Decent summary of uncertainty in games. Could do with more in-depth analysis but what he says is useful. Probably completely uninteresting unless you're into game design though. Most of the book is a lot of examples of games and how uncertainty is used - I scored the book higher because there are so many examples for a short book and they're interesting and very useful if you're me or interested in the subject. Not super exciting or a must read for game designers or anything but pretty alright and of interest for highlighting a neglected but important area, even if I feel he stretches the concept of uncertainty a bit at times. ( )

Wonderful book and a deep but quick read. Really a must read for anyone with an interest in games and game design. ( )

A book that sticks with its argument and can be read in two hours, Uncertainty in Games is an interesting exposure of the underbelly of games—I won’t call it “dark.” According to Costikyan, human life is a series of attempts to minimize uncertainty: we buy insurance, open 401Ks, and save for those rainy days. Games are a way for us to enjoy uncertainty in safe and controlled environments. The argument is convincing and bolstered by the long middle section of the book where Costikyan analyzes a number of popular games according to the kinds of uncertainty they foster for their players' satisfaction. Chess and poker score unsurprisingly high and Candy Land unsurprisingly low—but there are some interesting surprises, such as Costikyan’s argument that Monopoly is “ultimately dull” because of its “excruciatingly extended endgame.” He continues:

"Almost all of the game’s uncertainty lies in the unpredictability of the dice and, to a lesser degree, card draws—random elements. Only the theme and the paraphernalia of properties and houses and hotels and money hides from the players that they might as well be playing roulette, and without the real-money risk and reward that makes roulette of interest to those who play it. The appeal of Monopoly lies in its color, and not in its gameplay."

The reader may agree or disagree or, like my son, become a little outraged by this idea. But the idea, like others of Costikyan’s, sticks in one’s head. Part of the book’s value lies in its ability to prompt a reader to think of games not mentioned in its pages and apply Costikyan’s rules to them. What would he say about Munchkin? About Carsiconne? If this were a hundred pages longer or more technical concerning the algorithms used in computer games, I might have abandoned it, but the light touch keeps the reader interested. Plus, after reading it, you’ll better understand why Chutes and Ladders is so fascinating to a five-year-old but an endurance test for adults.
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I work for a game developer and our office purchased this book for our library. I was very pleased they did, this is an excellent analysis as to why a little bit of uncertainty, randomness and unexpected results can be positive influences on nearly all popular games. I liked the specific examples Costikyan gave for Chess, Poker, Ticket to Ride, Risk, Super Mario Bros and dozens of other games across a myriad of influences, history and genres. Clearly well researched and well written. ( )