List of computer and video games by category |
This article gives a list of computer games and video games by category, i.e. arranged alphabetically by genre. Some categories/genres are briefly defined at the beginning of
their respective sections. For an alphabetical list of games sorted by title, see list of computer and video
games by name.
Action-Adventure
Action-adventure games are those where action is the predominant aspect of gameplay, but puzzle-solving and the exploration
of, and interaction with, the environment are also key to gameplay; as opposed to "pure" adventure games, where action sequences are the exception rather than the rule. With technological limitations on gameplay
becoming less of an issue to game designers, more action games are overlapping into this category. (see also survival horror.)
(see also action-adventure and puzzle games)
- Carmen Sandiego series
- Giraffe
- Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing series
- Number Munchers
- The Oregon Trail series
- Robocode
- Star Wars
DroidWorks
- The Typing of the Dead
Game-controlled environment
This category includes games where the player's point of view does not
change, and those where the player's movements are (usually) entirely predetermined by the game design ("rail shooters")
Player-controlled environment
Games played over the Internet with other human players in a shared environment.
The gameplay is coordinated by a game
server. While many games can be played in a computer network.
Online games are characterized by the game environment being persistent and shared amongst a significant number of players. The
genre developed since 1995 when the internet became popular. Not all games types lend
themselves easily to online gaming. The most typical ones are.
Shooters
Platformers, also called side-scrollers, view the game area
from a side or "cutaway" perspective. In these games, the background or playing area smoothly scrolls as the player moves about,
hence the name. These games are traditionally 2D, but some
have employed 3D computer graphics effectively. Traditional
elements of these games include running, jumping and some fighting. Side-scrollers were some of the first types of video games
and are still popular today, usually with younger players.
Puzzle
Many games in the adventure and maze genres could
arguably fit into this category as well. See list of puzzle-based computer and video games for a listing of puzzle games
by type.
Simulation style
- Colin McRae Rally
series
- Gran Turismo series
- Grand Prix Legends
Arcade style
Shooters
Simulation
Some do not consider simulations to be games at all, but rather "digital
toys" or "software toys". Indeed, this is how Will Wright, the designer of the most popular video game of all time, The Sims, describes his games. These games aim to similate a specific activity (such as flying an airplane) as realistically as practically possible, taking into account physics and other real-world limitations. Some require a great deal of reading before the
game can even be attempted, while others include a simple tutorial. Some of these types of games, such as flight simulators, have
a limited following, while others, such as The Sims have an enormous following, including those who don't consider
themselves "gamers."
Sports
- All Star Baseball 2003
- Arch Rivals
- Backyard Sports series
- Championship Manager
- Electronic Arts NHL
series
- Hardball series
- John Madden Football series
- Knockout Kings series
- Mutant League series
- NBA Jam series
- NBA ShootOut series
- Rumble in the
Rink
- Tecmo Super Bowl series
Stealth Action
Strategy
General Strategy
- Defender of the Crown
- Lords of
Conquest
- Wargame
Construction Set
- Alpha Centauri
- Battle Isle series
- Chaos,Lords Of Chaos,Rebelstar series
- Civilization series
- Colonization
- Dominions II: The Ascension Wars
- Fire Emblem series
- Galactic Civilizations
- Heroes of Might and Magic series
- Jagged Alliance
series
- Master of Magic
- Master of Orion series
- Stars!
- VGA-Planets (for
play-by-email)
- WarLords series
- Worms series
- X-COM (UFO) series
- Age of Empires series
- Age of Mythology series
- Black and White
- Command and Conquer series
- Commandos series
- The Corporate
Machine
- Dark Reign
- Dune II
- Dungeon Keeper series
- Europa Universalis series
- Myth series
- Populous series
- Railroad Tycoon
- Red Alert
- StarCraft & add-on
- Syndicate series
- Total Annihilation
- Total War series
- Warcraft series
Survival Horror
Survival Horror games focus on fear and attempt to scare the
player via traditional horror elements such as atmospherics, death, the undead, blood and gore. Most of these games include third- or first-person shooter
elements.
Third Person Shooters/Third Person Action
Third Person Shooters (TPS) employ a specific
perspective for the player. This is normally just behind and above the game character, but it is sometimes an isometric perspective.
Notable People
- Alexey Pazhitnov -- the creator or Tetris
- Ralph Baer -- Inventor of the Magnavox Odyssey, the first video game
console
- Nolan Bushnell -- Founder of Atari
- John Carmack -- Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Quake, ... (Id Software)
- Chris Crawford -- Eastern Front (1941), Balance of Power, founder
of the Computer Game
Developers' Conference, pioneer of interactive
storytelling
- Richard Garriott (a.k.a. Lord British) -- creator of Ultima series and founder of Origin Games
- Hideo Kojima -- Metal Gear Solid series, Boktai: The Sun is in Your Hands
- Koji Kondo -- music composer for Mario and Legend of Zelda series
- Ken Kutaragi -- President of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc.
- Shigeru Miyamoto -- Donkey Kong, Mario, Legend of Zelda, ... (Nintendo)
- Peter Molyneux -- Created Populous, Syndicate and Black and White, founded Bullfrog Software
- Hironobu Sakaguchi -- Final Fantasy series, and Chrono Trigger
- Kou Shibusawa -- producer of Sangokushi series and
Nobunaga_no_ yabo
series
- Warren Spector -- System Shock series, Thief series, Deus Ex, (Origin Games, Looking Glass Studios,
Ion Storm)
- Yu Suzuki -- Hang-On, Afterburner,
Shenmue, Space Harrier and
many other games for Sega
- Hirokazu 'Hip' Tanaka -- President of Pokemon Co.
and music composer for Metroid, Kid Icarus, and Super Mario
Land
- Toshiro Tsuchida -- Front Mission series
- Yuka Tsujiyoko -- music composer for Fire Emblem series, Paper Mario, and part of Tetris Attack
- Nobuo Uematsu -- music composer for Final Fantasy series and Ehrgeiz
- Will Wright -- programmer and game designer of SimCity series and The Sims series
- Hiroshi Yamauchi -- former president of Nintendo
- Gunpei Yokoi -- Metroid,
inventor of the Gameboy and Wonderswan
- Sid Meier -- created Civilization, Alpha Centauri.
- John Romero -- one of the designers for Doom and Quake. Was going to make YOU his bitch.
Collectible Card Game
- Magic: The Gathering has had computer versions for some
time.
Traditional
Most popular board games, card
games, and the like have been computerized to some degree or another. For example, more than 600 freeware board games are available written in Zillions. Computer game programs can be worthy opponents and can help you improve your skill at
traditional games.
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