“Can I play one more round?”—this question is part of everyday life in many families. About three out of four teens enjoy playing games regularly on their computers, consoles, smartphones, or online with friends. But what exactly is going on there?
It’s often hard for parents to keep track of everything: The video game market has grown enormous. For the Nintendo Switch alone, there are currently more than 10,000 games available. Many games combine multiple genres or create entirely new categories of games. As a result, it’s nearly impossible to get a complete overview. Nevertheless, many games can be broadly categorized—which makes them easier to understand. Here, we’ll introduce five popular genres.
Platformer games are among the all-time classics of computer gaming. As early as 1981, a character in “Donkey Kong” had to run and jump his way to the finish line. Since then, countless games have been created in which characters must run and jump through two- or three-dimensional worlds while overcoming obstacles. The best-known are certainly the Super Mario games, but Sonic the Hedgehog and Rayman are also very popular. The colorful and humorous game worlds often appeal to younger players and are easily accessible thanks to their simple controls. Anyone interested in designing their own platformer can get creative on “Draw Your Game,” for example.
Simulation games recreate real-life situations or entire worlds as faithfully as possible. In these games, players take on a specific role, exercise their creativity, or pursue predetermined goals. These include, for example, career and business simulations in which players build cities, manage restaurants, or make important decisions. Sports and activity simulations are also part of this category, such as soccer games, car races, or air shows. Simulation games often feature detailed graphics and complex worlds that provide a particularly realistic experience. They can usually be played alone or with friends. Well-known examples include EA Sports FC and Animal Crossing.
Get behind the wheel and hit the racetrack! In racing games, the tires screech as players race against each other. Unlike in simulations, the focus isn’t on creating the most realistic driving experience possible, but rather on the fun of racing. In most cases, players can choose or design their own unique vehicles and characters. The races take place through cities, deserts, amusement parks, or entire fantasy worlds, while players collect points and prizes along the way. Racing games can be played online, but they’re also particularly well-suited for competing against friends or family together in front of the screen. The most famous race tracks are probably found in *Mario Kart* and *Sonic Racing*. These games are often fun for the whole family, but can sometimes be too challenging for younger players.
Solve puzzles, go on adventures, complete tricky missions, and work your way through an exciting story with patience, skill, and ingenuity—adventure games offer all of this. It’s all about the adventure. These games can take many different forms: from two-dimensional comic-style worlds to richly detailed, three-dimensional game worlds. They are set in a wide variety of environments and appeal to both younger and older players. What they all have in common is their strong emphasis on adventure and puzzles. For example, *The Unstoppables* features an adventurous journey with a cool and very diverse group of heroes.
Let’s head to the sandbox—we’re going to build a dream castle. Sandbox games are the place for creative gamers. They typically provide a space and materials where players can express their creativity—for example, by building houses, landscapes, and creatures, crafting stories, and bringing ideas to life. There are no predetermined stories or goals here; instead, the focus is on the players’ interests and ideas. The most famous sandbox in the gaming world is probably Minecraft, where seemingly limitless worlds can be built from colorful blocks.
Open the drawer, close the drawer—and all the games are sorted? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. The boundaries between genres are often blurred: Some games fit into multiple categories, while others are hard to categorize. Games can also be sorted by theme, technology, or difficulty level, for example.
That’s why you’ll find additional overviews of popular game and online game genres in the Parents’ Guide. But even the best classification is only a snapshot, because new offerings, technologies, and game concepts are constantly emerging.
Still, it’s worth getting to know the latest games and genres. Basic knowledge, joint research, and an interest in your child’s favorite games encourage family conversations. This fosters understanding and creates an opportunity to discuss risks and work together to find a healthy approach to gaming. The USK’s comprehensive and constantly updated encyclopedia of game genres is also a helpful resource in this regard.
