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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: May 31, 2024

Rank	Mechanic	Score
1	Hand Management	142
2	Variable Player Powers	107
3	Solo / Solitaire Game	96
4	Variable Set-up	94
5	Set Collection	87
6	Open Drafting	82
7	End Game Bonuses	77
8	Dice Rolling	66
9	Income	51
10	Cooperative Game	50
11	Contracts	49
12	Tags	46
13	Simultaneous Action Selection	45
13	Worker Placement	45
15	Hexagon Grid	43
16	Deck, Bag, and Pool Building	41
17	Take That	40
18	Tile Placement	39
18	Modular Board	39
18	Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game	39
21	Action Points	32
21	Area Majority / Influence	32
23	Push Your Luck	31
24	Grid Movement	29
25	Turn Order: Progressive	28
25	Events	28
25	Victory Points as a Resource	28
25	Increase Value of Unchosen Resources	28
29	Area Movement	27
30	Point to Point Movement	26
30	Tech Trees / Tech Tracks	26
32	Network and Route Building	25
33	Role Playing	24
33	Communication Limits	24
35	Once-Per-Game Abilities	23
35	Race	23
37	Turn Order: Claim Action	22
37	Market	22
37	Closed Drafting	22
37	Multi-Use Cards	22
41	Team-Based Game	21
41	Action Queue	21
41	Card Play Conflict Resolution	21
44	Action Retrieval	20
44	Delayed Purchase	20
46	Campaign / Battle Card Driven	17
46	Turn Order: Stat-Based	17
46	Movement Points	17
46	Deck Construction	17
50	Worker Placement, Different Worker Types	16
51	Pattern Building	15
51	Legacy Game	15
51	Narrative Choice / Paragraph	15
54	Auction/Bidding	14
54	Variable Phase Order	14
54	Player Elimination	14
57	Automatic Resource Growth	13
57	Ownership	13
57	Hidden Victory Points	13
60	Trading	12
60	Square Grid	12
60	Map Addition	12
63	Voting	11
63	Enclosure	11
63	Memory	11
63	Sudden Death Ending	11
63	Negotiation	11
68	Traitor Game	10
68	Catch the Leader	10
68	Grid Coverage	10
71	Storytelling	9
71	Action Drafting	9
71	Follow	9
71	Die Icon Resolution	9
71	Hidden Roles	9
71	Auction: Dutch	9
71	Track Movement	9
78	Score-and-Reset Game	8
78	Turn Order: Auction	8
78	Advantage Token	8
78	Stat Check Resolution	8
78	Line of Sight	8
83	Simulation	7
83	Turn Order: Pass Order	7
83	Interrupts	7
83	Critical Hits and Failures	7
83	King of the Hill	7
83	Resource to Move	7
89	Paper-and-Pencil	6
89	Force Commitment	6
89	Loans	6
92	Trick-taking	5
92	Pattern Recognition	5
92	Turn Order: Role Order	5
92	Connections	5
92	Tug of War	5
92	Investment	5
92	Chaining	5
99	Area-Impulse	4
99	Roles with Asymmetric Information	4
99	Auction: Turn Order Until Pass	4
99	Worker Placement with Dice Workers	4
99	Three Dimensional Movement	4
99	Pattern Movement	4
99	Programmed Movement	4
99	Bias	4
99	Map Reduction	4
99	Bingo	4
99	Layering	4
99	Deduction	4
99	Ordering	4
112	Pick-up and Deliver	3
112	Betting and Bluffing	3
112	Turn Order: Time Track	3
112	Rondel	3
112	Semi-Cooperative Game	3
112	Action/Event	3
112	Targeted Clues	3
112	Re-rolling and Locking	3
112	Finale Ending	3
112	Random Production	3
112	Alliances	3
112	Constrained Bidding	3
112	Mancala	3
112	Map Deformation	3
112	Zone of Control	3
112	Melding and Splaying	3
112	Neighbor Scope	3
129	Commodity Speculation	2
129	Secret Unit Deployment	2
129	Line Drawing	2
129	Lose a Turn	2
129	Flicking	2
129	Static Capture	2
129	Highest-Lowest Scoring	2
129	Auction: Sealed Bid	2
129	Selection Order Bid	2
129	Pieces as Map	2
129	Hidden Movement	2
140	Stock Holding	1
140	Chit-Pull System	1
140	Real-Time	1
140	Passed Action Token	1
140	Command Cards	1
140	Order Counters	1
140	Prisoner's Dilemma	1
140	Bribery	1
140	Closed Economy Auction	1
140	Relative Movement	1
140	Moving Multiple Units	1
140	Move Through Deck	1
140	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: 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	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
N/A	Resource Queue	0

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