I Have Four

Games UX in Movies and TV

Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game (2022)

Oct 5, 2026

Official trailer from the Moving Picture Institute.

Once in a great while, I notice that games UX makes its way into a movie or TV show. Sometimes I want to add the reference to the blog so I can remember it or pass the movie along to other UX teams. I'll keep 'em short, like the games entries.

Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game (2022) is a funny, easygoing semi-documentary about a writer who fought New York City over a law that banned pinball machines. He later went on to design pinball games and pinball machines. In the movie, he occasionally says a line about the process of making good games, like (I might be paraphrasing):

"Look, there's skill, because if I pull the plunger back just right, the ball will, I hope, go down this particular lane."

In one part, I think when he's in the apartment writing a pinball book, he starts talking about a question directed to Harry E. Williams, the "Father of Pinball."

The question:

"What makes a game good?"

Harry's answer:

"Sense of accomplishment. Cause and effect. People want to know that what they do matters. That's what makes people happy."

Thank Goodness You're Here!

Jan 11, 2026

Thank Goodness You're Here! is a hilarious casual game with only two buttons: jump and slap. It's based on a day in the life of a small town in the UK — or an especially funny episode of a British comedy. Each task is packed with jokes and awkward meetups.

Short and sweet, TGYH mostly tells the player what to do and lets them sit back and enjoy it. Some of the cues aren't as obvious as they could be — I knew I had to do something in the rat store but couldn't make it happen without looking online.

The Blue Prince

Jan 11, 2026

The Blue Prince is a thoughtful and unique puzzle. It's sort of like Clue in reverse — instead of moving to each room and discovering whodunnit, the details help players uncover each new room.

I can't spoil it because I couldn't solve it. I like the screen which shows the rooms that have been found, but half the fun for some would be to map it out themselves — it's like an RPG where it's fun to know all the weapons at the store and plan ahead.

Especially when I went a few days between playing, I just couldn't remember how I got to certain spots.

Monopoly (2024)

Jan 11, 2026

Monopoly (2024) has all the board flipping and rage quitting of the board game. Very fun to play until players get short on ca$h. Allows players to skip tedious parts like moving pieces, rolling dice, and counting the rent owed — and lets those actions be done with style.

Difficult to finish a game, and destined to try to throw new players into existing matches that someone else has already quit. Beautiful living board where you can look for new pieces. Classic board pleases as always. Seamless and fast trading mechanism.

Spirit of the North

Jan 11, 2026

Spirit of the North 1 is my spirit game. Very relaxing to run around like a fox and play in the snow. Excited to play the sequel.

Could feel like a distraction to find the ancient relics, especially when I knew I missed one far behind. Missing a jump or sliding in the wrong direction came with the same penalty.

Left Behind

Dec 30, 2024

Left Behind 🐺 Bonus points for the water gun fight.

The Last of Us Part I Rebuilt

Dec 30, 2024

Wanted to play The Last of Us Part I Rebuilt and remastered after watching the show, @TheLastofUsHBO, and was not disappointed. A major accomplishment. Felt even more drawn into the missions with Bill, Sam, and David. Pumped to watch TLOU2 episodes.

Can't stop thinking about how huge TLOU2 is in comparison.

MLB The Show '24

Dec 30, 2024

MLB The Show '24, @MLBTheShow @SonySanDiego, Storylines mode is super enjoyable. The fielding moments are way harder than the hitting moments. It's a thrill to play the recent moments and the moments from back in the day.

Ren & Stimpy: The Quest for the Shaven Yak

Dec 30, 2024

I'm obsessed with the Game Gear and bought Ren & Stimpy: The Quest for the Shaven Yak, @SEGA. Incredible job making the game feel like the TV show. Characters and levels look and act like the show. Super tough platformer — I can't get past the hornets without a code.

Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion

Dec 30, 2024

Another example of a game which captures the awesomeness of the show: Adventure Time Pirates of the Enchiridion, @climaxstudios. Hilarious and absurd with something to laugh at in every possible spot.

Spider-Man 2

Dec 30, 2024

Spider-Man 2, @insomniacgames, has maybe the best chill missions of all-time. The player can bring it down a notch but still want to keep playing after a big fight. Love all the collectibles, but too many combat moves — the pleasure is in earning them more than using them.

Even so, the variety of moves lets players make their own combos in a way that makes moves useful and makes players feel unbeatable.

Baldur's Gate 3

Dec 30, 2024

Baldur's Gate 3, @larianstudios, levels up and explores the world as deep as any RPG. Players really get to know and customize their party. Needed a physical map and tabletop chart with all the weapons and equipment so I could create more goals to want to achieve.

The Quarry

Dec 30, 2024

The Quarry, @SuperMGames @2K. Cool choose-your-own-adventure style horror movie where the moments of gameplay are the choices. Took me until close to the end to realize that all roads weren't going to eventually lead to the same place.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Dec 31, 2021

Spider-Man: Miles Morales. #PS4 @insomniacgames

Final Fantasy VII Remake

Dec 31, 2021

Nuthin' but cats from the Final Fantasy VII Remake. @finalfantasyvii

MLB The Show '21

Dec 31, 2021

Every time I got a diamond-level card from a random pack in The Show '21. @MLBTheShow

Left to right, top to bottom: Turner, Marte, Semien, Freeman, Hershiser, Glasnow, Betts, Iglesias, Floyd, Gurriel, Gausman, Buehler, Darvish, Posey, Correa, Wheeler, Machado, Rodon.

The Last of Us 2

Dec 31, 2021

The Last of Us 2 was 2020, but the museum space travel alone.

Concrete Genie

Dec 31, 2021

Logging in to blog The Year in Video Games 2021 before the new year. Ok, so Concrete Genie was 2019 — I want to keep the screenshots before upgrading my console. @pixelopus

Donut County & The Gardens Between

Oct 2, 2018

Finished Donut County and The Gardens Between on #PS4. Well done, @torahhorse @A_i @TheVoxelAgents. Super fun puzzles and story for each. Maybe consider greater catapult control, and the possibility of both bouncy and solid edges to time.

Spider-Man

Sep 20, 2018

Finished #MarvelsSpiderMan #PS4 today. Well done, all around @Dahls11 @GamesUR. Small gripes: using gadgets is more troublesome than combat alone. Skills and suit mods are interchangeable. Focus is way more beneficial for healing than fighting. Seriously though, thoroughly enjoyable!

MLB The Show '18

Jun 9, 2018

Crushed this HR in the first game after making it to @MLBTheShow with the @Athletics. #PS4

Horizon Zero Dawn

Jun 4, 2018

Finished Horizon Zero Dawn last night. Well done, all around @keekerkevin @GamesUR. Except it's impossible to equip from the Modifications Inventory. And give me something to do with my vast assortment of Desert Glass, Chillwater, and Watcher Hearts. And there's too many Datapoints. And Multi-Shot far outranks any other skill.