Discovered play, (I like to call it “cleverness”) is a term to describe when a player finds a new way to use the game’s tools. This is the euphoric feeling players experience as their skills advance mid-game.

This aspect can’t be understated. If a game has any tactical element—and almost all games do—discovered play is key.

Because games are finite things, it is impossible to consistently create discovered play. But that’s no reason not to do our best and deliver high replay value. Games with a few big systems and a large number of simple tools provide the best recipe for discovered play.