What are the types of video games out there?
Here is a comprehensive list of the popular types of video games in the market today:
Action Games
Action games are those in which the player controls the game. They are at the centre of the action, and the game may consist of multiple physical challenges the player must overcome. A lot of the first video games fell under the action category. These games are easy to play and get hooked on, so they are still a dominant genre in video games. These are further divided into categories such as:
Action-Adventure Games
An action-adventure game incorporates two types of game mechanics, mainly a long quest that needs items and tools to be collected and action with the object used. Action adventure games usually focus on solving puzzles, exploring, discovering loot, and maybe some basic combat. That supports the overall experience. These games include:
Adventure Games
Adventure games can be categorized according to their gameplay style and not the content or the story. Technology has helped developers explore storytelling as a genre. Many adventure games have yet to move past being text adventures. In an adventure game, players interact with their environment and solve puzzles using clues. This category of games is divided into:
Role-Playing Games
This is the second most popular kind of game genre. Here players get to live out their fantasies with these games. Most of these games have originated from the pen-and-paper game Dungeons and Dragons and hence feature medieval or other fantasy settings. As the gamer is often asked to make choices in this game, which affects the ending, these games usually have alternate endings.
Examples of role-play games include:
Simulation Games
Most games that fall under the simulation category are designed to imitate a real or fictional reality. They are based on an actual situation or an event. They are of three types:
Strategy Games
Strategy games are usually based on strategy board games; they give the player total access to a world and its resources. The player, in turn, has to develop a strategy and tactics that will help them overcome the challenges. In recent years these games have evolved from a turn-based gaming system to real-time gameplay in response to a player's feedback.
These are divided into:
Sports Games
Sports games simulate a real-world games like football, basketball, golf, soccer, baseball, or even Olympic games. The opposing player can either be a computer-controlled entity or a live opponent. They are usually divided into categories such as:
Puzzle Games
A logic or puzzle game usually takes place on a single screen or may have one playfield. The player will need to solve a problem to advance in the game. These are divided into:
Idle Games
As technology improves, it limits players' participation in the games. These are a few examples of such advanced gaming options. Here are a few examples:
Other kinds include
Real-Time Strategy
This kind of game originates in The Ancient Art of War. Here the player needs to partake in a game similar to rock-paper-scissors. Today this game has moved on to players needing to build a base, create more units, and destroy their opponents. Games such as The Blizzard game, StarCraft, and others have defined the progress of these games in gaming history.
If you are interested in creating your own game or want to start a career in game development, knowledge about the different game types is essential. At SeamEdu, we have extensive degree and certificate courses in Game Development and Game Art and Design that help you realize your dream of a lucrative gaming career.