Types of Games

There are about 5 - 6 classes of games. I will give only a brief description to provide a starting point in designing a game.

• Positional games are those games that players must position their playing pieces in a particular alignment or configuration in order to win.
• Connection games are like positional but deal in links instead of configuration.
  
• Capture games where the point is to remove the opposing pieces. Also known as war games.
• Hunting games are a little different. The point in this type of game is to immobalize the opposing pieces. Some classification will lump hunting and capture games together.
• Race game involve a set position or goal to reach. Or not to reach in some games.
• Mancala type games involve collecting neutral pieces, pieces that both players can move.
• Counting games (also known as dice games) are those games involving the accumulation of points.
• Card / Domino games involve matching pieces to further or to win the game.

A second classification scheme revolves around is there or is there not a theme, some story line that impacts the rule and winning conditions of the game. Chess is usually considered an abstract game. A murder-mystery game is thematic.