When you mention games, many people automatically think about a shooter (like Halo or Doom) or a platform game (like Super Mario Bros). These only scratch the surface of the sheer diversity of game styles.
Broadly speaking, different genres can appeal to different demographics, genders, ages or even nationalities. How you engage with the game can differ – you may dip into a casual game for a few minutes a day, or spend several hours on a game you took the effort to download and play online versus friends.
While not exclusive, here are some gaming genres:
- Social games – played with friends on social networks, like FarmVille on Facebook
- Strategy games – like SimCity, Warcraft or Chess
- Puzzle games – like Tetris or Bejeweled
- Adventure games – like Myst or The Secret of Monkey Island
- Hidden object games – like Mystery Case Files
- Shooters – like Halo or Doom
- Party games – designed for group play, like SingStar or Buzz!
- Alternate Reality Games – a hunt for clues and quests in real-life and online, like The NO or The Lost Experience.
- Platform games – a traditional but very flexible game style, like SuperMarioBros.