Lists Missing mechanics Available games Contact

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 02, 2025

Rank	Mechanic	Score
1	Hand Management	139
2	Variable Set-up	104
3	Solo / Solitaire Game	102
4	Variable Player Powers	101
5	Open Drafting	97
6	Set Collection	90
7	End Game Bonuses	85
8	Dice Rolling	65
9	Tags	58
10	Cooperative Game	52
11	Income	51
12	Contracts	50
13	Take That	48
14	Hexagon Grid	46
15	Deck, Bag, and Pool Building	45
16	Simultaneous Action Selection	43
16	Multi-Use Cards	43
18	Modular Board	41
18	Worker Placement	41
20	Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game	40
21	Tile Placement	39
22	Turn Order: Progressive	34
23	Push Your Luck	32
24	Action Points	31
24	Race	31
26	Tech Trees / Tech Tracks	30
27	Network and Route Building	29
27	Events	29
27	Victory Points as a Resource	29
30	Grid Movement	27
30	Player Elimination	27
30	Increase Value of Unchosen Resources	27
33	Point to Point Movement	26
33	Area Majority / Influence	26
35	Once-Per-Game Abilities	25
35	Delayed Purchase	25
37	Role Playing	24
37	Communication Limits	24
39	Area Movement	23
39	Pattern Building	23
41	Turn Order: Claim Action	22
41	Card Play Conflict Resolution	22
43	Track Movement	21
44	Team-Based Game	20
44	Score-and-Reset Game	20
46	Square Grid	19
47	Action Queue	18
47	Action Retrieval	18
47	Grid Coverage	18
47	Closed Drafting	18
51	Movement Points	17
51	Deck Construction	17
53	Campaign / Battle Card Driven	16
53	Legacy Game	16
55	Ownership	15
56	Trading	14
56	Turn Order: Stat-Based	14
56	Narrative Choice / Paragraph	14
56	Die Icon Resolution	14
56	Sudden Death Ending	14
61	Market	13
61	Automatic Resource Growth	13
63	Enclosure	12
63	Variable Phase Order	12
63	Worker Placement, Different Worker Types	12
63	Chaining	12
63	Hidden Victory Points	12
68	Auction/Bidding	11
68	Storytelling	11
68	Simulation	11
68	Negotiation	11
72	Memory	10
72	Map Addition	10
74	Voting	9
74	Traitor Game	9
74	Action Drafting	9
74	Follow	9
74	Catch the Leader	9
74	Melding and Splaying	9
80	Paper-and-Pencil	8
80	Turn Order: Auction	8
80	Turn Order: Pass Order	8
80	Interrupts	8
80	Stat Check Resolution	8
80	Hidden Roles	8
80	Line of Sight	8
80	Deduction	8
88	Advantage Token	7
88	Critical Hits and Failures	7
88	Force Commitment	7
88	Resource to Move	7
88	Layering	7
93	Connections	6
93	King of the Hill	6
93	Auction: Dutch	6
93	Bingo	6
93	Neighbor Scope	6
98	Trick-taking	5
98	Semi-Cooperative Game	5
98	Tug of War	5
98	Loans	5
98	Worker Placement with Dice Workers	5
98	Map Reduction	5
104	Kill Steal	4
104	Investment	4
104	Auction: Turn Order Until Pass	4
104	Three Dimensional Movement	4
104	Pattern Movement	4
104	Programmed Movement	4
104	Map Deformation	4
104	Ordering	4
112	Pick-up and Deliver	3
112	Betting and Bluffing	3
112	Pattern Recognition	3
112	Rondel	3
112	Action/Event	3
112	Re-rolling and Locking	3
112	Finale Ending	3
112	Roles with Asymmetric Information	3
112	Random Production	3
112	Alliances	3
112	Constrained Bidding	3
112	Selection Order Bid	3
112	Bias	3
112	Zone of Control	3
126	Commodity Speculation	2
126	Secret Unit Deployment	2
126	Area-Impulse	2
126	Singing	2
126	Turn Order: Time Track	2
126	Turn Order: Role Order	2
126	Lose a Turn	2
126	Flicking	2
126	Static Capture	2
126	Targeted Clues	2
126	Highest-Lowest Scoring	2
126	Bribery	2
126	Auction: Sealed Bid	2
126	Relative Movement	2
126	Mancala	2
126	Pieces as Map	2
126	Hidden Movement	2
126	Hot Potato	2
144	Stock Holding	1
144	Line Drawing	1
144	Chit-Pull System	1
144	Real-Time	1
144	Passed Action Token	1
144	Command Cards	1
144	Order Counters	1
144	Prisoner's Dilemma	1
144	Closed Economy Auction	1
144	Moving Multiple Units	1
144	Ladder Climbing	1
144	Slide/Push	1
144	Drawing	1
N/A	Rock-Paper-Scissors	0
N/A	Crayon Rail System	0
N/A	Roll / Spin and Move	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	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	Move Through Deck	0
N/A	Movement Template	0
N/A	Multiple Maps	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	Induction	0
N/A	Predictive Bid	0
N/A	Matching	0
N/A	Bids As Wagers	0
N/A	Auction Compensation	0
N/A	Questions and Answers	0
N/A	Resource Queue	0

No records

Missing mechanics!

You can find the boardgame mechanics missing in your collection with the help of a tool I built.

Submit your BGG username on Missing mechanics page and wait for a minute to get a report on your boardgame collection.