suggestions guys! I'll talk to my lecturer and see what he thinks.

[baconman]

Hate to be the shameless plugster, but it's entirely deserved: Talk with Derek here about his creations, particularly Aquaria and Spelunky.

"Good Design" is relatively open to interpretation. To some, it's about familiar game mechanics and a good, well-illustrated story. To some, it's about innovative mechanics, or at least ones that build upon existing ones, in ways that are fun (or challenging, or both), with memorable qualities like the characters. To some, it's about taking something simple and making it work (Bejeweled *, anybody?). Some people dig retro-sprites, some dig modern graphics, some care about animation quality... it's really an open canvas, to be honest.

But creating something that takes many of these factors, and combines them into a successful formula - that's where it's really at. Give the players abilities, controls that are appropriate and that make such abilities accessible, and circumstances where they're expected to use them. Give them a little misdirection to figure out. Build the story as you go, as opposed to a huge, fleshed-out backstory. Storytelling tactics like "emotional friction" can work wonders, too.

There's really a lot to it, actually! ^.^'

[Cagey]

Yeah I agree wholeheartedly with everything you said. That's kinda the point of this I guess; for example I probably wouldn't have remembered Bejeweled if you hadn't mentioned it!

[C.A. Sinner]

Not sure if you're still looking for suggestions but the recently released Sin & Punishment Star Successor is a great example of a game that achieves lots of variety with a very simple set of mechanics. Treasure also managed to pack lots of ideas into a relatively short game without making it disjointed or incoherent.

Speaking of variety with limited mechanics, VVVVVV might be worth a look too, unless it's already been mentioned.

[Gainsworthy]

It's on the 3rd floor of the CSE building. Come check it out! You can only get in here if you know someone with a key, or someone who knows someone with a key (so PM me if you want to visit!). It really isn't an arcade - I'm surprised how academic it actually is!

Oh. Okay. So it really is a lab. I'd still like to see it, though. I mean, if it's okay to visit (and not purely a research area, in which I'd feel like a bit of a twit tooling around and going "Hay, gamez!"). Maybe next semester, though.


Also, if you haven't, check out Abe's Oddysee and Exoddus. I'd go Exoddus, though. It does a whole lot more a whole lot better. Also, it's cheap, it's different, and it's good.

Beyond Good and Evil, I really dug the way everything was done in that. Very smooth progression, nice examples of pseudo open world and light stealth.

I hear Dead Space does design really well, though I haven't played the game myself.

Oh, and Killer 7 if you want something different. I can't say it's... good design, per se, but everything's intentional. Plus, freaking crazy.

[Aik]

Perhaps some Touhou games? They're an extremely Big Deal in Japan but entirely obscure here, so might be worthwhile.

Nights Into Dreams if you happen to have a Sega Saturn.

[Trevor Dunbar]

Portal, Super Mario World, Super Mario Galaxy 2

[laserghost]

Any of the Smash Bros. games are chock full of great design, I'd recommend Melee, specifically.
Donkey Kong '94 has always inspired me, or failing that, Mario vs. Donkey Kong for the DS.
Intelligent Qube for PSX is a design favorite of mine.
Sly Cooper, Medal Gear Solid, Power Stone 2, Mario Kart 64, Henry Hatsworth, and Jak II/III are also some good ones design-wise.

As for indie games, some of my favorites from a design standpoint have been:

Fantastic Blood Boy:
http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=1308.0
(great risk/reward concept)

Muon:
http://www.yoyogames.com/games/7094-muon
(simple, elegant mechanics)

Aubergine Sky:
http://www.indiegames.com/blog/2009/07/browser_game_pick_aubergine_sk.html
(fitting gameplay with story)

Bugs:
http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/bugs.htm
(a lot of the other games on that site are also nicely designed)

Chessmine:
http://www.indiegames.com/blog/2009/04/freeware_game_pick_chessmine_e.html
(great twist on the rules of chess for a puzzle game)