In today’s world, video games have elevated to a higher level of popularity than both the movie and music industries combined. One of the major reasons for this is that all types of games are much more accessible these days. After all, since the dawn of the smartphone, more and more people are walking around with a gaming device right in their pockets. As well as this, video games provide a level of interactivity that you simply can’t get with the other mediums. After all, you are the one that has to make things happen in a game, whereas with movies and music, you are simply sitting back and consuming without doing anything else.
With the growth of the gaming industry has come developments in genres of all kinds. However, some types of game seem to always be more popular than others. It is these ones that we are going to be focusing on in this article, as well as attempting to come up with some reasons why they remain so beloved. Which types of games are the ones which hold a special place in your heart?
MMORPG – Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games
There is no doubt that the title of this particular genre is a mouthful, but these types of game have exploded in popularity over the past few years especially. After all, it is pretty incredible to think that you can share a gaming world with literally millions of other players. It is games like World of Warcraft which have led the way in this field, but there are plenty of others which remain highly popular. There is a definite sense of escapism in this genre, as you are the one that gets to create your character, become more powerful, and engage in missions of your choosing.
The core of MMORPGs is their social side. Not only can you play with your friends directly, you can also enjoy gaming with people all over the world. There are entire communities which are built based around certain games, and it is very easy to get drawn into them. This type of genre attracts both hardcore and casual gamers. At a deeper level, the worlds created in these games give people the chance to act with a sense of autonomy – taking risks that they may be highly reluctant to take in the real world.
Casino Games
Gambling and casinos have a history which dates back hundreds of years. But nowadays, you don’t need to venture out of the house to play a few hands of blackjack or hit the slots. Of course, casino games offer a sense of thrill at the financial rewards which you could potentially receive from them. But there are also games which provide a sense of skill as well, such as poker. Obviously, there is a darker side to casino games as well, and this ease in which you can lose money can be very problematic for some people. However, when enjoyed in moderation, there is no doubt that this is a highly enjoyable gaming genre.
First Person Shooter
When it comes to thrills and excitement, you struggle to get much better than a good old-fashioned first person shooter. Since they first started to emerge in arcades in the 1980s, there is a growing sense of realism which has continued to develop. Modern titles such as Halo and Call of Duty have been amongst the most popular games year on year, with each new edition going on to sell millions.
Why is it that they are so popular? Well, they combine a sense of both skill and speed which means that your mind is always working to keep up. They have also done a lot in recent years to improve the social side of the games by developing cooperative modes, moving into the online world, and creating a real sense of battlefield communication. Graphic standards have continued to improve, and there is something about that first person viewpoint which offers an additional sense of immersiveness.
Sports
For people who have never been all that athletic but they want the feeling of playing on the biggest stage, sports games have always been there and they have always been big sellers. Little by little, the gameplay has continued to improve and become more realistic. With the development of consoles like the Nintendo Wii, you got an even more realistic sporting experience without ever having to leave your front room!
Like the other genres on this list, sporting games came a long way thanks to the development of online gaming. You suddenly had the opportunity to test your skills against people from all around the world, only to find out that you weren’t as good a FIFA player as you initially thought! You also have the unique feeling of inhabiting your favourite sporting star or team and playing a big role in their success. Like sport in real life, competition remains at the core of this type of game, and if you love this sense of control, it is highly likely that you will like sporting games as well.
Action
Action games were there way back at the beginning of video game development, and they continue to remain highly popular to this day. One thing that people like about them a lot is just how varied they are. You could be driving, jumping over platforms, solving puzzles or battling multiple enemies at once. Everything depends on the type of game that you get – and this is a particularly broad category.
Most action games have a tendency to start you off slowly to begin with, before gradually cranking up the difficulty levels as you progress through the game. There is certainly something quite satisfying about gradually improving your skills over time. The best action games are the ones which don’t end up being too repetitive, continuing to throw new challenges your way as you progress through the levels.
Puzzle Games
Though this isn’t really a genre which you can easily define, there has been something of a trend towards ‘puzzle games’ such as Wordle over the last couple of years in particular. These are the types of games which stir up a sense of solving in the players. This is something which only seems to add to the appeal and charm.
