Further information: Game classification

Video games are categorized into genres based on their gameplay interaction. Game classification is the classificiation of Games forming a game taxonomy. A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. A genre (ˈʒɑːnrə also /ˈdʒɑːnrə/ from French "kind" or "sort" from Latin: genus (stem gener-) is a loose set For the television channel see GamePlay HD. Gameplay includes all player experiences during the interaction with game systems especially formal Thomas Apperley states that an "agreed form of interaction suggests a consistent genre has been established". ^[1] Thus, genres are based on "underlying similarities rather than their superficial visual or narrative differences". A narrative or story is a construct created in a suitable format (written spoken poetry prose images song Theater, or Dance) that describes a sequence of ^[1] On the other hand, there is a general lack of commonly agreed-upon genres or criteria for the definition of genres. Within game studies there is a lack of consensus in reaching accepted formal definitions for game genres, some being more popular than others. Game studies is the still-young field of analyzing games from a multi- and inter-disciplinary perspective

Like any typical taxonomy, a video game genre must have certain constants, that is, things that remain the same. Globally, all video games have obstacles to overcome. Thus, one can define their genres within the way that these obstacles are completed.

Following is a listing of commonly used video game genres with brief descriptions and examples of each. This list is by no means complete or comprehensive. Chris Crawford notes that "the state of computer game design is changing quickly. We would therefore expect the taxonomy presented here to become obsolete or inadequate in a short time. "^[2] As with nearly all varieties of genre classification, the matter of any individual video game's specific genre is open to personal interpretation. Moreover, it is important to be able to "think of each individual game as belonging to several genres at once. "^[1]

Contents 1 Action 1.1 Action-adventure 1.1.1 Stealth 1.1.2 Survival horror 1.2 Beat 'em up and hack and slash 1.3 Fighting 1.4 Maze 1.5 Pinball 1.6 Platform 1.7 Shooter 1.7.1 First-person shooter 1.7.1.1 Massively multiplayer online FPS 1.7.2 Light gun shooter 1.7.3 Shoot 'em up 1.7.4 Tactical shooter 1.7.5 Third-person shooter 2 Adventure 2.1 Text adventure / Interactive fiction 2.2 Graphic adventure 2.2.1 Escape the room 2.3 Visual novel 2.4 Interactive movie 3 Construction and management simulation 3.1 City-building 3.2 Business simulation 3.3 God games 3.4 Government simulation 4 Life simulation 4.1 Biological simulation 4.2 Pet-raising simulation 4.3 Social simulation 5 Role-playing 5.1 Computer and console role-playing 5.2 Action role-playing 5.3 Massively multiplayer online role-playing 5.4 Roguelike 5.5 Tactical role-playing 6 Strategy 6.1 4X 6.2 Artillery 6.3 Real-time strategy 6.4 Real-time tactics 6.5 Tower defense 6.6 Turn-based strategy 6.7 Turn-based tactics 6.8 Wargames 7 Vehicle simulation 7.1 Flight 7.2 Racing 7.3 Space flight 7.4 Train 7.5 Vehicular combat 8 Other notable genres 8.1 Music 8.2 Party 8.3 Programming 8.4 Puzzle 8.5 Sports 8.6 Traditional 9 Video game genres by purpose 9.1 Adult 9.2 Advergame 9.3 Casual 9.4 Christian 9.5 Educational 9.6 Exergame 9.7 Serious 10 Notes 11 See also 11.1 Game interfaces 11.2 Game platforms 11.3 Other game classifications

Action

An Action game is any game where the obstacles require quick reflexes and timing. An action game is a game that challenges a player's speed dexterity and reaction time Lots of practice, effort, and discipline is usually required to master these games. They are perhaps the most basic of gaming genres, and certainly one of the broadest. Action games tend to have gameplay with emphasis on combat. There are many subgenres of Action games, such as fighting games and first-person shooters. See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction

Action-adventure

An Action-adventure game is a game featuring both Action and Adventure elements. They typically feature long-term obstacles that must be overcome using a tool or item as leverage (which is collected earlier), while featuring many smaller obstacles almost constantly in the way, that require elements of Action to overcome. Action-Adventure games tend to focus on exploration and usually involve item gathering, simple puzzle solving, and combat.

The first action-adventure game was the Atari 2600 game Adventure (1979). The Atari 2600 is a Video game console released in October 1977 Adventure is a 1979 Its creator Warren Robinett, also introduced the first widely known Easter egg to the gaming world It was directly inspired by the original text adventure, Colossal Cave Adventure. Colossal Cave Adventure (also known as ADVENT, Colossal Cave, or Adventure) (Crowther 1976 Crowther In the process of adapting a text game to a console with only a joystick for control, designer Warren Robinett created a new genre. Warren Robinett is a designer of interactive Computer graphics Software, notable as the developer of Adventure, the first graphical adventure

Because of their prevalence on video game consoles (and the absence of typical adventure games), action-adventure games are often confusingly called "adventure games" by console gamers. An adventure game is a type of Video game characterized by investigation exploration puzzle-solving, interaction with game characters and a focus on Narrative

• Examples of action-adventure games include: The Legend of Zelda series and Ōkami. is a High fantasy action-adventure Video game series created by Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto and developed and published

Stealth

Stealth games are a somewhat more recent genre, sometimes referred to as "sneakers" or "creepers" to make contrast with the action-oriented "shooter" sub-genre. A stealth game is a Video game in which the player needs to avoid detection These games tend to emphasize subterfuge and precision strikes over the more overt mayhem of shooters. Most have first- or third-person shooter elements, but there are some exceptions like Tenchu: Stealth Assassins. Tenchu Stealth Assassins is a Stealth game in which the player takes the role of a Ninja, progressing through 10 stages and accomplishing the tasks

• Examples of stealth games include: the Metal Gear series, Thief series, and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell. is a critically acclaimed series of Stealth games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. Thief is a series of first-person Computer games where the player takes the role of Garrett a Thief in a Fantasy / Steampunk Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is a series of Video games endorsed by American author Tom Clancy.

Survival horror

Survival horror games focus on fear and attempt to scare the player via traditional horror fiction elements such as atmospherics, death, the undead, blood and gore. Survival horror is a video game genre inspired by fictional Horror films in which the player's primary objective is to survive and/or escape a threat typical of horror Horror fiction is broadly Fiction in any medium intended to scare unsettle or horrify the audience Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific Undead is a collective name for fictional beings that are deceased yet behave as if alive Blood is a specialized Bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's cells ��such as nutrients and oxygen—and transports Waste products One crucial gameplay element in many of these games is the low quantity of ammunition, or number of breakable mêlée weapons. For the television channel see GamePlay HD. Gameplay includes all player experiences during the interaction with game systems especially formal A melee weapon (from French "mixed" referring to groups of fighters interlocked in close combat is any Weapon that does not involve a projectile — that is

• Examples of survival horror games include: the Resident Evil series, Sweet Home, Alone in the Dark, and the Silent Hill Series. Resident Evil (known in Japan as) is a Survival horror Video game series and Media franchise consisting of Comic books novelizations Sweet Home is a Survival horror game that was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989 that was produced by Capcom. Alone in the Dark is a 1992 Survival horror game developed by Infogrames. is a Survival horror Video game franchise developed and published by Konami.

Beat 'em up and hack and slash

Side-scrolling beat 'em up and hack and slash games have an emphasis on one-on-many close quarters combat, beating large numbers of computer-controlled enemies. A side-scrolling game or side-scroller is a Video game in which the Gameplay action is viewed from a side-view Hack and slash or hack and slay can refer to either a subgenre of Action game, or a type of Gameplay. The ComBat was an Aluminium Cricket bat and the subject of an incident that occurred at the WACA cricket ground in Perth in December 1979. ^[3][4] Gameplay involves the player fighting through a series of increasingly difficult levels. The sole distinction between these two genres are that beat 'em ups feature hand-to-hand combat, and hack and slash games feature melee weaponry, particularly bladed weapons. Melee (from the French mêlée meˈleː generally refers to disorganized Close combat involving a group of fighters Both genres feature little to no use of of firearms or projectile combat.

This genre became popular in 1987 with the release of Double Dragon, leading to a large number of similar games. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) The fighting style is usually simpler than for versus fighting games. A fighting game (also referred as a versus fighting game, competitive fighting game, tournament fighting game or head-to-head fighting game) In recent times, the genre has largely merged with that of action adventure, with side-scrolling levels giving way to more open three-dimensional areas, and the melee combat co-existing with shooting, puzzles, and missions.

Fighting

Fighting games emphasize one-on-one combat between two characters, one of whom may be computer controlled. A fighting game (also referred as a versus fighting game, competitive fighting game, tournament fighting game or head-to-head fighting game) The ComBat was an Aluminium Cricket bat and the subject of an incident that occurred at the WACA cricket ground in Perth in December 1979. ^[5][6]

These games are usually played by linking together long chains of button presses on the controller to use physical attacks to fight. Many of the movements employed by the characters are usually dramatic and occasionally physically impossible. Combat is almost always one-on-one,^[5] though there are some exceptions such as the Super Smash Bros. series or Guilty Gear Isuka, pitting up to four combatants in the fight at one time. is a series of Fighting games published by Nintendo, featuring characters from established video games. is a game in the ''Guilty Gear'' series. Unlike previous games of the series Isuka allows for fights with up to four players and is exclusively programmed for use in tournament

This genre first appeared in 1976 with the release of Sega's Heavyweight Boxing and later became a phenomenon, particularly in the arcades, with the release of Street Fighter II. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. is a multinational Video game Software and Hardware development company and a former Home computer is a 1991 competitive fighting game by Capcom. It is widely credited with launching the fighting game genre into the mainstream and extending the life of the worldwide arcade The genre is still popular today, although it has failed to see the extreme popularity it once did.

• Examples of fighting games include: the Street Fighter series, the Mortal Kombat series, and the Tekken series. or commonly abbreviated as SF, is a popular series of Fighting games in which the players pit combatants from around the world each with his or her own is a series of Fighting games developed and published by Namco.

Maze

Maze games have a playing field which is entirely a maze, which players must navigate. Maze game was a Computer game genre description used by computer journalists during the 1980s to describe any game in which the entire playing field was a Maze A maze is a complex Tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route Quick thinking and fast reaction times are encouraged by the use of a timer, monsters obstructing the player's way, or multiple players racing to the finish. The most famous game of this genre is Pac-Man. is an Arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution

• Examples of maze games include: Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man. is an Arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution Ms Pac-Man is an arcade Video game produced by Midway as an unauthorized sequel to Pac-Man.

Pinball

Pinball games are essentially pinball table emulators, designed to replicate the look and feel of a common pinball table. Pinball is a type of coin-operated Arcade game where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more Metal balls on a playfield inside a Glass Most pinball games feature the same gameplay style, where the player controls a right and left flipper, and tries to make the ball hit various parts of the playfield to gather up points. Pinball is a type of coin-operated Arcade game where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more Metal balls on a playfield inside a Glass The control scheme in pinball games is, for the most part, the same. On consoles, left and right "shoulder" buttons are often used to approximate the left and right flipper buttons of a real-world pinball game. In some cases, a pinball game may feature more than two flippers: two are generally located at the bottom of the playfield, and others (generally only one or two more) are found above the bottom two. Some games automatically fire the ball into the playfield, while others require the player to press a button to pull down the spring-loaded plug and fire the ball into the playfield.

One significant way that video game pinball games can progress beyond pinball table emulation is the inclusion of features impossible to incorporate in a real pinball table (multiple table layouts, or direct ball control for example), although some games strive to provide a more realistic experience and avoid this type of game play.

Pinball games have become more popular in recent years on handheld systems, as opposed to consoles.

Platform

Main article: Platform game

See also: List of platform games

Platform games are a sub genre of Action games where the obstacles are platforms. Platform game, or platformer, is a video game genre characterized by jumping to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles This article gives a list of platform games, ie computer and Video games of the " platform " genre Platform game, or platformer, is a video game genre characterized by jumping to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles They are also called platformers. These games involve traveling between platforms by jumping (very occasionally other means are substituted for jumping, like swinging or bouncing, but these are considered variations on the same mechanic). Other traditional elements include running and climbing ladders and ledges. Platformers frequently borrow elements from other genres like fighting and shooting (such as the Castlevania series, which incorporates role-playing). Castlevania is a Video game series created and developed by Konami. They are most often associated with iconic cartoon mascots like Donkey Kong, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario, and Rayman, though platform games may have any theme. trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a Video game character and the Protagonist of the video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous is a Fictional character created by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Rayman is the protagonist of the Rayman series created by Ubisoft game designer Michel Ancel.

The first platformer is not easy to identify, at least beyond dispute. Some credit Frogs, the first game that allowed the player to jump. Frogs is a single player platform Video game developed by Gremlin Industries in 1978. Still others believe that Pitfall Harry is the godfather of the platform genre.

Traditionally, platform games were 2D, viewing the environment from a profile, "cutaway" perspective. 2D computer graphics is the Computer -based generation of Digital images mdashmostly from two-dimensional models (such as 2D geometric models text and digital This could be done easily with sprites and was simple for early computers to handle. In Computer graphics, a sprite (also known by other names see Synonyms below is a two-dimensional/three-dimensional Image or Animation that 3D computer graphics have opened these games up for movement in all directions. 3D computer graphics (in contrast to 2D computer graphics) are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer However, 3D perspectives make it more difficult to judge distance, which is an important part of platformers. Because of this many 3D platformers have a feature to make this easier (for example, nearly all of them will use a player shadow that will always be cast straight down, so the player can use it to determine if he will land safely).

At their peak, platformers were the most popular games on the market. The genre experienced a sharp decline as 3D games became more popular. Although there are many 3D platform games, few have proven to have the universal appeal of their older games. Despite this, it is still a viable genre, with popular new games, such as those of the Mario and Mega Man series. The Mario series is a series of highly popular and acclaimed Platform games by Nintendo, featuring Nintendo's mascot Mario and in most of the Mega Man, known as in Japan, is a series of Video games from Capcom, usually starring the character Mega Man. While some 3D platformers like Donkey Kong 64, Super Mario 64, and Sonic Adventure have sold millions of units, the number of successful 3D platformers have dwindled to a fraction of what they once were. (abbreviated as DK 64) is a platformer Video game developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64. is a Platform game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. is a Video game created by Sonic Team and released on December 23 1998 in Japan by Sega for the Sega Dreamcast and is the first game in the Today, 2D platformers exist primarily on handheld consoles, such as New Super Mario Brothers for the Nintendo DS, and Ultimate Ghosts & Goblins for the PSP.

Examples of platform games include the Mario series and the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The Mario series is a series of highly popular and acclaimed Platform games by Nintendo, featuring Nintendo's mascot Mario and in most of the Video Games See also [[List of games featuring Sonic the Hedgehog]] Nearly all games in the series feature a teenage hedgehog named "Sonic the Hedgehog"

Shooter

Main article: Shooter games

First-person shooter

First-person shooter video games, commonly known as FPSs, emphasize shooting and combat from the perspective of the character controlled by the player. Shooter games are a subgenre of Action game. Because "shooters make up the majority of action games" Shooting gallery Often interchangeable with A first-person shooter ( FPS) is an action Video game from the Shooter game The initial development of Maze War This perspective is meant to give the player the feeling of "being there", and allows the player to focus on aiming. Most FPSs are very fast-paced and require quick reflexes on high difficulty levels.

The fast-paced and 3D elements required to create an effective looking FPS made the genre technologically unattainable for most consumer hardware systems until the early 1990s. Wolfenstein 3D was the first widely known FPS, and Doom was the first major breakthrough in graphics; it used a number of clever techniques to make the game run fast enough to play on consumer-grade machines. Doom (officially cased DOOM) is a 1993 Computer game by Id Software that is a landmark title in the First-person shooter Since the release of Doom, most FPS games now have a multi-player feature to allow competition between multiple players. Counter Strike: Condition Zero and Half-Life 2 are some of the notable games of the past few years in this genre. Counter-Strike Condition Zero (abbreviated CS CZ or just CZ) is the newer version of the Multiplayer game, Counter-Strike Half-Life 2 is a Science fiction First-person shooter computer game and the sequel to the highly acclaimed Half-Life

• Examples of first-person shooter games include: the Halo series and the Half-Life series. Halo is a Science fiction Video game franchise created by Bungie and owned and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Half-Life is a Science fiction First-person shooter Computer game series which consists of two full games two episodic games and three third-party

Massively multiplayer online FPS

Massively multiplayer online first person shooter games (MMOFPS) are a genre of massively multiplayer online games that combines first-person shooter gameplay with a virtual world in which a large number of players may interact over the Internet. Massively multiplayer online first-person shooter ( MMOFPS) is a sub-category of the Massively multiplayer online game (MMOG Internet Computer game A first-person shooter ( FPS) is an action Video game from the Shooter game The initial development of Maze War The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks Whereas standard FPS games limit the number of players able to compete in a multiplayer match (generally the maximum is 64), hundreds of players can battle each other on the same server in an MMOFPS.

• Examples of massively multiplayer online first person shooter games include: World War II Online and PlanetSide. World War II Online Battleground Europe, also referred to as WWIIOLBE, WW2OL or BE is a massively multi-player PlanetSide is a Computer game published by Sony Online Entertainment and released on May 19, 2003.

Light gun shooter

Light gun shooters are a genre of shooter genre designed for use with a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and home consoles. Light gun shooters are a subgenre of Shooter game designed for use with a Pointing device for Computers and a control device for arcade and A pointing device is an Input interface (specifically a Human interface device) that allows a user to input spatial (ie continuous and multi-dimensional data A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. ^[7][8][9]

The first light guns appeared in the 1930s, following the development of light-sensing vacuum tubes. This article is about the electronic device not an evacuated pipe used for experiments in Free-fall. It wasn't long before the technology began appearing in arcade shooting games, beginning with the Seeburg Ray-O-Lite in 1936. A video arcade (also known as an amusement arcade in the United Kingdom in Japan or as an "arcade" is a venue where people play arcade video games The Seeburg Ray-O-Lite was the first Light gun game It was made in January 1936 by Seeburg. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. These early light gun games used small (usually moving) targets onto which a light-sensing tube was mounted; the player used a gun (usually a rifle) that emitted a beam of light when the trigger was pulled. If the beam struck the target, a "hit" was scored.

Modern screen-based light guns work on the opposite principle — the sensor is built into the gun itself, and the on-screen target(s) emit light rather than the gun. The first light gun of this type was used on the MIT Whirlwind computer. The Whirlwind Computer was developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Some "light gun" games actually use guns mounted on joysticks, giving the illusion of using a light beam, but all control is transferred through the movement of the stick; notable examples of this include T2: The Arcade Game and Revolution X. The Terminator is a 1984 Science fiction Action film and was followed by three sequels Revolution X is an arcade Light gun game released in 1994 by Midway featuring the band Aerosmith. ^[10]

• Examples of light-gun shooter games include: Time Crisis and Duck Hunt. Time Crisis is a Video game initially available in arcades and later released for the PlayStation and Cell phones. is a Video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES game console system in which players use the NES Zapper to shoot ducks on screen for points

Shoot 'em up

A shoot 'em up (or shmup for short) is a genre of shooter game in which the player controls a vehicle or character and shoots large numbers of enemies. A shoot-'em-up (also known as shmup) is a Video game genre of Shooter game in which the player controls a vehicle or character and fights large Shooter games are a subgenre of Action game. Because "shooters make up the majority of action games" Shooting gallery Often interchangeable with During the peak of their popularity they were commonly called simply shooters, but with the emergence of first-person shooters, shoot 'em up has become an inclusive term to describe various kinds of non-3D shooter games. A first-person shooter ( FPS) is an action Video game from the Shooter game The initial development of Maze War

• Examples of shoot 'em up games include: the Star Fox series and Ikaruga. The is a successful Video game franchise owned by Nintendo. The original game was a forward-scrolling 3D Sci-Fi Rail shooter. is a scrolling-shooter Video game developed by Treasure Co Ltd.

Tactical shooter

Tactical shooters are variations on the first person shooter genre (though also, less often, on third person shooters). A tactical shooter is a subgenre of Video game derived from the First-person shooter (FPS or Third-person shooter genres that generally simulate Some are similar to existing games, but modified to increase the realism of the original game. These games emphasize tactical play such as planning and teamwork (for example, co-ordination and specialised roles), whereas more conventional first person shooters tend to reward individual skill and heroism. In single player modes, the player commands a squad of AI controlled characters in addition to his/her own; in multi-player modes, players must work in teams to win the game. Also, in multi-player games, winning a match is likely to be dependent on capturing an objective of some sort rather than gaining the most kills (as is often the case in more conventional first person shooters).

• Examples of tactical shooter games include: the Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon series and the SOCOM series. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon is a series of Military Tactical shooter Video games created by Red Storm Entertainment, the game development SOCOM is a series of Third-person shooter Video games created by Zipper Interactive.

Third-person shooter

Third-person shooter video games, known as TPSs or 3PSs, emphasize shooting and combat from a camera perspective in which the player character is seen at a distance. Third-person shooter ( TPS) is a genre of 3D computer and video games in which the Player character is seen at a distance from a number A player character or playable character (PC is a Fictional character in a Video game or Role playing game who is controlled or controllable This perspective gives the player a wider view of their surroundings as opposed to the limited viewpoint of first-person shooters. Furthermore, third person shooters allow for more elaborate movement such as rolling or diving, as opposed to simple jumping and crouching common in FPS games. Greater interaction with the player's environment is often possible. The emphasis remains on shooting, however; these games lack the platforming and puzzle elements of action-adventure shooting games.

• Examples of third-person shooter games include: the Grand Theft Auto series and Gears of War. Gears of War is a tactical Third-person shooter Video game developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios.

Adventure

Adventure games were some of the earliest games created, beginning with the text adventure Colossal Cave Adventure in the 1970s. An adventure game is a type of Video game characterized by investigation exploration puzzle-solving, interaction with game characters and a focus on Narrative Colossal Cave Adventure (also known as ADVENT, Colossal Cave, or Adventure) (Crowther 1976 Crowther That game was originally titled simply "Adventure," and is the namesake of the genre. Over time, graphics have been introduced to the genre and the interface has evolved.

Unlike adventure films, adventure games are not defined by story or content. Rather, adventure describes a manner of gameplay without reflex challenges or action. They normally require the player to solve various puzzles by interacting with people or the environment, most often in a non-confrontational way. It is considered a "purist" genre and tends to exclude anything which includes action elements beyond a mini game. A minigame (also spelled mini-game or mini game) sometimes called a subgame, is a short Video game often contained within another

Because they put little pressure on the player in the form of action-based challenges or time constraints, adventure games have had the unique ability to appeal to people who do not normally play video games. The genre peaked in popularity with the 1993 release of Myst. Myst is a graphic adventure Video game designed and directed by the brothers Robyn and Rand Miller. The simple point and click interface, detailed worlds and casual pace made it accessible, and its sense of arty surrealism helped it escape the stigma that games are for children. It had four proper sequels, but none managed to experience the same level of success. The success of Myst also inspired many others to create similar games with first person perspectives, surreal environments and minimal or no dialogue, but these neither recaptured the success of Myst nor of earlier personality-driven adventures.

In the late 1990s the genre suffered a large drop in popularity, mass-market releases became rare, and many proclaimed the adventure game to be dead. More accurately, it has become a niche genre. Adventure games are not entirely uncommon, but they tend to be very low budget in anticipation of modest sales. However, as of 2005, the adventure game genre is showing signs of a revival, with games such as Trace Memory, Fahrenheit, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, and Dreamfall being produced. This entry is about the video game For the book based on the Torchwood television series see Trace Memory (Torchwood. Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in the United States and Canada) is a Video game that was released in September Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney, released in Japan as, is a Visual novel -type adventure Video game published and developed by Capcom Dreamfall The Longest Journey ( Drømmefall Den lengste reisen) is an adventure video game released for the Windows and Xbox

Text adventure / Interactive fiction

The earliest adventure games were text adventures, sometimes called interactive fiction. Games such as the popular Zork series of the late 1970s and early 1980s allowed the player to use a keyboard to enter commands such as "get rope" or "go west" while the computer describes what is happening. Zork was one of the first Interactive fiction Computer games and an early descendant of Colossal Cave Adventure. A great deal of programming went into parsing the player's text input. In an Adventure game, a text parser takes typed input (a command from the player and simplifies it to something the game can understand

Graphic adventure

Graphic adventure games emerged as graphics became more common. Adventure games began to supplement and later on replace textual descriptions with visuals (for example, a picture of the current location). Early graphic adventure games used text-parsers to input commands. But the growing use of mice led to the "point-and-click" genre of adventure games, where the player would no longer have to type commands. In Computing, a mouse (plural mice, mouse devices, or mouses) Point-and-click is the action of a Computer user moving a cursor to a certain location on a screen ( point) and The player could, for example, click on a hand icon and then on a rope to pick up the rope. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity.

Escape the room

Escape the room is a genre of online graphic adventure game,^[11] usually created for Adobe Flash and utilizing a point and click style of play. Escape the room is a genre of online Adventure game, usually created for Adobe Flash and utilizing a Point and click style of play See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction Adobe Flash (previously called Shockwave Flash and Macromedia Flash) is a set of Multimedia software created by Macromedia and currently Point-and-click is the action of a Computer user moving a cursor to a certain location on a screen ( point) and The object of the game is to find a way to escape from a mysterious room.

Visual novel

A visual novel (ビジュアルノベル, bijuaru noberu^?) is an adventure game game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art. A is an Interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics usually with Anime -style art (anime in Japanese, As the name might suggest, they resemble mixed-media novels or tableau vivant stage plays. Tableau vivant (plural tableaux vivants) is French for "living picture Many visual novels track statistics that the player must build in order to advance the plot, and permit a variety of endings, allowing more dynamic reactions to the player's actions than a typical linear adventure plot. Many visual novels are dating sims. Dating sims (or dating simulations) are a Video game subgenre of Simulation games usually Japanese with romantic elements

Visual novels are especially prevalent in Japan, where they make up nearly 70% of PC games released. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. ^[12] They are rarely produced for video game consoles, but the more popular games are sometimes ported to systems such as the Sega Dreamcast or the Playstation 2. See also Software portability In Computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created The is Sega 's most recent Video game console and the successor to the Sega Saturn. The market for visual novels outside of Japan, however, was nearly non-existent prior to the success of the Nintendo DS, for which several Japanese visual novels were released in the West, such as Ace Attorney and Hotel Dusk: Room 215. The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. Ace Attorney, known in Japan as, is a series of adventure / Visual novel games created by Shu Takumi and published by Capcom in which Hotel Dusk Room 215, released in Japan as, is a graphic Adventure game for the Nintendo DS.

Interactive movie

The interactive movie genre came about with the invention of laserdiscs. An interactive movie is a Video game presented using full-motion video of either animated or live-action footage The Laserdisc (LD is an obsolete Home video disc format and was the first commercial Optical disc storage medium An interactive movie contains pre-filmed full-motion cartoons or live-action sequences, where the player controls some of the moves of the main character. Full motion video based games, usually abbreviated as FMV-based games, are Video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV -quality movie or The word cartoon has various meanings based on several very different forms of Visual art and Illustration. For example, when in danger, the player decides which move or action, or combination to choose. In these games, the only activity the user has is to choose or guess the move the designers intend him to make. A "game designer" is a person who designs Video games or one who designs traditional games such as Board games Video Games Designer A video game designer

Interactive movies usually differ from games that simply use FMV extensively between scenes in that they try to integrate it into the gameplay itself. This has been used in everything from racing games (Megarace) to fighting games (Supreme Warrior). MegaRace is a Video game created by Cryo Interactive, released in 1994 Because of this, it is arguable that the term is more of an antiquated buzzword (like how many early 3D games were tagged as "virtual reality") than a real genre.

The term itself has come to be associated with a lot of clumsy, poor quality games from the early-to-mid '90s, and thus it is rarely ever used anymore. A few adventure game have tried to use the term to liken the storytelling of their games to those in movies, most notably the later Tex Murphy games and the more recent Indigo Prophecy, but few would include these in the same genre as games that used FMV in their gameplay. Tex Murphy is the main character of five Adventure games from Access Software and performed by Chris Jones. Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in the United States and Canada) is a Video game that was released in September

Interactive movies have also been used within other games to keep the player alert. Games like Resident Evil 4 present obvious in-game prompts for the player to react to. Resident Evil 4, known in Japan as, is a Third-person shooter Video game and the sixth installment in the Resident Evil Not doing so usually results in the player character either getting hurt, outright killed, or other unfortunate effects.

Examples of interactive movies include: Dragon's Lair, Space Ace and Night Trap. Dragon's Lair was one of the first Laserdisc video games released in June 1983 by Cinematronics. Space Ace is a Laserdisc video game produced by Don Bluth Studios Cinematronics, and Advanced Microcomputer Systems (later renamed RDI Video Night Trap is a Video game that was released on October 15, 1992.

Construction and management simulation

Construction and management simulation games (or CMSs) are a type of simulation game which task players to build, expand or manage fictional communities or projects with limited resources. Construction and management simulation games (or CMS s are a type of Simulation game which task players to build expand or manage fictional communities or projects

City-building

In city-building games the player acts as overall planner or leader to meet the needs and wants of game characters by initiating structures for food, shelter, health, spiritual care, economic growth, etc. Lincity is a free Construction and management simulation game, which puts the player in control of managing every aspect of a city's socio-economy City-building games are a genre of computer game where players act as the overall planner and leader of a city looking down on it from above and being responsible Success is achieved when the city budget makes a growing profit and citizens experience an upgraded lifestyle in housing, health, and goods. While military development is often included, the emphasis is on economic strength.

Perhaps the most known game of this type is SimCity, which is still popular and has had great influence on later city-building games. SimCity is a city-building simulation game, first released in 1989 and designed by Will Wright. SimCity, however, also belongs to the God Games genre since it gives the player god-like abilities in manipulating the world.

Business simulation

Business simulation games generally attempt to simulate an economy or business, with the player controlling the economy of the game. Business simulation games, or economic simulation games, An important facet of economic simulations is the Emergence of artificial systems gameplay and structures

God games

Unlike other genres of games, god games often do not have a set goal that allows a player to win the game. A God Game is a construction and management simulation that casts the player in the position of controlling the game on a large scale as an entity with Divine The focus of a god game tends to be control over the lives of people, anywhere from micromanaging a family to overseeing the rise of a civilization.

• Examples of god games include the genre-setting Populous, SimAnt, SimEarth and the forthcoming game Spore. Populous is a computer game developed by Bullfrog in 1989 and is regarded by many as being the seminal God game. SimAnt is a 1991 life simulation Computer game by Maxis focusing on Ants It was designed by Will Wright SimEarth The Living Planet is a life simulation Computer game designed by Will Wright and published in 1990 by Maxis

Government simulation

A government simulation game (or "political game") involves the simulation of the policies, government or politics of a country, but typically excludes warfare. A government simulation or political simulation is a game that attempts to simulate the government and politics of all or part of a nation Recently, these types of games has gained the moniker "serious game". A serious game is a term used to refer to a Software or Hardware application developed with game technology and Game design principles for

Life simulation

Life simulation games (or Artificial Life Games) involve living or controlling one or more artificial lives. Life simulation games (or Artificial life games are Simulation games in which the player lives or controls one or more artificial lifeforms A life simulation game can revolve around individuals and relationships, or it could be a simulation of an ecosystem.

Biological simulation

Biological simulations may allow the player to expermient with genetics, survival or ecosystems, often in the form of an educational package. Genetics (from Ancient Greek grc-Latn genetikos, “genitive” and that from grc-Latn genesis, “origin” a discipline of Biology, is An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants animals and micro-organisms( Biotic factors in an area functioning together with all of the non-living physical ( A serious game is a term used to refer to a Software or Hardware application developed with game technology and Game design principles for

Pet-raising simulation

Pet-raising simulations (or digital pets) focus more on the relationship between the player and one or few life forms. A pet-raising simulation (sometimes called artificial pets) is a Video game that focuses on the care raising breeding or exhibition of simulated animals A digital pet (also known as a virtual pet or artificial pet) is a type of Artificial human companion. They are often more limited in scope than other biological simulations. This includes popular examples of virtual pets such as Tamagotchi, the Petz series, and Nintendogs. A digital pet (also known as a virtual pet or artificial pet) is a type of Artificial human companion. The is a handheld Digital pet created in 1996 by Aki Maita and sold by Bandai. Petz ( Dogz and Catz) is a series of games dating back to 1995, in which the player can adopt raise care for and breed their own is a Real-time Pet simulation Video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld Video game console.

Social simulation

Social simulation games base their gameplay on the social interaction between multiple artificial lives. Social simulation games are a subgenre of Life simulation game that explore social interations between multiple artificial lives. Social interaction is a dynamic changing sequence of Social actions between individuals (or groups who modify their actions and reactions according to the actions by their The most famous example from this genre is Will Wright's The Sims. The Sims is a strategic life-simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts.

Role-playing

Main article: Role-playing game (video games)

Computer and console role-playing games (CRPGs or simply RPGs) draw their gameplay from traditional role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. A computer role-playing game ( CRPG) is a broad Video game genre originally developed for personal computers and other home computers A console role-playing game is a video game genre that has its origin rooted in Video game consoles and includes game mechanics and frequently settings derived A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a Fantasy Role-playing game (RPG originally designed by Most cast the player in the role of one or more "adventurers" who specialize in specific skill sets (such as combat or casting magic spells) while progressing through a predetermined storyline. Some Role-playing games or game systems can include a set of rules that are used to portray magic in the Paranormal sense Many involve maneuvering these character(s) through an overworld, usually populated with monsters, that allows access to more important game locations, such as towns, dungeons, and castles. This is about European castles For other uses see Dungeon (disambiguation A dungeon is a place where Prisoners are kept

Since the emergence of affordable home computers coincided with the popularity of paper and pencil role-playing games, this genre was one of the first in video games and continues to be popular today. A home computer was a class of Personal computer entering the market in 1977 and becoming common during the 1980s Paper and pencil games are Games that can be played solely with Paper and Pencil. Gameplay elements strongly associated with RPGs, such as statistical character development through the acquisition of experience points, have been widely adapted to other genres such as action-adventure games.

Though nearly all of the early entries in the genre were turn-based games, modern CRPGs have introduced a real-time aspect. A turn-based game is a Game where the game flow is partitioned into well-defined and visible parts called turns or rounds Thus, the CRPG genre has followed the strategy game's trend of moving from turn-based to real-time combat. A strategy game is a Game (eg computer, video or Board game) in which the players' decision-making skills have a high significance The move to real-time combat began with the release of Square's (now Square Enix's) Final Fantasy IV, the first game to use the Active Time Battle system; this was quickly followed by truly real-time role-playing games such as the Mana series, Soul Blazer and Ultima VII. was a Japanese Video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its Console role-playing game franchises which include the Final Fantasy series the Dragon is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in as a part of the Final Fantasy series The Mana series known in Japan as, is a Console role-playing game series from Square Enix, created by Koichi Ishii. Soul Blazer, known in Japan as, is a Super Nintendo Entertainment System Console role-playing game developed by Quintet and published Ultima VII is the seventh of the Ultima series of Computer role-playing games The game was released in two parts Ultima VII The

Computer and console role-playing

Due to cultural differences in role-playing video games, there are two different types of RPGs. Due to cultural differences between game developers historically different inspirations and origins distinct target audiences and hardware with dissimilar capabilities two main trends or "families" The first involves the player creating a character and a non-linear storyline along which the player makes his own decisions. This article describes the use of the term nonlinearity in mathematics In the second type, the player controls a party of predefined characters through a dramatically scripted linear storyline. The word linear comes from the Latin word linearis, which means created by lines. These styles are sometimes referred to as Western/Computer RPGs and Japanese/Console RPGs respectively, although there are numerous exceptions.

• Examples of computer/Western role-playing games include: Ultima and The Elder Scrolls. The Elder Scrolls (also known as Elder Scrolls or abbreviated as TES) is a Computer role-playing game series developed
• Examples of console/Japanese role-playing games include: Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. published as Dragon Warrior in North America until the 2005 release of Dragon Quest VIII Journey of the Cursed King, is a series of role-playing

Action role-playing

The action role-playing game or action RPG is a type of role-playing game which incorporates elements from action games or action-adventure games. An action role-playing game or action RPG is a common name for a type of computer or video game which is closely linked to the Console role-playing game genre An electronic role-playing game is a broad genre of video games. An action game is a game that challenges a player's speed dexterity and reaction time The first action role-playing games were produced by Nihon Falcom in the 1980s, such as the Dragon Slayer series and Ys series. is a Japanese Computer game company The company was founded in March of 1981 by Masayuki Kato. is a Computer role-playing game published in 1984 by Falcom on the NEC PC-8801 and Fujitsu FM-7 computer systems giving rise to a series of (English ˈiːs is a Japanese computer and Console role-playing game series and Nihon Falcom corporation's flagship franchise Later so-called "Diablo clones" are also part of this genre. Diablo is a Dark fantasy -themed Action role-playing game developed by Blizzard North and released by Blizzard Entertainment

Although the precise definition of the genre varies, the typical action RPG features a heavy emphasis on combat, often simplifying or removing non-combat attributes and statistics and the effect they have on the character's development. ^[13] Additionally, combat always takes place using a real-time system (hence the "action") that relies on the player's ability to perform particular actions with speed and accuracy to determine success, rather than mainly using the player character's attributes to determine this. Typically action RPGs focus more on the collection of randomized treasure than story progression that is found in other types of RPGs.

• Examples of action role-playing games include: Diablo and Kingdom Hearts. Diablo is a Dark fantasy -themed Action role-playing game developed by Blizzard North and released by Blizzard Entertainment is an Action role-playing game developed and published by Squaresoft (now Square Enix) in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 Video game console

Massively multiplayer online role-playing

Massively multiplayer online role-playing games, or MMORPGs, emerged in the mid to late 1990s as a commercial, graphical variant of text-based MUDs, which had existed since around 1979. A massively multiplayer online role-playing game ( MMORPG) is a genre of Computer role-playing games (CRPGs in which a large number of players interact with In computer gaming, a MUD ( Multi-User Dungeon, Domain or Dimension) is a multi-player computer game that combines elements of Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) The massively multiplayer concept was quickly combined with other genres. Fantasy MMORPGs like The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, remain the most popular type of MMOG, yet other types of MMORPG are appearing. The Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar (commonly abbreviated to LOTRO) is a Massively multiplayer online role-playing game Sci-fi MMORPGs, which began with Phantasy Star Online, hold a smaller part of the MMOG market, with the popular space sci-fi game EVE Online being the most notable. Phantasy Star Online ( PSO) is an online RPG title originally released for Dreamcast in 2000

• Examples of massively multiplayer online role-playing games include: MapleStory and World of Warcraft. MapleStory (메이플스토리 is a free-of-charge, 2D, Side-scrolling Massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by World of Warcraft (commonly acronymed as WoW) is a Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG

Roguelike

The roguelike video game sub-genre borrows its name and gameplay elements from the 1980 computer game Rogue. A roguelike is a member of the role-playing video game genre that borrows its name and gameplay elements from the 1980 computer game Rogue popularized the Dungeon crawling computer game dating back from 1980. Superficially, a roguelike is a two-dimensional dungeon crawl with a high degree of randomness and an emphasis on statistical character development. A dungeon crawl is a type of role-playing adventure in which heroes navigate a Labyrinthine environment battling various monsters and looting any treasure they may Though traditionally featuring a text user interface, many such games utilize graphic tiles to overcome character set limitations.

• Examples of roguelike games include: ADOM and NetHack. Ancient Domains of Mystery, or ADOM, is a Roguelike game by Thomas Biskup first released in 1994. NetHack is a single-player Roguelike computer game originally released in 1987.

Tactical role-playing

The tactical role-playing game sub-genre principally refers to games which incorporate gameplay from strategy games as an alternative to traditional RPG systems. Strategy video games are Video games that focus on gameplay requiring careful and skillful thinking and planning in order to achieve victory ^[14] Like standard RPGs, the player controls a finite party and battles a similar number of enemies, but this genre incorporates strategic gameplay such as tactical movement on an isometric grid. ^[14]

The genre has its origins in tabletop role-playing games, where each player has time to decide his or her character's action. A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. Although the first tactical role-playing game was Nintendo's Fire Emblem, the term "tactics" was not widely used to describe such titles until Square's Final Fantasy Tactics was released, where it popularized the genre in North America. is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on is a Tactical role-playing games franchise developed by Intelligent Systems (specifically Shouzou Kaga) the makers of Advance Wars (which shares was a Japanese Video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. is a Tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for the Sony PlayStation Video game console.

• Examples of tactical role-playing games include: Shining Force and the Front Mission series. If you are looking for information on the Shining series in general please see Shining series Shining Force The Legacy of Great Intention

Strategy

Strategy video games focus on gameplay requiring careful and skillful thinking and planning in order to achieve victory. Strategy video games are Video games that focus on gameplay requiring careful and skillful thinking and planning in order to achieve victory In most strategy video games, "the player is given a godlike view of the game world, indirectly controlling the units under his command". ^[15]

"The origin of strategy games is rooted in their close cousins, board games". ^[15] Strategy games instantiated on computers generally take one of four archetypal forms, depending on whether the game is turn-based or real-time and whether the game's focus is upon strategy or military tactics. A strategy game is a Game (eg computer, video or Board game) in which the players' decision-making skills have a high significance

4X

4X refers to a genre of strategy video game with four primary goals: eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate. 4X games are a genre of strategy Video game where players control an Empire and "eXplore eXpand eXploit and eXterminate A 4X game can be turn-based or real-time. A turn-based game is a Game where the game flow is partitioned into well-defined and visible parts called turns or rounds A real-time strategy ( RTS) Video game is a strategic game that is distinctly not turn-based. Perhaps the best known example of this genre is Sid Meier's Civilization series. Sidney K Meier (born February 24 1954 in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada) is an American programmer and designer of several Sid Meier's Civilization is a Turn-based strategy computer game created by Sid Meier for MicroProse in 1991

Artillery

Artillery is the generic name for either early two or three-player (usually turn-based) computer games involving tanks fighting each other in combat or similar derivative games. For other uses of the term see Artillery (disambiguation Artillery is the generic name for either early two or three-player (usually A turn-based game is a Game where the game flow is partitioned into well-defined and visible parts called turns or rounds A tank is a tracked, Armoured fighting vehicle designed for Front-line combat which combines Operational mobility and tactical Artillery games were among the earliest computer games developed; the theme of such games is an extension of the original uses of computer themselves, which were once used to calculate the trajectories of rockets and other related military-based calculations. Artillery games are a type of strategy game, though they have also been described as a "shooting game". A strategy game is a Game (eg computer, video or Board game) in which the players' decision-making skills have a high significance

• Examples of artillery games include: Gunbound, Scorched Earth, Tanarus and Gorillas.bas, programmed in QBasic Language. GunBound (건바운드 is a free-to-play, turn-based, room-to-room multiplayer Online game with many similar features to the popular Worms Tanarus is a 3D Multiplayer online Tank First-person shooter that was commercially released on November 30 1997 QBasic is an IDE and interpreter for a variant of the BASIC programming language which is based on QuickBasic.

Real-time strategy

The moniker "real-time strategy" (RTS), usually applied only to certain computer strategy games, indicates that the action in the game is continuous, and players will have to make their decisions and actions within the backdrop of a constantly changing game state. A real-time strategy ( RTS) Video game is a strategic game that is distinctly not turn-based. Real-time strategy gameplay is characterised by obtaining resources, building bases, researching technologies and producing units. Very few non-computer strategy games are real-time; one example is Icehouse. Icehouse is a turnless abstract Strategy game invented by Andrew Looney and John Cooper.

• Examples of RTS games include: StarCraft and the Command & Conquer series. StarCraft is a Military science fiction Real-time strategy Video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. Command & Conquer (often abbreviated as C&C or CNC) is a Video game franchise, mostly of the

Real-time tactics

A real-time tactics game shares feature of the simulation and wargame genres. Real-time tactics ( RTT) is a computer game Genre of Tactical wargames played in Real-time simulating the considerations and These titles focus on operational aspects and control of warfare. Unlike in real-time strategy games, resource and economical management and building plays no part of the battle gameplay.

• Examples of RTT games include: Warhammer: Dark Omen and the Close Combat series. Warhammer Dark Omen is a real-time tactical wargame and the sequel to Warhammer Shadow of the Horned Rat. Close Combat is the name of a series of real-time tactical (RTT Computer games by Atomic Games

Tower defense

Tower defense games have a very simple layout. Tower defense or TD is a genre of strategy Computer game. The goal is to try to stop enemies from crossing the map by building towers Usually, computer-controlled monsters called creeps move along a set path, and the player must place, or "build" towers along this path to kill the creeps. In most tower defense games different towers have different abilities such as poisoning enemies or slowing them down. The player is awarded money for killing creeps, and this money can be used to buy more towers, or buy upgrades for a tower such as increased power or range.

• Examples of tower defense games include: Desktop Tower Defense. Desktop Tower Defense is a Flash-based Browser game of the Tower defense Game genre created by first-time game designer Paul Preece

Turn-based strategy

The term "Turn-based strategy game" (TBS) is usually reserved for certain computer strategy games, to distinguish them from real-time computer strategy games. A turn-based strategy ( TBS) game is a Strategy game (usually some type of wargame, especially a strategic-level wargame that is A player of a turn-based game is allowed a period of analysis before committing to a game action, and some games allow a certain number of moves or actions to take place in a turn.

• Examples of TBS games include: Civilization, the Nintendo Wars series, Heroes of Might and Magic, and the Master of Orion series. Sid Meier's Civilization is a Turn-based strategy computer game created by Sid Meier for MicroProse in 1991 usually referred to as Advance Wars outside of Japan is a series of military Turn-based and real-time Strategy Video games (See Wargame Heroes of Might and Magic is a series of Video games created by New World Computing. Master of Orion ( MoO or MOO) is a Turn-based, 4X Science fiction Computer strategy game

Turn-based tactics

The gameplay of turn-based tactics games is characterized by the expectation of players to complete their tasks using the combat forces provided to them, and usually by the provision of a realistic (or at least believable) representation of military tactics and operations. Turn-based tactics ( TBT) or tactical turn-based ( TTB) is a computer and video game genre of Strategy video games that through stop-action

• Examples of TBT games include: the Jagged Alliance and X-COM series. Jagged Alliance is a series of Turn-based tactics Computer games for the PC. X-COM is a series of Computer games started by Mythos Games and MicroProse in 1993.

Wargames

Wargames are a subgenre of strategy video games that emphasize strategic or tactical warfare on a map. Wargames are a Subgenre of Strategy video games that emphasize strategic or tactical warfare on a map A genre (ˈʒɑːnrə also /ˈdʒɑːnrə/ from French "kind" or "sort" from Latin: genus (stem gener-) is a loose set Strategy video games are Video games that focus on gameplay requiring careful and skillful thinking and planning in order to achieve victory Wargames generally take one of four archetypal forms, depending on whether the game is turn-based or real-time and whether the game's focus is upon military strategy or tactics. Military strategy is a National defence policy implemented by Military organisations to pursue desired strategic goals Derived from the Greek Military tactics ( Greek: Taktikē, the art of organizing an army are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating

• Examples of video wargames include: the Panzer General series and the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series. Panzer General is a Computer wargame published by Strategic Simulations in 1994 and set in World War II. is a Computer and Video game that originated from Japan. It is a series of turn-based computerized wargames by Koei.

Vehicle simulation

Vehicle simulation games are a genre of video games which attempt to provide the player with a realistic interpretation of operating various kinds of vehicles. Vehicle simulation games are a genre of Video games which attempt to provide the player with a realistic interpretation of operating various kinds of vehicles A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. ^[15]

Flight

Main article: Flight_simulation#Flight_Simulators_at_Home

A flight simulation tasks the player with flying an aircraft, usually an airplane, as realistically as possible. A flight simulator is a system that tries to copy or simulate, the experience of flying an aircraft Combat flight simulators are the most popular sub-genre of simulation. Combat Flight Simulators are Video games (similar to Flight simulator software used to simulate military aircraft and their operations The player controls the plane, not only simulating the act of flying, but also combat situations. There are also civilian flight simulators that do not have the combat aspect.

• Examples of combat flight simulators include: Falcon 4.0 and IL-2 Sturmovik. Falcon 40 is a modern air combat simulation originally released on December 12 1998 by MicroProse. IL-2 Sturmovik is a Combat flight simulator Video game, focused on the air battles of the Eastern Front during World War II.
• Examples of civilian flight simulators include: Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane. Microsoft Flight Simulator (sometimes abbreviated to MSFS or FS) is a Flight simulator program for Microsoft X-Plane is a Flight simulator for Personal computers produced

Racing

Racing games typically place the player in the driver's seat of a high-performance vehicle and require the player to race against other drivers or sometimes just time. Many Board games can be said to be racing games such as Snakes and Ladders, Cribbage, or Formula Dé. This genre of games is one of the staples of the computer gaming world and many of the earliest computer games created were part of this genre. Emerging in the late 1970s, this genre is still very popular today and continues to push the envelope in terms of graphics and performance. These games "tend to fall into organized racing and imaginary racing categories". ^[15] Organized racing simulators attempt to "reproduce the experience of driving a racing car or motorcycle in an existing racing class: Indycar, NASCAR, Formula 1, and so on. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States. "^[15] On the other hand, imaginary racing games involve "imaginary situations, driving madly through cities or the countryside or even fantasy environments". ^[15] These "imaginary" racing games are sometimes called arcade racing games, in contrast to their more realistic "racing simulation" counterparts. Many, if not most racing games can also be classified under the "Action" genre.

Rollings and Adams note that "racing games are often sold in the sports category," but "from a design standpoint, they really belong in . A sports game is a computer or Video game that simulates the playing of traditional Sports Most sports have been recreated with a game including Game design is the process of designing the content and rules of a Game. . . vehicle simulations". ^[15]

• Examples of imaginary racing games include: Out Run and the Mario Kart series. (also spelled OutRun and Outrun) is a 1986 Arcade game designed by Yu Suzuki and Sega-AM2. Mario Kart is a series of Go-kart -style racing Video games developed by Nintendo as a series of
• Examples of simulation racing games include: Grand Prix Legends, Project Gotham Racing, NASCAR Racing, the Gran Turismo series and the Forza Motorsport series. Grand Prix Legends (nicknamed GPL) is a computer Racing simulator developed by Papyrus Design Group and published in 1998 by Sierra Project Gotham Racing ( PGR) is a Racing game, the first in its series, developed by Bizarre Creations and published by This is about a NASCAR computer game For the series see NASCAR The NASCAR Racing series of video games developed by Gran Turismo ( GT) is a hugely successful and critically acclaimed series of racing Video games produced for the Sony PlayStation, Forza Motorsport is a racing simulator Video game developed by Turn 10 for the Xbox gaming system

Space flight

Space flight simulator games are a sub-genre that involve piloting a spacecraft. A space flight simulator game is a genre of Video game that lets players experience Space flight in a Spacecraft. A spacecraft is a Vehicle or machine designed for Spaceflight. Space simulators are different from other sub-genres, and are not generally considered to be simulators, as their simulated objects do not always exist and often disregard the laws of physics. However, simulators of real spacecraft do exist: Orbiter is one example. Orbiter is a Closed source Freeware space flight simulator for the Windows operating system

• Examples of space flight simulators include: the Elite series, Star Wars: X-Wing, Descent: FreeSpace — The Great War, Independence War, Wing Commander, Freelancer, X: Beyond the Frontier, DarkStar One and Homeworld. Elite is a seminal space trading Computer game, originally published by Acornsoft in 1984 for the BBC Micro and Star Wars X-Wing (or X-Wing for short is the first LucasArts DOS computer game set in the Star Wars universe as Descent FreeSpace — The Great War is a 1998 space combat simulation IBM PC compatible computer game developed by Volition Inc I-War (known as Independence War after the North American release is a Space combat simulator developed by English development house Wing Commander (retroactively referred to as Wing Commander I or WC1) is the first eponymous game in Chris Roberts Freelancer is a space trading and combat simulation Computer game developed by Digital Anvil and published by Microsoft. X Beyond the Frontier ( 1999) is a Video game created by Egosoft for Windows. DarkStar One is a space simulation Computer game developed by Ascaron and published by CDV. Homeworld is a Real-time strategy (RTS Computer game released in 1999 developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sierra

Train

Train simulators simulate the vehicles, environments and often economics associated with railway transport. A train simulator is a computer based Video game that simulates Rail transport operations These are frequently historical in nature, reminiscing on the evolution and emergence of the railroad in various countries and the economic booms that often accompanied them.

• Examples of train simulators include: Microsoft Train Simulator, Trainz and Rail Simulator. Microsoft Train Simulator (known in the Train Simulator community also as simply MSTS 1) is a Train simulator for Microsoft Trainz, fully Trainz Railroad Simulator or (in Britain) Trainz Railway Simulator, is a 3D Computer game and Train simulator Rail Simulator (Kuju Rail Simulator is a train simulation Video game published by Electronic Arts (EA

Vehicular combat

Vehicular combat or car combat games focus on fast-paced action, as the player operates a car or other vehicle and attempts to disable or destroy CPU or human opponents. Vehicular combat (also known as car combat) games are typically video or Computer games where the primary focus of play concerns Automobiles Vehicular combat games often allow a player to choose from a variety of potential vehicles, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Vehicular combat was born out of racing/shooter combinations like Spy Hunter, RoadBlasters and Rock 'N' Roll Racing, but differs in that the players can, if desired, take their vehicles off predefined routes and do battle wherever they please. Spy Hunter is a 1983 Arcade game developed and released by Bally Midway. RoadBlasters is an Arcade game released by Atari Games in 1987. Rock N' Roll Racing is a battle- racing Video game developed by Silicon & Synapse (now known as Blizzard Entertainment) and published by

A sub-genre of vehicular combat is Mecha combat, where vehicles generally include giant robot-like tanks. Word origin and usage The term "mecha" is derived from the Japanese abbreviation for the English word " mechanical "

Other notable genres

Music

Music games are most commonly characterized by arcade games that challenge the player to follow sequences of movement or develop specific rhythms. A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a Video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in businesses such as Restaurants Pubs Video arcades and Family Entertainment Some games require the player to tap out rhythms using a hand-held game controller, to step with their feet on a dance pad, or use a device similar to a specific musical instrument, like a replica drum set. A game controller is an Input device used to control a Video game. A dance pad, also known as a dance mat or dance platform, is a flat electronic Game controller used for Input in dance games Other games marketed for home consoles avoid rhythm-based gameplay and instead focus on pitch-based, memory-based, or sandbox-style gameplay.

This genre rose to popularity in the late 1990s with the success of PaRappa the Rapper on consoles and Dance Dance Revolution in arcades. PaRappa the Rapper (パラッパラッパー 1996 also known as "PaRappaRappa" and "PaRappa the Rappa" is a rhythm video game for the Dance Dance Revolution (abbreviated DDR) previously known as Dancing Stage in PAL territories until the announcement of The 2000s have seen a rise to popularity in the console market of hybrid music games like Rez which, while musical in nature, also features elements of the more traditional genres like the shooter, along with the extremely popular "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" Series. Rez, developed under the codename K-Project, Project Eden, and Vibes, is a Rail shooter video Shooter games are a subgenre of Action game. Because "shooters make up the majority of action games" Shooting gallery Often interchangeable with

Party

Party games are video games developed specifically for multiplayer games between many players. Party games are Games which share several features suitable to entertaining a social gathering of moderate size Normally, party games have a variety of different types of mini-games that range between collecting more of a certain item than other players or having the fastest time at something. A minigame (also spelled mini-game or mini game) sometimes called a subgame, is a short Video game often contained within another Versus multiplayer games are not generally considered to be party games. Mario Party, and Sonic Shuffle are examples. is the first in a series of Board game style Video games for Nintendo platforms featuring popular characters from the Mario series is a Video game for the Dreamcast and was Sega 's answer to the Nintendo party game, Mario Party.

Programming

A programming game is a computer game where the player has no direct influence on the course of the game. A programming game is a Computer game where the player has no direct influence on the course of the game A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather Instead, a computer program or script is written in some domain-specific programming language in order to control the actions of the characters (usually robots, tanks or bacteria, which seek to destroy each other). Computer programs (also software programs, or just programs) are instructions for a Computer. The term domain-specific language ( DSL) has become popular in recent years in Software development to indicate a Programming language or Specification A robot is a mechanical or Virtual Artificial agent In practice it is usually an electro-mechanical system which by its appearance or movements A tank is a tracked, Armoured fighting vehicle designed for Front-line combat which combines Operational mobility and tactical The Bacteria ( singular: bacterium) are a large group of unicellular Microorganisms Typically a few Micrometres in length bacteria have Programming games of note include Core War, Robocode, RoboWar, Robot Battle, Crobots and A.I. Wars. Core War (or Core Wars) is a Programming game in which two or more battle programs (called warriors) compete for the control of the MARS Robocode is an Open Source Educational game started by Mathew Nelson (originally provided by IBM) RoboWar is an Open source Video game in which the player programs onscreen icon-like Robots to battle each other with animation and For the Apple Macintosh game of the same name see Robot Battle (Macintosh game. CROBOTS is a Programming game released for the first time by Tom Poindexter in December 1985 The video game AI Wars comes in two flavors The Insect Mind and Armor Commander. Final Fantasy XII also includes some elements of a programming game, as the player creates the AI of his characters, although the player can also choose to directly control the action. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for Sony 's PlayStation 2, and the twelfth installment in the Final Fantasy

Puzzle

Puzzle games require the player to solve logic puzzles or navigate complex locations such as mazes. Puzzle video games are a genre of Video games that emphasize Puzzle solving A maze is a complex Tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route This genre frequently crosses over with adventure and educational games. Some arcade games, in particular Tetris-variants, are often labeled puzzle games, despite the fact that gameplay depends on hand/eye coordination and quick reflexes, rather than thought and logic. Tetris (Тетрис is a Video puzzle game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in June 1985 while working for the Dorodnicyn

Puzzle is a very inclusive genre, and is often used as a general default for games not otherwise easily categorized, especially those with abstract concepts. Before they became commonplace, music games were sometimes called puzzle games, for example.

Sports

Sports games emulate the playing of traditional physical sports. A sports game is a computer or Video game that simulates the playing of traditional Sports Most sports have been recreated with a game including Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively Some emphasize actually playing the sport, while others emphasize the strategy behind the sport (such as Championship Manager). The Championship Manager series is a series of British Computer games the first of which was released in 1992 Others satirize the sport for comic effect (such as Arch Rivals). Arch Rivals is a Basketball Arcade game created by Midway in 1989. One of the best selling series in this genre is the Madden NFL series. Madden NFL is an American football Video game series developed by Electronic Arts Tiburon for EA Sports.

This genre emerged early in the history of video games (e. g. , Pong) and remains popular today. Pong is a first generation Video game released originally as a Coin -operated Arcade game by Atari Inc

Traditional

Most popular board games, card games, and the like have been computerized to some degree or another. A board game is a Game in which counters or pieces that are placed on removed from or moved across a "board" (a premarked surface usually specific to that game A card game is any Game using Playing cards either traditional or game-specific Computer game programs can be worthy opponents and can help improve one's skill at traditional games.

• Chess, Checkers, Othello (also known as Reversi), and Backgammon have world class computer programs. The idea of creating a Chess -playing machine dates back to the eighteenth century Reversi (also marketed by Pressman under the trade name Othello) is an abstract strategy Board game which involves play by two parties on Backgammon is a Board game for two players in which the playing pieces are moved according to the roll of Dice.
• Mah-jongg and related games are immensely popular in China and Japan. Mahjong (also called mah-jongg by the American association Traditional Chinese 麻將 Pinyin: májiàng is a Game for four players that originated in China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics.
• Go is popular in East Asia. It is infamously difficult to program a computer to play Go well: see Computer Go. Computer go is the field of Artificial intelligence (AI dedicated to creating a Computer program that plays go, an ancient Board game.
• Magic: The Gathering has had computer versions for some time. This article is somewhat over-complete Please do not add significant new content without first discussing it on the talk page
• 42 All-Time Classics is a game for Nintendo DS that features online play through Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Clubhouse Games, known in Europe as 42 All-Time Classics and in Japan as, is a compilation Video game consisting of card board The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (commonly abbreviated WFC) is an online service run by Nintendo to facilitate free Internet play in compatible Nintendo DS and

Video game genres by purpose

While most video games are designed as entertainment, many video games are designed with additional purposes. These purposes are as varied as the nature of information itself -- to inform, persuade, or stimulate. These games can have any kind of gameplay, from puzzles to action to adventure.

Adult

Adult video games, like adult movies or other media, are intended for an adult audience. Adult video games are video games which have significant sexual content (like Adult movies, and are therefore intended for an adult audience Pornographic films are Motion pictures with the purpose of promoting sexual arousal in the viewer often featuring depictions of sexual activity In general, the purpose of adult games is to provide erotic entertainment, rather than just gameplay. There exists a wide variety of adult games, though many lack mainstream appeal and represent a niche category. The object of an adult game may differ from a mainstream video game, in that the reward can be a visual representation of nudity, partial nudity, or sexual activity rather than points, etc. Some games may focus on humor or drama rather than arousal, or simply have normal gameplay accompanied by nudity.

Advergame

Advergames have recently become popular due to the Burger King, King Games Collection, though advergames, like the 7up Cool Spot game and the Dominoes Yo! Noid games, were around much earlier. Advergaming is the practice of using Video games to advertise a product organization or viewpoint Burger King ( often abbreviated to King Games is a series of three Video games ( advergames) sold at Burger King. 7 Up is a brand of a Lemon - lime flavored non-caffeinated Soft drink. Cool Spot was a Mascot for 7 Up in the first half of the 1990s Yo! Noid is a platform Video game released in the United States for the NES by Capcom during November 1990 The majority of advergames are found online and mostly include simple and cheaply made Flash games. Adobe Flash (previously called Shockwave Flash and Macromedia Flash) is a set of Multimedia software created by Macromedia and currently It is expected that advergamimg will become a very popular and far more highly invested in the coming years as TV ad revenue lessens and video games are shown to have a greater and greater impact on public opinion.

Casual

Casual games have very simple rules or play techniques, a very low degree of strategy, making them easy to learn and play as a pastime. A casual game is a Video game targeted at a mass audience of Casual gamers Casual games can have any type of gameplay and fit in any genre They require no long-term time commitment or special skills to play, and there are comparatively low production and distribution costs for the producer. Casual games typically are played on a personal computer online in web browsers, although they now are starting to become popular on game consoles, too.

The purpose of the casual game is to entertain, but with a much lower commitment than other video games.

Christian

Christian video games were first made in the late 1980s for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) by Wisdom Tree and now are made by many different developers. Christian video games were first marketed successfully in the late 1980s for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES by Wisdom Tree and now are made by many different The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit Video game console that was released by Wisdom Tree is a Tucson Arizona manufacturer and distributor of unlicensed Christian Video Games for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Most of these developers meet yearly at the "Christian Games Developers Conference" and build support through the Christian Game Developers Foundation. The Christian Game Developers Foundation (CGDF is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Christian video games The purpose of Christian video games is to teach players about the Christian faith.

Educational

Educational games, as the name implies, attempt to teach the user using the game as a vehicle. Educational games are Games that have been specifically designed to teach people about a certain subject expand concepts reinforce development understand an historical event Most of these types of games target young user from the ages of about three years to mid-teens; past the mid-teens, subjects become so complex (e. g. Calculus) that teaching via a game is impractical. Calculus ( Latin, calculus, a small stone used for counting is a branch of Mathematics that includes the study of limits, Derivatives Numerous sub-genres exist, each for a different field (math games, typing games and so on).

Exergame

An exergame (portmonteau of "exercise" and "game") is a video game that provides exercise. Exergaming (a Portmanteau of " Exercise " and " Gaming " is a term used for Video games that also provide exercise "Exergames" sub-divide into two main implementations, those with a game specifically designed to use an exercise input device (for example, the game Wii Fit using the Wii Balance Board) and those implementations using a genre of a game. Wii Fit is a Video game developed by Nintendo for the Wii console The Wii Balance Board is a Balance board accessory for Nintendo 's Wii Video game console.

Games fit into the category of entertainment, and similarly Exergames are a category of Exertainment (formed from "exercise" and "entertainment"). See also Entertainment (disambiguation and The Entertainer (disambiguation Entertainment is an activity designed to give people Exertainment includes one aspect of innovation or entertainment to an exercise workout.

Serious

Serious games are intended to educate or train the player. A serious game is a term used to refer to a Software or Hardware application developed with game technology and Game design principles for These games tend to promote "education, science, health care or even the military. "^[17] Some of these games have no specific ending or goal in the game. Rather, the player learns a real life lesson from the game. For example, games from websites such as Newsgaming. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages com raise political issues using the distinct properties of games.

Notes

See also

Game interfaces

• Audio game
• Browser game
• Text-based game
• Tile-based video games
• Side-scrolling video game

Game platforms

• Arcade game
• Console game
• Handheld video game
• Massively multiplayer online game
• Mobile game
• Online game
• PC game

Other game classifications

• Game classification
• List of gaming topics
• Video game

An audio game is a Game played on an Electronic device such as—but not limited to—a Personal computer. Browser games are electronic Games that are played online via the Internet. A text game or text-based game is a Video game that uses text characters instead of Bitmapped A tile-based game is a Game that uses Tiles as one of the fundamental elements of play A side-scrolling game or side-scroller is a Video game in which the Gameplay action is viewed from a side-view An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in businesses such as Restaurants Pubs Video arcades and Family Entertainment This article is about games played on consoles Video gaming is about this form of gaming in general A handheld video game is a Video game designed for a handheld device A mobile game is a Video game played on a Mobile phone, Smartphone, PDA or Handheld computer Online games are games played over some form of computer network. A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather Game classification is the classificiation of Games forming a game taxonomy. This is a hierarchical list linking to all articles related to Video games. A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device.

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