What Is an Adventure Game? From Text Adventures to Visual Novels
Adventure games explained: core appeal, subgenres from text adventures to walking sims, and classics from Colossal Cave Adventure to The Walking Dead.
Game types
25 articles
The Complete Guide to Game Classification: Sorting Games by Platform, Perspective, Player Count, Business Model, Genre, and Rating
A guide to classifying games by six criteria (platform, camera perspective, player count, business model, genre, and age rating), with a summary table comparing the main categories under each one.
What Is a Horror Game? Survival, Psychological, and Action Horror
Horror games explained: why fear is fun, subgenres from survival and psychological horror to jump scares, and a history from Sweet Home to indie hits.
What Is a Racing Game? Arcade vs. Sim vs. Kart Racing, Key Titles
Racing games explained: the thrill of speed, arcade, sim, kart, anti-gravity, and open-world types, and history from Gran Trak 10 to Forza Horizon.
What Is a Rhythm Game? Keys, Dance, Instruments, VR, and History
Rhythm games explained: hitting the beat, key, dance, instrument, touch, and VR types, and history from PaRappa the Rapper to DDR and Beat Saber.
What Are Simulation Games? Management, Life, and Vehicle Sims
The simulation genre explained, from management and city-building to life, vehicle, and sports management sims, with classics like SimCity and The Sims.
What Are Sports Games? Types and History From Pong to Wii Sports
Sports games explained: subgenres like simulation, arcade, and management, and a history from Tennis for Two and Pong to FIFA, PES, and Wii Sports.
What Are Survival Crafting Games? The Genre's Features and History from Minecraft to Valheim
The definition and appeal of survival crafting games, where you start empty-handed and hold out by gathering resources and making tools, plus subcategories such as sandbox, multiplayer, and story-driven, and a history running from UnReal World to Minecraft, DayZ, and Palworld.
Action RPGs and Hack and Slash: From Diablo to Monster Hunter
What action RPGs and hack and slash games really are, where they came from, their subgenres, landmark titles, and key design points.
City Builders and Management Games: Genre, Subgenres, Classics
City builders and management sims explained: core appeal, subgenres from tycoon to survival, and classics from SimCity to Cities: Skylines and Frostpunk.
What Are Deckbuilding Games? TCG vs Deckbuilder vs Roguelike
What card and deckbuilding games are, how TCGs, deckbuilders, and roguelike deckbuilders differ, plus key titles from Magic to Slay the Spire and Balatro.
Gacha and Collectible RPGs: Pulls, Pity, and Odds Disclosure Laws
Collectible RPGs and gacha explained: origins, pity and rate-up systems, landmark titles, Korea's odds disclosure law, global regulation, and design tips.
What Is an Idle RPG? From Clicker and Incremental Games to Today
Idle RPGs grow your character while you're away. Origins in Progress Quest and Cookie Clicker, subgenres, key titles, and design points like prestige.
What Is a JRPG? Traits, Differences from Western RPGs, Key Games
JRPGs, led by Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy: turn-based battles, fixed heroes, dramatic stories, how they differ from Western RPGs, and key titles.
What Is an MMORPG? Definition, Structure, Key Games and Design
MMORPGs, where thousands hunt, fight, and trade in one world: MUD origins, tanks, healers, raids, sieges, key titles, business models, and design points.
What Is a Party Game? Definition, Subgenres, and Key Titles
What party games are, what makes a good one, subgenres from board-style to social deduction, and key titles from Mario Party to Jackbox and Among Us.
What Is a Platformer? The Jumping Genre, Subgenres, Key Titles
Platformers explained: core appeal, subgenres from 2D and 3D to runners, and key titles from Donkey Kong to Super Mario, Sonic, Celeste, and Astro Bot.
RPG Types Explained: JRPG, ARPG, MMORPG, Gacha, Idle, Soulslike
What kinds of RPGs are there? JRPG, WRPG, action, MMORPG, gacha, idle, tactics, soulslike, roguelike, and survivors-like compared, plus how to choose.
What Is a Sandbox Game? Definition, Subgenres, and Key Titles
What sandbox games are, how they differ from open worlds, subgenres like survival, creative, and physics, and key titles from Elite to Minecraft and Roblox.
What Are Shmups and Bullet Hell? Definition, Subgenres, Classics
Shoot 'em ups explained: what defines them, subgenres from fixed shooters to bullet hell and survivors-likes, and classics from Space Invaders to Touhou.
What Is a Soulslike? From Demon's Souls to Elden Ring
High difficulty, learning through death, bonfire checkpoints, wordless storytelling. The Soulslike genre's definition, origins, key games, and design.
Strategy Game Types: RTS, Turn-Based, 4X, and Tactics Explained
Strategy games explained: RTS, turn-based, 4X, tactics, and grand strategy, with key games from Dune II and Civilization to StarCraft and Age of Empires.
What Is a Survivors-like? Vampire Survivors and Bullet Heaven
Auto-attacks, swarming enemies, and upgrades at every level-up. The origins, key games, addictive appeal, and design of the Vampire Survivors-like genre.
What Is a Tactics RPG (SRPG)? From Fire Emblem to XCOM
Tactics RPGs (SRPGs) move units square by square on a grid. Origins, key games from Fire Emblem and Tactics Ogre to XCOM, and design points.
What Is a Visual Novel? Definition, Subgenres, Classics, History
Visual novels explained: their appeal, subgenres like sound and kinetic novels, and classics from The Portopia Serial Murder Case to Ace Attorney and DDLC.