Genre

Computer and video games are generally categorized into genres. Due to a general lack of commonly agreed-upon genres or criteria for the definition of genres, classification of games are not always consistent or systematic and sometimes outright arbitrary between sources. more...

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Within game studies there is a lack of consensus in reaching accepted formal definitions for game genres, some being more popular than others. For example, some schemas are largely semiotic, while others rely more strongly on configurative patterns of interface and mechanics.

Following is a listing of commonly used computer and video game genres with brief descriptions and examples of each. This list is by no means complete or comprehensive. As with nearly all varieties of genre classification, the matter of any individual computer or video game's specific genre is open to personal interpretation. For an alternative arrangement of super- and sub-categories see the List of computer and video games by genre article.

Many of these categories overlap due to the subjective nature of many genres. For example, the Legend of Zelda series has elements of action, adventure and role-playing. This overlapping is further pronounced as more games are being produced and styled as hybrids, blending elements characteristic to one or more popular genres (for example, action-RPGs like Diablo, Vagrant Story, and Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance). Sometimes themes can determine a genre. There are Christian-based video games which can be in most any genre, but have Christian themes. Also, there are Active games which can also be in any genre, but encourage players being physically active in the gameplay.

Major genres

Action

Action games are perhaps the most basic of gaming genres, and certainly one of the broadest. Action games are characterized by gameplay with emphasis on actions that the player must perform reflexively, in realtime. Fighting and first-person shooters both fall into this category.

Action-adventure

Action-adventure games focus on exploration, and usually involve item gathering, simple puzzle solving, and combat.

The first action-adventure game was the Atari 2600 game Adventure (1978). It was directly inspired by the original text adventure, Colossal Cave Adventure, but in adapting a text game to a console with only a joystick for control, designer Warren Robinett created a new genre.

Because of their prevalence on video game consoles (and the absence of typical adventure games), action-adventure games are often confusingly called "adventure games" by console gamers.

Two of the most notable series of action-adventures are the Legend of Zelda series and the Grand Theft Auto series.

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