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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: Jan 09, 2026

Rank	Mechanic	Score
1	Hand Management	147
2	Variable Set-up	108
3	Variable Player Powers	102
3	Solo / Solitaire Game	102
5	End Game Bonuses	94
6	Open Drafting	92
7	Set Collection	88
8	Dice Rolling	65
9	Tags	58
10	Income	55
11	Cooperative Game	53
12	Contracts	52
13	Take That	48
13	Multi-Use Cards	48
15	Hexagon Grid	46
16	Deck, Bag, and Pool Building	45
17	Simultaneous Action Selection	44
18	Tile Placement	43
19	Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game	42
20	Modular Board	39
21	Worker Placement	38
22	Race	37
23	Turn Order: Progressive	36
24	Push Your Luck	33
25	Action Points	32
25	Events	32
27	Network and Route Building	29
27	Tech Trees / Tech Tracks	29
29	Player Elimination	28
29	Once-Per-Game Abilities	28
31	Area Majority / Influence	27
31	Grid Movement	27
31	Delayed Purchase	27
31	Track Movement	27
35	Point to Point Movement	26
35	Increase Value of Unchosen Resources	26
37	Area Movement	25
37	Communication Limits	25
39	Role Playing	24
40	Pattern Building	23
41	Card Play Conflict Resolution	22
42	Score-and-Reset Game	21
42	Turn Order: Claim Action	21
44	Team-Based Game	20
44	Ownership	20
44	Square Grid	20
47	Victory Points as a Resource	19
48	Market	18
48	Grid Coverage	18
48	Closed Drafting	18
51	Action Retrieval	17
51	Sudden Death Ending	17
51	Deck Construction	17
54	Movement Points	16
54	Chaining	16
56	Campaign / Battle Card Driven	15
56	Action Queue	15
56	Die Icon Resolution	15
56	Hidden Victory Points	15
60	Trading	14
60	Turn Order: Stat-Based	14
60	Narrative Choice / Paragraph	14
63	Enclosure	13
63	Automatic Resource Growth	13
65	Legacy Game	12
65	Worker Placement, Different Worker Types	12
67	Auction/Bidding	11
67	Storytelling	11
67	Memory	11
67	Variable Phase Order	11
67	Melding and Splaying	11
72	Voting	10
72	Traitor Game	10
72	Stat Check Resolution	10
72	Catch the Leader	10
72	Negotiation	10
72	Map Addition	10
72	Deduction	10
79	Simulation	9
79	Follow	9
81	Turn Order: Pass Order	8
81	Interrupts	8
81	Action Drafting	8
81	Hidden Roles	8
85	Turn Order: Auction	7
85	Advantage Token	7
85	Critical Hits and Failures	7
85	Force Commitment	7
85	Resource to Move	7
85	Line of Sight	7
91	Paper-and-Pencil	6
91	Connections	6
91	King of the Hill	6
91	Auction: Dutch	6
91	Neighbor Scope	6
96	Trick-taking	5
96	Semi-Cooperative Game	5
96	Tug of War	5
96	Loans	5
96	Programmed Movement	5
96	Map Reduction	5
96	Bingo	5
103	Pick-up and Deliver	4
103	Betting and Bluffing	4
103	Pattern Recognition	4
103	Kill Steal	4
103	Investment	4
103	Auction: Turn Order Until Pass	4
103	Worker Placement with Dice Workers	4
103	Three Dimensional Movement	4
103	Pattern Movement	4
103	Map Deformation	4
103	Layering	4
103	Ordering	4
115	Real-Time	3
115	Action/Event	3
115	Re-rolling and Locking	3
115	Finale Ending	3
115	Roles with Asymmetric Information	3
115	Random Production	3
115	Alliances	3
115	Constrained Bidding	3
115	Selection Order Bid	3
115	Bias	3
115	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	Rondel	2
126	Turn Order: Role Order	2
126	Lose a Turn	2
126	Prisoner's Dilemma	2
126	Flicking	2
126	Static Capture	2
126	Targeted Clues	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
145	Rock-Paper-Scissors	1
145	Stock Holding	1
145	Line Drawing	1
145	Passed Action Token	1
145	Command Cards	1
145	Order Counters	1
145	Highest-Lowest Scoring	1
145	Closed Economy Auction	1
145	Moving Multiple Units	1
145	Ladder Climbing	1
145	Matching	1
145	Questions and Answers	1
145	Resource Queue	1
N/A	Crayon Rail System	0
N/A	Roll / Spin and Move	0
N/A	Chit-Pull System	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	Slide/Push	0
N/A	Predictive Bid	0
N/A	Drawing	0
N/A	Bids As Wagers	0
N/A	Auction Compensation	0

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