Surprise in games

A surprise can be one of the biggest parts of an experience for a player and can be the thing the player  remembers the most from your game. Surprises in games happen when the player realises their current view of ingame reality is different from what they believed it to be. 

Since games involve mechanics and not just story like movies and books there are lots of different types of surprises that can be found.

Types of surprises

Mechanical 

A form of surprise in which the player has a certain view of how a mechanic or system works to then change how the mechanic or system works without the player expecting it. 

(an example is if a player thinks metal doors are unbreakable only to find when shot with a shot gun they fly off the wall and can damage enemies)

Perception

A form of surprise in which the player has a certain view of a sound’s or area’s properties (this also includes any other form of the player using their senses to perceive something within a game) to then change how the player perceives those properties without the player expecting it.

Narrative

A form of surprise in which the player has a certain view of how certain elements within narrative work or how a narrative will turn out to then change how those views on the narrative are different to their initial view without the player expecting it. 

(This is the kind of surprise used in movies and books)

Emergent

A form of surprise in which the player has a view about a future object, area or mechanics properties without perceiving that object, area or mechanics to then find those object’s, area’s, mechanic’s properties are very different then their initial thought without the player expecting it.

(An example is when you find a creature for the first time and it is much more absurd looking then you thought it would be)

Discovery

A form of surprise in which the player finds or experiences a new object, area or mechanic without the player expecting it.

(An example would be if the player stumbles into a secret passage that they didn't know was there)

Readventure

A form of surprise in which the player has a certain view about a section or part of a section they have previously experienced to then change that view without the player expecting it. 

(An example is if a player is repeating a level they find a secret compartment that they didn't find on their first play through) 

Expecting

A form of surprise in which the player is expecting an action or certain action to occur but the action occurs at a time the player didn’t expect. 

(An example is when the player knows a jumpscare is going to occur but they don't know when) 

(Personally I don't know if this surprise should count as a surprise but you decide)

These are all the types of surprises I could come up with. I am sure there are more it's just that I may have forgot them, not seen them or not thought of them.

You may also find that is can be quite easy to mix types together. Having more layers and types of surprise mixed together makes that surprise stronger.

Using them properly

Surprises are very delicate and should be handled with care.

Surprises shouldn't be over used.

Using too many of the same kind of surprise will lead the player to expect the unexpected which then ruins the chance of the surprise being strong, memorable and of course surprising. The same kinds of surprises should be used rarely to keep the effects of the surprise strong.

Surprises can ruin an experience.
At the beginning of a game players a usually open to new things and big changes in the game because they are trying to understand the world but as they come to these understandings and they solidify them a surprise can be unwelcoming especially if they can't see how it fits into their understanding. 

Final Thoughts

I believe surprises are great ways to teach player mechanics, story and the game world. They are a lot more fun then just telling player how the game world and mechanics work at the beginning of the game.

I believe surprises have been forgotten by some people and I love to see more games using surprise.