Shape language
Also said as Shape design, Circles, squares, triangles
Building a design out of one family of simple shapes so that it carries a meaning before any detail. Circles tend to read as friendly, squares as sturdy, and triangles as dangerous or quick.
It tells the player what something will do before it does it, and it gives a whole cast or world a family resemblance.
Say it
“Use shape language: anything safe is built from circles, anything solid from squares, anything that can hurt you has a point. No round enemies, no spiky platforms that are safe to stand on.”
Where you’ve seen it
Kirby is a circle and Bowser is all spikes and horns. You know who to trust before either of them moves.
Not to be confused with silhouette
A silhouette is one thing's outline and asks "can I tell who this is?" Shape language is the vocabulary behind many outlines and asks "what kind of thing is this?"