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: Jul 11, 2025
Rank
Mechanic
Score
1
Hand Management147
2
Variable Set-up111
3
Solo / Solitaire Game101
4
Variable Player Powers99
5
End Game Bonuses96
6
Open Drafting94
7
Set Collection89
8
Dice Rolling65
9
Tags58
10
Income55
11
Contracts53
12
Cooperative Game52
13
Take That48
13
Multi-Use Cards48
15
Hexagon Grid46
15
Deck, Bag, and Pool Building46
17
Simultaneous Action Selection44
18
Tile Placement43
19
Worker Placement42
20
Modular Board41
21
Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game40
21
Race40
23
Turn Order: Progressive36
24
Action Points32
25
Push Your Luck31
25
Events31
27
Network and Route Building29
27
Tech Trees / Tech Tracks29
29
Player Elimination28
29
Delayed Purchase28
31
Area Majority / Influence27
31
Grid Movement27
31
Increase Value of Unchosen Resources27
31
Track Movement27
35
Area Movement26
35
Point to Point Movement26
37
Once-Per-Game Abilities25
38
Role Playing24
38
Pattern Building24
38
Communication Limits24
41
Turn Order: Claim Action22
41
Card Play Conflict Resolution22
43
Team-Based Game21
44
Score-and-Reset Game20
44
Square Grid20
46
Victory Points as a Resource19
47
Market18
47
Ownership18
47
Grid Coverage18
47
Closed Drafting18
51
Action Retrieval17
51
Movement Points17
51
Deck Construction17
54
Campaign / Battle Card Driven16
54
Die Icon Resolution16
54
Sudden Death Ending16
57
Action Queue15
57
Legacy Game15
59
Trading14
59
Turn Order: Stat-Based14
59
Narrative Choice / Paragraph14
59
Hidden Victory Points14
63
Enclosure13
63
Automatic Resource Growth13
63
Chaining13
66
Variable Phase Order12
66
Worker Placement, Different Worker Types12
68
Auction/Bidding11
68
Storytelling11
68
Memory11
71
Voting10
71
Simulation10
71
Catch the Leader10
71
Negotiation10
71
Map Addition10
71
Melding and Splaying10
77
Traitor Game9
77
Follow9
77
Hidden Roles9
77
Deduction9
81
Turn Order: Auction8
81
Turn Order: Pass Order8
81
Interrupts8
81
Action Drafting8
81
Stat Check Resolution8
81
Line of Sight8
87
Advantage Token7
87
Critical Hits and Failures7
87
Force Commitment7
87
Resource to Move7
91
Paper-and-Pencil6
91
Connections6
91
King of the Hill6
91
Auction: Dutch6
91
Neighbor Scope6
96
Trick-taking5
96
Semi-Cooperative Game5
96
Tug of War5
96
Loans5
96
Programmed Movement5
96
Map Reduction5
96
Bingo5
103
Betting and Bluffing4
103
Pattern Recognition4
103
Kill Steal4
103
Roles with Asymmetric Information4
103
Investment4
103
Auction: Turn Order Until Pass4
103
Worker Placement with Dice Workers4
103
Three Dimensional Movement4
103
Pattern Movement4
103
Map Deformation4
103
Layering4
103
Ordering4
115
Pick-up and Deliver3
115
Action/Event3
115
Re-rolling and Locking3
115
Finale Ending3
115
Random Production3
115
Alliances3
115
Constrained Bidding3
115
Selection Order Bid3
115
Bias3
115
Zone of Control3
125
Commodity Speculation2
125
Secret Unit Deployment2
125
Area-Impulse2
125
Singing2
125
Turn Order: Time Track2
125
Rondel2
125
Real-Time2
125
Turn Order: Role Order2
125
Lose a Turn2
125
Prisoner's Dilemma2
125
Flicking2
125
Static Capture2
125
Targeted Clues2
125
Bribery2
125
Auction: Sealed Bid2
125
Relative Movement2
125
Mancala2
125
Pieces as Map2
125
Hidden Movement2
125
Hot Potato2
145
Rock-Paper-Scissors1
145
Stock Holding1
145
Line Drawing1
145
Chit-Pull System1
145
Passed Action Token1
145
Command Cards1
145
Order Counters1
145
Highest-Lowest Scoring1
145
Closed Economy Auction1
145
Moving Multiple Units1
145
Ladder Climbing1
145
Matching1
145
Questions and Answers1
145
Resource Queue1
N/A
Crayon Rail System0
N/A
Roll / Spin and Move0
N/A
Acting0
N/A
Single Loser Game0
N/A
Action Timer0
N/A
Ratio / Combat Results Table0
N/A
Minimap Resolution0
N/A
Player Judge0
N/A
Elapsed Real Time Ending0
N/A
I Cut, You Choose0
N/A
Auction: English0
N/A
Auction: Once Around0
N/A
Auction: Multiple Lot0
N/A
Auction: Dexterity0
N/A
Auction: Fixed Placement0
N/A
Auction: Dutch Priority0
N/A
Measurement Movement0
N/A
Different Dice Movement0
N/A
Impulse Movement0
N/A
Move Through Deck0
N/A
Movement Template0
N/A
Multiple Maps0
N/A
Turn Order: Random0
N/A
Stacking and Balancing0
N/A
Physical Removal0
N/A
Cube Tower0
N/A
Speed Matching0
N/A
Induction0
N/A
Slide/Push0
N/A
Predictive Bid0
N/A
Drawing0
N/A
Bids As Wagers0
N/A
Auction Compensation0
No records