Design Better Video Rewind: Jordan Mechner: Pioneering game designer on creating Prince of Persia, Karateka, and a new graphic novel memoir
Nov 14, 2025
Join game designer Jordan Mechner, the mastermind behind iconic titles like Karateka and Prince of Persia. He shares fascinating insights into how he taught himself programming by cloning classic games and how storytelling became integral to his designs. Discover how the game Choplifter influenced the cinematic approach of Karateka, and hear about his collaboration with his father on music and sound for his games. Plus, learn why keeping detailed journals became a pivotal part of his creative process.
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Make For One Imagined Person
- Jordan says every project should answer: why am I doing this and what do I want to communicate.
- He makes work for one imagined person to keep focus and clarity.
Learning By Copying Arcade Games
- Jordan started by copying arcade games like Asteroids to learn programming and game design.
- His first ambitious project was an Asteroids knockoff intended for publication.
Story Makes Games Feel Cinematic
- Broderbund's feedback on Choplifter showed Jordan that story and emotional attachment make games feel cinematic.
- He realized computer games could be self-contained experiences with endings, not endless coin-op loops.
