Dunno about you, but my favourite game is...

Today you will work in pairs (or three's if convenient).
Together you will agree on a video game you all like, and then analyse that game.
You will break each game down into the following parts:

1. Main Idea
2. Main Objects (characters, vehicles, weapons, baddies, collectables etc)
3. Use of sound
4. Control methods used
5. Game Flow (environment(s) , progressive difficulty, interaction with Non-playing characters, interaction with other playing characters, use of cut scenes etc)
6. Evaluation (why is it a good game, what is it about the above factors that make it fun / successful)
7. C0nclusion

Divide the work out fairly between yourselves.
Once this is completed (no more than 30 mins allowed), you must plan out a simple maze / platform game yourselves, to be designed from scratch.
Use the SimpleGameDesignTemplate in the Gamemaker folder as a guide.