"Juice it or lose it" — the talk that explains why some games feel good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy0aCDmgnxg

Two devs take a bland Breakout clone and add screen shake, particles, sound, tweening — same mechanics, completely different feel. Twelve years old and still the best 15 minutes you can spend on game feel.

Corollary I learned the hard way: juice can't save a boring mechanic, but its absence can kill a great one.