New to the gaming hobby? If so, chances are that a more experienced player has used some lingo that you had no idea what it meant. Allow Unplug Yourself to demystify some of the more common terms you will encounter while delving deeper into the world of gaming.
Abstract Game [Game Style]
Abstract games are strategy games that typically have no theme. Often they would also accommodate only two players and have little or no luck elements influencing gameplay. Classic examples are games such as Chess and Backgammon. Modern examples of abstract games are Azul, Hive and Onitama.
Amerithrash [Game Style]
Originally referred to as AmeriTRASH, the negative connotation has seen players rather adjusting the term to AmeriTHRASH, which is a more accurate description of gameplay. This style of game originated from American game designers and are typically categorized by random elements determining combat outcome, player conflict, detailed themes and the use of miniatures above simple tokens. Popular Amerithrash titles includes Zombicide, Twilight Imperium and Star Wars: Imperial Assault.
Board Game Geek [Source of Information]
Board Game Geek (abbreviated to BGG) is one of the largest international online sources for board, card and war game information. Why not visit them at www.boardgamegeek.co.za or join the conversation at https://www.boardgamegeek.com/guild/709. Remember to add Unplug Yourself as a geek buddy while visiting.
Collectible Card Game / Trading Card Game [Game Style]
Collectible Card Game (CCG) or Trading Card Game (TCG) are games that centre around collecting and purchasing packs of random cards from which players build decks to play with. The most well know TCG’s are Magic: the Gathering, Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh!
D6, D20 etc. [Game Component]
This form of abbreviations refers to dice with the number of sides listed. D6 hence would refer to a die with six sides. Sometimes the number of dice to be rolled will also be included. 2D6 will then refer to two, six-sided dice being rolled.
Deck Building [Game Style / Mechanic]
Deck Building is a type of game mechanic often found in board games. If this mechanic is the dominant feature of gameplay, it is also used to describe the style of the game. This game mechanic sees players able to draw or collect cards from a communal pool to build a deck through the course of the game. Popular Deck Builders include Dominion, Star Realms and Clank!
Dexterity Game [Game Style]
Often lighter games with a focus on dextrous actions such as sliding, flicking and stacking game components. Classic examples are games such as Jenga, but for modern options try out games such as Tuki, Ice Cool and Megacity Oceania.
Dungeon Crawl [Game Style]
Often fantasy themed, Dungeon Crawl games sees players navigate a labyrinth like environment while encountering and battling various monsters, collecting treasure and completing missions. If you’re ready for an adventure, then get your hands-on Descent, Gloomhaven or Mansions of Madness.
Eurogame [Game Style]
This style of game originated from Germany initially but became a popular game design style throughout Europe. Often a more complex game to play Eurogames are more complex with a high focus on mechanics and game play. There are many criteria associated with Eurogames, although not all of them need to be present for a game to still be classified as a Eurogame. Often Eurogames contains no combat and victory is determined by total victory points scored by players. Players are also never eliminated from the game during play. There are also very little randomness or luck elements to the game. If your ready to sink your teeth into some great Eurogames then try out Terraforming Mars, Through the Ages or Black Angel.
Filler Game [Game Term]
A game with simple rules and short playing time. Often played as an ‘appetizer’ at the beginning of a board game session. Fluxx, Love Letter and 6 Nimmt! are great options as fillers.
FLGS [Specialised Retailers]
The abbreviation FLGS stands for Friendly Local Gaming Store. FLGS is used to reference speciality shops selling games. As games are part of these retailers core business they are extremely passionate, knowledgeable and eager to teach and attract new players to the hobby.
Gateway Game [Game Style]
Forget Monopoly, Gateway Games are titles which are considered the first step for new players into the hobby. These are usually simple to teach and easy to learn. Many games fall into this category, but Catan, Ticket to Ride and Carcassonne has become classic Gateway Games by virtue of their addictive engagement seeing new players asking to play just one more round.
RPG [Game Style]
An RPG or Role-Playing Game is a game in which players assume the role of fictional characters of their own making. Players act out these roles within the narrative as created by the GM or DM, often with an aspect of luck such as dice rolls to test the outcome of their decisions. Dungeons & Dragons is by far the most popular RPG world-wide, but alternative RPG systems that you can try is Pathfinder or Starfinder.
Orthogonally Adjacent [Placement Terminology]
This word choice has bowled out many a player while reading a rule book. Orthogonally simply refers to the area straight up, down, left or right from a game element.
Worker Placement [Game Style / Mechanic]
Worker Placement is a game mechanic in which players control a pre set number of workers which is then placed on various areas of the board, each offering the player a different action. Generally the concept is that the workers assist you in gathering resources and where they are placed and what type of actions are performed dictates what type and quality of resources are gathered. As this is such a prominent game mechanic, it is often also use to describe the style of a game. Agricola, Stone Age and Kingsburg are true classic Worker Placement games to play.
Meeple [Game Component]
The term was made popular after the game, Carcassonne, named their wooden ‘people shaped’ playing pieces Meeples. The name has now become a term used to describe a multitude of playing pieces and range from alternate versions of the classic Meeple, to even animal shapes. To see the classic Meeple, check out Carcassonne or equip your Meeples with weapons and tools in Tiny Epic Quest. For animal Meeples try a game of Agricola.
We hope that this guide will help you cut through the uncertainty and next time the shop assistant is trying to convince you how great that new gateway-deck builder-filler game is, that you would at least know what he is talking about!