Board Game Mechanics List
When exploring the world of board games, you’ll often encounter a variety of terms that can be confusing, especially for beginners. One of the most important aspects of any game is its mechanics—these are the systems and rules that shape how players interact with the game and each other. Understanding these mechanics is key to mastering gameplay and appreciating the depth of different games.
MechanicsBG has a comprehensive database that you can search & filter – This page is includes a board game mechanics list – in a short, easier to digest version. You can always click “read more” to dive deeper into each mechanics with deep-dive, game examples, youtube playlists and more.
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Games designed for exactly two players are often tightly focused on direct competition, interaction, or collaboration. These games, like Twilight Struggle or Patchwork, are balanced to ensure an intense and engaging experience, often featuring mechanics that thrive on the dynamic interplay between two opposing forces.
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Players must achieve total dominance over an area or resource in this mechanic. Risk is a prime example, where absolute control over territories determines the winner and requires strategic planning and risk-taking.
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Players compete to have the most influence over a region or area. This mechanic, found in games like El Grande, emphasizes strategic placement and timing, as players vie for dominance without necessarily owning all resources.
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Players bid for turn order in this mechanic, spending resources to secure a preferred position. It adds layers of strategy as players weigh the benefits of acting earlier against the cost of their bid. Games like Ra and Power Grid highlight this engaging approach to turn order.
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Players wager resources or make bold claims to deceive opponents or secure gains. Games like Sheriff of Nottingham rely on this mechanic to create tension and humor, as players weigh risks and rewards.
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This mechanic helps level the playing field by implementing systems that hinder the leading player or benefit those lagging behind. Games like Mario Kart use it to keep gameplay competitive and exciting, preventing runaway victories.
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Closed drafting is a board game mechanic where players select cards, tiles, or other resources from a hidden pool, typically passing the unselected options to others. The element of hidden information adds suspense, strategy, and unpredictability as players make choices without full knowledge of their opponents’ decisions.
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The competitive mechanic is a game structure where players oppose each other to achieve victory, aiming to outperform their opponents. It emphasizes direct or indirect rivalry and fosters strategic decision-making as players seek to win by accumulating points, completing objectives, or achieving set goals.
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In cooperative games, players work together to achieve a shared goal or overcome a common challenge. Everyone wins or loses as a team, making communication, planning, and teamwork essential. This mechanic shines in games like Pandemic or Spirit Island, where players must strategize collaboratively while managing limited resources and threats.
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Deck building is a card game mechanic where players start with a small, basic deck and gradually add new cards to improve it, building a unique deck over the course of the game. Each player’s deck is personal and grows as they make strategic choices about which cards to add.
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In Dutch auctions, the price starts high and decreases until a player accepts it. This creates a sense of urgency and reward for bold decisions, seen in games like Keyflower, where timing is key to securing valuable resources.
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These bonuses are rewards granted at the end of the game based on specific achievements, such as completed sets or objectives. Games like Terraforming Mars use them to encourage long-term planning and add suspense to the final scoring.
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In English auctions, players take turns bidding in ascending order until no one outbids the last offer. This classic auction style appears in games like Power Grid, where careful resource management complements competitive bidding.
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Games with this mechanic have a predetermined number of rounds, providing structure and a clear end point. Players must maximize efficiency within this timeframe, as seen in 7 Wonders, where each age is played over a set number of turns.
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Hand management is a strategic game mechanic where players make decisions about when and how to play or hold onto the cards in their hand to maximize the effectiveness of each play. Efficient use of cards is crucial to achieving game objectives, as players balance short-term actions with long-term goals.
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This mechanic keeps certain player movements secret, creating suspense and deduction opportunities. Games like Letters from Whitechapel use hidden movement to heighten tension and strategy as players hunt or evade.
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Hidden roles assign players secret identities or goals, creating intrigue and deduction. Games like Werewolf and The Resistance thrive on this mechanic, as players try to uncover allies and enemies through observation and bluffing.
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This mechanic divides resources fairly by allowing one player to split them and the other to choose first. It encourages careful division and strategic planning, as in Piece o’ Cake or New York Slice, where fairness is key to balance.
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Players compete to control a specific area or achieve dominance over others in this mechanic. Risk and Small World employ this dynamic, where maintaining control over a contested area or goal is key to victory.
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Negotiation mechanics let players make deals, alliances, or trades, often creating dynamic and unpredictable gameplay. Games like Cosmic Encounter thrive on this mechanic, rewarding clever persuasion and social skills.
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This mechanic challenges players to create interconnected systems, like transportation routes or resource pipelines. Games like Ticket to Ride excel here, encouraging players to efficiently link locations while blocking opponents’ plans.
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An open auction allows all players to bid publicly, raising the stakes until one emerges as the winner. This mechanic fosters player interaction and tension, as seen in Modern Art, where strategic bidding is crucial.
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Open drafting is a mechanic where players take turns selecting cards, tiles, or other game components from a shared pool that all players can see. Each choice is visible to everyone, creating a blend of strategy and interaction as players weigh their selections while considering potential choices for others.
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In pass-based turn order, the next player is determined by who passes their turn first. This mechanic often appears in auction games, like Modern Art, creating tension as players decide whether to stay in or bow out to secure better options later.
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In player elimination games, participants can be removed from play when they fail to meet conditions or are defeated. While common in classics like Risk, modern designs often mitigate downtime for eliminated players by ensuring quick rounds or alternate roles.
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In games with progressive turn order, the order of play shifts based on evolving conditions, such as player actions or game state changes. This mechanic rewards strategic planning, as in Power Grid, where the turn order adjusts based on player standings to create balance and variety.
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This mechanic encourages players to take risks for greater rewards while tempting fate. In games like Can’t Stop, players must decide whether to bank their gains or gamble for more, knowing a single mistake could cost them everything.
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Here, the sequence of play is determined by chance, such as dice rolls or shuffled cards. This mechanic introduces unpredictability, leveling the playing field and keeping players on their toes. It’s common in casual games like Clue, where the randomness adds an element of surprise.
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In role-based turn order, the sequence of play is dictated by assigned roles, with each role having specific abilities or priorities. Puerto Rico exemplifies this mechanic, where roles like Builder or Mayor determine both the turn order and the available actions.
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Players roll dice to determine their movement across the board. While simple and classic, as in Monopoly, modern games often enhance this mechanic with added strategy, such as choosing paths or modifying rolls.
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Set collection is a board game mechanic where players aim to gather groups of similar items—such as cards, tiles, or tokens—to complete sets. Sets typically earn players points or rewards, with different sets often having unique values or abilities.
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Solo games are designed for a single player, offering a personal and often puzzle-like experience. They frequently involve overcoming challenges created by the game’s system, such as automated opponents or goal-based scenarios. Examples like Friday and Terraforming Mars (solo mode) showcase how this mechanic can create deeply immersive gameplay.
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Turn order is determined by player stats, such as initiative or a character’s speed. This mechanic adds a thematic layer, as seen in Gloomhaven, where faster characters act before slower ones, reflecting their agility or preparation in the game world.
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Tableau building is a board game mechanic where players build and arrange a personal collection of cards, tiles, or items on their individual player boards, known as a “tableau.” These cards or items often create an engine, offering abilities or bonuses that help players achieve their game objectives.
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Tile-laying involves placing tiles to create patterns, networks, or territories. Carcassonne popularized this mechanic, where players strategically place tiles to expand their influence while scoring points for completed features like cities or roads.
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The traitor mechanic introduces hidden betrayal into games. Some players secretly work against the group, creating tension and paranoia. Games like Battlestar Galactica and Shadows Over Camelot use this mechanic to add dramatic twists, as players must uncover who is sabotaging their efforts while completing shared objectives.
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Trick-taking is a card game mechanic where players each play one card per round (a “trick”), with the highest card winning the trick based on the game’s rules or suit hierarchy. The objective typically involves winning as many tricks as possible or reaching a specific target score through strategic card play.
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In tug-of-war mechanics, players push and pull control of a resource, area, or game element back and forth. This often creates high tension, as seen in Twilight Struggle, where influence is constantly contested on a shared board.
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Variable player powers is a game mechanic where each player has unique abilities or starting conditions that set them apart from others, creating asymmetrical strategies and roles. This mechanic adds depth to gameplay, as players leverage their unique powers to gain an advantage and adapt their strategies.
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Worker placement is a popular game mechanic where players assign their limited workers (meeples, tokens, or characters) to specific action spaces on the board. Each action provides unique benefits, but once a space is occupied, it’s usually blocked from other players until the next round, encouraging strategic decision-making and competitive planning.
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Zones of control are areas where a player’s presence restricts or affects opponents’ actions. Wargames often use this mechanic, adding tactical depth as players position units to block or influence enemy movement.
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