Stacking Satisfaction: Exploring Flow and Competence in Tetris User Experiences

Summary

As part of my graduate research, I conducted a comparative study on how different versions of Tetris impact player experience, focusing on psychological constructs like flow, self-efficacy, and competence. Participants played NES Tetris, Tetris Effect on PC, and Tetris Effect in VR. The study found that:

• VR gameplay showed a strong link between self-efficacy and flow, highlighting the immersive power of virtual reality.

• Across all versions, competence satisfaction correlated positively with flow, while competence frustration negatively impacted flow in the NES and PC versions.

• Further analysis of flow sub-scores, fluency and absorption, provided deeper insight into these dynamics.

Research Questions

• Do players achieve flow in a game in which they are confident in their skills? 

• Does player confidence lead to more satisfaction? 

• How does player frustration relate to confidence? 

Conclusions

This research offers practical guidance for game developers designing puzzle games on how to support player engagement, competence, and flow. 

• Support Flow and Competence: Developers of licensed Tetris games should prioritize designs that encourage a sense of competence and flow. Introducing a guided play mode that teaches optimal strategies and explains the Tetris Guideline rule set could help onboard new players more effectively.

• Enhance Learning and Accessibility: Guided play should detail opening moves based on the "bag" system, recommend placements based on playfield state, and support various control preferences (e.g., two-handed play) to accommodate accessibility needs. This approach helps players find their optimal challenge zone, fostering mastery and flow.

• Refine Mobile Tetris Experiences: Mobile versions face unique user experience challenges due to touchscreen controls, hand coverage, and environmental distractions. Developers should consider features like adjustable game speed and horizontal screen orientation to give players more control, space for two-handed play, and increased physical stability. This will ultimately boost their competence and immersion.

• Leverage VR for Immersive Flow: VR Tetris Effect showed strong links to flow, particularly in the areas of fluency and absorption. Future VR implementations should expand physical interaction, such as two-handed manipulation, gestural inputs, and intuitive placement mechanics. These can deepen the sense of presence, elevating the immersive experience.

• Design for Mastery and Flow Beyond Tetris: Guided practice, optimal challenge, and control flexibility can extend beyond puzzle games. Titles aiming to promote mastery should clearly teach optimal strategies and offer structured practice. Games considering VR adaptations should plan for VR from the start, aligning mechanics, art, and technical systems early to ease the transition.

Thesis Paper and Defense Slides