one dataset · paper, tables, graph, wiki
simgrammar the grammar of simulation

parts

11 mechanics, as Noita does them

core · 4

physics & materials

Falling-sand materials

Every pixel of terrain is a material that falls, flows, or rises by local rules, so digging, explosions, and spills reshape the level in real time.

physics & materials

Material interactions

Materials react by rule: lava and water form rock and steam, wood burns into smoke, acid eats terrain, and alchemical liquids such as polymorphine or teleportatium apply their effects on contact.

space & construction

Modular assembly

Wands have stats such as capacity, mana, recharge, and cast delay; spells and modifiers placed in a wand's slots execute in order, so arrangement changes what the wand does.

risk & failure

Permadeath

A death ends the run and the world is regenerated; only some unlocks, such as new spells in the pool, persist.

supporting · 7

progression & goals

Combination discovery

Each world seed defines two secret alchemy recipes (Lively Concoction and Alchemic Precursor), each made from three materials that players must find by experiment.

control & automation

Direct avatar control

The player controls one witch with levitation, kicking, and wand casting.

environment & ecology

Fire spread

Fire spreads through wood, grass, oil, and gunpowder and burns the player and enemies alike.

physics & materials

Fluid and gas simulation

Liquids pool and flow and gases rise and spread through caves at pixel level.

multiplayer & persistence

Modding API

Lua-based mods are supported and distributed through Steam Workshop.

world generation

Procedural terrain

Each seed generates biome layouts from hand-made tile pieces within a fixed order of biomes.

physics & materials

Rigid-body physics

Box2D rigid bodies such as crates, bricks, and detached terrain chunks can be kicked, thrown, and shattered.

core loop

descend into a procedurally generated biome -> fight enemies with wands that also reshape the pixel world -> survive fire, liquids, and gases set off by fighting -> buy or find spells and rebuild wands at the Holy Mountain -> descend again or die and restart

design notes

Noita's Falling Everything engine simulates each pixel as a material with state (solid, powder, liquid, gas) and reaction rules, and solid bodies are Box2D rigid bodies that break into pixels when damaged. Because spells, enemies, and the player all act on that layer, combat routinely sets off chain events such as burning oil, steam explosions, flooding, and collapsing ceilings, and these kill the player as often as enemies do. Wand building composes spells with modifiers into programs with cast order and mana limits, and runs are permadeath.

appears in

the paper, 3 sections · 2 chapters · 1 episode
paper

3. The catalog

linked in this section of the paper

paper
paper

5. The structure of the design space

linked in this section of the paper

paper
paper

Appendix A. Game catalog

linked in this section of the paper

paper
catalog

The catalog

listed with its year, developer, subgenre, and number of mechanics

book
ch 2

Chapter 2. Six layers

linked from the text

book
ch 6

Chapter 6. Five ceilings

linked from the text

book
ep 5

The five ceilings

on screen at 3:02 ticks per second

episode

relations

1 stored edges
influenced by

sources

1
Wikipedia contributors (2026). Noita (video game). Wikipedia

provenance

runs in log/runs
2026-10-24
created2026-10-24-catalog-ggcatalog
2026-10-24
reviewed2026-10-24-review-fixesmaintenance