Alternative Names & Categories for Board Games: A Taxonomy

"Board Game" Is a Broad Church—Here's How We Actually Classify Them

1. Synonyms & Umbrella Terms

Tabletop games: Includes board, card, dice, miniatures, RPG, tile-laying—anything played on a table.
Analog games: Contrast with digital/video games.
Hobby games / Designer games: Post-1995 "Eurogame" wave; distinct from mass-market (Monopoly, Life).
Modern board games: Implies mechanism-driven, designer-credited, hobby-market games.
Cardboard culture: Community slang for the hobby ecosystem.

2. Major Mechanical Categories (The "Real" Genres)

Category	Defining Mechanic	Flagship Examples
Eurogame / German-style	Indirect conflict, resource conversion, low luck, point salad	Catan, Ticket to Ride, Agricola, Viticulture, Wingspan
Ameritrash / Thematic	Direct conflict, dice combat, strong narrative, minis, player elimination	Risk, Twilight Imperium, Arkham Horror, Root, Gloomhaven
Abstract Strategy	Perfect information, no theme, no luck, minimal components	Chess, Go, Hive, Azul, Patchwork, Santorini
Deck-Builder	Start with weak deck; buy cards to improve it during play	Dominion, Star Realms, Clank!, Lost Ruins of Arnak
Worker Placement	Place limited workers on action spaces; block others	Agricola, Lords of Waterdeep, Viticulture, Everdell
Area Control / Map Control	Compete for territories on a map	Risk, Scythe, Small World, Blood Rage, Kemet
Cooperative	All players vs. game system; shared win/loss	Pandemic, Spirit Island, The Crew, Flash Point
Social Deduction / Hidden Role	Secret teams; deduction, bluffing, social reading	Werewolf, The Resistance, Blood on the Clocktower, Secret Hitler
Roll/Flip & Write	Shared dice/cards; each player fills personal sheet	Ganz schön clever, Welcome To..., Cartographers
Legacy / Campaign	Permanent changes across sessions; sealed components	Pandemic Legacy, Gloomhaven, Charterstone, My City
Party / Light	Simple rules, 4–10+ players, humor, short rounds	Codenames, Just One, Wavelength, King of Tokyo
Wargame	Historical simulation; hex grid, CRT, OOB, deep rules	Advanced Squad Leader, Twilight Struggle, Combat Commander
18xx (Train Games)	Stock holding + route building; financial + spatial	1830, 1846, 18Chesapeake

3. Component-Based Terms (What's in the Box)

Meeples: Wooden human-shaped tokens (Carcassonne origin).
Standees / Standees: Cardboard characters in plastic bases.
Minis / Miniatures: Plastic/resin sculpted figures (often unpainted).
Chits / Counters / Tokens: Cardboard markers for resources, VP, status.
Tiles: Thick cardboard pieces that form the board (Carcassonne, Isle of Skye).
Boards: Main board, player boards, dual-layer, neoprene mats.
Dice: D6, custom, polyhedral, dice towers, dice drafting.
Cards: Standard, tarot, mini, square; decks, hands, tableaus.

4. Mechanic-Specific Vocabulary (The Designer's Lexicon)

Engine Building: Cards/tiles generate resources that buy better generators (Race for the Galaxy, Splendor).
Set Collection: Gather sets for exponential scoring (Sushi Go!, 7 Wonders).
Hand Management: Optimize card play order/timing (Lost Cities, Hanamikoji).
Deck Construction: Build deck before play (Magic, Netrunner) vs. Deck-Building (during play).
Auction / Bidding: Pay to claim actions/tiles (Power Grid, Modern Art).
Pick-up & Deliver: Move goods from A to B (Railways of the World, Merchants & Marauders).
Action Selection: Choose from shared menu (Puerto Rico, Race for the Galaxy).
Tile Placement: Build map as you play (Carcassonne, Kingdomino).

5. Culture & Community Terms

Game Night / Board Game Night: Regular social play session.
Game Master (GM): Facilitator in RPGs/legacy games.
Playtest: Prototype trial with feedback.
Board Game Café / Bar: Pay-per-hour venue with library.
Con / Convention: Gen Con, Essen Spiel, UK Games Expo, PAX Unplugged.
FLGS: Friendly Local Game Store.
Shelf of Shame / Opportunity: Unplayed owned games.
Kickstarter / Crowdfunding: Primary funding for 40%+ new hobby games.

Why This Matters

When someone asks "What kind of board games do you like?", answering "Eurogames with worker placement and engine building" communicates infinitely more than "board games." Precision creates connection.

Board Games