Accelerometer – A device which measures vibrations and motions of a player that is used in controllers such as Nintendo’s Wiimote.
Action – A genre of games which rely on a player’s fast reflexes and hand eye coordination to win.
Adventure – A genre of games that has a player following a story where they will interact with other characters, explore a game world and sometimes solve puzzles.
Beta – Almost all games go through a stage of testing which is referred to as a beta testing phase. During this, gamers are brought on board to try to find bugs in the game itself.
Boss – Coming from arcade game days, this is a powerful character that the player will fight towards the end of a game’s level.
Console – This is the machine that plays cartridges, CD-ROMs or DVDs that contain video games. Connects with a TV set.
Cut-scene – This is a sequence of video or animation that will show part of a game’s story line to the player and is not interactive.
Demo – This is a sample that is given out either as a bonus to a game purchased as a physical copy or as a download to consoles or PCs.
Edutainment – This term is used to describe video games that are intended to be educational. Usually designed for young children.
End User – In developer terms, this is the person who will be playing the game after its release.
First-person – This is a camera angle used in movies as well as video games. With this angle, the viewer or player sees out through the eyes of the character they are controlling.
Genre – This is a way that games are categorized to make them easier to understand in a retail setting. Examples include role playing, strategy, action and adventure.
MMORPG – An acronym which stands for Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. This is a game played over the internet that allows players to create a character and play out adventures with fellow players in a consistent game world.
NPC – An acronym meaning Non Player Character, the kind of character in a game which is controlled by the computer and interacts with the player. Not usually an enemy.
Resolution – This is how clear the screen is and how sharp the images will be. It is the ratio of dots per inch (DPI) on a monitor or TV set.
RPG – Acronym meaning Role Playing Game – A game where the player takes on the role of a character, usually creating them from scratch to their own personal tastes.
Sandbox – This is a video game setting where there is not a gaming or competitive element. It is usually a means by which players can experiment without consequences such as winning or losing.
Simulation – This style of game attempts to accurately recreate reality and can include racing, sports or even war games.
Spoiler – When a reviewer gives out details that might ruin the story line of a game or movie, this is referred to as a spoiler.
Third-person – This is a camera angle in a video game or movie where the viewer is watching the character from a distance.
