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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: Jul 11, 2025

Rank	Mechanic	Score
1	Hand Management	147
2	Variable Set-up	111
3	Solo / Solitaire Game	101
4	Variable Player Powers	99
5	End Game Bonuses	96
6	Open Drafting	94
7	Set Collection	89
8	Dice Rolling	65
9	Tags	58
10	Income	55
11	Contracts	53
12	Cooperative Game	52
13	Take That	48
13	Multi-Use Cards	48
15	Hexagon Grid	46
15	Deck, Bag, and Pool Building	46
17	Simultaneous Action Selection	44
18	Tile Placement	43
19	Worker Placement	42
20	Modular Board	41
21	Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game	40
21	Race	40
23	Turn Order: Progressive	36
24	Action Points	32
25	Push Your Luck	31
25	Events	31
27	Network and Route Building	29
27	Tech Trees / Tech Tracks	29
29	Player Elimination	28
29	Delayed Purchase	28
31	Area Majority / Influence	27
31	Grid Movement	27
31	Increase Value of Unchosen Resources	27
31	Track Movement	27
35	Area Movement	26
35	Point to Point Movement	26
37	Once-Per-Game Abilities	25
38	Role Playing	24
38	Pattern Building	24
38	Communication Limits	24
41	Turn Order: Claim Action	22
41	Card Play Conflict Resolution	22
43	Team-Based Game	21
44	Score-and-Reset Game	20
44	Square Grid	20
46	Victory Points as a Resource	19
47	Market	18
47	Ownership	18
47	Grid Coverage	18
47	Closed Drafting	18
51	Action Retrieval	17
51	Movement Points	17
51	Deck Construction	17
54	Campaign / Battle Card Driven	16
54	Die Icon Resolution	16
54	Sudden Death Ending	16
57	Action Queue	15
57	Legacy Game	15
59	Trading	14
59	Turn Order: Stat-Based	14
59	Narrative Choice / Paragraph	14
59	Hidden Victory Points	14
63	Enclosure	13
63	Automatic Resource Growth	13
63	Chaining	13
66	Variable Phase Order	12
66	Worker Placement, Different Worker Types	12
68	Auction/Bidding	11
68	Storytelling	11
68	Memory	11
71	Voting	10
71	Simulation	10
71	Catch the Leader	10
71	Negotiation	10
71	Map Addition	10
71	Melding and Splaying	10
77	Traitor Game	9
77	Follow	9
77	Hidden Roles	9
77	Deduction	9
81	Turn Order: Auction	8
81	Turn Order: Pass Order	8
81	Interrupts	8
81	Action Drafting	8
81	Stat Check Resolution	8
81	Line of Sight	8
87	Advantage Token	7
87	Critical Hits and Failures	7
87	Force Commitment	7
87	Resource to Move	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	Betting and Bluffing	4
103	Pattern Recognition	4
103	Kill Steal	4
103	Roles with Asymmetric Information	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	Pick-up and Deliver	3
115	Action/Event	3
115	Re-rolling and Locking	3
115	Finale Ending	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
125	Commodity Speculation	2
125	Secret Unit Deployment	2
125	Area-Impulse	2
125	Singing	2
125	Turn Order: Time Track	2
125	Rondel	2
125	Real-Time	2
125	Turn Order: Role Order	2
125	Lose a Turn	2
125	Prisoner's Dilemma	2
125	Flicking	2
125	Static Capture	2
125	Targeted Clues	2
125	Bribery	2
125	Auction: Sealed Bid	2
125	Relative Movement	2
125	Mancala	2
125	Pieces as Map	2
125	Hidden Movement	2
125	Hot Potato	2
145	Rock-Paper-Scissors	1
145	Stock Holding	1
145	Line Drawing	1
145	Chit-Pull System	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	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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