Language of the gamer: acronyms and other useful information

I was fairly young when I subscribed to Nintendo Power magazine. They should have supplied a pamphlet or something with all of the terms and abbreviations that I would be introduced to by reading it. RPG? FPS? Platformer? Well, I've decided to post this guide to help you understand better the language of the gamer:

Common Acronyms

• RPG = role-playing game
• FPS = first-person shooter
• RTS = real-time strategy
• MMORPG = massively multiplayer online role-playing game
• NES = Nintendo Entertainment System
• SNES = Super Nintendo Entertainment System
• N64 = Nintendo 64
• GCN = Gamecube
• GBA = Gameboy Advance
• N3DS = Nintendo 3DS

Video Game Genres

• Role-Playing Games. In short, RPG's have the player control a party of fighters in turn-based or real-time battles. Characters can level up in one or many skills, some kind of currency exists in the game world, and items with various qualities can be collected and used. 
• First-Person Shooters. FPS's put the player in direct control of a character with at least one projectile weapon at his/her disposal. The player sees as if from the character's eyes.
• Platformers. Super Mario games are generally platform games. The player moves the character to avoid enemies and obstacles by jumping and dodging.
• Real-Time Strategies. Think Warcraft, Starcraft, Age of Empires, or Battle For Middle Earth. In RTS's the player builds a civilization by directing people to construct buildings, training troops to lead in battle, and advancing offensive and defensive technologies. 
• Massively Multiplayer Online Games. Ever heard of Runescape? MMO's can combine with other genres. As you might expect, they just add thousands of other players into the mix. Usually, the ability to communicate and interact with other players is a key feature of MMO's.

Obviously there are many other video game genres, but these were the most confusing to me initially. Still have questions? Or do you want to add to the knowledge? Use the comment form below to share your thoughts.

Is there a video game genre you just can't stand?

I say we start the weekend with a little discussion! There are many types of video games out there, so (just like movies and books) they are categorized into genres. Some include:

• Action 
• Adventure
• Sports/Racing
• Puzzle
• Platforming
• Shooting
• Role-playing
• Strategy
• Rhythm
• Fitness
• Simulation
• Fighting

Many genres break into sub-genres. For example, shooters can be first- or third-person. Role-playing games can be turn-based or real time.

I think "What is your favorite video game genre?" is too obvious a question. So this weekend's question is "What video game genre can't you stand?" or even "What video game genre(s) do you struggle with?" That second question is an easy one for me to answer: I can't seem to get a grasp on the turn-based tactics genre. Turn-based tactics games involve grids that players move their party around to take out enemies. My first brush with this genre was 3DS game Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars. Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, a GBA Ambassador game, came next. I failed miserably at both. Perhaps I just need practice at this foreign genre!

So let's hear it, readers! Which video game genres can't you stand?

So ya wanna know about video game genres? Let's start with the platfomer!

When I first subscribed to Nintendo Power magazine many years ago, I was an ardent gamer, yes, but there were a few terms that frequently came up in the magazine that I didn't have a clue about. Most of them related to video game genres in one way or other. FPS, RPG, platfomer...what?!

Nintendo's most famous franchise being Super Mario and all, I thought it prudent to begin with the category that Super Mario belongs to: the platform genre. Even though we all know what a platform is, the idea of a platform video game is a little vague. Why can't Mario games just be "save the princess" games or something like that? Well, video games are different from other mediums because they can be controlled, right? So video game genres revolve around how the games are controlled. Platform games involve platforms. The player controls the character and uses jumps or other forces to land on platforms and avoid pitfalls. It's really important that platformers have some way for the player to jump at will, otherwise you'd be hard pressed to correctly identify a game as a platformer.

And, really, it's as simple as that. Super Mario games are of the platform genre. Some other examples include Rayman Origins, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kirby's Return to Dreamland, and Mutant Mudds. Play a platformer for yourself today!