Challenge

The word challenge, in my mind, automatically triggers the idea of a game. Challenge type games according to Marc LeBlanc's definition are ones that require either overcoming obstacles, improving or solving problems. It is a game that tends to make the player feel satisfied when they can overcome and solve the obstacles given to them.

Challenge Games
Examples of a challenge type game would be Sudoku, Crossword Puzzles and even Scrabble. These games are considered challenges as they all require the player to use strategy.

Crossword Puzzles
Although some can argue that crossword puzzles aren't a 'game' they do grant a sense of challenge to the player through the aspect of having to solve the hints to find the word to fill that column or row. Crossword Puzzles also give a sense of improvement to the player as the more you challenge yourself with them, the more you will improve.

Sudoku
Sudoku is considered a challenging game as the player must fill each of the boxes, rows and columns with the numbers 1-9, no more than once. The sense of challenge in this game comes with the amount of pre-filled boxes in a game of Sudoku, the fewer boxes filled, the harder the game will be.

Scrabble
Scrabble is a word game, played with 2-4 players. Scrabble can be considered a challenge type game as it limits the letters a player can pick. The players each pick 7 letters from the letter pouch and use those to create words on the board. The first player must cover the center square with their word and every player after that must branch words off of that initial word. This game gets harder as more words are placed and there are fewer options for space on the board. The challenge of this game is to place words that will give numerous points through using the more 'rare' letters and by placing them on the bonus locations on the board, as one plays more and more games of scrabble they will tend to improve as they may be exposed to new words and scrabble strategies.

Sources:
Salen, Katie, and Eric Zimmerman. “Chapter 7: Defining Games.” Rules of Play, The MIT Press Cambridge, 2004, pp. 1–14.

LeBlanc, Marc, et al. “ Chapter 24: Games as the Play of Pleasure.” Rules of Play, The MIT Press Cambridge, 2004, pp. 6–7.

Images:

“Crossword Puzzle, November 1957 Popular Electronics.” Crossword Puzzle, November 1957 Popular Electronics - RF Cafe, 27 June 2012, https://www.rfcafe.com/references/popular-electronics/crossword-puzzle-nov-1957-popular-electronics.htm.

Bennett, Liam. “Sudoku .” Medium, 11 Feb. 2017, medium.com/@littleowllabs/solving-sudoku-with-elixir-d36f40232499.

“Scrabble Vintage Gameboard Poster.” Zazzle, 2013,    www.zazzle.com/scrabble_vintage_gameboard_poster-228926825724263336.