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Top Boardgame Mechanics

How is the score calculated?

To assign a score to each mechanic, 4 things are considered.

Current top 100 games on BoardGameGeek
Top 100 most played games of all time on BGG
Top 100 most-rated games of all time on BGG
Games with BGG rating of 7 or more.

All available BGG mechanics are assigned an initial score of zero. Then, the games in the above list are processed one by one.

The score of a mechanic is incremented by one when it is found in a game. This process is repeated for all the three lists above to arrive at the final score.

Use the drop-down below to check the mechanics rank for the top 50/150/200 games. You can click on a mechanic to know more.

Last updated: Dec 08, 2023

Rank	Mechanic	Score
1	Hand Management	143
2	Variable Player Powers	107
3	Solo / Solitaire Game	97
4	Variable Set-up	94
5	Set Collection	88
6	Open Drafting	78
7	End Game Bonuses	77
8	Dice Rolling	67
9	Contracts	52
10	Cooperative Game	51
11	Income	50
12	Worker Placement	47
13	Tags	46
14	Simultaneous Action Selection	45
15	Hexagon Grid	43
16	Tile Placement	41
16	Modular Board	41
18	Take That	37
19	Deck, Bag, and Pool Building	36
19	Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game	36
21	Area Majority / Influence	34
22	Action Points	32
23	Grid Movement	30
24	Turn Order: Progressive	29
24	Events	29
24	Victory Points as a Resource	29
24	Increase Value of Unchosen Resources	29
28	Area Movement	27
28	Push Your Luck	27
30	Tech Trees / Tech Tracks	26
31	Point to Point Movement	25
31	Network and Route Building	25
31	Market	25
34	Once-Per-Game Abilities	23
34	Race	23
34	Communication Limits	23
37	Role Playing	22
37	Closed Drafting	22
37	Multi-Use Cards	22
40	Team-Based Game	20
40	Turn Order: Claim Action	20
40	Delayed Purchase	20
43	Action Retrieval	19
44	Campaign / Battle Card Driven	18
44	Turn Order: Stat-Based	18
44	Card Play Conflict Resolution	18
47	Worker Placement, Different Worker Types	17
47	Deck Construction	17
49	Movement Points	16
50	Auction/Bidding	15
50	Action Queue	15
52	Pattern Building	14
52	Variable Phase Order	14
52	Legacy Game	14
52	Ownership	14
56	Player Elimination	13
56	Automatic Resource Growth	13
56	Square Grid	13
56	Map Addition	13
56	Hidden Victory Points	13
61	Trading	12
61	Sudden Death Ending	12
63	Memory	11
64	Voting	10
64	Enclosure	10
64	Traitor Game	10
64	Score-and-Reset Game	10
64	Grid Coverage	10
69	Storytelling	9
69	Follow	9
69	Advantage Token	9
69	Die Icon Resolution	9
69	Catch the Leader	9
69	Hidden Roles	9
75	Turn Order: Auction	8
75	Action Drafting	8
75	Stat Check Resolution	8
75	Negotiation	8
75	Auction: Dutch	8
75	Track Movement	8
75	Line of Sight	8
82	Simulation	7
82	Turn Order: Pass Order	7
82	Narrative Choice / Paragraph	7
82	Critical Hits and Failures	7
82	King of the Hill	7
82	Resource to Move	7
88	Force Commitment	6
88	Tug of War	6
88	Loans	6
91	Trick-taking	5
91	Paper-and-Pencil	5
91	Turn Order: Role Order	5
91	Interrupts	5
91	Connections	5
91	Chaining	5
91	Bias	5
91	Map Reduction	5
99	Pick-up and Deliver	4
99	Area-Impulse	4
99	Pattern Recognition	4
99	Investment	4
99	Auction: Turn Order Until Pass	4
99	Constrained Bidding	4
99	Worker Placement with Dice Workers	4
99	Three Dimensional Movement	4
99	Pattern Movement	4
99	Bingo	4
99	Layering	4
99	Deduction	4
111	Betting and Bluffing	3
111	Turn Order: Time Track	3
111	Rondel	3
111	Semi-Cooperative Game	3
111	Action/Event	3
111	Targeted Clues	3
111	Re-rolling and Locking	3
111	Finale Ending	3
111	Roles with Asymmetric Information	3
111	Random Production	3
111	Alliances	3
111	Mancala	3
111	Map Deformation	3
111	Zone of Control	3
111	Melding and Splaying	3
111	Neighbor Scope	3
127	Commodity Speculation	2
127	Secret Unit Deployment	2
127	Line Drawing	2
127	Lose a Turn	2
127	Prisoner's Dilemma	2
127	Flicking	2
127	Static Capture	2
127	Highest-Lowest Scoring	2
127	Auction: Sealed Bid	2
127	Selection Order Bid	2
127	Programmed Movement	2
127	Pieces as Map	2
127	Hidden Movement	2
127	Ordering	2
127	Resource Queue	2
142	Stock Holding	1
142	Chit-Pull System	1
142	Real-Time	1
142	Passed Action Token	1
142	Command Cards	1
142	Order Counters	1
142	Bribery	1
142	Auction: Multiple Lot	1
142	Closed Economy Auction	1
142	Auction: Fixed Placement	1
142	Relative Movement	1
142	Moving Multiple Units	1
142	Move Through Deck	1
142	Slide/Push	1
N/A	Rock-Paper-Scissors	0
N/A	Crayon Rail System	0
N/A	Roll / Spin and Move	0
N/A	Singing	0
N/A	Acting	0
N/A	Single Loser Game	0
N/A	Action Timer	0
N/A	Ratio / Combat Results Table	0
N/A	Minimap Resolution	0
N/A	Player Judge	0
N/A	Kill Steal	0
N/A	Elapsed Real Time Ending	0
N/A	I Cut, You Choose	0
N/A	Auction: English	0
N/A	Auction: Once Around	0
N/A	Auction: Dexterity	0
N/A	Auction: Dutch Priority	0
N/A	Measurement Movement	0
N/A	Different Dice Movement	0
N/A	Impulse Movement	0
N/A	Movement Template	0
N/A	Multiple Maps	0
N/A	Ladder Climbing	0
N/A	Turn Order: Random	0
N/A	Stacking and Balancing	0
N/A	Physical Removal	0
N/A	Cube Tower	0
N/A	Speed Matching	0
N/A	Hot Potato	0
N/A	Induction	0
N/A	Predictive Bid	0
N/A	Matching	0
N/A	Drawing	0
N/A	Bids As Wagers	0
N/A	Auction Compensation	0
N/A	Questions and Answers	0

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