The Can I Explain It on the Cabinet Art Test

13. The "Can I Explain It on the Cabinet Art" Test

Arcade cabinet art had to communicate the entire concept at a glance to a stranger walking by. This forced insane concept clarity.

Rule of thumb: If you can't explain your concept in one image + one sentence to someone who's never played a game like it, the concept isn't focused enough yet. This is a genuinely useful pitch-clarity test today, even though the "cabinet" itself is gone.