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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: Apr 11, 2025

Rank	Mechanic	Score
1	Hand Management	137
2	Solo / Solitaire Game	101
3	Variable Player Powers	100
4	Variable Set-up	96
5	Open Drafting	93
6	Set Collection	88
7	End Game Bonuses	78
8	Dice Rolling	65
9	Tags	53
10	Cooperative Game	52
10	Income	52
12	Contracts	48
13	Hexagon Grid	45
13	Take That	45
15	Deck, Bag, and Pool Building	44
16	Simultaneous Action Selection	41
16	Worker Placement	41
18	Modular Board	40
18	Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game	40
20	Tile Placement	39
21	Multi-Use Cards	38
22	Push Your Luck	32
22	Turn Order: Progressive	32
24	Action Points	31
25	Network and Route Building	29
25	Tech Trees / Tech Tracks	29
25	Victory Points as a Resource	29
28	Increase Value of Unchosen Resources	28
29	Point to Point Movement	27
29	Grid Movement	27
29	Player Elimination	27
32	Area Majority / Influence	26
32	Events	26
34	Race	25
34	Delayed Purchase	25
36	Role Playing	24
36	Communication Limits	24
38	Area Movement	23
38	Once-Per-Game Abilities	23
40	Turn Order: Claim Action	22
40	Card Play Conflict Resolution	22
42	Pattern Building	21
43	Team-Based Game	20
44	Action Queue	18
44	Action Retrieval	18
44	Closed Drafting	18
47	Movement Points	17
47	Deck Construction	17
49	Campaign / Battle Card Driven	16
49	Legacy Game	16
49	Market	16
52	Turn Order: Stat-Based	14
52	Narrative Choice / Paragraph	14
52	Automatic Resource Growth	14
52	Ownership	14
56	Sudden Death Ending	13
56	Square Grid	13
56	Grid Coverage	13
56	Hidden Victory Points	13
60	Trading	12
60	Auction/Bidding	12
60	Variable Phase Order	12
60	Worker Placement, Different Worker Types	12
64	Storytelling	11
64	Negotiation	11
64	Track Movement	11
67	Enclosure	10
67	Memory	10
67	Score-and-Reset Game	10
67	Map Addition	10
71	Voting	9
71	Simulation	9
71	Traitor Game	9
71	Action Drafting	9
71	Follow	9
71	Catch the Leader	9
77	Turn Order: Auction	8
77	Turn Order: Pass Order	8
77	Interrupts	8
77	Stat Check Resolution	8
77	Die Icon Resolution	8
77	Hidden Roles	8
77	Line of Sight	8
84	Paper-and-Pencil	7
84	Advantage Token	7
84	Critical Hits and Failures	7
84	Force Commitment	7
84	Resource to Move	7
84	Chaining	7
90	Connections	6
90	King of the Hill	6
90	Loans	6
90	Auction: Dutch	6
90	Layering	6
95	Trick-taking	5
95	Semi-Cooperative Game	5
95	Tug of War	5
95	Worker Placement with Dice Workers	5
95	Bingo	5
100	Investment	4
100	Auction: Turn Order Until Pass	4
100	Three Dimensional Movement	4
100	Pattern Movement	4
100	Programmed Movement	4
100	Map Reduction	4
100	Map Deformation	4
100	Ordering	4
108	Betting and Bluffing	3
108	Pattern Recognition	3
108	Rondel	3
108	Action/Event	3
108	Re-rolling and Locking	3
108	Finale Ending	3
108	Roles with Asymmetric Information	3
108	Random Production	3
108	Alliances	3
108	Constrained Bidding	3
108	Mancala	3
108	Bias	3
108	Zone of Control	3
108	Melding and Splaying	3
108	Deduction	3
108	Neighbor Scope	3
124	Pick-up and Deliver	2
124	Commodity Speculation	2
124	Secret Unit Deployment	2
124	Area-Impulse	2
124	Singing	2
124	Turn Order: Time Track	2
124	Turn Order: Role Order	2
124	Lose a Turn	2
124	Flicking	2
124	Static Capture	2
124	Targeted Clues	2
124	Kill Steal	2
124	Highest-Lowest Scoring	2
124	Bribery	2
124	Auction: Sealed Bid	2
124	Selection Order Bid	2
124	Relative Movement	2
124	Pieces as Map	2
124	Hidden Movement	2
124	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

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