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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: Jun 27, 2025

Rank	Mechanic	Score
1	Hand Management	145
2	Variable Set-up	109
3	Solo / Solitaire Game	101
4	Variable Player Powers	99
5	Open Drafting	95
6	End Game Bonuses	93
7	Set Collection	90
8	Dice Rolling	65
9	Tags	57
10	Contracts	53
11	Cooperative Game	52
11	Income	52
13	Take That	48
14	Hexagon Grid	46
14	Multi-Use Cards	46
16	Deck, Bag, and Pool Building	45
17	Simultaneous Action Selection	44
18	Tile Placement	42
18	Worker Placement	42
20	Modular Board	41
21	Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game	40
22	Race	39
23	Turn Order: Progressive	36
24	Action Points	31
24	Tech Trees / Tech Tracks	31
24	Events	31
27	Push Your Luck	30
28	Network and Route Building	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
34	Area Movement	26
34	Point to Point Movement	26
34	Track Movement	26
37	Pattern Building	25
37	Once-Per-Game Abilities	25
39	Role Playing	24
39	Communication Limits	24
41	Turn Order: Claim Action	22
41	Card Play Conflict Resolution	22
41	Victory Points as a Resource	22
44	Team-Based Game	21
45	Score-and-Reset Game	19
45	Square Grid	19
47	Action Queue	18
47	Grid Coverage	18
47	Closed Drafting	18
50	Action Retrieval	17
50	Ownership	17
50	Movement Points	17
50	Deck Construction	17
54	Campaign / Battle Card Driven	16
54	Die Icon Resolution	16
54	Sudden Death Ending	16
57	Legacy Game	15
57	Market	15
59	Trading	14
59	Turn Order: Stat-Based	14
59	Narrative Choice / Paragraph	14
59	Hidden Victory Points	14
63	Automatic Resource Growth	13
64	Enclosure	12
64	Variable Phase Order	12
64	Worker Placement, Different Worker Types	12
64	Chaining	12
68	Auction/Bidding	11
68	Storytelling	11
68	Memory	11
68	Simulation	11
72	Voting	10
72	Negotiation	10
72	Map Addition	10
72	Melding and Splaying	10
76	Traitor Game	9
76	Follow	9
76	Catch the Leader	9
76	Hidden Roles	9
76	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	Paper-and-Pencil	7
87	Advantage Token	7
87	Critical Hits and Failures	7
87	Force Commitment	7
87	Resource to Move	7
92	Connections	6
92	King of the Hill	6
92	Auction: Dutch	6
92	Bingo	6
92	Neighbor Scope	6
97	Trick-taking	5
97	Semi-Cooperative Game	5
97	Tug of War	5
97	Loans	5
97	Map Reduction	5
102	Betting and Bluffing	4
102	Turn Order: Time Track	4
102	Kill Steal	4
102	Roles with Asymmetric Information	4
102	Investment	4
102	Auction: Turn Order Until Pass	4
102	Worker Placement with Dice Workers	4
102	Three Dimensional Movement	4
102	Pattern Movement	4
102	Programmed Movement	4
102	Map Deformation	4
102	Ordering	4
114	Pick-up and Deliver	3
114	Pattern Recognition	3
114	Action/Event	3
114	Re-rolling and Locking	3
114	Finale Ending	3
114	Random Production	3
114	Alliances	3
114	Constrained Bidding	3
114	Selection Order Bid	3
114	Bias	3
114	Zone of Control	3
114	Layering	3
126	Commodity Speculation	2
126	Secret Unit Deployment	2
126	Area-Impulse	2
126	Singing	2
126	Rondel	2
126	Real-Time	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	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
146	Rock-Paper-Scissors	1
146	Stock Holding	1
146	Line Drawing	1
146	Chit-Pull System	1
146	Passed Action Token	1
146	Command Cards	1
146	Order Counters	1
146	Closed Economy Auction	1
146	Moving Multiple Units	1
146	Ladder Climbing	1
146	Matching	1
146	Questions and Answers	1
146	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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