We will begin talking on the different genres, and we will begin with platforms genre. Its main mechanics are jumping, beating enemies, using objects and solving puzzles. They usually have an easy control, easy to learn and easy to use. Usually the experience focuses in physical aspects, especially hitting the buttons at the right moment and doing it with the appropriate coordination and precision. They also work at a cognitive level, especially on attention and perception, and it also works a bit on motivational and emotional aspects to hook the player and provoke him good happiness sensations and a bit of stress. The target of this genre is variated, although it is usually a younger audience, child and teenagers. There are a lot of games, and also platform games for a wider audience. This genre's setting is variated, but there is a lot of fantasy, with a more illustrated and cartoonish style. Usually story has a great importance, and the kind of game is focused to the single player, the individual player. We could talk about an arcade playability style, with easy control, short games and fast fun, but in some cases it can go to more demanding gameplays, such as hardcore, or more affordable gameplays simplifying the experience such as casual style. As examples we can put all Mario, Sonic and Rayman games, as well as games such as Little Big Planet and Temple Run. We jump from platform games to shooting games. From jumping or platform games to shooting games, all them are inside the action games genre. Well, we start with the First Person Shooter, in which the main mechanics are shooting, covering, using items, cooperating, solving puzzles and -in a second plane- jumping. The control is medium-hard but demanding as it requires a lot of precision and it takes a lot of time to understand it with enough control and precision level. So the experience is quite physical, controlling in each moment both the player's position and where is he aiming at in the screen, and also cognitive, especially in spacial orientation. At an emotional and motivational level they also work a lot on having the players hooked with the different challenges and, mostly, strong emotions such as competition, rage, joy, anxiety, stress, etc. At a social level the experience is very important, especially in games with an important multiplayer component. The target is variated, although there is a specific trend for a teen and adult masculine audience; as well as a specific target, which is hardcore gamer, in which many first person shooters play. The setting is also variated, although there is usually fantasy with realistic references, especially in sci-fi settings. The cinema's importance is huge as usually these settings mimic cinema films' settings. Story has a secondary relevance. There are usually campaign modes, but these games are mostly focused on multiplayer experience. Here we can see that we can play at an individual level, but they are usually designed for a multiplayer experience. The gameplay style is hardcore and in some levels or types it can be less demanding at an arcade level, but it is usually made for demanding players that have a lot of experience and hours played. As examples we have Call of Duty, Battlefield, Halo or Doom. Third person shooter. The third person shooter is a variation of the first person shooter. The camera zooms out and is set behind the character and we see a bit more of the scene. Main mechanics are very similar: shooting, covering, jumping, solving puzzles, using objects and cooperating. Proportionally it can variate as usually the scene's importance is bigger and aspects such as solving puzzles or even jumping can have more presence. The control is similar, it's also middle-hard and requires a lot of precision when applying it, but it is true that it's a bit easier than the first person shooter's. The experience might be a bit less physical, and a bit more cognitive and emotional. Taking the camera away helps us to see a bigger part of the scene and the experience can be more cinematographic. So we want to play more at an emotional level by creating a richer experience at an emotional level in the scene immersion. The target is variated, more or less similar to first person shooters' but a bit younger and which can include a hardcore gamer but a bit less demanding. The setting is similar, very similar to the first person shooters', diverse, with realistic reference fantasy, sci-fi environments and cinema importance Story has a bigger importance than in first person shooter and individual game and multiplayer mode are much more balanced. The playability style is still hardcore and also arcade based on the game modes or the game itself. As examples we find games such as Gears of War, Max Payne or Vanquish. Shoot'em up are shooting games in which main mechanics, apart from shooting, are dodging, jumping, using objects and solving puzzles. The control is easy-medium, much easier than the other two shooting genres we've seen. The experience is also very physical and cognitive, as it requires a lot of attention, perception and coordination. The target is more variated, with younger people, but also more adult, hardcore gamers but also a less demanding audience and both male and female. The setting is diverse, with a lot of fantasy but there are also a lot of cartoonish designs and even more figurative ones. The story has a secondary importance but depending on the game it can have a bit more importance. Usually the experience and the game are a bit more individual, although there are some multiplayer cases. Gameplay is more arcade but it can be more hardcore as in the 'bullet hell' sub-genre. As examples we have R-Type, any Starfox game, Rez, Ikaruga or Geometry Wars. Let's go now to fighting games, as fighting is also a part of the action genre. In the one versus one fight, main mechanics are hitting, covering, dodging, jumping, as well as using objects -usually in a second term. Control is very complete, very difficult and it requires a lot of precision and training. Experience becomes very physical as it requires mashing a lot of buttons and making very complex combos, and also cognitive, from memorizing commands to developing enough coordination and getting the continuous attention and perception during all games. They also work at a motivational, social and emotional level especially as they create competition, 1vs1, and competing with other players bring positive emotions when winning. The target is a young and adult audience. We are talking about an adult public with around 18 and 25 years old, and we usually talk about a male genre and a specialized, hardcore gamer player. Setting is usually realistic but exaggerated, taking it to the extreme and usually in martial arts context related to combats, violence, etc. The story has a secondary importance but it exists. It is a support. I could tell many games in which a story is developed around each character. They emphasize multi player, and gameplay is mostly hardcore, made so that the players become more experts if they play more hours, and they get their main fun through developing a lot of practice in the game. As example we have the sages Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Tekken or Soul Calibur. Beat'em up. Beat'em up is another genre or sub-genre inside action games, in this case also fighting games, in which main mechanics are quite similar: hitting, covering, using items, jumping, dodging and shooting. In this case shooting would be secondary. Usually beat'em up have a third-person camera; we see a bigger part of the scene. Control is a bit easier than one versus one fight but it requires precision anyway. Experience is also both physical and cognitive. Maybe it's less demanding regarding the commands learning, but it's very demanding when applying them, while making many button combinations and being constantly aware at a perception and attention level. Target is much wider. It can be wider than the 1vs1 genres', with a younger audience and although it focuses on male audience it can include both genres. The setting is similar because it also has realistic environments taken to the extreme and with diverse contexts and styles. Story gets a bit more importance and the game style is both individual and multiplayer, they are very balanced. Gameplay is a bit less demanding, it is usually more arcade, although in some game modes it can be a bit hardcore. As examples we have sages such as Streets of Rage, Devil May Cry, God of War and Bayonetta.
