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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: Feb 27, 2026

Rank	Mechanic	Score
1	Hand Management	46
2	Set Collection	36
3	Open Drafting	33
3	Variable Set-up	33
5	End Game Bonuses	31
6	Solo / Solitaire Game	26
7	Variable Player Powers	23
8	Tags	21
9	Take That	18
10	Contracts	17
10	Multi-Use Cards	17
12	Dice Rolling	16
13	Tile Placement	15
13	Simultaneous Action Selection	15
13	Race	15
16	Cooperative Game	14
16	Income	14
18	Hexagon Grid	12
18	Deck, Bag, and Pool Building	12
18	Score-and-Reset Game	12
21	Push Your Luck	11
21	Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game	11
23	Pattern Building	10
23	Turn Order: Progressive	10
23	Communication Limits	10
26	Network and Route Building	9
27	Player Elimination	8
27	Once-Per-Game Abilities	8
29	Action Points	7
29	Worker Placement	7
29	Grid Movement	7
29	Events	7
29	Sudden Death Ending	7
29	Delayed Purchase	7
29	Increase Value of Unchosen Resources	7
29	Track Movement	7
29	Grid Coverage	7
29	Closed Drafting	7
29	Deck Construction	7
40	Modular Board	6
40	Action Retrieval	6
40	Tech Trees / Tech Tracks	6
40	Square Grid	6
40	Chaining	6
40	Melding and Splaying	6
46	Enclosure	5
46	Point to Point Movement	5
46	Area Majority / Influence	5
46	Die Icon Resolution	5
46	Victory Points as a Resource	5
46	Market	5
46	Ownership	5
46	Hidden Victory Points	5
46	Deduction	5
55	Trading	4
55	Area Movement	4
55	Memory	4
55	Paper-and-Pencil	4
55	Action Queue	4
55	Turn Order: Stat-Based	4
55	Turn Order: Claim Action	4
55	Follow	4
55	Card Play Conflict Resolution	4
55	Catch the Leader	4
55	Bingo	4
66	Auction/Bidding	3
66	Campaign / Battle Card Driven	3
66	Team-Based Game	3
66	Role Playing	3
66	Variable Phase Order	3
66	Legacy Game	3
66	Interrupts	3
66	Connections	3
66	Worker Placement with Dice Workers	3
66	Movement Points	3
66	Neighbor Scope	3
77	Trick-taking	2
77	Storytelling	2
77	Simulation	2
77	Turn Order: Pass Order	2
77	Narrative Choice / Paragraph	2
77	Critical Hits and Failures	2
77	Force Commitment	2
77	Re-rolling and Locking	2
77	King of the Hill	2
77	Automatic Resource Growth	2
77	Random Production	2
77	Negotiation	2
77	Auction: Turn Order Until Pass	2
77	Selection Order Bid	2
77	Three Dimensional Movement	2
77	Pattern Movement	2
77	Line of Sight	2
77	Layering	2
77	Ordering	2
96	Betting and Bluffing	1
96	Secret Unit Deployment	1
96	Voting	1
96	Singing	1
96	Line Drawing	1
96	Pattern Recognition	1
96	Turn Order: Time Track	1
96	Rondel	1
96	Semi-Cooperative Game	1
96	Turn Order: Auction	1
96	Real-Time	1
96	Action Drafting	1
96	Advantage Token	1
96	Stat Check Resolution	1
96	Flicking	1
96	Static Capture	1
96	Targeted Clues	1
96	Kill Steal	1
96	Tug of War	1
96	Hidden Roles	1
96	Loans	1
96	Investment	1
96	Auction: Sealed Bid	1
96	Constrained Bidding	1
96	Auction: Dutch	1
96	Closed Economy Auction	1
96	Worker Placement, Different Worker Types	1
96	Resource to Move	1
96	Programmed Movement	1
96	Map Addition	1
96	Map Reduction	1
96	Map Deformation	1
96	Pieces as Map	1
96	Zone of Control	1
96	Ladder Climbing	1
96	Physical Removal	1
96	Matching	1
96	Questions and Answers	1
N/A	Rock-Paper-Scissors	0
N/A	Stock Holding	0
N/A	Pick-up and Deliver	0
N/A	Crayon Rail System	0
N/A	Commodity Speculation	0
N/A	Area-Impulse	0
N/A	Roll / Spin and Move	0
N/A	Chit-Pull System	0
N/A	Acting	0
N/A	Traitor Game	0
N/A	Single Loser Game	0
N/A	Turn Order: Role Order	0
N/A	Action Timer	0
N/A	Passed Action Token	0
N/A	Lose a Turn	0
N/A	Action/Event	0
N/A	Command Cards	0
N/A	Order Counters	0
N/A	Ratio / Combat Results Table	0
N/A	Prisoner's Dilemma	0
N/A	Minimap Resolution	0
N/A	Player Judge	0
N/A	Elapsed Real Time Ending	0
N/A	Finale Ending	0
N/A	Highest-Lowest Scoring	0
N/A	Roles with Asymmetric Information	0
N/A	I Cut, You Choose	0
N/A	Bribery	0
N/A	Alliances	0
N/A	Auction: English	0
N/A	Auction: Once Around	0
N/A	Auction: Multiple Lot	0
N/A	Auction: Dexterity	0
N/A	Auction: Fixed Placement	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	Relative Movement	0
N/A	Mancala	0
N/A	Bias	0
N/A	Moving Multiple Units	0
N/A	Move Through Deck	0
N/A	Movement Template	0
N/A	Multiple Maps	0
N/A	Hidden Movement	0
N/A	Turn Order: Random	0
N/A	Stacking and Balancing	0
N/A	Cube Tower	0
N/A	Speed Matching	0
N/A	Hot Potato	0
N/A	Induction	0
N/A	Slide/Push	0
N/A	Predictive Bid	0
N/A	Drawing	0
N/A	Bids As Wagers	0
N/A	Auction Compensation	0
N/A	Resource Queue	0

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