The MDA Framework — short for Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics — is a foundational model that helps game designers understand how systems translate into player experiences. It breaks games into three layers, showing how each contributes to the overall feel of play.
Design starts at the bottom. Players experience it from the top.
1️⃣ Definition
Layer | Question It Answers |
Mechanics | What rules and systems are in place? |
Dynamics | What happens when players interact with them? |
Aesthetics | What does the player feel as a result? |
📍MDA flips the lens: Designers build from systems up — Players feel from emotions down.
2️⃣ The Three Layers
Mechanics
The raw rules, math, and structures that define how the game functions.
Examples
Dash cooldown = 1.2s
Enemy patrol radius = 10m
Press A to shoot
Inventory size = 12 slots
Designed by developers
Felt indirectly by players
Dynamics
The emergent behavior that happens when players engage with mechanics.
Examples
Limited ammo + fast enemies = tension
Synergies between boons = buildcraft
Aggro + dodge = kiting loop
Crafting + rarity = grind economy
Comes to life during play
Where the system breathes
Aesthetics
The emotional experience the player walks away with — not visual art, but the why behind the play.
Aesthetic Type | Example |
Challenge | Surviving in Celeste |
Fantasy | Being a god, pilot, chef |
Narrative | Emotional story (The Last of Us) |
Discovery | Exploring unknowns (Outer Wilds) |
Expression | Customizing look/strategy (The Sims) |
Fellowship | Playing with others (Overcooked) |
Submission | Zoning out (Vampire Survivors) |
Sensation | Pure audiovisual feedback (Tetris Effect) |
The real target
What players come for
3️⃣ Designer vs Player Perspective
Role | Path |
Designer | Starts with Mechanics → predicts Dynamics → targets Aesthetics |
Player | Feels Aesthetics → engages with Dynamics → discovers Mechanics |
📍Players don’t care about systems — until systems make them feel something.
4️⃣ Why MDA Matters
Value | Outcome |
Aligns team vision | Designers, writers, artists, and engineers speak the same language |
Focuses on experience-first design | Keeps player emotion at the center of system decisions |
Avoids feature creep | Only include what supports the target aesthetic |
Improves iteration | You can test feel (aesthetic), then tune structure (mechanics/dynamics) |
📍If your dynamics don’t lead to the intended aesthetic — you need to revisit the system.
See this external article for deeper knowledge
5️⃣ Real Example — Hades
MDA Layer | In Practice |
Mechanics | Dash, attack chains, god boons, enemy stats |
Dynamics | Flow combat, synergy builds, room pacing |
Aesthetics | Mastery, tension, progression, power fantasy, bonding with gods |
✅ MDA Design Checklist
📍A system without an emotion is just functionality. Aesthetic gives it purpose.
Summary
Layer | Designer Creates | Player Experiences |
Mechanics | Rules and systems | Learnability, mastery, control |
Dynamics | Emergent interactions | Tension, flow, discovery |
Aesthetics | Emotional goals | Meaning, pleasure, memory |
📍MDA is the bridge between structure and story, system and soul. It reminds us that great games don’t just run well — they feel right.