Games are a universal part of the human experience. The Advanced Design Research elective course explores the use of games as design research methods. Through hands-on play, observation and behavioral analysis, students will learn how key elements of games, including goals, rules, challenges, and interactions, work together to create an engaging experience for players. We will also examine how human emotions and instincts affect the mechanics and dynamics of game play. These findings will become a part of each student's research kit to help further define his/her research for the graduate thesis.