But this isn’t limited to “life simulators” like The Sims - many modern sports games, which focus on team composition and athlete statistics, fall into the “computer people” category, as do many of BioWare’s releases.Įxamples: The Sims, Little Computer People, Seaman, Animal Crossing, Mass Effect, NBA2K Some games are about simulating a whole mess of people rather than a single guy running around. There may be combat or other obstacles placed in the player’s path, but the primary challenge comes from navigating - and often backtracking - through a vast, labyrinthine world.Įxamples: Metroid, Skyrim, Etrian Odyssey, No Man’s Sky, Wizardry, Dragon Quest, Castlevania (post- Symphony of the Night) Games where the experience is centered around finding one’s way through an environment. These are the games people sink hundreds and thousands of hours into - whether that’s a good or bad thing is a matter of taste.Įxamples: Warframe, Destiny, Realm of the Mad Gods, Final Fantasy XIV, Genshin Impact They demand attention - are ravenous for it - and reward utter dedication while scorning casual flirtations. Some games, like some lovers, ask a great deal of their players. Golfing is games that literally involve playing the real sport of golf, yes, but also any turn-based game with similar mechanics, such as strategy and tactics games.Įxamples: Mario Golf, PGA Tour, Golf With Friends, SteamWorld Heist, Worms, XCOM Is there a little guy on screen that you’re making run around with your controller? Brother, you’re playing a little guy running around game.Įxamples: Super Mario Brothers, Hades, El Shaddai, The Legend of Zelda, Metal Gear Solid, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, Castlevania (pre- Symphony of the Night), Streets of Rage, Resident Evil The car genre encompasses driving games, flying games, space games, and mech games - anything that puts the player behind the wheel or wheel substitute.Įxamples: Super Mario Kart, Forza Horizon, Mechwarrior, Train Simulator, Grand Theft Auto, Star FoxĪ staple of gaming since the earliest days of gaming, the little guy running around genre most obviously includes side-scrollers, but also describes top-down action games, beat-em-ups, and 3D platformers. Whether that time is spent racing, leisurely moving around the world, or engaging in combat does not make a difference. As such, I offer up the following system to any developers, publishers, or storefronts who wish to better frame their wares moving forward.ĭistinct from the current term “racing game,” the car genre encompasses any game in which the player spends all or a majority of their time inside of a vehicle. It’s time for a new means of classifying games.
What, precisely, is an “action” game, and why is an FPS considered distinct? How does “adventure” encompass both point-and-click narrative games and Zelda titles? And what does Metroidvania even mean?
Video game genre terms have been with us for decades now, and while language has shifted over time, many of them remain woefully undescriptive.
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