A video game series is a collection of titles that share a common theme and frequently follow an overarching main story.
A release date is the date that a game becomes playable for the very first time to the general public (according to platform and regions). We’ll always go with the earliest date first, (for example beta, early access or game preview), as long as they’re playable by everyone.
A genre is a way of classifying a game based on its gameplay rather than visual or narrative features.
| Genre | Definition |
|---|---|
| Adventure | Games that are based on storylines with a lot of exploration and discovery, as well as puzzle-solving. |
| Arcade | Games that are either coin-operated machines found in restaurants and amusement arcades, or games that are heavily influenced by old, retro arcade titles. The majority of arcade games are based heavily on skills. |
| Card & Board Game | Games with gameplay similar to physical tabletop games like board and card games, but in digital form. This can range from simple card games that take only a few minutes, to complex titles that require hours of play. In a digital card game, a player creates his own deck of cards before challenging their opponent. |
| Fighting | Games with a strong emphasis on combat between one or more players. Counter-attack, chain reactions, blocking, and combos are frequently used in hand-to-hand battle. The fighting genre is also related to the beat ‘em up genre. |
| Hack and Slash/ Beat em’ up | Games that focus heavily on combat with melee-based weapons, such as swords or blades. May also include guns. Often connected to action-heavy stories. |
| Indie | Games created by solo developers or tiny studios on a smaller/non-existing budget but with a lot of freedom and creativity. Might not have the support of a game publisher. These games are usually short and can be found on sites such as Itchio and GameJolt. |
| MOBA | Games that feature gameplay mechanics of the player controlling a single character with unique abilities that contribute to a strategic victory of a larger team. Often competes against other teams on a predefined battlefield. |
| Music | Games that are heavily influenced by music, that uses gameplay mechanics with tunes to beat a level or a stage. This may include rhythm matching, singing/dancing games or simulators. Games based on music artists/bands may also get the ‘Music’ genre. |
| Pinball | Games that feature a digital adaptation of classic pinball arcade machines with gameplay mechanics where the player uses flippers to keep a ball in motion in order to increase a score or progress. Usually inspired by a theme or franchise (such as Star Wars). |
| Platform | Games with gameplay mechanics of jumping, climbing or flying to navigate the player’s environment to reach their goal. Sometimes referred to as a ‘platformer’ or a ‘jump n run’ game. |
| Point-and-Click | Games in which you use a pointer in specific locations on objects to reveal puzzles or items that advance the story. Point-and-click frequently intersects with the 'Adventure' and/or ‘Mystery’ genre. |
| Puzzle | Games that feature gameplay mechanics of logic puzzles, mazes or tile-matching. Same goes for word completion and sequence solving. Often connected to the ‘Adventure’ genre. |
| Quiz/Trivia | Games where a player has to answer questions correctly about a certain or variety of subjects. The goal is often to collect the most points. |
| Racing | Games in which fast cars, bikes, or other vehicles fight in a racing competition. Some scenarios may be based on real-world racing leagues, but others may be made up. Racing games are also classified as 'Sport' games. |
| Real Time Strategy (RTS) | Games where players progress simultaneously with each other in “real-time” as opposed to taking turns. Often connected to construction of buildings and wielding armies in order to dominate a battlefield. |
| Role-Playing (RPG) | Games where the player takes the role of a character in a fictional setting. The goal is to act out this role within a narrative, often through a process of structured decision-making. |
| Shooter | Games where the goal is to use weapons in order to clear a level. This could be completed by shooting targets or enemies and the game often tests the player’s spatial awareness, reflexes and speed. A shooter is often connected to the ‘Action’ and/or ‘Horror’ genre. |
| Simulator | Games that are designed to create a close as possible simulation to real world activities. Often copies life activities such as training, entertainment or war scenarios. |
| Sport | Games that simulate the practice of sports. Some games emphasize strategy and management while others emphasize playing the sport itself. May be inspired by real teams and events. |
| Strategy | Games where the players make uncoerced and autonomous decisions which will have a high significance in determining the outcome. Skillful thinking and planning are important to achieve victory. |
| Tactical | Games that include scenarios where you have to make decisions based on the current situation and short-term goals. |
| Turn-based Strategy (TBS) | Games that include taking turns when playing. Often connected to warfare and military tactics, digital board games or historical events. |
| Visual Novel | Games that act more like interactive fictions with a heavy focus on dialogue. Combines textual narrative with static or animated illustrations. A Visual Novel is also sometimes referred to as a ‘Novel Game’. |
A theme is a way of classifying a game based on its visual or narrative features rather than its gameplay.
| Theme | Definition |
|---|---|
| Action | Games that place a strong emphasis on physical challenges, such as quickness of reaction and hand-eye coordination. Fighting games, shooters, and platform games are just a few examples of the many sub-genres that fall under the “action theme” umbrella. The player typically controls a character that must navigate a level, avoiding obstacles, and battling enemies with skills and weapons at their disposal. |
| Business | Games featuring simulations that are designed around business-related concepts with a focus on management and/or economy. Players may handle production, trading, negotiation etc. |
| Comedy | Games with less serious undertones that are funny and cause laughter among the players. Acting, clowning around, jokes, and satire may be incorporated into these games. |
| Drama | Games with a heavy focus on emotional story-telling, often in a very serious manner. The objective is to increase the players' sense of tension and anticipation as the story progresses. |
| Educational | Games designed with the purpose of education, or which have some aspect of educational value. Designed to help players learn about specific subjects, expand concepts, understand culture/events or assist in learning a skill. |
| Erotic | Games designed for an adult audience with the goal of arousing players by using nudity and sexual acts. |
| Fantasy | Games set in fictional or historical worlds that emphasize the use of magic, the existence of mythical creatures or monsters. |
| Historical | Games depicted in a historical setting in which players become immersed in a specific theme while playing. These games may follow storylines from well-known human civilization's past eras. |
| Horror | Games designed to scare the players using morbid, dark and creepy visuals and themes. The character in the game is often challenged by evil forces as they fight for survival. |
| Kids | Games created specifically for young children, with easier gameplay and quick learning curves. Often includes friendly topics that work perfectly for the whole family. |
| Mystery | Games where ‘mystery’ is the central element of the story. Often includes solving a murder or a crime by participating in some form of investigation. |
| Non-fiction | Games that represent the truth and accuracy regarding people, places and events. |
| Open World | Games that have big world maps where you can explore or roam freely. Has the intent to provide the player autonomy and often lacks a linear and structured gameplay. |
| Party | Games made for larger groups or social gatherings where the player can jump into a game quickly (has an easy learning curve). |
| Romance | Games that include or lean heavily on emotional and romantic elements. Romance is often included in dating simulators that have a lot of dialog-heavy options. At times you must befriend and carefully build a relationship with one or more characters. |
| Sandbox | Games that have a high level of creativity, usually without any linear goals. Leans heavily on the player’s imagination. |
| Science fiction | Games that are based on fictitious futuristic concepts that may take place in space, on other planets or different dimensions. Frequently features extraterrestrial races, space exploration, starships etc. |
| Stealth | Games where the goal is to avoid or overcome confrontation by staying undetected. The player often has to be sneaky, stay in the shadows or use disguises. Espionage is often connected to the Stealth theme. |
| Survival | Games that are usually set in intense, hostile environments. The player usually begins with minimal equipment and must survive for as long as possible. Horror can also be connected to this theme, where you have to protect yourself from supernatural beings such as zombies. |
| Thriller | Games that are focused on giving the player the feeling of suspense, excitement, surprise, anticipation and anxiety. Is often connected to horror, but instead of constant jump-scares, the build up takes time. |
| Warfare | Games featuring militaristic elements or events. Usually includes all-out warfare between armies that the player can control. Sometimes involves strategies of area control on a larger scale vs one-on-on fighting. |
Player perspectives state the view of the player.
| Perspective | Definition |
|---|---|
| Auditory | The game can be played with no or very few visuals. It uses sounds instead. |
| Bird View/Isometric | The player’s perspective is similar to that of a bird, an elevated view of the ground and objects from above. |
| First Person | The player’s perspective is rendered to be as if from the viewpoint of the playable character. It can also be a viewpoint from the cockpit of a vehicle, for example. |
| Side View | The player’s perspective is that of viewing from the side according to the left-to-right or right-to-left movements of the characters as if watching a stage with actors. |
| Text | The game is text-based and uses little to no graphics. |
| Third Person | The player’s perspective is fixed at a distance slightly above and behind the playable character as if the view of a person behind them. |
| Virtual Reality | The game is played using a Virtual Reality headset. It can either be the full game or a game mode. |
Game modes describe the different ways that a game can be played. Choose all the modes that the game enables.
| Game mode | Definition |
|---|---|
| Single Player | A game mode that supports only one player (online or offline). |
| Split Screen | The game can be played by multiple players at the same time on the same screen. |
| Co-Operative (Co-Op) | A game mode that allows players to work together as teammates against one or more computer-controlled opponents. |
| Multiplayer | A game mode that supports multiple players (online or offline). |
| Battle Royale | A battle royale is an online multiplayer video game genre that blends survival, exploration, and scavenging elements with last-man-standing gameplay. This can also be a game mode. |
| Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) | An online game mode that is capable of supporting large numbers of players simultaneously in a virtual world |