Games are one of the most universal forms of entertainment known to mankind. A game is any physical or mental activity performed for entertainment, including physical games like soccer and baseball, or board games like Monopoly and Chess, or even computer games (such as Tetris and Space Invaders), or video games (such as Super Mario Brothers and Sonic the Hedgehog), or even computer-generated games (such as World of Warcraft). In fact, games are so widespread that it would be considered an exaggeration to call all forms of entertainment games; they are present in such diverse forms and genres as action games, card games, word games, musical games, puzzles, and trivia games.

While most people think of board games and other physical activities when they think of games, they are in fact also prevalent in digital forms. Computer games can be highly sophisticated, multi-player games with complicated rules and strategic strategies. They can be highly abstract games where the player must analyze and manipulate pieces on a virtual chess board; they can be highly competitive games played by players across continents or countries; or they can be simple, point and click games requiring minimal interaction with the computer itself. With the proliferation of massively multiplayer online role playing games or MMORPGs, however, the scope of games beyond the realm of physical activities is becoming much more widespread. These online games involve players interacting with one another within a fully immersive virtual world, using a variety of devices, including computers, game consoles, cell phones, handheld computers, laptops, handheld digital boards and other devices. In some ways, MMORPGs are taking over much of the technological landscape, with tablet PCs being used to play MMORPGs and other digital experiences.

With virtually unlimited possibilities, as well as endless potential for creativity, the range of games is almost unlimited. However, most games fall into one of three categories: strategy games, combat games, and adventure games. Each of these categories has its own unique approach to gaming, its own special set of rules and its own unique set of features and capabilities.

For the most part, most people think of video games as being the more traditional type of gaming. Strategy games involve players taking turns and working to beat each other’s score. Board games sports on the other hand, usually involve players taking turns trying to beat each other within a time limit. Action games, on the other hand, involve player interaction in scenes designed to push the player’s adrenaline through the roof. For many people, video games offer the pure entertainment of playing video games without any of the frustration and saturation that many others tend to experience. Although video games can provide an unparalleled way of enjoyment, it is important to realize that video games also have the potential to become addictive and harmful.

For a number of years, computer games and video games seemed to be what defined the entire gaming industry. At one point, role-playing and strategy games were all the rage. In fact, a lot of people saw computer games as being a sort of substitute for real-life role-playing or even actual real-life combat. The difference between computer games and actual combat is that instead of the player having to map out his own course of action, in a role-playing game he simply has to make choices and react to events that he chooses to enter. In a strategy game, players are given the opportunity to take a different path by altering the initial circumstances of the game.

Computer games are so closely associated with their use of virtual reality that many people consider them to be nothing more than interactive mirrors of the real world. Players can become immersed within the world created by the game without having to put forth any effort whatsoever. Because of this, computer games often require players to adapt to very complex rules and systems of rules that they have created themselves. Video games can also be addictive because, like the characters in a role-playing game, they require the player to remain engaged and invested until the end.