Editing Board game (section)

===Mechanics===

A board game's [[game mechanic|mechanics]] usually involve an assessment of a player or player/s achievements while adhering to a series of pre-established {{boardgloss#rule set|rules}}, i.e. {{boardgloss|gameplay}}, such as capturing opponents pieces, calculation of a final score, or achieving a predefined goal. Board games have a range of rule complexity but also a range of strategic depth, both of which determine the ease of mastering the game, i.e., hard-to-master games like [[chess]] possess a relatively simple rule set but have great strategic depth.<ref name="pritchard_1994">{{Cite book|last=Pritchard|first=D.B.|title=The Encyclopedia of Chess Variants|publisher=Games & Puzzles Publications|year=1994|isbn=978-0-9524142-0-9|page=84|quote=Chess itself is a simple game to learn but its resulting strategy is profound.|author-link=David Pritchard (chess player)}}</ref> Examples of categories based on a modern categorization of a board game's mechanics include:<ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/>

{| class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers"
|+ Board game categorization by mechanics
|-
! Board game categories
! Description
! Examples 
! Ref
|-

| Alignment
| Alignment board games are a subcategory of space board games. In an alignment game, a player is required to position their tokens in an array of a prescribed length. Like space games, these games are often abstract games.
| [[Renju]]; [[Gomoku]]; [[Connect6]]; [[Nine men's morris]]; [[Tic-tac-toe]]
| <ref name="classical-classification_parlett_1999"/><ref name="game-categories_big-game-hunter_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| American-style
| [[Ameritrash|American-style]] board games are those from the North American region, usually having an emphasis on theme; randomness, usually through dice; numerous ways to win; and direct player conflict. These board games are also called Ameritrash board games; however, this term is not necessarily a negative label.
| ''[[Betrayal at House on the Hill]]''; ''[[Zombicide]]''; ''[[Twilight Imperium]]''; ''[[Arkham Horror]]''; ''[[Talisman (board game)|Talisman]]''
| <ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/>
|-

| Auction
| Auction board games are those that use [[bidding]], a competitive assigning of value to different items, resources, privileges, or game scenarios, as a mechanism by which players attempt to obtain valuable in-game assets or establish a favorable turn order. These board games are also called bidding board games.
| [[:Category:Auction board games|Examples]] include: ''[[Biblios]]''; ''[[Condottiere (board game)|Condottiere]]''; ''[[El Grande]]''; ''[[For Sale (board game)|For Sale]]''; ''[[Hit Z Road]]''; ''[[Hoity Toity]]''; ''[[The Estates (board game)|The Estates]]''; ''[[High Society (card game)|High Society]]''; ''[[Irish Gauge (board game)|Irish Gauge]]''; ''[[Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King|Isle of Skye]]''; ''[[Medici (board game)|Medici]]''; ''[[Power Grid]]''; ''[[Skull (card game)|Skull]]''; ''[[Taj Mahal (board game)|Taj Mahal]]''; ''[[Ra (board game)|Ra]]''
| <ref name="auction-games_bombard-games_2023">{{cite web|title=Board Game Mechanics – Auctions & Bidding|website=Bombard Games (www.bombardgames.com)|date=14 February 2023|language=en|url=https://bombardgames.com/board-game-mechanics-auctions-bidding|access-date=30 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401211943/https://bombardgames.com/board-game-mechanics-auctions-bidding|archive-date=1 April 2023|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="auction_dice-breaker_2020">{{cite web|title=10 best auction board games you can bet on for a good time|website=Dice Breaker (www.dicebreaker.com|date=25 May 2020|first=Thomas|last=Wells|language=en|url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/mechanics/auction/best-games/best-auction-board-games|access-date=30 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716132639/https://www.dicebreaker.com/mechanics/auction/best-games/best-auction-board-games|archive-date=16 July 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/>
|-

| Area control
| Area control board games are those with some form of map or board defining a space that players compete to dominate, usually through adding their own pieces to regions or areas or removing their opponents’ pieces. 
| ''[[Small World (board game)|Small World]]''; ''[[Risk (game)|Risk]]''; ''[[Nanty Narking]]''; ''[[Blood Rage (board game)|Blood Rage]]''; ''[[Spirit Island (board game)|Spirit Island]]''; ''[[Scythe (board game)|Scythe]]''; even arguably ''[[Scrabble]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Bluffing
| Bluffing board games involve convincing opponent players on the accuracy of a claim, which includes tricking opponent players into believing something that is incorrect. All bluffing board games revolve around an element of hidden information. 
| ''[[Blood on the Clocktower]]''; ''[[Coup (card game)|Coup]]''; ''[[The Resistance (game)|The Resistance]]''; ''[[Sheriff of Nottingham (board game)|Sheriff of Nottingham]]''; ''[[Skull (card game)|Skull]]''; ''[[Shadows Over Camelot]]''; ''[[Enigma Beyond Code]]''; ''[[Bacchus’ Banquet (board game)|Bacchus’ Banquet]]''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="bluffing-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Bluffing|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1023/bluffing|access-date=8 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212093435/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1023/bluffing|archive-date=12 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Campaign
| Campaign board games are defined by players following a series of connected scenarios, where the actions and outcome of one scenario will usually affect the next. 
| ''[[Charterstone]]''; [[Gloomhaven|''Gloomhaven'' franchise games]]; ''[[Return to Dark Tower]]''; ''[[The Ungame]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Chase
| Chase board games often have an asymmetrical layout, where players start the game with different sets of pieces and objectives, usually rolling one or more dice to move a corresponding number of spaces along a looping track of spaces, or a path with a start and finish. When players land on certain spaces, it triggers specific actions or offers the player certain gameplay options. These board games are also known as roll-and-move games.
| Classical: [[Tafl games|Hnefatafl]]; [[Snakes and ladders]]; [[Hyena chase]]{{pb}} Modern: ''[[Cluedo]]''; ''[[Cranium (board game)|Cranium]]''; ''[[Monopoly (game)|Monopoly]]''; ''[[The Game of Life]]''; ''[[Formula D (board game)|Formula D]]''
| <ref name="classical-classification_parlett_1999"/><ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| [[Chess variant]]
| Chess variant board games are displacement games that are variations upon the general [[chess]] concept.
| Traditional: [[Shogi]]; [[Xiangqi]]; [[Janggi]]{{pb}} Modern: [[Chess960]]; [[Grand Chess]]; [[Hexagonal chess]]; [[Alice Chess]]
| {{Citation needed|date=December 2024}} <!-- This category appears in no current list of game categories. The question needs to be asked whether just being a variant of [[Chess]] satisfies the requirement for a game category. --> 
|-

| City building
| City building board games involve building and managing a city via planning decisions, in a way that is efficient, powerful or lucrative.
| ''[[7 Wonders (board game)|7 Wonders]]''; ''[[The Capitals (game)|The Capitals]]''; ''[[Suburbia (board game)|Suburbia]]''; ''[[Citadels (card game)|Citadels]]''; ''[[Catan]]''; ''[[Everdell]]''; ''[[Life in Reterra (game)|Life in Reterra]]''; ''[[Lisboa (board game)|Lisboa]]''; ''[[On Mars (board game)|On Mars]]''; ''[[Puerto Rico (board game)|Puerto Rico]]''; ''{{ill|Underwater Cities (board game)|lt=Underwater Cities|de|Underwater Cities}}''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="city-building-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=City Building|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1029/city-building|access-date=8 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250107235705/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1029/city-building|archive-date=7 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Civilization building
| Civilization building board games are those that involve developing and managing a society of people, often from scratch, requiring the contemplation of long-term strategy, good resource management, and sometimes even conflict with opponents.
| ''[[7 Wonders (board game)|7 Wonders]]''; ''[[Anno 1800 (board game)|Anno 1800]]''; ''[[Civilization (2010 board game)|Civilization]]''; ''[[Eclipse (board game)|Eclipse]]''; ''[[Gaia (board game)|Gaia]]''; ''[[Shogun (2006 board game)|Shogun]]''; ''[[Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization|Through The Ages]]''; [[Terra Mystica|''Terra Mystica'' franchise games]]; ''[[Twilight Imperium]]''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="civilisation_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Civilization|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1015/civilization|access-date=8 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225171824/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1015/civilization|archive-date=25 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Collectible component
| Collectible component board games involve collecting and trading certain game elements, usually [[Collectible card game|cards]] and [[Miniature figure (gaming)|miniatures]]. These games are built around strategy and collection building, but also luck. These board games are also often called building board games.
| ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]''; ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game|Yu-Gi-Oh]]''; ''[[Pokémon Trading Card Game|Pokémon]]''; ''[[KeyForge]]''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="collectible-component-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Collectible Components|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1044/collectible-components|access-date=8 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241216215532/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1044/collectible-components|archive-date=16 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Configuration
| Configuration board games are a sub-category of space games. However, as opposed to alignment games, the objective of players is to line up their pieces to complete per-determined array targets in a particular order. Like space games, these games are often abstract games. 
| [[Lines of Action]]; [[Hexade (board game)|Hexade]]; ''[[Entropy (1977 board game)|Entropy]]''
| <ref name="classical-classification_parlett_1999"/><ref name="game-categories_big-game-hunter_2024"/>
|-

| [[Connection game|Connection]]
| A connection board game is often an abstract strategy game, in which players attempt to complete a specific type of connection with their pieces. This could involve forming a path between two or more endpoints, completing a closed loop, or a player connecting all of their pieces so they are adjacent to each other. 
| [[TwixT]]; [[Hex (board game)|Hex]]; [[Havannah (board game)|Havannah]]
| {{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
|-

| [[Cooperative board game|Cooperative]]
| Cooperative board games are those in which all the players work together to achieve a common goal rather than competing against each other. Either the players win the game by reaching a predetermined objective, or all players lose the game, often by not reaching the objective before a certain trigger event ends the game. These board games are also called non-competitive or co-op games. 
| [[:Category:Cooperative board games|Examples]] include: ''[[Max the Cat (board game)|Max the Cat]]''; ''[[Caves and Claws (board game)|Caves and Claws]]''; ''[[Bambino Dino (board game)|Bambino Dino]]''; [[Forbidden Island (game)|''Forbidden Island'' franchise games]]; [[Gloomhaven|''Gloomhaven'' franchise games]]; ''[[Horrified (board game)|Horrified]]''; ''[[Mountaineering (board game)|Mountaineering]]''; ''[[Nemesis (board game)|Nemesis]]''; ''[[Nurturing Game]]''; ''[[Pandemic (board game)|Pandemic]]''; ''[[Spirit Island (board game)|Spirit Island]]''; ''[[There’s a Growly in the Garden (board game)|There’s a Growly in the Garden]]''; ''[[The Ungame]]''; ''[[Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island|Robinson Crusoe]]''; ''[[Shadows over Camelot]]''
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.learningforlife.org/exploring/resources/99-720/x08.pdf|title=Cooperative Games|website=Learningforlife.org|access-date=8 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101224235936/http://www.learningforlife.org/exploring/resources/99-720/x08.pdf|archive-date=24 December 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="cooperative-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{Cite web|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamemechanic/2023/cooperative-game|title=Cooperative Game &#124; Board Game Mechanic &#124; BoardGameGeek|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|access-date=8 January 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230703030659/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamemechanic/2023/cooperative-game|archive-date=3 July 2023|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="cooperative-games_children-therapy_toys">{{cite web|title=Cooperative and Non-Competitive Games|website=Child Therapy Toys (www.childtherapytoys.com)|date=19 October 2017|first=Gary|last=Yorke|language=en|url=https://www.childtherapytoys.com/blogs/news/cooperative-and-non-competitive-games|access-date=1 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330060606/https://www.childtherapytoys.com/blogs/news/cooperative-and-non-competitive-games|archive-date=30 March 2022|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Count and capture
| Count and capture board games are where players use tokens in rows of designated positions to capture their opponent's pieces. They are often also called sowing or mancala games.
| [[List of mancala games|Examples]] include: [[Mangala (game)|Mancala]]; [[Wari (game)|Wari]]; [[Oware]]; The Glass Bead Game
| {{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
|-

| [[Cross and circle game|Cross and circle]]
| Cross and circle board games are race games with a board consisting of a circle divided into four equal portions by a cross inscribed inside it like four spokes in a wheel.
| [[List of cross and circle games|Examples Cross and circle games]] that are also included: [[Yut]]; [[Ludo (board game)|Ludo]]; ''[[Aggravation (board game)|Aggravation]]''
| {{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
|-

| Deck-builder
| In [[Deck-building game|deck-builder]] board games, each player starts with their own identical deck of cards but alters it during play, with more powerful cards being added to the deck and less powerful ones being removed.
| ''[[Aeon's End (board game)|Aeon's End]]''; ''[[Black Box (game)|Black Box]]''; [[Clank! (board game)|''Clank!'' franchise games]]; ''[[Dominion (game)]]''; ''[[Dune: Imperium]]''; ''{{ill|Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle|de|Harry Potter: Kampf um Hogwarts}}''; ''[[Hero Realms]]''; ''[[Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game]]''; ''[[Mystic Vale (board game)|Mystic Vale]]''; ''[[Star Realms]]''; ''[[Undaunted (board game)|Undaunted: Normandy]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Deck construction
| Deck construction board games involve players using different decks of cards to play, constructed prior to the game from a large pool of options, according to specific rules. This type of board game is also called a trading card board game.
| ''[[Android: Netrunner]]''; ''[[Arkham Horror: The Card Game]]''; ''[[Disney Lorcana]]''; ''[[Keyforge]]''; ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]''; ''[[Marvel Champions: The Card Game|Marvel Champions]]''; ''[[Pokémon Trading Card Game|Pokémon]]''; ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game|YU-Gi-OH!]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/>
|-

| Deduction
| Deduction board games involve requiring players to form conclusions based on what is occurring or has transpired based on available premises, such as provided clues either by the board game itself or by fellow players. These board games are also called Investigation games. Social deduction board games are a subcategory of deduction board games. 
| [[:Category:Deduction board games|Examples]] include: ''[[Alchemists (board game)|Alchemists]]'', ''[[Bureau of Investigation: Investigations in Arkham & Elsewhere]]'', ''[[Clue (game)|Clue]]''; ''[[Cryptid (board game)|Cryptid]]'', ''[[Decrypto]]'', ''[[Hanabi (card game)|Hanabi]]'', ''[[Kryptos (board game)|Kryptos]]'', ''[[Love Letter (card game)|Love Letter]]'', ''[[Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation]]'', ''[[Mastermind (board game)|Mastermind]]'', ''[[Scotland Yard (game)|Scotland Yard]]''; ''[[Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective]]'', ''[[Sleuth (game)|Sleuth]]'', ''[[Spectator Ops (board game)|Spectator Ops]]'', ''[[Werewolf (social deduction game)|Werewolf]]''; ''[[Zendo (game)|Zendo]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="deduction_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Description|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1039/deduction|access-date=8 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217205453/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1039/deduction|archive-date=17 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="deduction_tabletop-family_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=10 Great Deduction Board Games|website=The TableTop Family (www.thetabletopfamily.com)|language=en|url=https://thetabletopfamily.com/10-great-deduction-board-games|access-date=12 January 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250112082655/https://thetabletopfamily.com/10-great-deduction-board-games|archive-date=12 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/>
|-

| Dexterity
| Dexterity board games are those that require accurate movements of the body in response to real-time game situations. These games are a particular form of physical board game where [[Motor skill#Types of motor skills|fine motors skills]] are more important than physical attributes such as strength or endurance, including flicking, balancing, or even throwing objects around. Dexterity board games test motor skills, reflexes and coordination; and reward carefulness and punishing clumsiness. These board games are also known as action board games.  
| ''[[Flick ‘em Up (game)|Flick ‘em Up]]''; ''[[Beasts of Balance]]''; ''[[Dungeon Fighter (board game)|Dungeon Fighter]]''; ''[[Flip Ships (board game)|Flip Ships]]''; ''{{ill|Ghost Blitz (board game)|lt=Ghost Blitz|de|Geistesblitz (Spiel)}}''; ''[[Jenga]]''; ''[[Jungle Speed]]''; ''[[Klask]]''; ''{{ill|Paku Paku|de|Paku Paku}}''; ''[[Pitch Car (board game)|Pitch Car]]''; ''[[Spot It!]]''; ''[[Tumblin' Dice (board game)|Tumblin' Dice]]''; ''[[What Next? (party game)|What Next?]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="dexterity-games_changing-minds_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Dexterity Games|website=Changing Minds (www.changingminds.org)|language=en|url=http://changingminds.org/disciplines/game_design/types_game/games_dexterity.htm|access-date=3 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714221944/https://changingminds.org/disciplines/game_design/types_game/games_dexterity.htm|archive-date=14 July 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="dexerity_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Action / Dexterity|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1032/action-dexterity|access-date=8 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225171826/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1032/action-dexterity|archive-date=25 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Displacement
| Displacement board games are those in which the main objective is the capture the opponents' pieces. These board games are also often called elimination or war board games.
| [[Chess]]; [[Draughts]]; [[Alquerque]]; [[Fanorona]]; [[Yoté]]; [[Surakarta (game)|Surakarta]]
| <ref name="classical-classification_parlett_1999"/>
|-

| Drafting
| Drafting board games involve a mechanism where players are presented with a set of options, usually cards, from which they must pick one, thus choosing the best options from a pool, leaving the remainder for the next player to choose from. They combine strategy, quick decision-making, and outguessing opponent players. The drafting mechanism can be a small part of a game, in order to select an ability for use during a round, or the entire decision space for a game.
| ''[[7 Wonders (board game)|7 Wonders]]''; ''[[Blood Rage (board game)|Blood Rage]]''; ''{{ill|Bunny Kingdom|de|Bunny Kingdom}}''; ''[[Citadels (card game)|Citadels]]''; ''[[Exploding Kittens]]''; ''[[Sushi Go!]]''; ''[[Ticket to Ride (board game)|Ticket to Ride]]''; ''{{ill|It's a Wonderful World (board game)|lt=It's a Wonderful World|de|It's a Wonderful World (jeu de société)}}''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/>| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Dungeon-crawler
| In dungeon-crawler board games, players take the roles of characters making their way through a location, often depicted by a map with a square grid or a page in a book, defeating enemies controlled by another player, a companion app, or the game system itself.
| ''[[Descent: Journeys in the Dark|Descent]]''; [[Gloomhaven|''Gloomhaven'' franchise games]]; [[Betrayal at House on the Hill|''Betrayal at House on the Hill'' franchise games]]; ''[[HeroQuest]]''; ''[[Mansions of Madness]]''; ''[[Star Wars: Imperial Assault]]''; ''[[Mice and Mystics]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/>| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Economic
| Economic board games involve players managing resources and making smart decisions about how they spend or invest money. A player's strategy usually revolves around ensuring they have enough resources to achieve a strong financial position. Economic board games usually simulate a market in some way. These games are often also called Economic simulation games. The term economic board game is often used interchangeably with resource management board game.
| [[:Category:Economic simulation board games|Examples]] include: ''[[Ark Nova]]''; [[Brass (board game)|''Brass'' franchise games]]; ''[[The Business Game]]''; [[Terra Mystica|''Terra Mystica'' franchise games]]; ''[[Great Western Trail (board game)|Great Western Trail]]''; ''[[Catan]]''; ''[[Food Chain Magnate]]''; ''[[The Game of Life]]''; ''[[Monopoly (game)|Monopoly]]''; ''[[Power Grid]]''; ''[[Terraforming Mars (board game)|Terraforming Mars]]''; ''[[Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization|Through The Ages]]''; ''[[Twilight Imperium]]''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="economics_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Economic|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1021/economic|access-date=9 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217193903/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1021/economic|archive-date=17 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Educational
| [[Educational game|Educational]] board games are those designed to teach new ideas, concepts, topics or understanding while playing. The board game's learning is based on a particular theme. While educational games exist for different age groups, they are usually designed for children.
| ''[[The Magic Labyrinth (board game)|The Magic Labyrinth]]''; ''[[Brain Quest]]''; ''[[Cashflow (board game)|Cashflow]]''; [[Evolution (board game)|''Evolution'' franchise games]]; ''[[Mariposas (board game)|Mariposas]]''; ''[[Wingspan (board game)|Wingspan]]''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="educational-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Educational|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1094/educational|access-date=9 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108222450/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1094/educational|archive-date=8 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Engine-builder
| Engine-builder board games are those where the course of the game involves building an engine, something that takes your starting resources or actions and turns them into more resources, which often eventually accumulate scored points.
| ''{{ill|Res Arcana|fr|Res Arcana}}''; ''[[Century: Spice Road|Century]]''; ''[[Everdell]]''; ''[[Imagnarium (board game)|Imagnarium]]''; ''[[Race for the Galaxy]]''; ''[[Splendor (game)|Splendor]]''; ''[[Terraforming Mars (board game)|Terraforming Mars]]''; ''[[Wingspan (board game)|Wingspan]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Euro-style
| [[Eurogame|Euro-style]] board games are those with a strategy focus, prioritising limited randomness over theme. These board games usually have competitive interactions between players through passive competition, rather than aggressive conflict, in contrast to the more thematic but chance-driven American-style board games. Euro-style board games are also called Eurogames or German-style board games due to the fact many of the early games of this style were developed in Germany.
| ''[[Agricola (board game)|Agricola]]''; ''[[Catan]]''; ''[[Carcassonne (board game)|Carcassonne]]''; ''[[Decatur (board game)|Decatur]]''; ''[[Carson City (board game)|Carson City]]''; ''[[Five Tribes (board game)|Five tribes]]''; ''[[Le Havre (board game)|Le Havre]]''; ''[[Lords of Waterdeep]]''; ''[[Montana (board game)|Montana]]''; ''[[Paladins of the West Kingdom (board game)|Paladins of the West Kingdom]]''; ''[[Power Grid]]''; ''[[Puerto Rico (board game)|Puerto Rico]]''; ''[[Stone Age (board game)|Stone Age]]''; ''[[Suburbia (board game)|Suburbia]]''; ''[[Takenoko (board game)|Takenoko]]''; ''[[Ticket to Ride (board game)|Ticket to Ride]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Exploration
| Exploration board games are those that have an unexplored map of tiles or cards, which the game encourages players to explore by flipping them and dealing with the consequences, either beneficial or detrimental. These board games are also often called Travel or 4x games.
| ''[[Arkham Horror: The Card Game]]''; [[Betrayal at House on the Hill|''Betrayal at House on the Hill'' franchise games]]; ''[[Eclipse (board game)|Eclipse]]''; [[Gloomhaven|''Gloomhaven'' franchise games]]; ''[[The Lost Expedition (board game)|The Lost Expedition]]''; ''[[Lost Ruins of Arnak]]''; ''[[Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island|Robinson Crusoe]]''; ''[[Twilight Imperium]]''
| <ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="exploration-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Exploration|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1020/exploration|access-date=9 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217202803/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1020/exploration|archive-date=17 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Fighting
| Fighting board games are those that encourage players to engage game characters in close quarter battles and hand-to-hand combat. They differ from Wargames in that the combat in Wargames exists as one part of a large-scale military simulation, while in Fighting games the focus is on the particular combat scenarios.
| [[Gloomhaven|''Gloomhaven'' franchise games]]; ''[[Scythe (board game)|Scythe]]''; ''[[Spirit Island (board game)|Spirit Island]]''; ''[[War of the Ring (board game)|War of the Ring]]''
| <ref name="fighting_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Fighting|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1046/fighting|access-date=5 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126161618/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1046/fighting|archive-date=26 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| [[Guessing game|Guessing]]
| Guessing board games are those that involve a player, or players, guessing the answer to a question based on clues from another player. 
| ''[[Battleship (game)|Battleship]]''; ''[[Mysterium (board game)|Mysterium]]''; ''[[Pictionary]]''
| {{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
|-

| Hidden movement
| Hidden-movement games are defined as those that feature one or more players who move across the board, unseen to the other players. 
| ''[[Black Sonata]]''; ''{{ill|Captain Sonar|de|Captain Sonar}}''; ''[[City of the Great Machine (board game)|City of the Great Machine]]''; ''[[Fury of Dracula]]''; ''[[Letters from Whitechapel (board game)|Letters from Whitechapel]]''; ''[[Mind MGMT#Board game|Mind MGMT]]''; ''[[Star Wars: Rebellion (board game)|Star Wars Rebellion]]'' 
| <ref name="hidden-movement-games_more-than-meeples_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Best Hidden Movement Board Games|website=More than Meeples (www.morethanmeeples.com.au)|language=en|url=https://morethanmeeples.com.au/best-hidden-movement-board-games|access-date=31 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240421081741/https://morethanmeeples.com.au/best-hidden-movement-board-games|archive-date=21 April 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Hidden role
| Hidden-role board games involving a player, or players, with a hidden role within the group, where the rest of the players have to identify them, avoiding any influence or tricks used to deflect any suspicions that they have those roles. Sometimes called hidden traitor board games.
| ''[[Mafia (party game)|Mafia]]''; [[The Resistance (game)|''The Resistance'' franchise games]]; [[Ultimate Werewolf|''Werewolf'' franchise games]]; ''[[Secret Hitler]]''; [[Betrayal at House on the Hill|''Betrayal at House on the Hill'' franchise games]]
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/>
|-

| [[Legacy game|Legacy]]
| Legacy board games are a sub-category of campaign board games, as they also involve players following a series of connected scenarios, where the actions and outcome of one scenario will usually affect the next. However, in legacy board games, a player's choices and actions cause permanent, often physical, changes to the game and its components, such as applying stickers to the board or tearing up cards, thus providing a one-time experience. 
| ''[[Betrayal at House on the Hill#Versions|Betrayal Legacy]]''; ''[[Charterstone]]''; [[Gloomhaven|''Gloomhaven'' franchise games]]; ''[[Jurassic World: The Legacy of Isla Nublar]]''; ''[[Pandemic (board game)#Pandemic Legacy|Pandemic Legacy]]''; [[Ticket to Ride (board game)#9) Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West|Ticket to Ride: Legands of the West]]
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Math
| Math board games explicitly require players to use mathematical knowledge and concepts to achieve game objectives, thereby testing each player's number skills. These games combine mathematical skills, such as calculations, with regular game structures, such as sources of randomness.
| ''[[Lost Cities]]''; ''[[Sentient (board game)|Sentient]]''; ''[[The Shipwreck Arcana (board game)|The Shipwreck Arcana]]''; ''[[Turning Machine (board game)|Turning Machine]]''; ''[[Prime Club (board game)|Prime Club]]''; ''{{ill|Qwixx|de|Qwixx}}''; ''[[Fluxx#Editions|Math Fluxx]]''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Maze and labyrinth
| A maze and labyrinth board game often requires players to navigate a series of complex pathways that are located on the game board. This type of board game tests a player's spatial awareness and problem-solving skills, often while adding in design elements from other types of board games.
| ''[[Burgle Bros. (board game)|Burgle Bros.]]''; ''[[RoboRally]]''; ''[[Labyrinth (board game)|Labyrinth]]''; ''{{ill|Magic Maze|fr|Magic Maze}}''; ''[[Sub Terra]]''; ''[[Ricochet Robots]]''; ''[[The Magic Labyrinth (board game)|The Magic Labyrinth]]''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="maze-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Maze|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1059/maze|access-date=10 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114032105/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1059/maze|archive-date=14 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Memory
| Memory board games concern memorizing certain facts, figures, and other information while testing a player's ability to recall sequences, locations, or specific items. 
| ''[[Codenames (board game)|Codenames]]''; ''[[Confusion (board game)|Confusion]]''; ''[[Cortex + Challenge (board game)|Cortex + Challenge]]''; ''[[Enigma: Beyond code (board game)|Enigma: Beyond code]]''; ''[[Hanabi (card game)|Hanabi]]''; ''[[The Magic Labyrinth (board game)|The Magic Labyrinth]]''; ''[[Concentration (card game)|Memory]]''; ''[[That's not a hat (board game)|That's not a hat]]''; ''[[The Resistance (game)|''The Resistance'' franchise games]]''; ''[[Sideshow Swap (board game)|Sideshow Swap]]''; ''[[Simon (game)|Simon]]''; ''[[Wandering Towers (board game)|Wandering Towers]]''; ''[[Whitehall Mystery (board game)|Whitehall Mystery]]''; ''[[Witness (board game)|Witness]]''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="memory-game_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Memory|website=Board Game Geek (boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1045/memory|access-date=9 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108231432/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1045/memory|archive-date=8 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Moral and spiritual development
| Moral and spiritual development board games are those that prioritise player moral and spiritual development above any technical process of establishing a winner and loser. 
| ''[[Transformation Game]]'';<ref name="transformation-game_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=The Transformation Game|website=Transformation Game Wworldwide (www.transformationgameworldwide.com)|first=Nancy|last=Jochim|language=en|url=https://transformationgameworldwide.com|access-date=3 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214112053/https://transformationgameworldwide.com|archive-date=14 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref> ''[[The Mansion of Happiness|Mansion of Happiness]]'';<ref name="mansion-of-hapiness_nyt_2012">{{cite web|title=Streams of Consciousness|website=The New York Times (www.nytimes.com)|date=10 August 2012|first=Dani|last=Shapiro|language=en|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/books/review/the-mansion-of-happiness-by-jill-lepore.html|access-date=3 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511035646/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/books/review/the-mansion-of-happiness-by-jill-lepore.html|archive-date=11 May 2023|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="mansion-of-hapiness_ny-historical_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=The Mansion of Happiness|website=The New York Historical (www.wams.nyhistory.org)|language=en|url=https://wams.nyhistory.org/expansions-and-inequalities/industry-and-immigration/the-mansion-of-happiness|access-date=3 January 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250104001541/https://wams.nyhistory.org/expansions-and-inequalities/industry-and-immigration/the-mansion-of-happiness|archive-date=4 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="mansion-of-hapiness_henry-ford_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Mansion of Happiness Gameboard, 1845-1880|website=The Henry Ford Museum (www.thehenryford.org)|language=en|url=https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/27801|access-date=3 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250104002213/https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/27801|archive-date=4 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="transformation-games_spririt-of-translformation_currrent(2025)">{{cite web|title=What is the Transformation Game?|website=Spirit of Transformation (www.spiritoftransformation.com)|language=en|url=https://www.spiritoftransformation.com/Whatisthegame.htm|access-date=3 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519042130/https://www.spiritoftransformation.com/Whatisthegame.htm|archive-date=19 May 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref> or ''[[Psyche's Key]]''<ref name="psyche's-key_purple-pawn_2010">{{cite web|title=Psyche’s Key, A Personal Journey of Discovery|website=Purple Pawn (www.purplepawn.com)|date=21 February 2010|language=en|url=http://www.purplepawn.com/2010/02/psyches-key-a-personal-journey-of-discovery|access-date=3 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912091154/http://www.purplepawn.com/2010/02/psyches-key-a-personal-journey-of-discovery|archive-date=12 September 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="psyche's-key_craven-herald_2010">{{cite web|title=Addingham woman invents self-help board game|website=(www.cravenherald.co.uk)|date=21 February 2010|language=en|url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/5013457.addingham-woman-invents-self-help-board-game|access-date=3 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906170645/https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/5013457.addingham-woman-invents-self-help-board-game|archive-date=6 September 2019|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
| {{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
|-

| Negotiation
| Negotiation board games are where players must persuade fellow players to make deals and alliances or even offer bribes to get ahead in the game. The only exceptions to this are often euro games, which have stringent resource management rules. 
| ''[[Ca$h’ n Guns (board game)|Ca$h’ n Guns]]''; ''[[Cosmic Encounter]]''; ''[[Diplomacy (game)|Diplomacy]]''; ''[[Hegemony (board game)|Hegemony]]''; [[The Resistance (game)|''The Resistance'' franchise games]]; ''[[Rising Sun (board game)|Rising Sun]]''; ''[[Sheriff of Nottingham (board game)|Sheriff of Nottingham]]''; ''[[Twilight Imperium]]''; ''[[Paydirt (game)|Paydirt]]''; [[Pax Pamir|''Pax'' franchise games]]
| <ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="negociation-game_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Negotiation|website=Board Game Geek (boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1026/negotiation|access-date=9 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108232240/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1026/negotiation|archive-date=8 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Number
| Number board games are ones in which players are required to use or manipulate numbers to achieve their the games objectives.
| {{ill|That's Pretty Clever! (board game)|lt=''That's Pretty Clever!'' franchise games|de|Ganz schön clever}}; ''[[Arboretum (board game)|Arboretum]]''; ''[[Take 5 (board game)|Take 5]]''; ''[[The Shipwreck Arcana (board game)|The Shipwreck Arcana]]''
| <ref name="number-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Number|website=BoardGameGeek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1098/number|access-date=17 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218124503/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1098/number|archive-date=18 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| [[Paper-and-pencil game|Paper-and-pencil]]
| Paper-and-pencil board games are those that can be played solely with writing implements, usually without erasing. They may be played to pass the time, as icebreakers, or for brain training.
| [[Dots and boxes]]; [[Hangman (game)|Hangman]]; [[MASH (game)|MASH]]; [[Paper soccer]]; [[Spellbinder (paper-and-pencil game)|Spellbinder]]; [[Sprouts (game)|Sprouts]]; [[Tic-tac-toe]]
| <ref>{{cite web|title=Fun Pen and Paper Games to Cure Boredom|website=What Do We Do All Day (www.whatdowedoallday.com)|date=18 February 2020|url=https://www.whatdowedoallday.com/pen-and-paper-games|access-date=5 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206021055/https://www.whatdowedoallday.com/pen-and-paper-games|archive-date=6 February 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Party
| Party board games are those that encourage social interaction. They are designed for larger groups of players with the aim of fostering social interaction amongst players, thus combining humour, creativity, and social interaction. 
| Classic: [[Charades]]; ''[[Pictionary]]''{{pb}} Modern: ''[[Blood on the Clocktower]]''; ''[[Codenames (board game)|Codenames]]''; ''[[Concept (board game)|Concept]]''; ''[[Dixit (board game)|Dixit]]''; ''[[Decrypto]]''; ''[[Just One (board game)|Just One]]''; ''[[Mysterium (board game)|Mysterium]]''; [[The Resistance (game)|''The Resistance'' franchise games]]; ''[[Secret Hitler]]''; ''[[Snake Oil (board game)|Snake Oil]]''; ''[[Telestrations]]''; ''[[Time's Up! (game)|Time’s Up]]''; [[Ultimate Werewolf|''Werewolf'' franchise games]]
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="party-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Party Game|website=Board Game Geek (boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1030/party-game|access-date=9 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250101232833/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1030/party-game|archive-date=1 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Physical
| Physical board games are those involving physical challenges, and fall into two sub-categories: 
<ul>'''Dexterity board games'''
: Those focusing on [[Motor skill#Types of motor skills|fine motors skills]] of a player's fingers, including flicking, balancing, or even throwing objects around. {{pb}}'''Physical skill board games'''
: Those focusing on [[Motor skill#Types of motor skills|gross motors skills]] by utilising a player's whole body movement.</ul>
| ''[[Camp Granada]]''; ''[[Flick ‘em Up (board game)|Flick ‘em Up]]''; ''[[Beasts of Balance]]''; ''[[Dungeon Fighter (board game)|Dungeon Fighter]]''; ''[[Flip Ships (board game)|Flip Ships]]''; ''{{ill|Ghost Blitz (board game)|lt=Ghost Blitz|de|Geistesblitz (Spiel)}}''; ''[[Jenga]]''; ''[[Jungle Speed]]''; ''[[Klask]]''; ''{{ill|Paku Paku|de|Paku Paku}}''; ''[[Pitch Car (board game)|Pitch Car]]''; ''[[Spot It!]]''; ''[[Tumblin' Dice (board game)|Tumblin' Dice]]''; ''[[What Next? (party game)|What Next?]]''
| <ref name="dexterity-games_changing-minds_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Physical skill
| Physical skill board games involve challenges involving [[Motor skill#Types of motor skills|gross motors skills]], through assigning whole body movement tasks to players. 
| ''[[Camp Granada]]''
| {{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
|-

| Position
| Position board games are where the object is not to capture, but to win by leaving the opponent player unable to make a move.
| [[Kōnane]]; [[Mū tōrere]]; [[L game]]
| {{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
|-

| Push-your-luck
| Push-your-luck board games that invite you to take ever bigger risks to achieve increasingly valuable rewards against the risk of significant loss. These board games are also called press your luck board games.
| ''[[Biblios (board game)|Biblios]]''; ''[[Formula D (board game)|Formula D]]''; ''[[The Captain is Dead (board game)|The Captain is Dead: Dangerous Planet]]''; ''[[King of Tokyo]]''; ''[[The Quacks of Quedlinburg]]''; ''[[Port Royale (board game)|Port Royale]]''; ''[[Deep Sea Adventure (board game)|Deep Sea Adventure]]''; ''{{ill|Welcome to the Dungeon|de|Welcome to the Dungeon}}''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-
 
| Puzzle
| Puzzle board games are based on the solving of a [[puzzle]] or mystery and are commonly single-player games. 
| Classic: [[Peg solitaire]]; [[Sudoku]]{{pb}} Modern: ''[[Azul (board game)|Azul]]''; ''[[Bärenpark]]''; ''[[Blokus]]''; ''[[Exit: The Game (board game)|Exit: The Game]]''; ''[[Patchwork (board game)|Patchwork]]''; ''[[Ubongo]]''; ''[[Unlock! (board game)|Unlock!]]''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="puzzle-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Puzzle|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1028/puzzle|access-date=9 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218081917/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1028/puzzle|archive-date=18 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| [[Race game|Race]]
| Race board games are those in which each player has the goal of being the player to finish first, either by moving all their pieces to the final destination or completing an objective, e.g., the first player to collect five gems. This also includes games where the objective is to be the first to reach a checkpoint by navigation or steering around obstacles, usually by having greater speed or control than your opponents. The basic requirement is that race mechanics be an operative mechanism; however, racing is not required to be part of the board game’s theme. 
| Classic: [[Agon (game)|Agon]]; [[Pachisi]]; [[Backgammon]]; [[Chaupar]]; [[Chinese checkers]]; [[Coan ki|The bottle game]]; [[Dogs and jackals]]; [[Five-field kono]]; [[Grasshopper (chess)|Grasshopper]]; [[Halma]]; [[Hyena chase]]; ''[[Kerala (board game)|Kerala]]''; [[Liubo]]; [[Ludo]]; [[Ludus duodecim scriptorum]]; [[Mehen (game)|Mehen]]; [[Nyout]]; [[Pachisi]]; [[Patolli]]; [[Royal Game of Ur]]; [[Salta]]; ''[[Saturankam (board game)|Saturankam]]''; [[Senet]]; ''[[T'shu-p'u (board game)|T'shu-p'u]]''; [[Chowka bhara]]; ''[[Kilkenny Cats (board game)|Kilkenny Cats]]''; [[Game of the goose]]; [[Zohn ahl]]{{pb}} Modern: ''[[Camel Up]]''; ''[[Downforce and Rallyman: GT (board game)|Downforce and Rallyman: GT]]''; ''{{ill|Flamme Rouge (board game)|fr|lt=Flamme Rouge|Flamme Rouge}}''; ''[[Formula D]]''; ''[[Istanbul (board game)|Istanbul]]''; ''[[Long Shot: The Dice Game (board game)|Long Shot: The Dice Game]]''; ''[[Montana (board game)|Montana]]''; ''[[Heat: Pedal to the Metal (board game)|Heat: Pedal to the Metal]]''; ''[[The Quest for El Dorado (board game)|The Quest for El Dorado]]''; ''[[Snow Tails (board game)|Snow Tails]]''; [[Thunder Road (board game)|''Thunder Road'' franchise games]]    
| <ref name="cyningstan_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Race Games|website=Cyningstan (www.cyningstan.com)|language=en|url=http://www.cyningstan.com/games/521/race-games|access-date=28 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241205151605/http://www.cyningstan.com/games/521/race-games|archive-date=5 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="classical-classification_parlett_1999"/><ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-categories_big-game-hunter_2024">{{cite web|title=Clasification of Game|website=The Big Game Hunter (www.thebiggamehunter.com)|first=Bruce|last=Whitehill|language=en|url=https://thebiggamehunter.com/classification-of-games|access-date=31 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207082259/https://thebiggamehunter.com/classification-of-games|archive-date=7 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="race-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Race|website=Board Game Geek (boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamemechanic/2876/race|access-date=10 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217024556/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamemechanic/2876/race|archive-date=17 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="racing-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Racing|website=BoardGame Arena (www.boardgamearena.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1031/racing|access-date=18 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114031954/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1031/racing|archive-date=14 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| [[Tabletop role-playing game|Role-playing]]
| Role-playing board games are those where players assume a fictional character identity to participate in the game and its narrative. These games combine the character development and narrative of classic role-playing games with the mechanics of a board game.
| ''[[Arcadia (card game)|Arcadia Quest]]''; ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]''; [[Gloomhaven|''Gloomhaven'' franchise games]]; ''[[Mage Knight Board Game|Mage Knight]]''; ''[[Mice and Mystics]]''; ''[[Pathfinder Roleplaying Game|Pathfinder]]''; ''[[Shadowrun]]''; ''[[Swords & Sorcery (SPI)|Sword and Sorcery]]''; ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Real-time
| Real-time board games are those with time limitations, usually playing against a timer, necessitating quick decision-making under pressure. In some real-time games, players take their turns simultaneously, creating a fast-paced, chaotic environment.
| ''{{ill|Captain Sonar|de|Captain Sonar}}''; ''[[Galaxy Trucker]]''; ''[[Pendulum (board game)|Pendulum]]''; ''[[Space Alert]]''; ''[[Fast chess|Speed chess]]''; ''[[XCOM: The Board Game]]'' 
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="real-time-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Real-time|website=Bord Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1037/real-time|access-date=9 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250105010916/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1037/real-time|archive-date=5 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Resource management
| The aim of resource management board games is to achieve objectives and gain an advantage through players acquiring, using, and managing a set of resources, which can be anything from physical materials, currency, and points to abstract concepts like time or influence. 
| ''[[Everdell]]''; ''[[Imperial Settlers]]''; ''[[Concordia (board game)|Concordia]]''; ''[[Scythe (game)|Scythe]]''
| <ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="resource-management-games_mahtgichan-games_2024">{{cite web|title=Incorporating Resource Management Mechanics|website=The Creative Workshop (www.mahtgiciangames.com)|date=19 January 2024|language=en|url=https://mahtgiciangames.com/blogs/the-creative-workshop-game-design-blueprints/incorporating-resource-management-mechanics?srsltid=AfmBOop45_zqVF8TUXRJnv6QpH3gD4vWkdMsMbjKQt7Ph8pCybRHFLJt|access-date=10 January 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250113032358/https://mahtgiciangames.com/blogs/the-creative-workshop-game-design-blueprints/incorporating-resource-management-mechanics?srsltid=AfmBOop45_zqVF8TUXRJnv6QpH3gD4vWkdMsMbjKQt7Ph8pCybRHFLJt|archive-date=13 January 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="resource-management-games_cbr_2022">{{cite web|title=10 Best Resource Management Tabletop Games|website=Comic Book Resources (www.cbr.com)|date=20 December 2022|first=Rebekah|last=Krum|language=en|url=https://www.cbr.com/best-resource-management-tabletop-games/|access-date=10 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101142939/https://www.cbr.com/best-resource-management-tabletop-games|archive-date=1 January 2023|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=17 Types of Board Games Explained!|website=Gameology (www.gameology.com.au)|date=3 October 2020|language=en|url=https://www.gameology.com.au/blogs/news/types-of-board-games-explained?srsltid=AfmBOorw2dGN5GNgBkkbj6qI3JPU3rRG-1zkcsP9HN0IYmZacrkfNRDj|access-date=10 January 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250206034019/https://www.gameology.com.au/blogs/news/types-of-board-games-explained|archive-date=6 February 2025|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Roll-and-write
| Roll-and-write board games are those where players roll dice and decide how to use the outcome, writing it into a personal scoring sheet. Each decision impacts on a player's options for the rest of the game, so even in games where everyone uses the same dice, slightly different choices at the start can lead to very different end results. Some games replace dice rolls with card exposure or the writing with miniature-based roll-and-build.
| ''[[Bargain Basement Bathysphere (board game)|Bargain Basement Bathysphere]]''; ''[[Corinth (board game)|Corinth]]''; ''{{ill|Railroad Ink|de|Railroad Ink}}''; ''[[Twilight Imperium]]''; {{ill|That's Pretty Clever! (board game)|lt=''That's Pretty Clever!'' franchise games|de|Ganz schön clever}}; ''[[Yahtzee]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| [[Running-fight game|Running-fight]]
| Running-fight board games are those that combine the movement of race games with the goal of eliminating opponent player pieces like in chess or draughts.
| [[:Category:Running-fight board games|Examples of Running-fight games]] that are also board games include: ''[[Bul (game)|Bul]]''
| {{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
|-

| Share-buying
| Share-buying board games are those in which players buy stakes in each other's positions. These board games are typically longer economic-management games.
| ''[[Acquire]]'' or ''[[Panamax (board game)|Panamax]]''
| {{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
|-

| [[Social deduction game|Social deduction]]
| Social deduction board games are those where one or more players have a secret that the rest of the players need to figure out. Often, players are secretly assigned roles known only to them and must achieve their own objectives, commonly either establishing the odd one out or hiding the fact that they are the odd one out. These board games generally involve deceit, bluffing, and accusations. 
| ''[[Blood on the Clocktower]]''; [[Ultimate Werewolf|''Werewolf'' franchise games]]; ''[[The Resistance (game)|The Resistance]]''; ''[[Secret Hitler]]''; ''[[Unfathomable (board game)|Unfathomable]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/>
|-

| Space
| In space board games are often abstract games where the objective is for players to line up their pieces in order to complete predetermined array targets. Space board game fall into either two of the following sub-cateogires:
<ul>'''Alignment board games'''
: The goal of an alignment board game is to create a line of tokens of a prescribed length. {{pb}}'''Configuration board games'''
: The goal of a configuration board game is to create a line of tokens of a prescribed length in a particular order.
</ul>
| ''[[Connect6]]''; ''[[Entropy (1977 board game)|Entropy]]''; [[Gomoku]]; [[Hexade (board game)|Hexade]]; [[Lines of Action]]; [[Nine men's morris]]; [[Noughts and crosses]]; [[Renju]]; [[Tic-tac-toe]]
| <ref name="classical-classification_parlett_1999"/><ref name="game-categories_big-game-hunter_2024"/>
|-

| Storytelling
| Story-telling board games are those with a focus on narrative and description that is directed or fully created by the players. This can be an overarching story lasting the whole game, or across a campaign of multiple sessions, read from pre-written passages, or a sequence of vignettes tasking players with inventing and describing something. Story-telling board games often test a player's creativity, improvisation, and sometimes acting skills.
| [[List of storytelling games|Examples of story-telling games]] that are also board games include: ''[[Betrayal at House on the Hill]]''; ''[[Dixit (card game)|Dixit]]''; ''[[Fog of Love (board game)|Fog of Love]]''; ''[[The King’s Dilemma (board game)|The King’s Dilemma]]''; ''[[Once Upon a Time (game)|Once Upon a Time]]''; ''[[Tales of the Arabian Nights (board game)|Tales of the Arabian Nights]]''

| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/>
|-

| Stacking
| Stacking board games involve players physically stacking and balancing game pieces.
| [[List of abstract strategy games#Stacking games|Examples of stacking games]] that are also board games include: ''[[Boom Blast Stix (board game)|Boom Blast Stix]]''; ''[[Bamboleo (board game)|Bamboleo]]''; ''{{ill|Paku Paku|de|Paku Paku}}''; ''[[Animal Upon Animal (board game)|Animal Upon Animal]]''; ''[[Junk Art (board game)|Junk Art]]''; ''[[Jenga]]''; ''[[Beasts of Balance]]''; [[Lasca]]; ''[[Meeple Circus (board game)|Meeple Circus]]''; ''[[Riff Raff (board game)|Riff Raff]]''; ''[[Rhino Hero (board game)|Rhino Hero]]''; ''[[DVONN]]''
| <ref name="stacking_board-game-quest_2018">{{cite web|title=Top 10 Stacking Board Games|website=Board Game Quest (www.boardgamequest.com)|date=19 October 2018|first=Tony|last=Mastrangeli|language=en|url=https://www.boardgamequest.com/top-10-stacking-board-games|access-date=1 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240415193726/https://www.boardgamequest.com/top-10-stacking-board-games|archive-date=15 April 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Territory building
| In territory building board games, players establish or gain control over a specific area. These games often use area majority mechanics, also known as influence or enclosure mechanics, where areas are created as the game progresses. 
| ''[[The Castles of Burgundy]]''; ''[[Faust (board game)|Faust]]''; [[Terra Mystica|''Terra Mystica'' franchise games]]; [[Go (game)|Go]]; [[Reversi]]; ''[[Risk (game)|Risk]]''; ''[[Scythe (game)|Scythe]]''; ''[[Spirit Island (board game)|Spirit Island]]''; ''[[Terraforming Mars (board game)|Terraforming Mars]]''; ''[[War of the Ring (board game)|War of the Ring]]'' 
| <ref name="territory-building-games-bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Territory building|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1086/territory-building|access-date=9 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225171822/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1086/territory-building|archive-date=25 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Trivia
| Trivia board games are those that test a player's ability to recall [[trivia]] facts. Many are based on a simple design that revolves around a deck of cards with questions. 
| ''[[Articulate!]]''; ''[[Blockbuster: The Game (board game)|Blockbuster: The Game]]''; ''[[Fauna (board game)|Fuana]]''; ''[[Hipster (board game)|Hipster]]''; ''[[Richard Garfield#Other Games|Half-Truth]]''; ''[[Linkee! (board game)|Linkee!]]''; ''{{ill|Smart10|fi|Smart10}}''; ''[[Timeline (board game)|''Timeline'' franchise games]]''; ''[[Trivial Pursuit]]''; ''[[Wits and Wagers]]''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Types of Board Games|website=Hero Time University|language=en|url=https://herotime1.com/design/types-of-board-games|access-date=30 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241230064713/https://herotime1.com/design/types-of-board-games|archive-date=30 December 2024|url-status=dead|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="trivia-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Trivia|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1027/trivia|access-date=9 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241216222203/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1027/trivia|archive-date=16 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Unequal forces
| Unequal force board games are classified as any game whose core mechanics involve one player who is playing against all the other players right from the start or at least changes their allegiance, usually pledging it to the dark side. These board games are also known as hunt or one vs many board games.
| ''[[Betrayal at House on the Hill]]''; ''[[Fox games|fox and geese]]''; ''[[Fury of Dracula]]''; ''[[Not Alone (board game)|Not Alone]]''; ''[[Shadows Over Camelot]]''; [[Tafl games|Tablut]]
| <ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/>
|-

| [[Word game|Word]]
| Word board games involve the competitive use of language, testing each player's vocabulary, creative thinking skills, spelling or ability to quickly come up with words, phrases, or sentences.
| ''[[Anagrams (game)|Anagrams]]''; ''[[Boggle]]''; ''[[So Clover! (board game)|So Clover!]]''; ''[[Codenames (board game)|Codenames]]''; ''[[Decrypto]]''; ''[[Bananagrams]]''; ''[[Just One (board game)|Just One]]''; ''[[Paperback (board game)|Paperback]]''; ''[[Scrabble]]''
| <ref name="game-types_hero-time_current(2025)"/><ref name="word-games_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Word Game|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1025/word-game|access-date=10 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217214756/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1025/word-game|archive-date=17 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>
|-

| Worker-placement
| Worker-placement board games are those where actions are taken by assigning worker tokens, from a player's allocated allotment, on designated game board spaces, which trigger specific actions, like collecting resources or completing tasks. Such board games are more commonly Euro-style board games, which concentrate on player interaction. Actions one player has taken often can not be taken by or come with a cost for other players.
| ''[[Agricola (board game)|Agricola]]''; ''[[Charterstone]]''; ''[[Caverna (board game)|Caverna]]''; ''[[Caylus (game)|Caylus]]''; ''[[Dune: Imperium]]''; ''[[Everdell]]''; ''[[A Feast for Odin]]''; ''[[Keyflower (board game)|Keyflower]]''; ''[[Lords of Waterdeep]]''; ''[[Ora et Labora (board game)|Ora et Labora]]''; ''[[Stone Age (board game)|Stone Age]]''; ''[[Tōkaidō (board game)|Tōkaidō]]''; ''[[Village (board game)|Village]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|-

| Wargame
| [[Wargame]] board games are strategy-based board games with a war theme. Their mechanics are also closely tied to simulate battles, either fictional or historical, within differing settings, e.g. Napoleonic Wars, World War II, even Mars. Players pit armies against each other, represented by collections of miniatures or tokens on a map, with a grid or actual measured distances for movement. Players are required to eliminate the opponent's figures or achieve objectives to win, with combat usually dictated by dice rolls or card play. This type of game has three subcategories: 
<ul>'''Tactical'''
: Tactical wargame board games depict a skirmish, battle or series of battles, using smaller scale units and maps that depict a battleground that is a few miles or less in size. {{pb}}'''Operational'''
:  Operational wargame board games cover a broader scope of military actions, greater than single battles. These may cover an entire smaller war, or a series of operations, or even a campaign within a greater war. {{pb}}'''Strategic'''
: Strategic wargame board games usually recreate a major war on a large scale. Typically, units in such a game will be corps or army level; however, in the monster wargame, divisions and even smaller-sized units can be depicted.
</ul>

| [[List of board wargames|Examples]] include: ''[[Axis & Allies]]''; ''[[Cry Havoc (2016 board game)|Cry Havoc]]''; ''[[Dune: Imperium]]''; ''[[Inis (board game)|Inis]]'', ''[[Kings of War]]''; ''[[Memoir '44]]''; ''[[Risk (game)|Risk]]''; ''[[Root (board game)|Root]]''; ''[[Star Wars: Armada (board game)|Star Wars: Armada]]''; ''[[Scythe (board game)|Scythe]]''; ''[[Twilight Imperium]]''; ''[[Undaunted (board game)|Undaunted: Normandy]]''; ''[[Warhammer (game)|Warhammer]]''
| <ref name="gamy-types_dice-breaker_2021"/><ref name="game-types_games-radar_2024"/><ref name="game-types_board-games-land_2024"/><ref name="war_bgg_current(2025)">{{cite web|title=Wargame|website=Board Game Geek (www.boardgamegeek.com)|language=en|url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1019/wargame|access-date=9 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217204338/https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1019/wargame|archive-date=17 December 2024|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref><ref name="resource-management-games_gameology_current(2025)"/>
|}