| Analog control |
Analog control is highly sensitive and takes into account to what degree the button or joystick is pushed. In 3D games, this allows you to use the same joystick to walk or run. |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) |
Formerly this was a computer science field aimed at making computers "think" like humans. In video game terms, it refers to the intelligence of computer-controlled players or objects. |
| Battle of Attrition |
A battle in which it's virtually impossible to avoid being hit, and your opponent can take a lot of damage. However, you can absorb a lot of damage as well, and you eventually win the battle by outlasting your enemy. |
| Boss |
In many video games, each stage ends with an encounter with a creature or robot that is typically much larger and tougher than the normal enemies. |
| Computer Generated Image
(CGI) |
Imaged created by computers |
| Combo |
In one-on-one fighting games, a string of moves that can be executed in rapid succession. In some games, these cannot be resisted. |
| Component Video Cable |
Currently the state-of-the-art in console video cables, separates the video into three wires that carry the red, green, and blue signals. These wires have five plugs, including the red/white plugs for audio. Component is a step up from S-Video. |
| Composite Video Cable |
A video cable with a single yellow plug (usually along with the red/white audio cables). Produces better quality than RF but not as good as S-Video. |
| Console |
A system dedicated to playing video games. This does not include PCs or hand-helds. |
| Computer Processing Unit (CPU) |
In Computer Science, this stands for central processing unit. In video game terms, this is often used to describe how "smart" the computer behaves in a game. |
| Cut-Scenes |
Short intermissions typically presented between stages to convey a storyline. These can be live or computer-generated videos clips, and are usually non-interactive. |
| Demo Mode |
A self-playing mode, showing off the features and artwork of a game. |
| Emulation |
The art of enabling one machine to act as another through software. Perfect emulation would mean that computer could perform all of the hardware and software functions of the other, with no way to tell the difference between the two. |
| Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) |
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory body for the interactive entertainment software industry established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). |
| Fatality |
In one-on-one fighting games, the typically gruesome act of murdering your opponent after defeating him. |
| Fighting |
Games that involve combat between two or more players. Typically viewed in 3rd person |
| First-Person |
A point of view which allows you to see the action through your characters eyes. You never see you own body, except for maybe your arms. |
| Flicker |
Common in early video game consoles, this problem made the objects look transparent and hard to see, and was the result of system limitations or poor programming. |
| Frame Rate |
A term that describes the smoothness of motion in a game. The image on a television screen is really a series of still images shown in rapid succession. A normal television show is broadcast at 33 fps (frames per second). |
| Frame Skip |
Option included in emulators to speed up game play. This method skips a specified number of animation frames in order to increase the playing speed of an emulator that may run too slow on your computer. While this method is effective in creating faster game play, it also makes game movement appear very jerky and stuttered. The more frames you skip, the jerkier it becomes. |
| Full Motion Video (FMV): |
Popularized by the Sega CD in the early 90s, FMV games allowed the player to interact with live or computer-generated video |
| Game Boy (GB) |
Currently the highest-selling video game system ever. Comes in lots of variations, but nearly all games are compatible with all versions of Game Boys. |
| Game Boy Advance (GBA) |
Basically an enhanced portable SNES. One of the only systems in existance that is backwards-compatible. |
| Game Boy Color (GBC) |
A slightly enhanced version of the original Game Boy. Plays black & white games as well. Not as powerful as the Game Boy Advance. |
| God View |
A large, aerial view of the world |
| Hex Editor |
Program that simplifies hexadecimal code and allows you to edit the content of a ROM. These programs can help to create the many translation patches and fixes (hacks) that are available. |
| Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) |
Screens used typically by the portable video games consoles known as 'Handhelds'. |
| Multi-tap |
A device that allows you to plug in more controllers than the console has ports. |
| Non-playable Characters |
Characters within a game that is not allowed to be controlled by the gammer, but instead in the storyline to enhance the game |
| Overlay |
Included with many older console games, overlays are a thin piece of plastic that slides over the buttons on a keypad, labeling the keys for the functions that pertain to that game. |
| Pixel |
The smallest unit of information on a TV or computer screen. The image you see is composed of a large number of colored pixels. Low resolution results in larger, square pixels, while high resolution produces tiny dots |
| Platform Game |
A game that requires you to jump on platforms of various sizes. These games also typically involve collecting items and jumping on enemies. |
| Polygons |
Small individual shapes that fit together to form complex 3-D objects. Detailed 3D objects are composed of thousands of polygons. |
| Power-Up |
An item that gives you special abilities or makes you more powerful. |
| Puzzle |
A game that requires
strategy in order to win. |
| Racing |
A
vehicle game that completes against one another. |
| Rapid-Fire |
Allows you to shoot fast and continuously by tapping the fire button, or in some games, simply holding it down. |
| Real-Time |
Normally used to describe combat sequences, the action does not stop to allow you to enter commands. This is the opposite of “turn-based”. |
| Resolution |
A term that describes the level of detail in a game's graphics. An image on a television screen is actually a series of pixels strung together. High-resolution images look more detailed and lifelike, which low-resolution images tend to look blocky or jagged. |
| Role-Playing Games (RPG) |
Lengthy, slow moving games with elaborate storylines that involve going on a quest and developing one or more characters on the way. |
| Shoulder buttons |
Found on the controllers of most modern systems, these can be found on the side of the controller that faces away from the player. These are usually pressed with your index fingers, and are usually analog (touch sensitive). |
| Slow-down |
When more objects are on the screen than a system can handle, the game tends to slow down, often to the detriment of the gameplay |
| Survival Horror |
A
survival horror game is typically a 3-D adventure involving the escape from an army of zombies or other monsters. |
| S-Video Cable |
A video cable that produces better video quality than a composite cable, but not as good as a component cable. S-Video improves on composite by separating the color and luminance signals. |
| Switchbox |
Used with older video game consoles, this device allows you to switch between game and television signals. |
| Tempting Fate |
A generally unwise decision involving toying with an enemy in order to gain the opportunity to score bonus items or points. |
| Texture Mapping |
The programming technique that draws graphical patterns on polygons. This allows smooth surfaces to look bumpy or shaded. |
| Third-Person |
A point of view that lets you see the character you are controlling. The opposite of first-person. |
| Turbo |
The ability to speed up for a short stretch, this is common in racing games. In some games, it's known as “nitro”. |
| Turn-based |
Normally used to describe the combat sequences in RPGs, pauses the action to allow the user to enter commands between attacks. |
| Vector Graphics |
Unlike a television screen or computer monitor, which is composed of a series of horizontal lines, a vector graphics display plots points and drawns lines freely |
| Virtural Reality (VR) |
A term that now has a number of meanings. Most commonly it refers to a virtual environment created by a computer, enabling the user to experience and interact with objects in the virtual environment |
| Vsync |
Option included in some emulators to align (syncronize) the video, so the screen scrolls smoothly and together. This feature usually results in a significant amount of slowdown in emulation. |
| Wrap |
Moving to an area in a game level requiring a complete screen redraw, for example going through a door or advancing to a new level. |
| Xbox LIVE |
Xbox LIVE is an online network developed by Microsoft that enables Xbox game systems to play with or against other Xbox gamers over the Internet. |