the formal identity of a game is game elements that are not part of the rules. these include the following features:
- the name of the game
- the visual identity of the game
unique formal identities
when describing the unique formal identity of a game, one must exclude the implicit rules. while implicit rules do make a game unique between cultures, the lens of unique formal identity is squarely on the game itself. therefore, one would look at the constitutive rules and operational rules together, and the visual identity of the game.