Soon computer games were more popular than video (console) games. Today there are several thousands of games, and most of them can be organized into differrent groups, or 'genres'. Many genres are parts of the four basic genres mentioned below. All games can be organized into one or more of the basic genres, but not all of them can be organized into a 'sub-genre'. Here are the four basic genres with their sub-genres:.
'Action' is a wellknown genre. As the name implies, games of this genre requires quick actions and good reflexes. The Action genre contains the subgenres 'arcade', 'shoot-em-up', and '1st person'.
'Adventure' is a genre about exploring the world and helping others, in order to get help from them. Adventure games often possess a deep and complicated backgroundstory. It's two subgenres are 'platform' and 'role-playing'.
'Simulation' simulates environments in two ways, either are you suppossed to build up an environment on your own, for example a city or a dungeon, or either are you travelling in an already completed environment, that is 'racing' and 'flight simulation'.
'Strategy' requires an active brain or good general knowledge. One of it's subgenres is 'puzzle', which I hope doesn't need any introduction. It's about moving objects until the goal is reached. Another subgenre is 'board & card games', which is just computer visualized games, like chess, monopoly and poker. Another popular genre is 'RTS' (Real Time Strategy). .
'Sport' has it's own genre, but because different sports can be so various from each other, it can't really be sorted into one basic genre. A football game can be both an action and a management game, and the typical golf game is a simulation game.
Now a little more about each genre:.
The first subgenre of action is arcade, which contains games similar to those in the old arcade halls, therefore the name. Arcade games are in 2D and are very simple; destroy as much as you can, and/or get as much points as you can.