Abstract
Games which have nonrepresentational graphics and often involve an objective which is not oriented or organized as a narrative.

Action
Games which are requiring accuracy and quick reflexes in the fast paced action.

Adaptation
Games based on activities adapted from another medium or gaming activity, such as sports, table-top games, board games, card games, or games whose action closely follows a narrative from a work existing in another medium, such as a book, short story, comi

Adventure
Games which are set in a "world" usually made up of multiple, connected rooms or screens, involving an objective which is more complex than simply catching, shooting, capturing, or escaping, although completion of the objective may involve several or all

Artificial Life
Games which involve the growth and/or maintenance of digital creatures of some sort, which can "die" without the proper care by the player. Often growth and the "happiness" or "contentedness" of the characters are the goals of the game.

Board Games
Games which are an adaptation of existing board games or games which are similar to board games in their design and play even if they did not previously exist as board games, like Fooblitzky and Jones in the Fast Lane.

Capturing
Games in which the primary objective involves the capturing of objects or characters that move away from and try to evade the player-character.

Card Games
Games which are adaptations of existing card games, or games which are essentially like card games in that they are primarily card-based (such as various solitaire computer games).

Catching
Games in which the primary objective involves the catching of objects or characters that do not actively try to evade the player-character.

Chase
Games in which the primary objective involves the chasing of objects or characters that do not actively try to evade the player-character.

Classic
Games which are old time favorites.

Collecting
Games in which the primary objective involves the collecting of objects that do not move (such as Pac-Man or Mousetrap), or the surrounding of areas (such as Qix or Amidar).

Combat
Games which involve two or more players, or one player and a computer-controlled player, shooting some form of projectiles at each other, and in which all players are provided with similar means for a fairly balanced fight.

Demo
Cartridges, discs, or downloads designed to demonstrate games or a game system. Such cartridges were primarily used in store displays to demonstrate games.

Diagnostic
Cartridges designed to test the functioning of a system.

Dodging
Games in which the primary objective is to avoid projectiles or other moving objects. Scoring is often determined by the number of objects successfully dodged, or by the crossing of a field of moving objects that must be dodged (as in Freeway or Frogger).

Driving
Games based primarily on driving skills, such as steering, maneuverability, speed control, and fuel conservation.

Educational
Games which are designed to teach, and in which the main objective involves the learning of a lesson.

Escape
Games whose main objective involves escaping pursuers or getting out of some form of enclosure.

Fighting
Games involving characters who fight usually hand-to-hand, in one-to-one combat situations without the use of firearms or projectiles.

Flying
Games involving flying skills, such as steering, altitude control, takeoff and landing, maneuverability, speed control, and fuel conservation.

Gambling
Games which involve the betting of a stake, which increases or decreases the player’s total assets in the following round.

Interactive Movie
Games which are made up of branching video clips or other moving images, the branching of which is decided by a player’s actions.

Management Simulation
Games in which players must balance the use of limited resources to build or expand some kind of community, institution, or empire, while dealing with internal forces within.

Maze
Games in which the objective requires the successful navigation of a maze.

Multi User Dungeon
Games which are mostly text based that make up for the lack of graphics with diverse and immersive game play.

Obstacle Course
Games in which the main objective involves the traversing of a difficult path or one beset with obstacles, through which movement is essentially linear, often involving running, jumping, and avoiding dangers.

Pencil-and-Paper Games
Games which are adaptations of games usually played by means of pencil and paper.

Pinball
Games which simulate the play of a pinball game.

Platform
Games in which the primary objective requires movement through a series of levels, by way of running, climbing, jumping, and other means of locomotion.

Programming Games
Games in which the player write short programs that control agents within a game.

Puzzle
Games in which the primary conflict is not so much between the player-character and other characters, but rather the figuring out of a solution, which often involves solving enigmas, navigation, learning how to use different tools, and the manipulating or

Quiz
Games which in which the main objective is the successful answering of questions.

Racing
Games in which the objective involves the winning of a race, or the covering of more ground than an opponent.

Rhythm and Dance
Games in which gameplay requires players to keep time with a musical rhythm.

Role-Playing
Games in which players create or take on a character represented by various statistics, which may even include a developed persona.

Shooter
Games involving shooting at, and often destroying, a series of opponents or objects.

Simulation
Games involving taking on the role of a pilot be it a WWI bi-plane or futuristic star ship.

Sports
Games which are adaptations of existing sports or variations of them.

Strategy
Games emphasizing the use of strategy as opposed to fast action or the use of quick reflexes, which are usually not necessary for success in these games.

Table-Top Games
Games involving adaptations of existing table-top games requiring physical skill or action.

Target
Games in which the primary objective involves aiming and shooting at targets which are not moving or in motion.

Text Adventure
Games which rely primarily on text for the player interface, and often for the description of the game’s "world" and the action which takes place there as well.

Training Simulation
Games or programs which attempt to simulate a realistic situation, for the purpose of training, and usually the development of some physical skill such as steering.

Utility
Cartridges or programs which have a purpose or functional beyond that of entertainment, although they may be structured in a manner similar to games (such as Mario Teaches Typing) or contain elements of entertainment.