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Action
Action is a diverse genre that encapsulates games where the primary appeal and challenge is to test the player’s physical skills, such as timing, precision, or reaction speed.
For a complete list of Xbox Action games, check out the Full list of Action Games on Xbox page.
Action Horror
Action Horror games see the player placed into a horror-themed environment usually with graphic violence and/or a frightening atmosphere. Enemies can be confronted in combat and defeated en masse throughout the game, with an abundance of supplies, weapons, ammunition, and health available for the player to utilize and collect in order to defeat these enemies.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Action Horror games, check out the Best Xbox Action Horror Games page.
Action-Adventure
Action-Adventure games combine elements of Action and Adventure. A game in this genre might incorporate a strong storyline, exploration of the game environment, interaction with non-player characters, and puzzle solving, amongst other things. This genre will not be applied alongside genres that already imply action and adventure (e.g. Shooter, Platformer), meaning the tag is reserved for games that don't contain enough elements to meet the criteria for any other genre.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Action-Adventure games, check out the Best Xbox Action-Adventure Games page.
Action-RPG
Action RPGs give the player direct control of a character for use in combat. They typically feature real-time battles, which may or may not take place in static sub-instances of the game world.
For a complete list of Xbox Action-RPG games, check out the Full list of Action-RPG Games on Xbox page.
Adventure
The Adventure genre includes games where the player takes part in an interactive story. The gameplay typically involves gathering information and items to solve puzzles and advance a story driven plot.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Adventure games, check out the Best Xbox Adventure Games page.
Aerial
Aerial is used to describe games which heavily feature the player controlling air-based vehicles including airplanes, spaceships, and jets.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Aerial games, check out the Best Xbox Aerial Games page.
Arcade Racing
Arcade Racing games usually feature extra gameplay elements besides driving, often in the form of weapons, stunts, or spectacular crashes. Handling is usually simplified and physics tuned towards being fun rather than realistic.
For a complete list of Xbox Arcade Racing games, check out the Full list of Arcade Racing Games on Xbox page.
Automobile
Automobile is used to describe games in the Racing and Vehicular Combat genres which heavily feature the player controlling land-based motorized vehicles including tanks, cars, and motorcycles.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Automobile games, check out the Best Xbox Automobile Games page.
Battle Royale
Battle Royale games consist of a large number of players engaging in combat within the same arena. Typically, the play area gradually shrinks for the duration of the game, thus forcing combatants into smaller circles to find other players. Respawning eliminated players may be possible but is not required for the genre. Another common element of Battle Royale games is the option to loot items such as weapons, armor, ammo, etc from the playing field to give themselves an advantage over other players.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Battle Royale games, check out the Best Xbox Battle Royale Games page.
Beat 'em up
Beat 'em Up games involve close-quarters combat against generally small to medium sized groups of relatively weak enemies which usually must be defeated before you can progress. Generally weapon choice is limited or non-existent and character/skill upgrade progression is minimal.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Beat 'em up games, check out the Best Xbox Beat 'em up Games page.
Card & Board
Card & Board games simulate the experience of playing on a tabletop by modelling game pieces, boards, dice, and rules. These are usually adapted from physical counterparts, although can be entirely original concepts too.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Card & Board games, check out the Best Xbox Card & Board Games page.
Casino
Casino games simulate gambling via games typically played at Casinos. Chance is usually a pivotal factor, although a knowledge of odds may provide a competitive advantage. Often the aim of these games is to accrue a virtual currency.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Casino games, check out the Best Xbox Casino Games page.
Collectable Card Game
Collectable Card Games involve proprietary items which players collect and use to build personal reserves. The different items usually represent creatures with varying attributes and abilities, and can be used to battle other players.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Collectable Card Game games, check out the Best Xbox Collectable Card Game Games page.
Collection
Collection groups games which contain not one, but a group of titles. These can range from sports titles to arcade collections.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Collection games, check out the Best Xbox Collection Games page.
Dance
Dance games have the player emulate dancing moves with the character by pushing a button combination or by capturing directly using a peripheral such as Kinect.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Dance games, check out the Best Xbox Dance Games page.
Dungeon Crawler
Dungeon Crawlers focus on the chase for better and better loot gained from exploring the environment and defeating enemies. Levelling your character and gaining skills is a means to increase your combat abilities and advance ever deeper into the world.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Dungeon Crawler games, check out the Best Xbox Dungeon Crawler Games page.
Educational & Trivia
Educational titles have an explicit underlying educational purpose. Their intention is to facilitate the learning of subjects and concepts.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Educational & Trivia games, check out the Best Xbox Educational & Trivia Games page.
Fighting
Fighting games feature combat, usually one-on-one, between equally matched characters. Each character has individual strengths and weaknesses and a unique set of moves for players to master. Real world sports such as mixed martial arts, professional wrestling, and others are excluded.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Fighting games, check out the Best Xbox Fighting Games page.
First Person Shooter
First Person Shooters test the player’s marksmanship abilities and use a perspective where the player is looking out from the protagonists eyes.
For a complete list of Xbox First Person Shooter games, check out the Full list of First Person Shooter Games on Xbox page.
Fishing
Fishing games feature players fishing for sea creatures in rivers, lakes, and open oceans. Players may have a variety of accessories/items to use, such as rods, lures, or bait.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Fishing games, check out the Best Xbox Fishing Games page.
Hack & Slash
Hack & Slash games usually feature a single or small group of characters facing off against medium to large groups of enemies (sometimes hundreds at a time) and gameplay is usually quite fast paced. Upgrading of either weapons or characters is generally a strong point of gameplay.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Hack & Slash games, check out the Best Xbox Hack & Slash Games page.
Hunting
Hunting games are comprised of a hunter in the wilderness tracking and killing animals for sport. Players may make use of a variety of realistic hunting weapons such as rifles and shotguns as well as gear commonly found in hunting such as scent masks, blinds, and stands.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Hunting games, check out the Best Xbox Hunting Games page.
Management
Management games give the player high level control of an entity, such as a sports team or a business. The player must decide game strategy and deal with issues like resource limitations and periodic setbacks.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Management games, check out the Best Xbox Management Games page.
Mech
Mech games give the player direct control over one or more mecha, walking combat suits. Usually these games feature customisation options to modify the weapon loadout and configuration of the mech.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Mech games, check out the Best Xbox Mech Games page.
Metroidvania
Metroidvania is a sub-genre of Action-Adventure that focuses on exploration of a, typically, single interconnected world. The player will gain new skills / abilities that allow them to explore once inaccessible areas as well as growing in power via an advancement system. These games feature prominent platforming elements, such as precision jumping, but need not be platformers. Instead, the player is mainly antagonized by enemies which can be defeated through combat.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Metroidvania games, check out the Best Xbox Metroidvania Games page.
MMO
Massively Multiplayer Online games, or MMOs, are those that support large numbers of players in online worlds simultaneously. Depending on the game, players can compete against each other or band together in raids or parties to explore the game world and defeat enemies cooperatively.
If you are looking for some great Xbox MMO games, check out the Best Xbox MMO Games page.
MOBA
MOBAs consist of games where player-controlled teams attempt to defeat each other by eliminating each team's primary objective. Computer-controlled units (often spawning and proceeding along set paths) assist the player, while their characters often have improving abilities.
If you are looking for some great Xbox MOBA games, check out the Best Xbox MOBA Games page.
Music & Rhythm
Music & Rhythm games have the player emulate the playing or conducting of a piece of music, or otherwise engaging in music backed rhythm-based action, typically matching on-screen prompts to a beat.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Music & Rhythm games, check out the Best Xbox Music & Rhythm Games page.
Naval
Naval is used to describe games in the Racing and Vehicular Combat genres which heavily feature the player controlling sea-based vehicles including boats, battleships, and jet skis.
Naval is used to describe games which heavily feature the player controlling sea-based vehicles including boats, battleships, and jet skis.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Naval games, check out the Best Xbox Naval Games page.
On Rails
On Rails games give the player limited control of their avatar, usually around the immediate screen. The player does not control the path their avatar takes, as though they are tied to a rail.
If you are looking for some great Xbox On Rails games, check out the Best Xbox On Rails Games page.
Open World
Open World games feature an expansive open world for the player to explore. While there is usually an overarching story, a hallmark of this genre is the ability to put this on hold in favour of exploration and free play. While portions of the world may be closed off, upfront there should be relatively large swaths accessible to the player. In most cases, players can choose between multiple or many optional objectives.
For a complete list of Xbox Open World games, check out the Full list of Open World Games on Xbox page.
Party
Party games are usually played in local multiplayer with friends and seldom played alone. The objective of party games is usually to gather a certain score or outdo your opponents in minigames or trivia contests. Players can also work together cooperatively to achieve an objective
If you are looking for some great Xbox Party games, check out the Best Xbox Party Games page.
Pinball
Pinball games attempt to mimic the experience, gameplay mechanics, and physics of real pinball machines to some degree. Gameplay tends to be oriented toward attempting to score points or complete objectives with a limited number of pinballs.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Pinball games, check out the Best Xbox Pinball Games page.
Platformer
Platformers feature obstacle course like levels in which the player must navigate from the start to the end, with physics-enabled traversal between platforms or over obstacles. Platformers require the environment itself to be a primary antagonist. Accuracy-based jumping challenges and endless runners are two common examples of Platformer. In all cases, correct timing is necessary (either to avoid death or serious set-back) to advance.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Platformer games, check out the Best Xbox Platformer Games page.
Point & Click
Point & Click are games that are played scene by scene, with the player exploring each to gather items or discover objects of interest. These items and objects are often vital to advancing the story.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Point & Click games, check out the Best Xbox Point & Click Games page.
Puzzle
Puzzle games come in a variety forms. Be it a jigsaw puzzle, a combinatorial problem, a vocabulary or an arithmetic challenge, or even a physics based puzzle. These games conceptually challenge the player to use logic to approach and solve situations.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Puzzle games, check out the Best Xbox Puzzle Games page.
Real Time
Real Time is a tag usually reserved for Strategy and Role Playing games to detail the pace of gameplay which creates a significantly different experience to Turn Based games. Real Time Strategy involves mechanics where all participants move and build simultaneously rather than taking turns while Real Time Role Playing sees you control a party of characters at once with the ability to switch between them, while one character is under your control the others run on auto-pilot to continue to attack and/or heal.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Real Time games, check out the Best Xbox Real Time Games page.
Roguelite
Roguelite games are defined by permanent character death, randomized levels and/or maps with varying items, item locations, enemies, and/or bosses each playthrough. The extensiveness of the randomization can vary, but the goal is that every playthrough will be completely different. The persistence of unlocked weapons, characters, upgrades, or items between playthroughs is allowed but not required. Permanent death is classified as the game saving no environmental progress, no checkpoints, and no system consisting of multiple lives.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Roguelite games, check out the Best Xbox Roguelite Games page.
Role Playing
Role-playing games (RPGs) see the player take control of one or more characters as they interact with the world around them. RPGs tend to come in two forms with most being a combination of the two. One sees the game being heavily focused on the story and narrative of the game while others focus more on character/s becoming more powerful over time giving the player a moderate to high level of control in regards to how they develop including stats/attributes, equipment and more.
For a complete list of Xbox Role Playing games, check out the Full list of Role Playing Games on Xbox page.
Run & Gun
Run & Gun games incorporate a platforming element into the game and the player has to use this, together with often upgradable arsenal to defeat enemies while progressing through mostly linear levels.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Run & Gun games, check out the Best Xbox Run & Gun Games page.
Sandbox
Sandbox games allow the player to create, modify, or construct upon the physical aspects of a game world, either using tools or freeform, with no specific objective.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Sandbox games, check out the Best Xbox Sandbox Games page.
Shoot 'em up
Shoot ‘em ups put the player in control of an avatar to be guided through an environment, while battling large numbers of weak enemies and dodging their fire. These games focus on reaction time and tend to feature scrolling levels and/or twin-stick mechanics.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Shoot 'em up games, check out the Best Xbox Shoot 'em up Games page.
Simulation
Simulation games attempt to accurately replicate some current, or potential future, aspect of real life. Often the player is tasked with managing or caring for a system, although other tasks, such as driving or flying, may be encapsulated.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Simulation games, check out the Best Xbox Simulation Games page.
Simulation Racing
Simulation Racing games feature realistic handling and physics in an attempt to accurately portray racing. They often include drifting and tuning, but tend to not feature weapons or other unrealistic elements.
For a complete list of Xbox Simulation Racing games, check out the Full list of Simulation Racing Games on Xbox page.
Sports
Sports games model playing an existing sport, complete with a set of rules and organized competition. They do not necessarily have to be simulations and may feature actions that are over-the-top, physically impossible, or not allowed within the real life activity.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Sports games, check out the Best Xbox Sports Games page.
Stealth
Stealth games task the player with attempting to manoeuvre through an environment unseen and unheard by enemies. Detection will usually come at a cost, resulting in either combat, firefights, or other unfavourable circumstances. As such, the player will generally be rewarded for sticking to a more stealthy style of play and utilising any hiding and escape mechanics the game provides. Two primary systems employed by Stealth games are an enemy awareness system (of the player's presence) and/or gameplay mechanics explicitly to help players avoid or escape detection.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Stealth games, check out the Best Xbox Stealth Games page.
Strategy
Covers both strategy and tactical games. Strategy games give the player command of resources which must be used strategically to defeat enemies. Common gameplay elements include building and defending a base, directing offensive units against opponents, and upgrading technology. Tactical games rely on the terrain influencing combat and movement regulation via grid use. Battles are often story driven. The concluding event need not be the destruction of the opposing unit(s).
If you are looking for some great Xbox Strategy games, check out the Best Xbox Strategy Games page.
Survival
Survival games give players limited resources to survive. While enemies may be present, the focus is generally on the player's own survival against a hostile environment. Statistics such as hunger and thirst are governed by meters and need to be replenished in order to prevent death. Crafting elements are generally present, as well as the ability to construct weapons, buildings, or upgrades to aid in long-term survival.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Survival games, check out the Best Xbox Survival Games page.
Survival Horror
Survival Horror games see the player placed into a horror-themed environment usually with graphic violence and/or a frightening atmosphere. While enemies can usually be confronted with combat the player is given limited assets such as ammunition, health or the ability to heal, speed and vision. Progress is usually stalled through the use of locked paths and/or puzzles that need to be solved or have specific items collected before being allowed to continue.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Survival Horror games, check out the Best Xbox Survival Horror Games page.
Third Person Shooter
Third Person Shooters test the player’s marksmanship abilities and position the camera behind the player such that the protagonist can be seen.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Third Person Shooter games, check out the Best Xbox Third Person Shooter Games page.
Tower Defence
Tower Defense games have the player defending a specific item or area on the map from enemy attacks. Attacks usually occur along a set path or fixed direction. The player is able to build objects in order to assist the defense of this base, either by attacking enemies or buffing their own abilities. These objects are built, maintained, or upgraded through a resource management system.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Tower Defence games, check out the Best Xbox Tower Defence Games page.
Turn Based
Turn Based is a tag usually reserved for Strategy and Role Playing games to detail the pace of gameplay which creates a significantly different experience to Real Time games. Turn Based games see you and your opponents act one after the other or in the case of some RPGs when an action bar is filled. Turn Based Strategy games generally have a certain set or amount of actions they can execute before the turn passes to the next unit or player.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Turn Based games, check out the Best Xbox Turn Based Games page.
Vehicular Combat
Vehicular Combat games give the player control of a vehicle on land, sea, air, or space, with a focus on battles against other vehicles or targets. Combat scenarios vary from simple arena battles to large scale military operations.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Vehicular Combat games, check out the Best Xbox Vehicular Combat Games page.
Visual Novel
Visual Novels generally consist of static images or videos accompanied by text or spoken dialogue, and generally lack gameplay challenges in favour of pure storytelling. The player is usually confronted with choices which determine the branch of the storyline shown.
If you are looking for some great Xbox Visual Novel games, check out the Best Xbox Visual Novel Games page.