Polish. An important thing in games. But how does one actually define it? I found myself having this problem earlier.

I mean, polish is a thing. It is variable. There is no single definition of "polish" when it comes to gaming.

So, I find myself stumbling over words to define it. Polish is an important thing to gaming. It can make the difference between a game being "just good" and a fantastic, memorable experience. It manifests itself in many ways. Some games polish comes from its visual style, from the smoothness of various mechanics, to dialogue.

Take for example a game like Kirby's Dream Land 3. While a great game on its own, the fact it is such a polished experience makes it so memorable. The little things. The first thing you get hit with is its amazing art style. Then, the other little things add up, from slight touches to the scenery such as butterflies, intricate attention to animation detail, this game alone is a brilliant example of polish, so I may reference it again for that further on.

A game can still be good while being "rough". Examples of this include The Legend of Zelda on the NES. While a rough-around-the-edges game, it is a good game. It has what it needs to have, and never really goes beyond. It's a bare-bones experience, though it stands the test of time.

Polish is not just a superfluous thing. Polish can be applied to things that effect gameplay drastically. Smooth, polished jumping controls, that go beyond the norm, the satisfying feel of a weapon colliding with an enemy, etc. An example is Castlevania. Its jumping works, but nobody can deny how unpolished it is. Compare it to a game with much tighter controls, like Super Meat Boy, which goes above and beyond when it comes its controls. Take a game with stiff weapon controls like The Legend of Zelda. Your sword works, but it can be awkward to use. Compare it to A Link to the Past, which has much more polished sword combat.

Many times older games can have a more polished experience than newer games. A perfect example is DOOM, one of the granddaddies of FPSes. Though an ancient game (by today's standards), despite the game lacking vertical aiming and true jumping, it feels like a more polished experience than many modern FPSes. Its limitations are worked around by small intricacies to deliver a polished gaming experience built around the fact you cannot jump. It doesn't try to be something it cannot. It has atmospheric polish as well, with its eerie satanic scenery and sounds.

One could argue that modern games tend to lack polish because being more technically capable lets developers fall on shoving pretty graphics in our faces instead of focusing on what matters, but I do not believe this to be the case the entirety of the time. Sure, many developers are guilty of this, but there are also many who are not. An example would be Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii. Breathtaking scenery, combat that feels natural, and everything seems to have had intricate detail put into making it great. All-around a well-polished game.

In conclusion, if I had to define polish in gaming, I would be forced to say that polish is: Anything in a game that exceeds expectations, does not feel bare. Not an entirely necessary thing, but its addition and refinement enriches the experience greatly, and feels natural.