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 Management143
2
Variable Player Powers107
3
Solo / Solitaire Game97
4
Variable Set-up94
5
Set Collection88
6
Open Drafting78
7
End Game Bonuses77
8
Dice Rolling67
9
Contracts52
10
Cooperative Game51
11
Income50
12
Worker Placement47
13
Tags46
14
Simultaneous Action Selection45
15
Hexagon Grid43
16
Tile Placement41
16
Modular Board41
18
Take That37
19
Deck, Bag, and Pool Building36
19
Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game36
21
Area Majority / Influence34
22
Action Points32
23
Grid Movement30
24
Turn Order: Progressive29
24
Events29
24
Victory Points as a Resource29
24
Increase Value of Unchosen Resources29
28
Area Movement27
28
Push Your Luck27
30
Tech Trees / Tech Tracks26
31
Point to Point Movement25
31
Network and Route Building25
31
Market25
34
Once-Per-Game Abilities23
34
Race23
34
Communication Limits23
37
Role Playing22
37
Closed Drafting22
37
Multi-Use Cards22
40
Team-Based Game20
40
Turn Order: Claim Action20
40
Delayed Purchase20
43
Action Retrieval19
44
Campaign / Battle Card Driven18
44
Turn Order: Stat-Based18
44
Card Play Conflict Resolution18
47
Worker Placement, Different Worker Types17
47
Deck Construction17
49
Movement Points16
50
Auction/Bidding15
50
Action Queue15
52
Pattern Building14
52
Variable Phase Order14
52
Legacy Game14
52
Ownership14
56
Player Elimination13
56
Automatic Resource Growth13
56
Square Grid13
56
Map Addition13
56
Hidden Victory Points13
61
Trading12
61
Sudden Death Ending12
63
Memory11
64
Voting10
64
Enclosure10
64
Traitor Game10
64
Score-and-Reset Game10
64
Grid Coverage10
69
Storytelling9
69
Follow9
69
Advantage Token9
69
Die Icon Resolution9
69
Catch the Leader9
69
Hidden Roles9
75
Turn Order: Auction8
75
Action Drafting8
75
Stat Check Resolution8
75
Negotiation8
75
Auction: Dutch8
75
Track Movement8
75
Line of Sight8
82
Simulation7
82
Turn Order: Pass Order7
82
Narrative Choice / Paragraph7
82
Critical Hits and Failures7
82
King of the Hill7
82
Resource to Move7
88
Force Commitment6
88
Tug of War6
88
Loans6
91
Trick-taking5
91
Paper-and-Pencil5
91
Turn Order: Role Order5
91
Interrupts5
91
Connections5
91
Chaining5
91
Bias5
91
Map Reduction5
99
Pick-up and Deliver4
99
Area-Impulse4
99
Pattern Recognition4
99
Investment4
99
Auction: Turn Order Until Pass4
99
Constrained Bidding4
99
Worker Placement with Dice Workers4
99
Three Dimensional Movement4
99
Pattern Movement4
99
Bingo4
99
Layering4
99
Deduction4
111
Betting and Bluffing3
111
Turn Order: Time Track3
111
Rondel3
111
Semi-Cooperative Game3
111
Action/Event3
111
Targeted Clues3
111
Re-rolling and Locking3
111
Finale Ending3
111
Roles with Asymmetric Information3
111
Random Production3
111
Alliances3
111
Mancala3
111
Map Deformation3
111
Zone of Control3
111
Melding and Splaying3
111
Neighbor Scope3
127
Commodity Speculation2
127
Secret Unit Deployment2
127
Line Drawing2
127
Lose a Turn2
127
Prisoner's Dilemma2
127
Flicking2
127
Static Capture2
127
Highest-Lowest Scoring2
127
Auction: Sealed Bid2
127
Selection Order Bid2
127
Programmed Movement2
127
Pieces as Map2
127
Hidden Movement2
127
Ordering2
127
Resource Queue2
142
Stock Holding1
142
Chit-Pull System1
142
Real-Time1
142
Passed Action Token1
142
Command Cards1
142
Order Counters1
142
Bribery1
142
Auction: Multiple Lot1
142
Closed Economy Auction1
142
Auction: Fixed Placement1
142
Relative Movement1
142
Moving Multiple Units1
142
Move Through Deck1
142
Slide/Push1
N/A
Rock-Paper-Scissors0
N/A
Crayon Rail System0
N/A
Roll / Spin and Move0
N/A
Singing0
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
Kill Steal0
N/A
Elapsed Real Time Ending0
N/A
I Cut, You Choose0
N/A
Auction: English0
N/A
Auction: Once Around0
N/A
Auction: Dexterity0
N/A
Auction: Dutch Priority0
N/A
Measurement Movement0
N/A
Different Dice Movement0
N/A
Impulse Movement0
N/A
Movement Template0
N/A
Multiple Maps0
N/A
Ladder Climbing0
N/A
Turn Order: Random0
N/A
Stacking and Balancing0
N/A
Physical Removal0
N/A
Cube Tower0
N/A
Speed Matching0
N/A
Hot Potato0
N/A
Induction0
N/A
Predictive Bid0
N/A
Matching0
N/A
Drawing0
N/A
Bids As Wagers0
N/A
Auction Compensation0
N/A
Questions and Answers0
No records