Three tricks Super Mario uses to keep gamers hooked
Nudge14 Heinä 2025

Three tricks Super Mario uses to keep gamers hooked

Super Mario Bros is 40 years old. It’s an incredibly simple game (it takes up the same memory as a smartphone wallpaper), yet it’s incredibly popular. Over 40 million people have played it. Why? Because it’s packed with psychological tips that hook players in and keep them playing. Today, Ramli John explains the subtle behavioural science tricks Super Mario games use to keep us playing. --- Ramli’s book EUREKA: https://www.delightpath.com/book/eureka Ramli’s website: https://www.delightpath.com/ Subscribe to the (free) Nudge Newsletter: https://nudge.ck.page/profile Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ Visit the new website: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/ --- Sources: Alter, A. L. (2023). Anatomy of a breakthrough: How to get unstuck when it matters most. Simon & Schuster. Allen, E. J., Dechow, P. M., Pope, D. G., & Wu, G. (2017). Reference-dependent preferences: Evidence from marathon runners. Management Science, 63(6), 1657–1672. Fishbach, A. (2022). Get It Done: Surprising lessons from the science of motivation. Little, Brown Spark. Graves, P. (2010). Consumer.ology: The truth about consumers and the psychology of shopping. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Kivetz, R., Urminsky, O., & Zheng, Y. (2006). The goal‑gradient hypothesis resurrected: Purchase acceleration, illusionary goal progress, and customer retention. Journal of Marketing Research, 43(1), 39–58. Music by Koji Kondo, © 1985 Nintendo

Jaksot(281)

“These two words increased sales by 18%.” Robert Cialdini

“These two words increased sales by 18%.” Robert Cialdini

16 years ago a chain of Chinese restaurants wanted to increase sales without changing the price.  They didn’t change the product.  The service.  The chef.  The food.  Instead, they changed two wo...

23 Helmi 24min

When you can’t stop seeing the thing you’ve just discovered

When you can’t stop seeing the thing you’ve just discovered

I watched Home Alone and suddenly started hearing the theme tune everywhere.  I thought I was going insane.  But Tom Bowden-Green and Luan Wise explained that I actually fell for a fairly well-known...

16 Helmi 26min

The Psych-Trick Behind One of the Decade’s Fastest Growing Orgs

The Psych-Trick Behind One of the Decade’s Fastest Growing Orgs

HelloFresh is one of the fastest-growing companies of the past 20 years.  And it’s down to one, relatively simple behavioural science tactic.  --- Subscribe to the Nudge Vaults: https://www.nudgepo...

9 Helmi 26min

Real-world examples of cognitive biases

Real-world examples of cognitive biases

Most of us are completely oblivious to the cognitive biases that dictate how we live our lives.  Today, with Tom Bowden-Green and Luan Wise, we cover seven cognitive biases that all of us fall for.  ...

2 Helmi 24min

“This common pricing strategy is completely wrong!” Robert Cialdini

“This common pricing strategy is completely wrong!” Robert Cialdini

“Say you’ve calculated your price and it comes out at £120,121.  Most would round it down to £120,000.  That’s completely wrong.”  That’s what Robert Cialdini told me on the latest episode of Nudge...

26 Tammi 27min

Robert Cialdini: “This study on 6,700 websites proved my principle!”

Robert Cialdini: “This study on 6,700 websites proved my principle!”

This study analysed 6,700 websites in an unprecedented A/B test.  The results proved something that Dr Robert Cialdini had been preaching for years.  Today, on Nudge, Robert Cialdini joins me again,...

19 Tammi 26min

The Secret Behind KFC’s Success

The Secret Behind KFC’s Success

KFC keeps its recipe secret.  It’s stored in a vault in an unknown location.  Only two KFC executives know the ingredients.  Neither are allowed to fly on the same plane.  But this secrecy is illo...

12 Tammi 23min

Why is it so hard to say no?

Why is it so hard to say no?

In 1963, the Milgram experiments revealed something unsettling.  Most people kept administering what they believed were painful electric shocks, not because they wanted to, but because they couldn’t ...

5 Tammi 30min

Suosittua kategoriassa Liike-elämä ja talous

sijotuskasti
psykopodiaa-podcast
mimmit-sijoittaa
rss-rahapodi
pomojen-suusta
rss-rahamania
ostan-asuntoja-podcast
rss-myyntikoulu
herrasmieshakkerit
rahapuhetta
salkunrakentaja-podi
juristipodi
rss-bisnesta-bebeja
rss-set-for-life-sijoita-ja-vaurastu
rss-draivi
taloudellinen-mielenrauha
lakicast
rss-lahtijat
rss-ammattipodcast
rss-merja-mahkan-rahat