What Makes a Game Fair? Lives, Not Loses

Every mini in this market uses the three-life rule. Sudden-death games punish one mistake and teach nothing; three lives turn each mistake into information — where you drifted, which lane you missed. The coral dots in the top-right corner are the fairest mechanic in arcade design, borrowed from the golden age of arcade cabinets and kept because it still works. It also keeps rounds short: even a beginner finishes a run inside two minutes, and an expert cannot coast forever.