Table 1.
Definitions of the main genres of video games adopted in the systematic review.
| Video game genre | Definition | Examples |
| Action games | Require quick action and emphasize physical challenges, including hand-eye coordination and reaction time. This genre includes many subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games | Super Mario Bros, Doom, Call of Duty, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter |
| Adventure games | Characterized by complex plots and emphasize exploration and problem-solving. Typically, pure adventure games have situational problems for the player to solve, with very little or no action. If there is action, it generally includes isolated minigames | Zork, The Walking Dead, Until Dawn, Life is Strange, Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls |
| Action-adventure games | A hybrid genre that combines core elements from both action and adventure game genres. These games require many of the same physical skills as action games, and offer a storyline, an inventory system, and other adventure games. This genre includes the subgenre of survival horror games, typically designed to scare the players | Tomb Raider, The Last of Us, Grand Theft Auto, Uncharted, Resident Evil, Left 4 Dead, Cyberpunk 2077 |
| Casual video games | Short games with little or no plot that can be played in short sessions; they are quick and straightforward to learn | Bejeweled, Plants vs. Zombies, Tetris, FreeCell |
| Racing games | Racing competition with any vehicles (from real-world racing leagues to fantastical settings) | Gran Turismo, Need for Speed, Mario Kart |
| Sports games | Simulate the practice of sports, including team sports, combat sports, and extreme sports | FIFA 2020, NBA 2K20, Steep |
| Role-playing games | Players control an avatar and develop it over a certain period of time. This genre includes the subgenre of massively multiplayer online role-playing games, which are role-playing video games played online with large numbers of players | Final Fantasy, EverQuest, World of Warcraft, Dragon Quest, Diablo |
| Strategy games | Emphasize strategic thinking and resource management. This genre includes the multiplayer online battle arena. Each player controls a single character with unique abilities that improve throughout a game and contribute to the team’s overall strategy | Age of Empires, Civilization, Halo Wars, League of Legend, Dota II |
| Simulation games | Designed to closely simulate aspects of real life or fictional reality | The Sims, SimCity |
| Exergames | A combination of video gaming and physical exercise; these games require physical effort from the player to play the game | Just Dance, Ring Fit Adventure |
| Augmented reality games | Combine the use of mobile technology with physical exploration in the real world | Pokémon Go, Ingress |