Video Game Taxonomy

1
Video Game Taxonomy

• Compiled by Sharon Huston
• Based on work by Anthony Rossano

2
Taxonometric Systems

• Historic
• Hardware-Based
• Software-Based
• Player-based
• Point-of-View
• Interactive/Non-Interactive
• Genre

3
Historic

• Game Ancestors (pre 1970)
• Early Games (1971 1977)
• Golden Age (1978 1981)
• Crash (1982 1984)
• Rebirth (1985 1988)
• Home Game Expands (1989 1992)
• 32-Bit Beginnings (1993 1997)
• Modern Age (1998 present)

4
Hardware-Based

• What is the game played on? What kind of input
  devices are used?
• Basic Classes
• Mainframe Space War
• Arcade Pac Man, Frogger, Donkey Kong
• Home PC Doom, Half-Life, Civilization
• Handheld Tetris, MediEvil
• Consoles Halo, Killzone
• Each class can be more specific consoles can
  be PS2 or NES.

5
Software-Based

• Describes the graphic STYLE of the game.
• Static Screen (Space Invaders, )
• Text-based (Zork, Leisure Suit Larry)
• Side scrolling (Left Right)
• Maze scrolling (L, R, U D)
• Sprite-based
• Film/Animation Based
• 2.5D
• 3D

6
Player-Based

• How many players? Do they take turns? What is
  their role? Can other players see them?
• Single player
• Turn-based multiplayer
• Simultaneous split-screen multiplayer
• Single screen LAN multiplayer
• Direct connect multiplayer
• Massively multiplayer

7
Interactivity-Based

• Describes the degree and type of interactivity
• Immersive Decision-Based
• Story-Driven Decision Based
• Limited Interaction
• Freely Interactive (Real-Time)

8
Genre-Based

• Space Game
• Shooters
• God games
• Driving/Racing
• Sports
• Role Playing
• Sims
• Flight Simulators
• Contest Games

• Platform Games
• Mazes
• Exploration
• Strategy Resource
• Education Training
• Casual Games