Video game genres. Boy, are there loads. And when you’re more into Candy Crush than God of War Ragnarök, it’s easy to think that a spade’s a spade. Games are games, riiiiight?
Wrong. Gaming is a fine art (coming from a gamer, but hey), and one gaming collection can be unrecognisable from the next. Think hardcore gaming is all guns blazing, grenade-throwing, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 action? Try selling turnips for profit in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Now that’s hardcore.
You might love a good platform adventure like Super Mario Odyssey. Or, you swear by an epic open-world RPG like Pokémon Scarlet. Thing is, there’s a video gaming genre for everyone – even you strategic Candy Crushers.
To get the gist of it, check out this list:
Multiplayer
Shooter
Strategy
Platform
RPG
Puzzle
Adventure
Action
Horror
Sports
Simulation
Arcade
In-depth explanations, coming right up…
Multiplayer video games
What’s better than gaming on your own? Gaming with your crew, obviously. Whilst some games are made to play solo, some of the most popular games out there are sooo much better with two or more people.
We’re talking Minecraft, Overwatch, Fortnite and Fall Guys, to name a few. Any genre can be multiplayer – so once you’ve discovered your fave, all you’ll have to do is convince your mates to join you. Plus, most online multiplayer games these days are cross-platform – so you can play Fortnite on your PS4 with your mates on Xbox and Switch.
Shooter games
There are few other gaming genres that’ll get your heart pounding like a shooter game. There are loads of shooter game sub-genres, but some of the most popular are:
First-person shooters (FPS): you play and control the character as if you’re looking through their eyes.
Third-person shooters: you play and control the character as if you’re standing behind them – so you can see all the cool gear you kit them out in.
Battle royales: online multiplayer games where you battle other players to be the last one standing.
Looking for the best shooter games? Take on the enemy solo in an all-out Battlefield 2042 or Call of Duty campaign, then jump into battle royale mayhem with your Fortnite or Apex Legends squad.
Strategy games
If you’ve been known to ponder over a chess or Monopoly board (or sweat through your last two Candy Crush moves), you might just love strategy games. Like shooter games, strategy games can be split into a few sub-genres:
Real-time strategy (RTS): play simultaneously with your crew as you work together to construct an empire and build strong battle forces.
Turn-based strategy (TBS): you and your crew take turns to strategically win a war – either in board game or virtual form.
4X games: RTS or TBS games that focus on more complex themes like economics and social dynamics. The gameplay is based on the four ‘X’s’: explore, expand, exploit and exterminate – hence the name!
The best strategy games are extremely challenging – you’ll need to plan waaay ahead of time to achieve your goals. If you’re not into long-haul gaming, strategy games probably aren’t for you. But if the thought of building your own medieval empire or army gets you giddy with excitement, Age of Empires IV is the perfect place to start.
Prepping for a long gaming session? You’ll want a comfy gaming chair! Discover how to create the ultimate gaming setup.
Platform games
What’s a game genre list without a good old platform game? If you haven’t so much as looked at a platformer since the days of Super Mario 64, you’ll be chuffed to hear they’ve had a facelift since then.
Mario’s still as popular as ever (Super Mario Odyssey is peak Mario) and he’s joined in his platforming glory by old friends like Toad in Captain Toad’s Treasure Tracker. If you’re into fun, lighthearted games with a sense of challenge and adventure (and a lot of jumping), you can’t go wrong with a platformer.
RPG games
No, not the bazooka – RPG in this context stands for role-playing game. Essentially, RPGs are games where you don the costume of another, more adventurous soul, and head out into the world on a (usually) noble quest. Cue the side quests, interesting characters, beautiful locations and jovial sidekick or two.
Don’t know where to start with RPGs? As if on cue, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet hit the shelves at the end of last year. You’ll head out into a brand-new region and catch ‘em all in an epic open-world adventure filled with vibrant characters, an incredible story and cute little monsters. Need I say more?
Puzzle games
Didn’t expect to see Sudoku on this list, did ya? Luckily for brain training fans, loads of classic puzzle games have made the jump to digital. Tetris 99 is a (surprisingly) popular Nintendo Switch game, but you don’t even need a console - you’ll find loads of free online puzzle games like Sudoku or jigsaws on your phone’s app store.
A personal puzzle recommendation: Unpacking. It’s one of the cosiest games I’ve ever played, and you can pick it up on console or with a Steam wallet card on PC.
Adventure games
Ever had your breath taken away by a game? I’ll bet it was an adventure one. No game genre seems to boast attention to detail like the adventure genre does.
You’ll scratch your head trying to figure out how to cross an ocean with a leaf in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (speaking from experience). You might sharpen up your parkour skills in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla. Or, for you Potter fans, you could find yourself exploring the Forbidden Forest in the upcoming Hogwarts Legacy.
Horror games
If you’re a fan of horror movies, horror games should be on your radar. They’re terrifying, obviously – and if you think a game could never match up to a movie masterpiece, the Resident Evil films were based on the games. So there.
To bridge the gap between movie and game, pick up The Quarry on PS4. It strikes a frightening cinema/game balance with a choice-based narrative, meaning every decision you make leads to a different ending. It’s one of the best horror games of recent times – so prepare to be thoroughly petrified.
Sports games
Right, back to the not-so-spooky stuff. Sports games! Now, if your most recent memory of a sports game is waving a Wii remote around, you’ll be pleased to know that the tradition’s come full circle with Nintendo Switch Sports. JoyCon-up with friends and family to play tennis, bowling, badminton and more – just make sure you tighten those wrist straps.
If you’re more of a sit-down sports fan, FIFA 23 dropped in September of last year in all its new kit glory. It brings the ability to play as women’s club teams and in women’s international tournaments for the first time ever, so if you’ve never played FIFA before, kick off with this one.
Scouting for more footie games? We’ve picked out the very best.
Simulation games
Ah, yes. Simulation games. There’s nothing quite like sitting down after a long, hard day to play… life? On a real note, simulation games can be just as fun as an epic RPG fantasy. If you’re into car racing, Gran Turismo 7 lets you do it competitively or casually whilst collecting all the cars you could ever need. You probably can’t do that in your everyday life.
Or, if you’re into the cosier side of gaming, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the best simulation games to unwind to. It runs off a real-time clock – so if its 5pm IRL, it’s 5PM in the game – and it syncs up with real-life seasons, too. You can decorate your island, fish, farm crops, go diving and cook – oh, and all your neighbours are super-cute animals who wear sweaters in the winter. Just saying.
Arcade games
What crosses your mind when you think arcade? Some might think bowling alleys, air hockey and trying to win at the claw machine. Others might think Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Mario Bros and Donkey Kong. If you’re in the latter group, you’ll be glad to see that arcade games have claimed their rightful spot on this list.
Whilst most retro arcade machines have been retired, old-school gamers can still get their arcade fix through virtual versions of popular arcade games. Think Street Fighter 6, 2015’s Tekken 7 and the arcade-esque Super Smash Bros Ultimate.
Found what you need?
If you have – great. If not – don’t worry. You can always chat an expert in-store or via video call on ShopLive. They’ll be able to give you the lowdown on loads of great gaming tech and accessories.
