Stat tracking is an amazing game design element, and is also way undervalued.
The most effective use of stat tracking so far is in Super Smash Bros. Melee. It tracks absolutely EVERYTHING. It went way beyond wins and losses and dives into areas such as:
-How far (distance in miles) you have jumped/fallen
-Cumulative home run distance
-Amount of times you've powered on the game
These are interesting on their own, but what makes stat tracking fun is when value is added to the stat, most commonly through an unlockable. This encourages the player to move beyond the main game mechanic and explore what else they can do with the game.
Microsoft introduced the concept of achievements with XBox 360. These are a lot of fun and can really add replay value to a game, but they rarely foster the player's creativity and curiosity. Instead they are often relegated to tracking the linear progress of the player through the game.
Having a universal measurement of what the player has accomplished is a great thing. Challenging the player's concept of what they can do with the game is also a great thing. I'd love to see games combine these two elements more than they do.
Here's the questions:
-What's your favorite use of stat tracking in a game?
-Do achievements add enough value on their own or could they do more?
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