A Guide to Video Game Genres

Since the first video game came on the market in the 1950s, there have been approximately 850,000 games developed. This includes console games, pc games, mobile apps, and downloadable content games. With so many to choose from, it can be hard to sift through them to find something that you like. 

That’s why games are sorted into different categories. You can select a category that you are familiar with and know that you already enjoy finding a game for you. You will never get through all 850, 000 games, so looking at your favorite genres makes a lot of sense. Here is a quick guide to those genres so you know what you are looking for.

Action

You’ve no doubt heard of action movies. You probably picture gunfights, fistfights, car chases, and big explosions. You can find the same elements in an action game. However, in a game, you have control over what happens.

In most action games you need to have quick reflexes to attack with precise timing, dodge attacks from your enemies, and pivot from one sequence to another.

Action games can take many forms. For instance, there are fighting games, sniping games, stealth games, and military games. While the stories and scenarios might change, you can have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

MMO Games

MMO stands for massive multiplayer online games. This is a genre that has gotten progressively more popular over the past decade. There are many different sub-genres within this one, but the basic element is that, as the name would suggest, massive numbers of people can play the game at the same time.

Everyone’s avatar is out exploring the universe of the game and meeting challenges as they progress. Characters get experience points for everything they accomplish, and success is measured by that as opposed to how many stages or missions have been completed. Samples: Call of Dragons, Runescape, or Tower of Fantasy.

Casual Games

Casual games are great for those who are looking for entertainment but don’t want the experience that a hardcore gamer might crave. These games tend to be more simple than others. Controlling play is easy, and you can pick up strategy quickly.

They tend to have simple progressions from one stage to another, and you can play as much or as little as you like. Some other genres can also fall into this category. For example, there are very casual action games and some that are complex.

Adventure Games

When you think of games where a single hero takes on an earth-saving quest, then you are thinking of action games. While these games have action and fighting, they are also largely about figuring out puzzles and uncovering secrets. They tend to be games with large open worlds that you can explore as you make your way through the story.

These are the games where you may have heard of people getting stuck. This is because they are in a room or an area of a map where they can’t figure out the puzzle that will let them move on. The challenge and the need to use your brain are what makes adventure games so popular on platforms like YuPlay.

Sports

Sports games are another popular genre. You can simulate the season of your favorite league, create players, and run a franchise. They have come a long way from Pong, which was simple enough that it can be played by lab-grown brain cells. Most sports games today are focused on providing the player with the most realistic experience possible so that everyone can feel like they’re in the big leagues. However, there is a subsection of sports games that are more casual, and are focused on gameplay and fun.

Racing Games

Racing is a subgenre of sports games, but there are enough of them that they deserve their own category. Racing games include the many simulations out there for various vehicles and sporting goods. There are car racing games, baking games, skiing games, motorcycle games, and other major circuit simulation games, like Nascar and Formula 1.

Along with simulations, there are racing games that take a more cartoonish approach. These include console games that take famous characters and have them ride cars around a track while throwing rockets, banana peels, and other obstacles at each other, for example.

Role-Playing Games

It used to be that to play a game like Dungeon and Dragons, you needed a group of people, various types of die, and many hours to play together. However, that’s no longer the case. Now you can play RPG games online with friends or strangers that you’ve come across in your quests.

For those looking to master gameplay or discover unique strategies, Dungeon solvers offers valuable tips and resources to enhance your Role-Playing Game experience.

Many RPG games nowadays are also MMOs, but they don’t have to be. However, by combining those two genres, you can create as close to a simulation as possible of what it’s like to wander through dangerous worlds full of magic and monsters.

Simulation Games

Simulation games can encompass many different types of games. However, the genre is most closely associated with games that have the abbreviation “sim” right in the title. These are the games that take real-life events, such as raising a family or starting an amusement park and allow you to go through the journey yourself.

While this might seem mundane on the surface, these games take a lot of skill, brain power, and strategy to get the results you want. Every decision you make will have a consequence of some kind, and you have to be prepared for whatever life or scenario throws at you.

Strategy Games

While all games have some sort of strategy to them, there are some where it’s the primary focus. There are strategy games that involve everyone taking their turn and you need to plan how to outwit and outplay them. There are also battle strategy games where you take an army and try to win a right or take over the world. These games are less focused on actual combat or gameplay, and more on being smarter than your opponents.

As you can see, there is a lot out there when it comes to video games. Once you have an idea of what genres you tend to enjoy, you can easily find more to play that will suit your likes and preferences.

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