How long should Power-up effects last?

The only way to determine this is to know what the game is all about. Once we have a core idea going, we can decide how long powerup effects should last when prototyping.

If we look back into the Mario games for the Nintendo and Super Nintendo, we could witness the different types of powerups the game has.

Some had unique abilities that had a time limit. Some were permanent until you collided with a hazardous enemy. Each powerup had meaning. The creators made them that way to make the game fun.

For instance, the 2D Galaxy Shooter game I am currently creating while going through GameDevHQ implements a powerup system. The powerups spawn from the top and translate down into the screen for the player to collect.

Once collected, the player is given 5 seconds for the use of the powerup. Why 5 seconds? It restrains the player from being too powerful. It grants the player a small incentive to feel powerful for a short amount of time, and after, taken away once the effect is gone.

There’s also a shield powerup that is permanent until the player collides with an enemy.

Whatever the case, it all depends on the core of the game. Implement a powerup, playtest, and adjust if needed.

That is all for today! Thank you for reading. :)