In LOCKWISE this circular structure becomes...
Circles eat triangles, triangles eat squares, squares eat circles
This one of the more gamey-game interactives here, an experiment in creating a meta-game—a non-zero-sum game made on top of a zero-sum game.
Give it a go using the arrow keys or draw a path.
LOCKWISE is based on the zero-sum game "Rock, Paper, Scissors" which always intrigued me because of its circular value system...
Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, paper beats rock
In LOCKWISE this circular structure becomes...
Circles eat triangles, triangles eat squares, squares eat circles
Instead of being a chance-based zero-sum game, LOCKWISE becomes a puzzle game that a player can succeed at, at no cost to an opponent—a non-zero-sum game.
MORE RULES
The objective is to "eat" the pink shape. In order to do this you must navigate the map by eating shapes as needed, and you can only eat the shapes indicated by your current shape's mouth. When you eat them, you become them (they turn green). But there are some other sorts of shapes and dynamics to consider.
If you manage to make it to an opening at the edge of the map you will teleport to the opposite side, but you can also use the blue teleporters. Eating a teleporter will transport you to the next one in the sequence.
Some of the shapes are chasers, if they are your target shape they will run away.
If you are their target shape they will chase you!
There are a few more types to discover, but I won't spoil it all for you...