ABSTRACT
The aesthetics in popular games are much more than graphics; they are central to how a game is experienced and felt, and play an important role in conjuring and supporting the cognitive complexity of games. Aesthetic experiences are heightened and meaningful experiences in which each phase flows into the next seamlessly from one part of the phase to the other. Within the diverse field of education and central to most discussions about aesthetics is Dewey's discourse about aesthetic experiences. The MDA framework delineates between three main areas of game design: mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics. LeBlanc argues that the aesthetics provide the emotional content of a game and are responsible for evoking the emotional responses that players have when they play. Digital games have long been viewed by educators and instructional designers as a model for interactive design.
