A game genre is a specific kind of game experience. Examples of genres would be real-time strategy or first-person shooter games.
A genre is informed in part by camera and character. For example, a first-person shooter camera is from the shooter's viewpoint, and the player sees what the shooter sees. In real-time strategy, the camera is outside of the game so the player can see the whole playing field. A third-person action game like Fortnite Battle Royale lets players see their own characters as well as other characters in the game.
A collection of similar game genres makes up a category of games.
Using Game Tags to Describe Your Island
One practical use of understanding the types of games that make up a genre or category is learning how to apply the right tags when you're publishing your island.
For more on publishing, see Publishing from the Creator Portal and Publishing Projects.
Game tags can describe gameplay, or they can describe some aspect of the game's appearance or theme.
Following is a list of the tags you can use to describe your island.
Tag | Description |
---|---|
2D | A game that uses flat graphics (no 3D geometry), and the camera provides no depth or perspective. |
1v1 | Battle against another player for victory. |
2v2 | Battle in two teams of two players. |
3v3 | Battle in two teams of three players. |
4v4 | Battle in two teams of four players. |
5v5 | Battle in two teams of five players. |
6v6 | Battle in two teams of six players. |
7v7 | Battle in two teams of seven players. |
8v8 | Battle in two teams of eight players. |
Action | Battle NPCs or other players. |
Adventure | Explorative and interactive gameplay that is story driven. |
Aim Course | Practice game designed to perfect combat skills. |
Arcade | Fast-paced gameplay with a classic feel. |
Arena | A uniquely crafted stage where players battle to victory. |
Artistic | Skillfully crafted game with unique visuals. |
Atmospheric | A game that uses a combination of imagery, sound, story, and gameplay to create an intense mood or experience. |
Attack | Competitive gameplay with combative objectives. |
Base | Gameplay with a designated area for uses like player spawn points and team bases. |
Base Building | A game where building a base is a major focus of the game. |
Battle | Gameplay that is won through combat skills. |
Battle Royale | Combative gameplay where the last player or team standing wins. |
Board Game | Gameplay that's experienced as a board game. |
Boss Battle | Gameplay that features an NPC boss battle. |
Boxfight | Combative gameplay that is won from building skills. |
Building | Gameplay that allows player-built structures. |
Capture the Flag | Competitive gameplay where teams battle to defend their own and capture the other team's flags. |
Card Game | A game that uses cards as an integral part of the play. |
Casual | Fun gameplay where winning isn't a primary objective. |
Choices Matter | A game where the choices you make as a player have actual consequences in the game. |
Classes | Gameplay that offers multiple loadouts or abilities. |
Clicker | Also called an incremental game, this type of game involves clicking or tapping repeatedly to earn points or other rewards. |
Co-op | Gameplay that can progress through two or more players working together. |
Collection | Gameplay that is advanced by collecting items. |
Competitive | Gameplay where players complete against other players. |
Crafting | Gameplay where items are offered for players to collect and exchange. |
Creatures | Gameplay that contains hostile or friendly creatures. |
Defend | Gameplay where objectives are defended from hostile NPCs or players. |
Difficulty: Easy | Gameplay that can be completed by players of all skillsets and abilities. |
Difficulty: Medium | Gameplay that requires some skill or understanding of the game mechanics used. |
Difficulty: Hard | Challenging gameplay that requires a high skill level or understanding of the game mechanics used. |
Difficulty: Very Hard | Advanced gameplay that requires a thorough understanding of the game mechanics used. |
Difficulty: Ultra Hard | Challenging gameplay that requires an advanced understanding of game and its mechanics. |
Difficulty: Impossible | Extreme gameplay that takes incredible skill to beat. |
Duo | Gameplay that's designed to be completed in teams of two players. |
Driver Simulator | A game that simulates driving. |
Economy | Gameplay that uses currency exchanges as part of the game. |
Edit Course | Gameplay that's focused on editing or changing existing structures. |
Educational | Gameplay that features educational content. |
Episodic | A game that releases content over time, in levels or missions called episodes. |
Escape | Gameplay that requires players to escape from an obstacle or challenge. |
Event | An island that recreates or centers around an event. |
Exploration | Gameplay that offers area or objective for investigation. |
Explosives | Gameplay that features exploding items. |
Farming Simulator | A game that simulates one or more aspects of farming. |
Fashion | Gameplay objectives will include the player's selections of skins. |
Fighting | A game that involves combat between two or more avatars. |
Fortnitemares | A Halloween-themed game. |
Free for All | Players will battle each other with no teams. |
Friendly | Gameplay will not have combat. |
Funny | Sometimes games like minigames, prop hunts, or even skillruns can have funny or even silly aspects to the game. |
Gun Fight | Gameplay that features combat with gun weapons. |
Gun Game | Gameplay that features a variety of weapons that change when players are eliminated. |
Hardcore | Advanced gameplay with less visual and mechanical assistance. |
Heroes | Gameplay that features characters with special abilities. |
Horror | Gameplay that features horror themes and spooky visuals. |
Hub | Gameplay that features portals to other player-built islands. |
Infection | Gameplay will progress as players on one team aim to convert the other through damage or elimination. |
Jam System | A game that uses Patchwork devices to incorporate ways players can jam. |
Just for Fun | Fun gameplay that's designed to be low stress. |
King of the Hill | Players will race to see who can control objective points the longest. |
Memes | A game that depends on memes as an essential part of gameplay. |
Melee | A free-for-all with up-close fighting. |
Minigame | Gameplay that features a collection of short duration games. |
Mining | A simulation game that focuses on collecting (mining) a specific resource. |
MOBA | Teams of competing players will compete in an area to destroy the oppsosing objectives. |
Moving | Gameplay will progress by strategic movement skills. |
Music | Gameplay will incorporate music in the experience. |
Mystery | Players will solve puzzles throughout the gameplay. |
Nonlinear | Gameplay offers objectives that can be completed in any order. |
Objective | Gameplay has specific rules on how the game is lost or won. |
One in the Chamber | Gunfight gameplay where ammo is increased under certain conditions. |
One Life | Players will only have one life during the gameplay. |
One Shot | A game that is played only once. |
Open World | Gameplay offers a large map for players to explore and interact with. |
Parkour | Players will use strategic movement and landing skills to advance through the gameplay. |
Party Game | Unique gameplay designed to be enjoyed by many players. |
Party World | A social environment for players to hangout and participate in mini-games together. |
Patchwork | A game that uses the Patchwork devices as an integral part of the gameplay. |
Peaceful | Friendly gameplay without combat or fighting. |
Pinball | Gameplay will involve aspects of the classic pinball arcade game. |
Point Capture | Gameplay requires teams to capture each other's objectives. |
Physics | A game where the game mechanics depend heavily on using physics to jump, run, carry, or toss things. |
Pixel Art | Applies to any island that uses pixel art in its theme. |
Platformer | A game where the objective is to move to a destination by jumping from one platform to another. |
Practice | Gameplay helps players improve skills. |
Prop | Gameplay will feature items from the theme's environment. |
Prop Hunt | Teams of players will either disguise themselves as props or search for disguised players. |
Puzzle | Strategic gameplay that offers puzzles to solve. |
PVE | Players will battle NPCs. |
PVP | Players will battle each other. |
Quiz | Logical gameplay with questions for players to answer. |
Race | Competitive gameplay where players use speed to win objectives. |
Respawn | Players can return to the game after elimination for more play. |
Retro | Any game that is based on a retro game model, such as an arcade game. |
Roguelike | A type of game where the player must restart the gameplay from the beginning each time their character is eliminated. |
Role Playing | Players act out a character or role within the game. |
RPG | In a roleplay game or RPG, the player assumes the role of a specific character for the game. |
Rounds | Objectives for the game are by round, and the game contains two or more rounds. |
Runner | Players must move swiftly to required locations. |
Sandbox | A sandbox game is one that is isolated from a larger game to let users modify or experiment with aspects of the game. |
Search & Destroy | Teams of players will arm and disarm objective points for victory. |
Seasonal | Gameplay that features events and themes of various seasons and recurring events. |
Secrets | This gameplay includes hidden items or areas for players to explore. |
Sequel | A sequel game is based on something that already exists. It can be an earlier game, or a film or book or any other type of original work. |
Series | Gameplay with multiple objectives. |
Shooter | Gameplay that features projectile weapons. |
Shop | Gamplay offers an area to trade resources for items. |
Show | Gameplay that features community performances. |
Side Scroller | A game that follows the player (usually in two dimensions) from a side-view camera as the player moves through a landscape. |
Simulator | Gameplay designed to to mimic the style of another game. |
Single Player | Gameplay designed for one player to complete. |
Skillrun | A game where players must cross obstacles and traps as quickly as possible to reach an objective. |
Skills | Gameplay that challenges the player's abilities. |
Sniper | Gameplay that features long-range weapons. |
Solo | Gameplay meant to be completed by a single player. |
Space | A game where the game environment is in outer space. |
Sports | Gameplay that simulates sports activities. |
Squad | Gameplay designed for four players to complete as a team. |
Stealth | Gameplay that requires players to avoid being seen while accomplishing their objective. |
Story | Gameplay that follows a narrative storyline. |
Strategy | Logical gameplay that requires critical thinking to progress. |
Survival | Players will use any available resources to last as long as possible. |
Survival Horror | A subgenre of survival games that includes horror elements. |
Team Free for All | Teams stand off against each other until team wins. |
Teams | Gameplay designed groups of players. |
Timed | A game with a set duration, or time limit. |
Top-Down | A camera perspective of the game that is from the top, looking down. This is also sometimes called bird's-eye, overhead, or helicopter view. |
Tower Defense | Players defend objectives against enemies. |
Training | A practice game designed to strengthen a player's combat skills. |
Trios | Gameplay designed for players to complete in groups of three. |
Trivia | A competitive game that's based on the player's general knowledge, or knowledge of a specific area. |
Turn-Based | A game where one player takes a turn, then another player, and so on. |
Tutorial | Instructional gameplay that teaches players specific skills. |
Tycoon | Gameplay designed for players to accumulate as much currency as possible. |
Unbalanced Teams | Gameplay with teams that are not evenly matched. |
Visual Novel | A type of game that tells an interactive story primarily through text. |
Winterfest | A winter-themed game. |
Word Games | Any game that tests a player's understanding or ability to use language. |
ZoneWars | Gameplay where the safe zone continuously shifts. |