What Is Game UI/UX Design?

At its core, game UI/UX design is about crafting the bridge between players and your game world. When I first started designing game UI/UX, I was captivated by how much a well-crafted interface could shape a player’s journey.

• UI (User Interface): This is everything the player interacts with visually—menus, buttons, HUDs, inventories.

• UX (User Experience): This is the feeling the player has when interacting with your game—how intuitive it is, how smooth the flow feels, and how enjoyable it is.

Good game UI/UX helps players focus on the fun while ensuring nothing about the interface gets in their way.

Why You Should Learn Game UI/UX Design

The gaming industry is constantly growing, but what’s exciting is how impactful this work can be. As a UI/UX designer, you’re directly shaping how players interact with your game. You’re the one making sure they feel immersed, engaged, and connected. For me, the best part of this field is blending creativity and problem-solving. You get to craft beautiful designs, but you also have to think about psychology, behavior, and usability. It’s endlessly challenging and rewarding.

Master the Basics of UI/UX Design

Before diving into game-specific design, it helps to learn the fundamentals of UI/UX. Concepts like user-centered design, accessibility, and visual hierarchy are universal and will form the foundation of your skills.

• Books to Start With:

  • Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug – A practical intro to designing intuitive interfaces.

  • The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman – A classic on understanding user behavior.

Tip: Take an app or website you use often and analyze it. Ask yourself: What’s working? What could be clearer or more intuitive?

Understand Game Design Basics

UI/UX in games is a bit different from traditional design because it’s tied so closely to the gameplay itself. To design for players, you need to understand things like game mechanics, player motivations, and flow states.

• Books I Recommend:

  • Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design by Scott Rogers – A must-read for anyone starting in game design.

  • Game Feel by Steve Swink – A fascinating dive into what makes interactions in games satisfying.

Tip: Play games from different genres and study their interfaces. How do their designs guide the player? What works well, and what doesn’t?

Get Comfortable with the Tools

Game UI/UX design involves a mix of prototyping, visual design, and implementation. Here’s what I use most:

• For Design:

  • Figma: My go-to for wireframing and creating reusable components.

  • Photoshop/Illustrator: Great for custom art and assets.

• For Game Engines:

  • Unity: Perfect for prototyping and integrating your designs into a game.

Tip: Start small. Try designing a simple menu in Figma, then import it into Unity. It’s a great way to understand how design and development work together.

Learn from Real-World Examples

The best way to grow as a designer is to study what’s already out there. Spend time looking at how successful games handle their UI/UX. For example:

• HUDs: Look at games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for minimalist HUDs that stay out of the way.

• Menus: Study how Hades creates clear, stylized, and easy-to-navigate menus.

Tip: Try recreating elements from a game you admire. Then tweak them to solve any pain points you notice. It’s a great exercise to develop your eye for design.

Focus on Accessibility

Accessibility is a crucial part of modern game design. Everyone should be able to enjoy your game, regardless of their abilities.

• Considerations:

  • Add colorblind-friendly palettes.

  • Allow players to adjust text size and contrast.

  • Include customizable controls.

Tip: Dive into resources like Game Accessibility Guidelines for practical advice.

Start Personal Projects

One of the best ways to learn is by doing. Here are a few project ideas:

• Design an inventory system for a fictional RPG.

• Create a mock HUD for a sci-fi shooter.

• Prototype a pause menu with animations.

Tip: Don’t feel like you have to start from scratch. Using a UI kit (like the ones on GameUI.co) can save you time and help you focus on the details.

Test Your Designs

Good design is iterative. The more you test, the better your designs will become.

• What to Do:

  • Share your designs with friends or colleagues and watch them interact with them.

  • Conduct more formal usability tests.

Tip: Pay close attention to where users hesitate or get confused. Those moments are gold for refining your design.

Build Your Portfolio

If you’re serious about getting into game UI/UX design, a strong portfolio is essential. Focus on quality over quantity.

• What to Include:

  • Case studies that show your process, from problem to solution.

  • A mix of HUDs, menus, and interfaces for different game genres.

  • Before-and-after comparisons to highlight your impact.

Tip: Use platforms like Webflow or Framer to make your portfolio easy to navigate and visually stunning.

Why UI Kits Can Be a Game-Changer

If you’re just starting out, or even if you’re experienced, UI kits can be a lifesaver. They provide ready-made components that you can tweak and use to jumpstart your designs.

• Why They’re Great:

  • Save time by skipping repetitive tasks.

  • Provide a cohesive starting point for your projects.

  • Help you focus on customization and functionality.

Tip: Check out the professional game UI kits on GameUI.co—they’re designed to help you hit the ground running.