Jonathan Blow on Puzzle Design: Difficulty That Reaches the Player vs. Difficulty That Doesn't

Tsumiki Design Roundup — 2026-08-22

One piece today: an August 17, 2026 Game Developer article on how the 90s-horror-styled solitaire game Forbidden Solitaire became an unexpected hit. Developer Grey Alien Games' Jake Birkett traces the design back through a lineage of earlier titles — the switch to tri-peaks/golf rules, and shops, RPG combat, and elemental spells layered on one game at a time.