run-and-gun

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-run-and-gun.wav

Play switches from an overhead run and gun to a platform jumping shooter in this mediocre game.

2002, Andy Slaven, Video Game Bible, 1985-2002:

What makes a horror game different to write than, say, a run-and-gun first-person shooter?

(video games) Of a player's character, that runs on foot and uses a projectile weapon.


pixel-perfect

en-adj

pixel-perfect (comparative more pixel-perfect, superlative most pixel-perfect)

more pixel-perfect (comparative)
most pixel-perfect (superlative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-pixel-perfect.wav

It was the first (and, indeed, practically the only one to this day) to have an animated loading screen, the first to have pixel-perfect collision detection […]

1991, Stuart Campbell, “The YS Official Top 100 Part 1”, in Your Sinclair:

Manual pixel-perfect collision-detection routines can be difficult to create and processor-intensive to run.

2003, Colin Moock, ActionScript for Flash MX: The Definitive Guide:

(video games, design) Involving precision at the pixel level.


high score

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-hi-score.wav

There's a fine bit of strategy involved in maximising your points — and if ever there was a high score freak's dream, this is it!

1986, Rachael Smith, Bomb Jack (review in Your Sinclair magazine)

To make the game more interesting, let's create a personal score display that matches the global high score display.

2002, Jesse Jacobson, Flash and XML: A Developer's Guide:

(video games) A score that is the highest or among the highest for a particular game, often recorded in a high-score table.


high-score table

en-noun

high-score table (plural high-score tables)

(video games) A list of high scores presented in tabular format.

edetabel

a list of high scores presented in tabular format


postgame

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-postgame.wav

postgame credits

(video games) Occurring after the main storyline of the game.


KOS

(video games) Initialism of kill on sight: used in addition to a target player's username to alert teammates of a suspicious player that should be killed when seen.


platforming

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-platforming.wav

This game has a lot of platforming, as well as the occasional puzzle.

(video games) The video game activity of jumping from one platform to another.


teamer

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-teamer.wav

(video games) A player who teams with other players, often in an FFA match.


gosu

Borrowed from Korean 고수(高手) (gosu), literally "high hand". In English, the term is often used as an adjective in contrast to the original use as a noun.

of course it is possible to become that good, but have u ever played a gosu? thats really krass. i would not say he is the best. there r many as good as him and it will become more n more difficult to become a good starcraft player.

2000 March 12, Yasser Jadidi, “Win money with SC, someone does”, in alt.games.starcraft (Usenet):

it's not too late to start playing it and become a gosu before your friends.

2002 February 25, )(av.-.)3onl), “How common are hackers on B.net?”, in alt.games.starcraft (Usenet):

I need 50 000 Euros for that project, if one of the gosus here made enough bucks with bw to gimme some, reply to sender :o)

2002 April 22, )(av.-.)3onl), “This guy is trying to steal my mates wife. 2040”, in alt.games.starcraft (Usenet):

the guy you play is a gosu and like you so he let you play and have fuin^([sic]) before killing you, but you're damn too slow

2002 May 20, Xav)3onl), “best stratagy to defeat protoss??”, in alt.games.starcraft (Usenet):

But I've never considered myself as a gosu out of my LAN, where I r0x each and every n00b friends I have.

2002 July 1, )(av)3onl), “June stats”, in alt.games.starcraft (Usenet):

I am not trying to make a fanclub or fame for myself. Some gosus seem to play solely for these purposes, I, you see, get kicks from pissing them off.

2003 March 20, Clark Kent, “Just won with hide the farm....”, in alt.games.warcraft (Usenet):

But that bliss came to an end, I really enjoyed playing that way mostly because it did piss so many "wanna-be-gosus".

2004 August 23, assaarpa, “How be noob in RT”, in alt.games.warcraft (Usenet):

I was playing alongside gosu‘s like KaJ, Zeus, Kiko and the successful FuRy/LaWn 2v2 team.

2010, Manuel Schenkhuizen, “Grubby - My First Tournament”, in Julia Christophers, Tobias Scholz, editors, eSports Yearbook 2009, Norderstedt: Books on Demand, →ISBN, page 115:

(rare) A person of great skill; master; expert.


gosu

Like I said, winning against a newbie doesn't makes^([sic]) you gosu.

2002 January 30, Steven Ung, “[OT] Macintosh vs. Windows”, in alt.games.starcraft (Usenet):

Yeah, you're too gosu for me, be it WarCraft or StarCraft. Me = Nuubie.

2002 February 27, Steven Ung, “WarCraft III Beta”, in alt.games.starcraft (Usenet):

Alternatively you can hold down F4 for the entire game with your vestigial human tailbone and the same thing will occur. This is much harder to do because the vestigial human tailbone isn't very long and humans haven't needed it in, oh, seven million years. The most gosu players can do this while playing a 1v7c game, having cybersex with six girls on AIM, *and* getting it on with their two girlfriends in realtime while playing pingpong against the entire Chinese pingpong team.

2002 April 17, Majin Kai, “Is there any way to get past the 200 units limit?”, in alt.games.starcraft (Usenet):

It's comparable to a bunch of gosu Korean players beating you into the ground in two minutes with an SCV rush.

2002 April 18, Majin Kai, “Is there any way to get past the 200 units limit?”, in alt.games.starcraft (Usenet):

Towers were "too strong" at first, gosu players whined about n00bs who built them.


magic circle

(video games) The imagined space, separate from the real world, in which players in a virtual reality system experience immersion.


farmable

en-adj

farmable (comparative more farmable, superlative most farmable)

more farmable (comparative)
most farmable (superlative)

This week's raid battle is especially farmable.

(video games, chiefly online gaming) Capable of being farmed (used to produce an item or money in large quantities by grinding).


lagger

(video games, informal) A player who lags (has a poor or slow network connection).


moddable

moddable (comparative more moddable, superlative most moddable)

more moddable (comparative)
most moddable (superlative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-moddable.wav

This utility can easily open the compressed game files that were installed with the game so that you can gain access to all the moddable game files […]

2006, Erik Guilfoyle, Half-Life 2 Mods for Dummies:

To make things even more confusing, Garry's Mod is a "moddable" mod, meaning that users create modifications that plug into Garry's Mod itself.

Strip off that veneer and a whole world comes into view, one that's eminently hackable, moddable, tweakable, customizable, and personalizable.

2009, Paul McFedries, Tweak It and Freak It: A Killer Guide to Making Windows Run Your Way:

(video games) That can be modded (modified by the end user).


counterplay

en-noun

counterplay (countable and uncountable, plural counterplays)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-counterplay.wav

Near-synonyms: griefing, playing off meta — colloquial

(video games, sociology, literary) A subversive style of gameplay in which a player attempts to overturn the usual rules and conventions of the game.


fetch quest

(roleplaying games, video games, often derogatory) An in-game quest (mission) in which an object or objects must be acquired and brought back to the quest-giver or given to some other designated party.


dungeon crawler

dungeon crawler (plural dungeon crawlers)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-dungeon crawler.wav

(roleplaying games, chiefly video games) A game oriented around exploring and fighting in especially elaborate virtual dungeons.


game engine

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-game engine.wav

(video games) A video game's software engine, which executes the core functionality of the game. It may also include the graphics engine.


hub world

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-hub world.wav

From hub, meaning the central point or are of an activity, region, or network.

Peach's Castle in Super Mario 64 is an early example of a hub world.

First of all, the game is split into discrete levels joined by a hub world.

2009, Game Informer Magazine: For Video Game Enthusiasts, page 62:

The loot system is as constant and unyielding as the endlessly respawning enemies: it's an obsessive's nirvana, leading to as much time navigating the inventory screen as the game's hub world and dungeons.

2010, EZ Guides: The Games of the Decade:

Souls, which function as both currency and experience points, are slowly collected as the player works through a stage, and can only be spent at Nexus, the hub world that players are transported to between stages.

2014, Tobias Winnerling, Early Modernity and Video Games, page 206:

(video games) An area in a video game from which most or all of the game's levels are accessed.


PVP

(video games) Alternative letter-case form of PvP.


red ring

en-verb

red ring (third-person singular simple present red rings, present participle red ringing, simple past and past participle red ringed)

red rings (present singular third-person)
red ringing (participle present)
red ringed (participle past)
red ringed (past)

My 360 red ringed and I had to ship it to Texas to get it fixed.

(video games, of an Xbox 360 games console) To suffer a general hardware fault, the red ring of death.


Marioesque

en-adj

Marioesque (comparative more Marioesque, superlative most Marioesque)

more Marioesque (comparative)
most Marioesque (superlative)

Or the clever blend of puzzles and hair raisingly, chilling battles in the kitchen of the conway estate with undead chefs whipping meat cleavers at me, while I mow em down with my shotgun in Killing time, or The Marioesque approach to a 3-d shooter's paradise that is bladeforce, lotsa secrets, but lotsa stuff to destroy!!!

1995, Emeka B. Okwuje, “Survey: How many of you are thinking about getting a 3DO”, in rec.games.video.sony (Usenet):

Yes, it's becoming possible to do so, but the same can really be said of plenty of genres, including Mario-esque action games.

1999, Frioniel, “My Thoughts on Final Fantasy's Genre -- Narrative Games???”, in alt.games.final-fantasy (Usenet):

It was a platformer type game. I do not think in ^([sic]) was pengo, but more of a marioesque type platformer.

2000, Wade E. Solowoniuk, “name that game”, in alt.games.mame (Usenet):

I wasn't aware that MDK2 was a Marioesque platformer...

2000, Joe Ottoson, “Rayman 2 - WOW!”, in rec.games.video.sega (Usenet):

(video games) Resembling the character Mario or the games in which he appears, typified by bright, cheerful environments, platform obstacles, and often the rescue of a princess from a monster.


mouselook

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-mouselook.wav

The mouselook is easy to code once you understand how a mouse operates. All we have to do is use the keys to change our position, and use the mouse to reorient our viewpoint.

2003, Daniel Sanchez-Crespo Dalmau, Core techniques and algorithms in game programming:

However, some people find the mouselook or first-person view to be far more convenient when moving around.

2006, Michael Rymaszewski, et al: Second Life: The Official Guide:

A vehicle can be made to not turn in a given direction in response to mouselook[…]

2007, Aimee Weber, Kimberly Rufer-Bach, Richard Platel, Creating Your World:

(video games) A feature that allows the player to adjust the view of a three-dimensional playfield by moving the mouse, analogous to turning one's head in reality.


hack-and-slash

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-hack-and-slash.wav

(roleplaying games, video games, informal) Having a focus on violent combat rather than strategy.


balance board

(video games) A device that measures the centre of balance of a player standing on it, used to provide motion input to sport-themed games etc.


RCT

RollerCoaster Tycoon
w:RollerCoaster Tycoon

(video games) Initialism of RollerCoaster Tycoon.


microgame

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-microgame.wav

(video games) A very small minigame, typically lasting for only a few seconds.


botted

botted (comparative more botted, superlative most botted)

more botted (comparative)
most botted (superlative)

a botted lobby

(video games, slang, of a game) Full of unskilled players.


status effect

(video games, chiefly roleplaying games) An effect that modifies a character's status, either positively (e.g. strength increase) or negatively (e.g. poisoning).


nutshot

en-verb

nutshot (third-person singular simple present nutshots, present participle nutshotting, simple past and past participle nutshot)

nutshots (present singular third-person)
nutshotting (participle present)
nutshot (participle past)
nutshot (past)

(slang, video games) Especially, to shoot (a player) in the groin, especially the testicles.


no-life

no-life (third-person singular simple present no-lifes, present participle no-lifing, simple past and past participle no-lifed)

no-lifes (present singular third-person)
no-lifing (participle present)
no-lifed (participle past)
no-lifed (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-no-life.wav

(transitive, video games) To spend most or all one's time on.


DLC

en-noun

DLC (countable and uncountable, plural DLCs)

The Batmobile, the heavily armored vehicle driven by Batman, is available as a paid DLC for Rocket Leaguers.

2022 March 5, Diana Coker, “The Batman Drives the Batmobile to Rocket League”, in Technowize, archived from the original on 2022-05-18:

Destiny 2 DLCs offer plenty of content for Guardians to play. Each DLC features a brand new story, new raids, and lots of activities to partake in. Additionally, the main story is connected across every DLC in conjunction with smaller seasonal stories, and as of The Final Shape, episodes too.

2024 September 9, Kijanna Henry, “All Destiny 2 DLC expansions: Vaulted content & The Final Shape”, in Dexerto:

(video games) Initialism of downloadable content: additional content for a video game, delivered by online distribution.


capture the flag

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-capture the flag.wav

first-person shooter
first-person shooter

(video games) A computer game with similar rules, usually in first-person shooter format.


unblockable

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-unblockable.wav

(video games) An attacking move that cannot be blocked by an opposing fighter.


circle-strafe

en-verb

circle-strafe (third-person singular simple present circle-strafes, present participle circle-strafing, simple past and past participle circle-strafed)

circle-strafes (present singular third-person)
circle-strafing (participle present)
circle-strafed (participle past)
circle-strafed (past)

(intransitive, video games) To move around a target in circular fashion while facing it, in order to avoid counterattacks while attacking at close range.


LMS

en-noun

LMS (countable and uncountable, plural LMSs)

last man standing
last man standing#English

(video games) Initialism of last man standing.


casual gaming

(video games) The playing of casual games.


expansion pack

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-expansion pack.wav

(video games, by extension) An add-on for a video game that includes additional content and is typically sold separately.


player versus player

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-player versus player.wav

(video games, roleplaying games) A form of multiplayer interaction in which human players compete against each other.


Although discs-in-boxes games didn't care if their apples made you barf, F2P has necessitated a way of dealing with the problem by using sessioning.

2013, Will Luton, Free-to-Play: Making Money From Games You Give Away, New Riders, →ISBN, page 40:

(video games) Abbreviation of free-to-play.


TAS

(video games, speedrunning) Initialism of tool-assisted speedrun.

(video games) Initialism of tool-assisted superplay.


TAS

en-verb

TAS (third-person singular simple present TASes, present participle TASing, simple past and past participle TASed)

TASes (present singular third-person)
TASing (participle present)
TASed (participle past)
TASed (past)

(video games) To create or contribute to a tool-assisted speedrun or superplay.


Habbo

(Internet, video games) A member of the social networking website Habbo.


aftertouch

en-noun

aftertouch (countable and uncountable, plural aftertouches)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-aftertouch.wav

KO2 ruins every other football game you'll ever play; I never got good at SWOS - the controls were all wrong. And the aftertouch was stupid. And the computer keepers were always hopeless on free kicks.

1997, Mark Howson, “Kick Off 2: Best Amiga Game Of all time!”, in comp.sys.amiga.games (Usenet):

(video games) A feature in football/soccer games allowing the player to swerve the ball immediately after kicking it.


MMR

MMR (countable and uncountable, plural MMRs)

(countable, video games) Initialism of matchmaking rating, used in matching players for games.


zorkmid

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-zorkmid.wav

Yes, the zorkmid is still the official medium of exchange, and this realm supposedly was founded by a relative of Dimwit Flathead III […]

1984, Softalk for the IBM personal computer:

Nethack (www.nethack.org), which is not IF but does use the zorkmid as its currency, has a one zorkmid coin. It is simply described as "a gold piece".

2003, Robin Johnson, “One Zorkmid desc?”, in rec.games.int-fiction (Usenet):

After the collapse of the Soviet Empire, the Eastern European nation of Ukraine adopted the Zorkmid as its national currency.

(video games) A fictional unit of currency used in various computer games.


feelie

From feel + -ie. In the video game sense, introduced by the game publisher Infocom in the 1980s.

The company also gained fame for its inclusion of “feelies,” small tangible items directly related to the game. The feelies for Infocom's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1984), for example, included papers representing “Destruction Orders for Your Home and Planet,” an empty bag representing “Microscopic Space Fleet,” and a “Don't Panic” button, among other items.

2017, Andrew Williams, History of Digital Games: Developments in Art, Design and Interaction, CRC Press, →ISBN:

(video games) An additional physical item packaged with a game (usually interactive fiction) to immerse the player in the game world and provide hints to solving the game.


Wiimote

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Wiimote.wav

Blend of Wii + remote. Not a trademark, but a nickname for the product.

[…] co-ordinated combinations of button presses and feedback loops of rumbling joypads, Wiimotes and styli.

2008, James Newman, Playing with videogames:

Finally it can be used in parallel with other Wiimotes in order to provide more motion data or even be expanded with other devices […]

2009, Ernesto Damiani, Jechang Jeong, Robert J Howlett, Lakhmi C Jain, New Directions in Intelligent Interactive Multimedia Systems and Services:

The Wiimote provides sensing of acceleration on three axes, as well as an optical sensor that is used in conjunction with a stationary Sensor Bar […]

2009, Alan Craig, William R Sherman, Jeffrey D Will, Developing Virtual Reality Applications: Foundations of Effective Design:

(video games, informal) The Wii Remote, the primary controller for the Nintendo Wii game console, noted for its motion-sensing capabilities.

Astrid Ensslin
Palgrave Macmillan
Wiimote


special move

The fighters move around nicely but when they carry out their special moves it occasionally gets rather confusing. You have the usual kick, thump, jump and duck moves plus others depending on whether you're playing Haggar, Guy or Cody.

1991, James Leach, Final Fight (game review in Your Sinclair issue 70)

(video games) An exceptionally powerful fighting move.


dance pad

(video games) A plastic or metal pad used for playing dance games. The player provides input to the game by stepping on and off various panels on the pad.


gameworld

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-gameworld.wav

As an “all-female” humanoid species not bound to the traditional forms of mating, in that they reproduce through a form of telepathic parthenogenesis, the design of the Asari collapses boundaries of sex and sexuality. The Asari are a species rendered as Other, even in comparison to the various beings populating the gameworld. Characters recognize and struggle against prejudice and limited understanding of Asari customs, culture, and practices. These gameworld features allow for a space where awareness and exploration of sexualities outside of the heterosexual binary can take place.

2015, Summer Glassie, “"Embraced eternity lately?": Mislabeling and subversion of sexuality labels through the Asari in the Mass Effect trilogy”, in Matthew Wysocki, Evan W. Lauteria, editors, Rated M for Mature: Sex and Sexuality in Video Games (Media Studes / Game Studies), Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 162:

(roleplaying games, video games) The fictional universe of a game.


Codies

Five power-packed pages of game thrills - more than ever before! On the Powertape: Astroclone (Hewson)! Sea Battles (Atlantis!). Skull & Crossbones demo (Tengen)! On The Run (Design Design)! Soccer Cup Quizmaster (Powertape)! and Pokemania! Plus (gasp!) on your Codies tape: Phantomas, Dizzy, BMX Simulator and Fruit Machine Simulator! Blimey!

1989 June, “Contents”, in Crash, number 89, published 1991:

The Codies seem to take great delight in mistreating their little pet egg, Dizzy. He's been thumped, kicked, bashed, scrambled and dropped in his games so far. Now the cruel so and sos want to drown him.

1992, James Leach, Bubble Dizzy (game review in Your Sinclair magazine issue 74, February 1992)

Well, obviously it was since they're ^([sic]) now got an interview with a codies rep, however, suggesting a May release.

2002, Rod Prince, “Adelaide Clipsal 500 and Codemasters”, in rec.autos.simulators (Usenet):

(informal, video games) The video game development company Codemasters (formerly Code Masters).


extinctionism

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-extinctionism.wav

(video games) The additional challenge, in playing a roguelike game, of killing all creatures to extinction.


extinctionist

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-extinctionist.wav

What an Extinctionist tries to do is completely eliminate as many kinds of monsters from the game as possible, either through genocide if it's available, or from just depleting all the kinds of monsters that can be produced.

2020, John Harris, Exploring Roguelike Games, CRC Press, →ISBN:

(video games) A player who plays a roguelike game with the additional challenge of killing all creatures to extinction.


IG

(video games, slang) Abbreviation of in-game.


microtransaction

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-microtransaction.wav

Microtransactions have created controversy among video game fans. Some people believe that games with microtransactions can be addictive. Players keep buying new items. Little by little, the charges add up.

2020, Josh Gregory, Apex Legends: Microtransactions, Cherry Lake, →ISBN, page 6:

The problem with consumers is that they are often quick to label any microtransaction as P2W, which muddies the discussion of ethical game design.

2022, Joshua Bycer, Game Design Deep Dive: Free-to-Play, CRC Press, →ISBN, page 5:

(economics, video games) A transaction for a very small amount of money (a micropayment).


sandbox game

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-sandbox game.wav

This was the ultimate sandbox game. By providing a simple, yet rich simulation, it gave the user the tools with which to create his own fun.

2004, Tracy Fullerton, Christopher Swain, Steven Hoffman, Game design workshop: designing, prototyping, and playtesting games:

In contrast, a sandbox game such as Civilization operates more like a hobby […]

2007, Katie Salen, The ecology of games: connecting youth, games, and learning:

[…] the sequel to the military-themed sandbox game known as Mercenaries […]

(video games, roleplaying games) A game with no linear storyline or specific goal, the player deriving amusement from a range of open-ended interactions or situations.


respec

en-verb

respec (third-person singular simple present respecs, present participle respeccing, simple past and past participle respecced)

respecs (present singular third-person)
respeccing (participle present)
respecced (participle past)
respecced (past)

Last night I paid 5 gold to the trainer to respec as a shadow priest.

(video games, slang) To reallocate the distribution of skill points on a character's skill tree, changing their specialization.


wallhacker

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-wallhacker.wav

(video games) A player who uses wallhacks.


wallhacking

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-wallhacking.wav


wallhack

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-wallhack.wav

He was so good, I figured I could learn something by watching it. I couldn't understand why I couldn't get anything at all from the demo, until I discovered he was using the wallhack.

2002 July 28, Hedgehog, “Cheating bastard - was Re: Wallhack”, in alt.games.quake3 (Usenet), message-ID <3D44478B.DA7AB89@KIspamLLpernc.com>:

Wallhacks expose everyone on a map so cheaters get a huge advantage of knowing when you’re about to push a point or turn a corner.

2020 May 6, Tom Warren, “The world’s biggest PC games are fighting a new surge of cheaters and hackers”, in The Verge:

(video games) A patch enabling a player to cheat by modifying the properties of walls, as by making them transparent or nonsolid.


wallhack

wallhack (third-person singular simple present wallhacks, present participle wallhacking, simple past and past participle wallhacked)

wallhacks (present singular third-person)
wallhacking (participle present)
wallhacked (participle past)
wallhacked (past)

im like damn this guy is good.. then the next round... I noticed he wallhacked me... started shooting me before he came around and I was silent walking...

2002 March 18, Marcus Leach, “MafiaTech - Why must they cheat? (funny story and video)”, in alt.games.half-life.counterstrike (Usenet), message-ID <1tzl8.39041$Q9.9349739@twister.kc.rr.com>:

Got wallhacked in PVP (first world problem)
Oh no, HD-DVD (first world problem)

2010 April 6, “First World Problem”, in MC Frontalot (music), Zero Day:


speedrunner

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-speedrunner.wav

(video games) A player who performs speedruns.


double jump

double jump (third-person singular simple present double jumps, present participle double jumping, simple past and past participle double jumped)

double jumps (present singular third-person)
double jumping (participle present)
double jumped (participle past)
double jumped (past)

The rocket pack upgrade lets you double jump.

(video games) To execute a second jump while still in midair from the first jump.


double jump

A well-timed double jump will let you skip this obstacle entirely.

(video games) A second jump executed while still in midair from the first jump.


fighting game

(video games) A video game of a type based around interpersonal combat, often in a tournament setting, in which characters fight until their HP is depleted or the round timer expires.


palette swap

palette swap (third-person singular simple present palette swaps, present participle palette swapping, simple past and past participle palette swapped)

palette swaps (present singular third-person)
palette swapping (participle present)
palette swapped (participle past)
palette swapped (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-palette swap.wav

While there's a decent variety of enemy types in the game, those same enemies also tend to get palette swapped as the game progresses.

(computer graphics, video games) To change the color palette used to render a palettized image.


palette swap

Nintendo's Luigi character started out as a palette swap of Mario.

(computer graphics, video games) An image that is the same as another but rendered with a different colour palette.


subgame

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-subgame.wav

There was a subgame that was very well-recieved ^([sic]) in the previous Paper Mario RPG [Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door], where you would play through this side-scrolling stage as a gigantic Bowser.

2007, Nintendo Power, volumes 214-216, page 78:

(video games) A minor or incidental game within a larger video game; a minigame.


booter

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-booter.wav

To allow full use of the system's limited resources and prevent users from making pirated copies of the game, the first version of Microsoft Flight Simulator was a booter, rather than being run from within DOS.

(computing, video games) A game that is launched by booting directly from the floppy disk containing the game program, rather than starting the program from within the computer's standardized operating system.

The floppy disk used to launch a game in such a manner.


WF

(video games) Initialism of Weapons Factory.


rekt

Get rekt!

M8, u just got rekt bru, lol

Although investors who entered the market in 2018 got “rekt,” those who invested a year earlier experienced astounding gains.

2019, Mark Grabowski, Cryptocurrencies: A Primer on Digital Money, Routledge, →ISBN, page 40:

(Internet slang, video games) Nonstandard spelling of wrecked.


strat

With Tiny, it is good as a surprise strat. If another team doesn't realize where he fits into the whole lineup, then you can really throw the opposition off balance.

2014 March 19, Free to Play (Film), Toby Dawson (actor):

(video games, slang) Clipping of strategy.


multicart

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-multicart.wav

I have a Vectrex in great working shape along with a multicart that contains every game for the Vectrex except a couple of the lightpen games.

2001, Spud, “FS/FT: Vectrex & Multicart!”, in van.forsale (Usenet):

[…] many of my friends also had their first on-hand experience of the game with this version, or via one of the numerous Famicom multicarts that inundated the black market […]

2014, Rob Strangman, Memoirs of a Virtual Caveman, page 221:

(video games) A cartridge containing several separate games.


scummer

(video games, derogatory) One who engages in scumming.


automap

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-automap.wav

(video games) A partial map that is automatically updated with new areas as the player discovers them.


step chart

(video games) A sequence of steps to be performed in a dance game.


glhf

(Internet slang, video games) Initialism of good luck, have fun.


scorebox

Video games are notorious for having relatively unchanging areas on the screen (ie the scorebox), which can quickly be burned into the screen.

1994, Coyt D Watters, “Projection TVs and SEGA”, in rec.games.video.sega (Usenet):

Recall that our arcade game is to have a scorebox that knows how to increase itself, and observe that this implies there is a score.

2001, Matt Neuburg, REALbasic: the definitive guide, page 64:

(video games) A box overlaid on the screen to display the player's score.


Zorkian

en-adj

Zorkian (comparative more Zorkian, superlative most Zorkian)

more Zorkian (comparative)
most Zorkian (superlative)

I won't say anything else about the Zorkian characters or combat for fear of detracting from each exhilarating discovery.

Your character doesn't understand any of the Zorkian languages in which the book's jokes are written and must have them translated by others.

Restless patrons are calling for the standard Zorkian conclusory fanfare!

1997, Rick Barba, Michael Knight, Rod Harten, CD-ROM Classics:

(video games) Of or pertaining to the Zork series of early computer games (originating in the 1970s), works of interactive fiction set in a sprawling underground labyrinth.


thumbstick

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-thumbstick.wav

Occasionally, when playing any given PC port, you’ll experience disorienting frame drops when using a mouse to control a camera that clearly was designed to move only as fluidly as console thumbsticks would allow.

2023 May 25, Nic Reuben, “The Lord of the Rings: Gollum review”, in The Guardian:

(video games) A small joystick, generally part of a larger game controller, that can be operated with the thumb.


Zeldaesque

Zeldaesque (comparative more Zeldaesque, superlative most Zeldaesque)

more Zeldaesque (comparative)
most Zeldaesque (superlative)

SoulBlazer is a very good game! It is very Zeldaesque.

1993, John Brooks, “Need another game like Zelda III”, in rec.games.video.nintendo (Usenet):

The combat system is unique, somewhat Zeldaesque, but with an experience point system.

1998, C-Coal, “Final Fantasy Adventure Map”, in alt.games.final-fantasy (Usenet):

That game was simply titled "Jurassic Park" as^([sic]) was totally different from the SNES game where you ran around the complex killing raptors and trying to get to the helicopter in a Zeldaesque game.

1999, Wyvern, “Nostalgia”, in alt.lifestyle.furry (Usenet):

You pretty much build your story using timelines (like you would do for a presentation) you can download a demo game from them that is kinda Zeldaesque.

2001, Scott McDonnell, “game engine?”, in comp.games.development.design (Usenet):

(video games) Reminiscent of the Legend of Zelda series of fantasy action adventure video games.


ragequit

en-verb

ragequit (third-person singular simple present ragequits, present participle ragequitting, simple past and past participle ragequit or ragequitted)

ragequits (present singular third-person)
ragequitting (participle present)
ragequit (participle past)
ragequit (past)
ragequitted (participle past)
ragequitted (past)

/ˈɹeɪd͡ʒˌkwɪt/

Having had my share of ragequitting teammates and unfinished campaigns -- I still haven't completed a L4D2 campaign on Expert -- I'll take a positive outlook and say that the complaints about difficulty amount to a longer and taller learning curve, that will give this game a longer lifespan than the first.

2009 November 28, rms, “What have you been playing... IN NOVEMBER 2009?”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (Usenet), message-ID <herjp3$ucc$1@news.eternal-september.org>:

Cheap insta-kill attacks have made me ragequit at least twice.

2010 February 8, Chris Whitworth, “Pow, Wallop & Bam”, in uk.games.video.misc (Usenet), message-ID <slrnhn0725.gik.usenet.chris@parm.vs.topper.me.uk>:

(intransitive, slang, video games) To quit an online video game in anger.


ragequit

/ˈɹeɪd͡ʒˌkwɪt/

Hardison: I don't know what happened. I had 'em and then I just—
Nate: Didn't anticipate the ragequit.
Hardison: You know gamer terminology?
Nate: I know the key to a good game is balancing boredom and frustration. Now the game — the puzzle's too easy, then the mark — the player — gets bored and walks away. The puzzle's too hard, then the player gets frustrated, and quits in a rage: ragequit.

2012 January 1, “The Gold Job”, in Leverage, season 4, episode 16 (Television), spoken by Alec Hardison and Nate Ford (Aldis Hodge and Timothy Hutton):

(slang, video games) The act of quitting an online video game in anger.


Metroidvania

en-noun

Metroidvania (countable and uncountable, plural Metroidvanias)

Blend of Metroid and Castlevania, two influential games of this type.

The Castlevania games share similarities with the Metroid series, in particular the free-roaming design in which new abilities allow access to different areas. Because of this, fans often refer to such games as "Metroidvania" in style.

2008, Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition:

It's got Metroidvania elements - it's structured like one, I guess, in that it's lots of exploration with a fair bit of backtracking and getting new abilities that unlock previously unopened areas and that sort of thing.

2009 September 1, Chris Whitworth, “Batman Arkham Asylum 24.99”, in uk.games.video.misc (Usenet), message-ID <slrnh9qqa3.giu.usenet.chris@parm.vs.topper.me.uk>:

Pure Metroidvania... with 3D in-engine cutscenes.

2009 September 14, Jonah Falcon, “Shadow Complex Great Game”, in alt.games.video.xbox (Usenet), message-ID <RpWdnUTaXZXTRjPXnZ2dnUVZ_hWdnZ2d@earthlink.com>:

Metroidvanias are an inherently clever genre, and the cleverness can sometimes sap a little of the energy.

2019 June 18, Christian Donlan, “Gato Roboto review - a pet-sized Metroidvania filled with delights”, in Eurogamer:

(video games, informal) A (genre of) platform game with role-playing game elements and inventory items, involving more exploration than a traditional linear platform game, particularly revisiting previously explored areas.


bullshot

Blend of bullshit + screenshot, coined in 2005 in the webcomic Penny Arcade.

Exhibit A is a textbook example of a bullshot, an image ginned up by marketing and foisted on people who don't know any better.

2005 September 12, “Potent New Lingo”, in Penny Arcade, retrieved 2012-06-15:

Even the world's most technically proficient game-makers — industry leaders in graphical and gameplay innovation — seem shy to release actual screenshots of their forthcoming games, preferring instead to unleash super-scaled bullshots, or enhanced videos.

2009 August 15, Richard Leadbetter, “Media Manipulation: the "Bullshot" phenomenon”, in Eurogamer, retrieved 2012-06-15:

Sometimes they’ll fall under the ambiguous label of ‘visual target renders’, the small-print description of bullshots at the highest level.

2012 March 19, Ryan King, “7 Marketing Trends That Need To Stop”, in Play, →ISSN, retrieved 2012-06-16:

(neologism, video games) A phony screenshot created for promotional purposes.


netplay

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-netplay.wav

Can somebody help me? I have a PowerMac^([sic]) 6100/60 and a Powerbook^([sic]) 1400 Localtalk^([sic]) networked. I can't get Abuse to work in netplay. Both machines have 16 MB of RAM but when I try to start a netgame, the loading screen comes up then the ocmputer^([sic]) quits... Any ideas?

1997, Kip, “Abuse netplay problems!”, in comp.sys.mac.games.action (Usenet):

most emulators support netplay, like SNES9x or RockNes. is anyone interested?

2002, Mark Canavan, “netplay”, in alt.games.video.emulation (Usenet):

(video games) Multiplayer gameplay over a network.


multiplay

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-multiplay.wav


multiplay

The team has never done networked multiplay for a racing game. We aren't completely sure we can do it.

2008, Jesse Schell, The art of game design, page 93:

(video games) The ability of more than one player to participate in a game at the same time (especially by means of a network).


power gamer

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-power gamer.wav

(video games) A regular gamer who plays computationally demanding games on state-of-the-art hardware.


(retronym, video games) Initialism of PlayStation 1.


meatshot

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-meatshot.wav

(video games, in online FPS gaming) A shot, from a shotgun or scattergun, all of whose bullets strike the enemy, usually from a very short to point-blank range.


skydome

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-skydome.wav

(video games, computer graphics) A sphere or hemisphere with a texture on its inner face, used to simulate the sky or similar backdrop around a three-dimensional playfield.


bullet hell

bullet hell (countable and uncountable, plural bullet hells)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-bullet hell.wav

Mars Matrix is a bullet hell game that is pretty well designed.

2003, Billy Bissette, “SAY IT AIN'T SO!!!”, in rec.games.video.sega (Usenet):

A few of the game cabinets are connected to flat-screen TVs so bystanders can stop and ogle. Grimy VCRs are hooked up to bullet-hell shooting games...

2008, Brian Ashcraft, Jean Snow, Arcade Mania: The Turbo-charged World of Japan's Game Centers:

The camera is a convenient nonviolent replacement for a gun, a principle perhaps taken most literally by Shoot the Bullet (2005), a bullet hell game in which you clear bullets by photographing them.

2019 February 25, Jordan Erica Webber, “Point and shoot: what's next for photography in video games?”, in The Guardian:

(video games, chiefly attributive) A genre of two-dimensional shoot 'em up in which the playfield is almost filled with a barrage of enemy bullets.


zerg

en-verb

zerg (third-person singular simple present zergs, present participle zerging, simple past and past participle zerged)

zergs (present singular third-person)
zerging (participle present)
zerged (participle past)
zerged (past)

From the game StarCraft (1998), in which the easily mass-produced Zerg units encourage such a strategy.

You can't win with small, balanced groups. You have to zerg the mob with a high number of players. They don't have to zerg lower tier encounters just like the lowest tier guilds doesn't have to zerg orc camp 1 in EC. But, at the top end, it's still zerg tactics.

2002, Wolfie, “Re: Whoa - massive changes due in next patch”, in alt.games.everquest (Usenet):

The scale and lack of focused content doesn't facilitate this grouping as well as some other games. The good side of that is you don't get the "wonderful" experience of zerging around DF with everyone else waiting for something to spawn.

2003, George, “Finding groups to mission/hunt/other experience with”, in alt.games.starwarsgalaxies (Usenet):

No one ever did D (or just 3-4 people tried), we just zerged, and we would lose every single AV.

2008, neithskye, “AV after the last changes...”, in alt.games.warcraft (Usenet):

(slang, video games, strategy games) To attack an opponent with a large swarm of units before they have been able to build sufficient defences.


zerg

(slang, video games) A very large group of units or players.


superkick

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-superkick.wav

Thirty minutes later this superkick landed me, when I came crashing back to earth, at the door of the Egyptian tomb.

1920, The Saturday Evening Post, Benjamin Franklin Literary & Medical Society, page 129:

"Mere you-tickle-me-I-tickle you stuff. No Urge^([sic]) about that sort of thing; no Superkick;—well Starfire, if you know what I mean!"— she said it shyly, being young enough and Anglo-Saxon enough, to dread the language.

1933, Eleanor Mercein Kelly, Arabesque, Harper & Brothers, page 231:

Lori Couto's SUPERKICK?

1980, Berkley Middle School Yearbook, Berkley Public Library, page 29:

At the end of the season, in December, they have a competitive and hilarious “superkick,’ a contest measuring accuracy, distance, and style (“style meaning how mongrelly your kicks are”), but that’s generally the extent of formal ceremony, a fact Kelly savors.

2004, Brian Doyle, Spirited Men: Story, Soul & Substance, Cowley Publications, →ISBN, page 127:

(martial arts, video games, fantasy, science fiction, rare) An extremely strong kick, performed with proficiency, which differs from the common wrestling variation.


kill screen

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-kill screen.wav

The most famous kill screen from classic gaming is the 256th level of Pac-Man. At this point, due to a bug half the screen becomes garbled data, which keeps the player from collecting all of the dots and clearing the board to move on.

2010, Scott Rogers, Level Up!: The Guide to Great Video Game Design, page 48:

Kill screens—a problem largely limited to arcade games—occur when an unexpectedly far progress of a player causes an error in the game program.

2020, Michelle Herte, Forms and Functions of Endings in Narrative Digital Games, Routledge, →ISBN:

(video games) A level in a computer game that is impossible to win, usually due to programming errors.


Pikachu

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Pikachu.wav

(video games, anime, manga) A small yellow rodent-like Pokémon species that has red cheeks and a tail shaped like a lightning bolt, and has electricity-related powers.


cheesable

en-adj

cheesable (comparative more cheesable, superlative most cheesable)

more cheesable (comparative)
most cheesable (superlative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-cheesable.wav

(video games, slang) Of a level, obstacle, opponent, etc.: able to be defeated or overcome by cheesing.


uncheesable

uncheesable (comparative more uncheesable, superlative most uncheesable)

more uncheesable (comparative)
most uncheesable (superlative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-uncheesable.wav


telly tennis

From telly + tennis, the game having a superficial resemblance to tennis.

The monitored heart-rate on a small screen, like a hesitant green version of the telly tennis he'd played in pubs or railway stations.

1976, Elaine Feinstein, The ecstasy of Dr Miriam Garner, page 101:

Hooked on telly tennis, or football? We've been carrying out some in-depth testing of (playing with) a TV games unit for you to build.

1979 October 4, New Scientist, volume 84, number 1175, page 48:

He finds them sitting at a small table holding a horizontal video tube and stands watching them play telly tennis.

1992, Mudrooroo (Colin Johnson), Long live Sandawara, page 61:

(slang, video games, UK, Australia) The game of Pong, or any TV game closely based on it.


esport

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-esport.wav

(video games) Alternative form of e-sport


ghost piece

(video games) A representation of where a piece will land if it falls without intervention (such as moving it away or rotating it) in the video game Tetris.


wall kick

(video games) A sideways movement that results from a rotation of a piece that is touching the left or right walls in certain versions of the video game Tetris.


WRPG

role-playing game
role-playing game#English

role-playing video game
role-playing video game

(video games) Initialism of Western role-playing game, a traditional genre of role-playing video game generally understood as involving a customizable player character, open-ended and non-linear gameplay, exploration of a large game world, and an overall high level of player agency.


Nintendinitis

repetitive strain injury
repetitive strain injury

(informal, video games) A form of repetitive strain injury affecting frequent video gamers, often from excessive use of the d-pad on a game controller.


ADS

(video games) Initialism of aim down sights.


hall of mirrors

en-noun

hall of mirrors (plural halls of mirrors)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-hall of mirrors.wav

Does anyone know about the Hall of Mirrors effect in the game of DOOM? I have recently been making my own levels of doom and in some places the hall of mirrors effect is in full effect. It happens especially in my biggest rooms that are very complex.

1994, Josh Pearson, “DOOM hall of mirrors effect”, in bit.listserv.games-l (Usenet):

Quake 1, on the other hand, wouldn't run properly. Quake 1 1.09 3dfx failed to load, and Quake 1 1.09 RAVE was just ... wierd^([sic]). Video adjustment was almost non-existent, and no matter what settings I chose (trashing Prefs and the texture cache between attempts) I either got a lock-up, or the screen wouldn't change resolution, or if I called up the Options from the main menu I would see nothing, and when the startup demo was running, it was all 'hall of mirrors' stuff. Completely unusable.

2000, Brains, “3dfx 1.0.1 + Voodoo3/2k + Quake 1 = blergh”, in comp.sys.mac.games.action (Usenet):

(video games, uncountable) A glitch in some three-dimensional games where a missing texture prevents part of the scene from being rendered correctly, causing a trail of previously rendered frames to appear instead.


mainer

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-mainer.wav

(video games) One who mainly plays as a specific character or on a specific side.


turtler

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-turtler.wav


backseater

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-backseater.wav

(Internet, video games) Synonym of back-seat gamer


quylthulg

Everything was going fine until I found a long long hallway with two titans trapped behind a quylthulg.

1999, rocher, “YACD, my rogue again. Advice wanted/needed (LONG)”, in rec.games.roguelike.angband (Usenet):

- some monster descriptions corrected, and a few other changes: quylthulgs are no longer evil, as befits an entirely brainless creature which knows nothing except that it must bring help to protect itself.

2000, Jonathan Ellis, “New version of vanilla-290 "edits" patch released!”, in rec.games.roguelike.angband (Usenet):

Find something worth a lot that you can handle, and clone it. Young dragons if you have a SD weapon, various high-level undead (wights, wraiths, lichs, vampires) if you have speed, rotting quylthulgs as a source for those high-level undead, iridescent beetles if you have free action […]

2002, Eli the Bearded, “Random questions on mid level play”, in rec.games.roguelike.moria (Usenet):

(video games) In some roguelike games, a type of fictional invisible monster that summons other monsters.


kinetic novel

From KineticNovel, a brand of the Japanese software publishing company Visual Arts.

(video games) A visual novel in which the player does not interact with the story.


visual novel

Calque of Japanese ビジュアルノベル (bijuaru noberu), from English visual + novel

cal

(video games) An interactive fiction video game of a style originated in Japan, consisting primarily of narration illustrated by anime-style images.


crossplay

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-crossplay.wav

(video games) Cross-platform multiplayer functionality.


multitap

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-multitap.wav

(video games) A peripheral for video game consoles that increases the number of controller ports, allowing more players to participate.


murderbot

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-murderbot.wav


pantsu

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-pantsu.wav

Etymology tree
Ancient Greek Παντελεήμων (Panteleḗmōn)bor.
Spanish Pantaleónder.
Italian Pantaloneder.
French pantalonbor.
English pantaloon
English pantaloons
English pantsbor.
Japanese パンツbor.
English pantsu
Borrowed from Japanese パンツ (pantsu), from English pants.

etymon

(ACG, Internet slang) panties (short underpants for women or girls); underpants


aftergame

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-aftergame.wav

(video games) Bonus features, dialogue, etc. accessed when a previously-beaten video game is revisited.


romset

I am looking for a rom dump of a Swedish or Finnish C64. They seem to have an alternate romset than the ones used elsewhere (probably because of the characters used in those countries).

2000, Ben Castricum, “Searching for a Swedish/Finnish C64 romset”, in comp.sys.cbm (Usenet):

You are right re the romsets, MAME uses different sets for a lot of games, you can't intermix Neorage and MAME sets.

2001, Paul Irvine, “NeoGeo”, in uk.games.video.misc (Usenet):

(video games) A group of related ROM images required to emulate a particular game.


time attack

time + attack. Time-trial sense is a calque of Japanese タイムアタック (taimu atakku), itself from English.

clq

Coordinate term: score attack

Starting off in Japan, Time Attack, Super Lap and Tuner Battles were organised by the media as a proving ground to see the difference between street tuned cars, produced by the tuning industries most respected tuners.

2006, “Time Attack FAQ's”, in Time Attack - Official Website, archived from the original on 2007-09-12:

There are only eight levels but the varied game modes (including time attacks, survivals, team deathmatches, hunts, and sieges) in both single and multi-player keeps things interesting.

(motor racing, video games) Synonym of time trial


heal up

en-verb

heal up (third-person singular simple present heals up, present participle healing up, simple past and past participle healed up)

heals up (present singular third-person)
healing up (participle present)
healed up (participle past)
healed up (past)

Find a safe place where you can heal up before returning to the scene of combat.

(intransitive, video games) To heal one's character.


SMG

(video games) Initialism of Super Mario Galaxy.


exergame

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-exergame.wav

(video games) A video game that also provides the player with physical exercise.


SNES

The graphics are kind of cutesy, and the music is annoying, but the game is incredibly fun and the Super Multitap is worth owning so you can play the five-player SNES games coming out in the near future. Check it out!

1994, J. Douglas Arnold, Awesome Super Nintendo Secrets 3:

Emulate the SNES on the Dreamcast

2004, Simon Carless, Gaming hacks, page 64:

In fact the GBA was more powerful than the SNES, and could manipulate the pixels in ways the original SNES could never do. The cartridges also had a greater capacity than the SNES, allowing for richer and more extensive play.

2006, NFGMan, Character Design for Mobile Devices:

Super Nintendo Entertainment System
w:Super Nintendo Entertainment System

(video games) Initialism of Super Nintendo Entertainment System.


OHKO

(video games) An instance of defeating an opponent with a single attack; a one-hit knockout.


OHKO

OHKO (third-person singular simple present OHKOs, present participle OHKOing, simple past and past participle OHKOed)

OHKOs (present singular third-person)
OHKOing (participle present)
OHKOed (participle past)
OHKOed (past)

(transitive, video games) To defeat with a single attack.


pop-in

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-pop-in.wav

(computer graphics, video games) A performance issue in three-dimensional graphics, causing objects or textures to "pop" suddenly into view as they are loaded, rather than smoothly moving into view.


joystick waggler

en-noun

joystick waggler (plural joystick wagglers)

Popeye 3 is an out-and-out joystick waggler. While Zeppelin's Tag Team Wrestling used the old 'press fire with a direction' control method, to beat your opponent in Popeye 3, you have two stages of frenetic wrist-mangling.

1992, Jon Pillar, Popeye III (game review) in Your Sinclair 83, November 1992

It's not an exact simulation and it's not a joystick waggler. It is basically CM2 for cricket.

1998, Mike Fairweather, “International cricket captain, opinions wanted”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.sports (Usenet):

Could be wrong but I'm sure T&F and several of the other give-the-controls-a-good-twatting games were actually button bashers rather than joystick wagglers. Bit picky I know.....

2003, Nomenluni, “What Speccy game should have been in the arcade?”, in comp.sys.sinclair (Usenet):

(video games, informal) A video game, usually based on a sport, where the player must build up and maintain speed or energy by rapidly moving the joystick back and forth.


TPS

TPS (countable and uncountable, plural TPS's or TPSes)

third-person shooter
third-person shooter#English


wall jump

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-wall jump.wav

The player can gain altitude by chaining wall jumps which allows them to “climb walls” by wall jumping between two opposite facing surfaces.

2010, Scott Rogers, Level Up!: The Guide to Great Video Game Design, page 102:

(video games) A move in which a character jumps into a wall or similar barrier and executes a further jump by pushing away from it in the opposite direction.


free-to-play

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-free-to-play.wav

(video games) That can be played without payment.


MCC

(video games, informal) Abbreviation of MC Championship.


teleportitis

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-teleportitis.wav

Teleportitis is gained by eating a leprechaun or quantum mechanic or nymph.

1990, Aaron Sher, “Teleportation”, in rec.games.hack (Usenet):

That ring stayed on his finger until resists became more an issue than damage output, and stayed off when I got teleportitis in the Slime pits and had to rely on teleport control.

2006, Rorschach, “YAVP: Argos the Merry Minotaur”, in rec.games.roguelike.misc (Usenet):

(video games, informal) In some roguelike games, an intrinsic ability that causes the player's character to teleport from place to place without warning.


overpull

en-verb

overpull (third-person singular simple present overpulls, present participle overpulling, simple past and past participle overpulled)

overpulls (present singular third-person)
overpulling (participle present)
overpulled (participle past)
overpulled (past)

/ˈəʊvə(ɹ)ˌpʊl/

/ˌəʊvə(ɹ)ˈpʊl/

A big mistake I see a lot of warlocks do is overpulling with whatever demon they're using. VW's good for two (maybe three), but the succubus is only good for one at a time. But young warlocks don't know this, so they send their demon into a pack of mobs, start up with their DOT's and suddenly find themselves in the middle of melee because the demon can't hold aggro.

2008, Jobbles, “Dead server economy?”, in alt.games.warcraft (Usenet):

(video games) To lure away more monsters than one can handle in combat.


sequence breaking

(video games, speedrunning) The performing of actions or obtaining of items out of the linear order intended by the game's designers, either as a challenge or in order to skip certain sections of the game.


subquest

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-subquest.wav

If each of five paths through the game has an entirely independent set of locations, monsters, spells, characters, subquests, and game objectives, the designer is essentially faced with creating five wholly different games.

2001, Neal Hallford, Jana Hallford, Swords and circuitry: a designer's guide to computer role playing games, page 195:

This is an example of a subquest that must be completed before the main one can be finished. Or the subquest could be finding a key that unlocks the room holding the princess since the room has been magically sealed against all entry without the key.

2009, Jim Perry, RPG programming using XNA game studio 3.0, page 232:

The quest is broken down into a number of episodes that progress in a linear sequence, each with its own subquest and major challenge at the end.

2010, Ernest Adams, Fundamentals of game design, page 458:

(video games) A secondary quest that forms part of a larger quest.


despawn

despawn (third-person singular simple present despawns, present participle despawning, simple past and past participle despawned)

despawns (present singular third-person)
despawning (participle present)
despawned (participle past)
despawned (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-despawn.wav

A mob will immediately despawn if ever there is no player within 128 blocks of it.

The helicopter despawned shortly after take-off, leaving the player in an unexpected free fall.

The game despawns the enemies after you kill them 15 times or so.

(video games, ergative, of an entity in a game world) To be instantaneously destroyed or removed.


Nintendocore

From Nintendo (“Japanese multinational video game company”) + -core (suffix denoting a music genre, especially one influenced by hardcore music), with reference to the simplistic sound effects of early video game consoles. The word was coined by the American musician Nathan Winneke, the frontman of the metalcore band Horse the Band, as a joke; the band posted the word on the Internet and also printed it on a label on the compact disc of their first demo I Am a Small Wooden Statue on a Patch of Crabgrass Next to a Dried Up Riverbed (2001).

coinage

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to mix the theme song from the original Mario Bros. games with chugging guitars and the vocal stylings of someone who wasn't hugged enough as a child? You're not alone. In fact, there's an entire genre of music devoted to this sound – it's called nintendocore. Growing out of metalcore – a fusion of heavy metal and punk – nintendocore derives its distinctive sound from the use of synths reminiscent of mid-eighties video games.

2009 November 2, Amy Plachta, “You Never Knew You Loved … Nintendocore a Unique Sound Worth Exploring”, in Interrobang: Fanshawe College’s Student Voice, volume 42, number 11, London, Ont.: Fanshawe College Student Union, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-03-31:

In the ever-changing landscape of music, that's given way to such genres as emo, screamo, nu metal and Nintendocore, one question remains! Does anyone play rock music anymore?

2010 May, Jake Brown, Alice in Chains: In the Studio, Nashville, Tenn.: Rock ’N’ Roll Books, →ISBN:

At the time of writing, Spotify currently lists over 4,000 online categories and sub-categories of music ranging from Nintendocore – a genre delineated solely by the overlay of bludgeoning, bowel-stewing grunge riffs on old-school videogame soundtracks – to Pornogrind, a maximum security subgenre of Grindcore (a convulsing fusion of rawboned, buzz-sawing death metal and tightly coiled hardcore punk).

2020, Kevin Dutton, Black and White Thinking: The Burden of a Binary Brain in a Complex World, London: Bantam Press, →ISBN:

In the US, a well-known Brooklyn music venue hosted a Minecraft concert featuring much loved bands[…]. The sprawling nightclub was painstakingly recreated and featured performances from the popular emo act American Football, "Nintendocore" videogame musicians Anamanaguchi and electronic artist Baths[…].

2020, Larissa Hjorth, Ingrid Richardson, Hugh Davies, William Balmford, “Playing during and post COVID-19 Pandemic”, in Exploring Minecraft: Ethnographies of Play and Creativity (Palgrave Games in Context), Cham, Zug, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, →ISBN, page 171:

(music, video games) An aggressive genre of modern rock music influenced by chiptunes (“music that samples or emulates the audio capabilities of older sound chips”) and video game music.

Nintendocore

aggressive genre of modern rock music influenced by chiptunes and video game music


special stage

(video games) A bonus level taking place between the main levels of a game.


boss key

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-boss key.wav

When the directors came out of their meeting, I hit the boss key to replace my game with a fake spreadsheet screen.

To obtain the boss key in Leisure Suit Larry games, press <Ctrl><B>. This is also displayed in the “Special” menu. However, use the boss key with caution. First of all, your boss must be really naive if he believes that this display is part of your normal work and secondly, you must be prepared to lose your current score after you press the boss key.

1990, Michael Mueller, Martin Schuchardt, The Leisure Suit Larry Story, Abacus, →ISBN, page 19:

For one, the original Tetris game I remember came with a "boss key," a special command built into the game's menu. When the player presses the boss key, the game pauses and draws a noninteractive spreadsheet program onto the screen.

2006, Ian Bogost, Unit Operations: An Approach to Videogame Criticism, MIT Press, →ISBN:

You can use screen savers to create a Super Boss Key—a key combination, such as Alt+F10, that you can press to make the PC immediately switch over to running the screen saver.

2009, Woody Leonhard, Windows 7 All-in-One For Dummies, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 240:

(chiefly video games) A key which, when pressed, hides a program from view by a superior in the workplace.


art game

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-art game.wav

(video games) A video game designed to convey an aesthetic and provoke a reaction, rather than to provide a traditional diversion with set goals.


energy bar

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-energy bar.wav

(video games) A bar indicating the proportion of a character's energy that still remains.

energiapalkki

a bar indicating the proportion of a character's energy that still remains


comp stomp

(slang, video games) A competitive game against one or more computer-controlled players.


tech up

en-verb

tech up (third-person singular simple present techs up, present participle teching up, simple past and past participle teched up)

techs up (present singular third-person)
teching up (participle present)
teched up (participle past)
teched up (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-tech up.wav

(video games) To upgrade to a higher technology level.


imba

en-adj

imba (comparative more imba, superlative most imba)

more imba (comparative)
most imba (superlative)

For quotations using this term, see Citations:imba.

(video games, slang) Clipping of imbalanced.


wall humping

We LPBs are truly bored with wall humping High Ping Whiners. I would like nothing more than to have someone who can kill me.

1998 March 17, Craig Fletcher, “Get a job.”, in alt.games.quake (Usenet):

Doom has three running speeds (not counting wall humping): running, strafe-running, and strafe-drawing. Strafe-drawing is a little faster than strafe-running, but harder to control for distance.

1998 April 21, Chris Dale, “How do you use the mouse?!”, in rec.games.computer.doom.playing (Usenet):

Indiana Jones was so-so. The walk through bush reminded me of tree humping (grrr). Didn't figure out the snake pit(due to lack of wall humping I hear), though it was obvious that was the point to work on.

2001 April 6, Tarf, “CL: April quest critique (was Re: CL: April's Fool question)”, in comp.sys.mac.games.adventure (Usenet):

Didnt the PF have to hump the path for a^([sic]) hours too? I really wanna know what kind of crack the PF GM is on. What kind of fucking moron would find wall humping for hours fun (besides mystics)? Maybe its time to go hump all the trees in SF again to see if the mirror will open because something was added after the last chaos storm with no warning or clues.

2001 November 19, Michael, “CL: Jack-ass area design”, in comp.sys.mac.games.adventure (Usenet):

Instead, you made it wall humping and pure luck. That is jackassitude.

2002 January 24, Kojiro, “CL: Shift of dynamics [was: thoughts on party size etc.]”, in comp.sys.mac.games.adventure (Usenet):

I don't think this is a statement that players are stupid. Not at all. They know what's good. This is a statement that engaging in quests, exploration and wall humping is an activity with a similar motivation to rattling the bars of your jail cell: You ain't got nuthin better to do.

2003 August 21, Ian Ollmann, “CL: Movable Portals”, in comp.sys.mac.games.adventure (Usenet):

(video games) (The act of a character) moving repeatedly against a wall, as if humping it, either intentionally (e.g. trying to find secret doors) or due to a glitch.


teamkill

en-verb

teamkill (third-person singular simple present teamkills, present participle teamkilling, simple past and past participle teamkilled)

teamkills (present singular third-person)
teamkilling (participle present)
teamkilled (participle past)
teamkilled (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-teamkill.wav

Wait, I was killed by... a facility guard throwing the ball?! So, wait, I got teamkilled by SCP-018, which is good 'cause that's on my list of ways to die, but it was by a teammate?! I mean, that works, but I didn't think that was possible - OK!

2022 May 19, Simarded, 3:08 from the start, in Experiencing Death In Every Way In SCP Secret Laboratory - Part 2, archived from the original on 2023-02-11:

(video games, transitive) To kill another player on one's own team.


teamkill

Albeit, at the time, the Type 93 would go on to be the central star of the most spectacular teamkill of the war, when the cruiser Mogami fired a salvo of six Type 93s at the cruiser USS Houston, missed, but, with their long range, the torpedoes quite happily motored on and blew up four friendly transports and a minesweeper. Yeah, not such a good day.

2021 January 20, Drachinifel, 22:02 from the start, in Type 93 Long Lance Torpedo - Long Range Hole Poking Device, archived from the original on 2022-11-01:

(chiefly video games) The killing of another player on one's own team.


bk

(video games, slang) Initialism of bad kid, an inexperienced player or noob.


ult

In addition to his healing and teleportion powers, Bard also has a unique ultimate ability, or ult. Ults are the most powerful moves each champion has—the one that takes the longest to unlock in a game, and is activated by pressing "R."

2015 March 13, Yannick LeJacq, “Why Bard Is Such An Exciting League Of Legends Champion”, in Kotaku, archived from the original on 2021-12-09:

To me, Lucio is the pinnacle of what a support character should be, he's fast, he's fun, he's useful, he can get eliminations and his ult can change the course of a game.

2016 June 2, Paul Tassi, “'Overwatch' Needs Not One, But Two New Support Heroes As Soon As Possible”, in Forbes, New York, N.Y.: Forbes Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2021-01-17:

On the other hand, notable nerfs have been applied to Raze and Brimstone. The cost for both agents' ultimate abilities, Showstopper and Orbital Strike, respectively, have been increased to seven ult points.

2020 July 22, Puah Ziwei, “'Valorant' patch 1.04 buffs Viper, nerfs Raze and Brimstone”, in NME, archived from the original on 2021-04-20:

Those creators (Somjuu, Violet, and Flats) remixed how every hero in Overwatch plays, sometimes dramatically (Lucio's ult can now kill enemies and Sigma's Experimental Barrier is just ... gone) and sometimes superficially (Orisa now wears a Christmas hat).

2021 December 1, Michael McWhertor, “Overwatch gets weird with some over-the-top balance changes designed by players”, in Polygon, archived from the original on 2023-03-27:

League of Legends game designer Azubuike "AzuBK" Ndefo-Dahl revealed that K'Sante's ult All Out was heavily inspired by the hugely popular scene from Naruto where Rock Lee drops his leg weight and shocks the audience.

2022 October 19, Sayantan "BibÖzil" Chowdhury, “"That Naruto moment was really key": League of Legends developers reveal the story behind K'Sante's ultimate”, in Sportskeeda, archived from the original on 2022-10-19:

To improve her team repositioning Ultimate and put in more in line with the power of Valkyrie's Ultimate, Wraith's Interdimensional Portal can now cross twice the distance it could before. What's more, Wraith herself will speed up as she moves during her Ult.

2023 February 8, Ollie Toms, “All the Legend and weapon changes coming to Apex Legends Season 16”, in Rock Paper Shotgun, archived from the original on 2023-02-10:

(video games, slang) An ultimate; the most powerful ability available to a character.


quicksave

quicksave (third-person singular simple present quicksaves, present participle quicksaving, simple past and past participle quicksaved)

quicksaves (present singular third-person)
quicksaving (participle present)
quicksaved (participle past)
quicksaved (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-quicksave.wav

From quick + save. Attested at least since 1992, as a feature in the game Wolfenstein 3D (in the form "Quick Save").

Press F5 to quicksave before trying something risky.

Games can be quicksaved at any time, so you won't be forced to start every mission from scratch after making a bad tactical decision.

2000, Computer Gaming World, volumes 191-194:

I think most gamers would be surprised by how much time they waste reloading and quicksaving for every minute imperfection and harmless mistake they make.

2004, Opticreep, “[POLL]: Save Gave Habits”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (Usenet):

6.00: the user “quicksaves” the game: the first time this happened

2009, Zach Waggoner, My avatar, my self: identity in video role-playing games, page 180:

(video games) To save progress in one's game with a rapid keystroke, without needing to, e.g., reach a checkpoint.


quicksave

(video games) A save created by quicksaving.


crowd control

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-crowd control.wav

(video games) The concept or collective of action-impairing debuffs.


crowd control

crowd control (third-person singular simple present crowd controls, present participle crowd controlling, simple past and past participle crowd controlled)

crowd controls (present singular third-person)
crowd controlling (participle present)
crowd controlled (participle past)
crowd controlled (past)


bunnyhopping

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-bunnyhopping.wav

(video games) The act of jumping repeatedly to avoid enemy fire, especially in first-person shooters. In some games, the jumping animation or air speed is faster than the walking animation or speed, making hopping a more efficient mode of movement.


heroinware

Luckily, Jaffe found refuge and eventual salvation with On-Line Gamers Anonymous, one of several online self-help groups that have sprung up to deal with the fallout from electronic entertainment they call heroinware. Its forums are swollen with refugees of various online worlds, all with harrowing stories of runaway gaming habits, lives ruined, friends lost, marriages broken.

2003 April 3, David McCandless, “Just one more go…”, in The Guardian:

(video games, slang) An addictive computer game, especially one played to the extent it interferes with the everyday life of the player.


dead zone

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-dead zone.wav

(video games) A region within the player's viewpoint that is less sensitive to small movements, aiding accurate firing of weapons etc.


god game

Mana often grows in exponential proportion to population size, so as the population increases the player acquires vastly greater powers—a progression that god games share with spellcaster characters in role-playing games.

2010, Ernest Adams, Fundamentals of Game Design, page 580:

(video games) A style of game in which the player observes and controls a large-scale environment, such as a city.


rolling demo

Trantor (US Gold)! Ocean Conqueror (Hewson)! Moron (Atlantis)! Master Brain (Powertape)! North and South - rolling demo (Infogrames)! And another selection of game busting pokes in Pokemania!

1991 February, “Contents”, in Crash, number 85:

The game's rolling demo flickered in front of her and she felt herself being drawn into the ghosts that it held in that LCD screen.

2007, Simon Logan, Pretty Little Things to Fill Up the Void, page 141:

As we said, Grim Fandango is of exceptionally high quality — easily good enough that you could just sit through a rolling demo of the entire game, with every puzzle solved for you, and enjoy it as perfectly well as an animated movie.

2009, Andrew Rollings, Dave Morris, Game architecture and design:

(video games) A demonstration version that can be watched but is not interactive.


maphack

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-maphack.wav

(video games) A patch enabling a player to cheat by viewing more of the game map than is actually visible to him or her.


necro

necro (third-person singular simple present necroes or necros, present participle necroing, simple past and past participle necroed)

necroes (present singular third-person)
necros (present singular third-person)
necroing (participle present)
necroed (participle past)
necroed (past)

“I killed and necroed a couple guards practically every time I went out. My boys have the south gate manned, and they'll be stepping aside any minute now.”

2018, Xavier P. Hunter, House Rules: a LitRPG novel, Magical Scrivener Press, →ISBN:

(Internet, video games and card games slang) To practice necromancy; to bring back from the dead.


splash damage

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-splash damage.wav

(video games) Damage caused by a nearby explosion, affecting creatures within a certain radius.


graphics whore

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-graphics whore.wav

for weeks all you were going on about is that VF3tb isn't arcade perfect, the graphics weren't 100% this, or that.. now you are saying graphics aren't everything. And trust me Marty, you are not talking to some "graphics whore" I've been involved in gaming since the late 70's, and follow it with a passion.

1999 January 30, David Wooten, “Re: Dreamcast is not going to make it. Sonic has dismal sales”, in rec.games.video.sega (Usenet):

I tried to find this sort of information in some of the reviews of DC SR2, but /every/ one I've read (fansites and professional) was written from the graphics-whore-viewpoint, and didn't talk much about such "nonessential" things as gameplay or car selection and handling.

1999 March 21, Raymond McKeithen II, “Re: Super GT is NOT coming to DC...”, in rec.games.video.sega (Usenet):

1999 July 21, Charles E. Taylor IV, “Re: Dreamcast or Playstation?”, rec.games.video.sony, rec.games.video.sega, Usenet
Observe the marks of a true graphics whore. The first love is what the games look like. You probably bought a 3DO day of release too.

anf final fantasy 8 sucks ass... if you like it you're a worthless graphics whore that never played real rpgs like the first 3 final fantasies on the nes.

1999 October 26, Mihn Lynn Pau, “revolted with tokyo”, in alt.games.video.sega-dreamcast (Usenet):

I submit that if the presence of technology ruins a game for you, you're just as bad as a "graphics whore" who complains about the presence of 2-D...

1999 November 1, John Ford, “Re: After a month of trying to get into FF8 I give up...”, in alt.games.final-fantasy (Usenet):

Simply put, the reviewer is another misplaced, PSX graphics whore. Just the headline of the review was a clue: His Dreamcast turned into a Super Nintendo? At what point could a SNES handle 1/10 of the sprites that are in Giga Wing?

1999 November 16, Dan Riley, “Re: There's a Giga Wing review at IGN”, in alt.games.video.shooters (Usenet):

The visuals are great...everything from the characters to the backgrounds to the cutscenes, absolutely amazing. I don't want to sound like a total graphics whore, but the visuals will keep me going even if the gameplay isn't the best.

2000 February 12, L Fernandez, “U9 isn't so bad..”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (Usenet):

If you are what the kids these days call a "graphics whore", that is, someone whose sole motivation for buying games is how they look, then ignore the rest of this review...

2008, Gran Turismo 5 (game review) in GameAxis Unwired magazine (issue 56, page 42)

(video games, derogatory, slang, vulgar) A fan of computer graphics who favours good graphics over gameplay.


clanny

Once Assamite clannies can dissect the new cards, we'll know the true state of the clan.

2007 August 17, Jeff Kuta, “Re: another thought on 'fixing' the Assamites”, in rec.games.trading-cards.jyhad (Usenet):

Join a clan to flaunt your victories and be a good sport by donating support troops to fellow clannies.

2014 January, Alexis Capitini, “Five Apps You Should Be Playing”, in Living Out, page 28:

The festival has given me the chance to meet long term friends and clannies that I've known playing RuneScape.

2018 October, Rich Eddy, “Casting the Runes”, in MCV/Develop, published 2019, page 65:

(video games, collectible card games, sometimes derogatory) A player who habitually plays the same clan or with the other players on the same team.


ragequitter

All these quits are based on real encounters we've had with ragequitters.

2010 September 26, TheWarpZone, “The rage quitter”, in YouTube:


boss rush

For quotations using this term, see Citations:boss rush.

(video games) A situation (sometimes an extra stage) in which the player faces all of the bosses of the game, one after another.


shit on

shit on (third-person singular simple present shits on, present participle shitting on, simple past shit on or shitted on or shat on, past participle shit on)

shits on (present singular third-person)
shitting on (participle present)
shit on (past)
shitted on (past)
shat on (past)
shit on (participle past)

Faker’s Tristana pounced on Yassuo’s Syndra, outleveling the streamer four to three. Yassuo’s failure to stun Faker into a wall made his victory look bleak. A well-timed Flash and Ignite, however, baited Faker under the tower to meet his doom. "Get shit on, Faker," Yassuo said. "Thank God I fucking solo-killed Faker. We’re chilling, we’re good, we’re good."

2019 October 11, Andreas Stavropoulos, “Yassuo solo kills Faker with Syndra in League of Legends”, in Dot Esports:

In response to someone in his chat saying that the Vantage rightfully destroyed him, he responds irately, "I didn't get shit on. [She] has the bullet size of fucking Antarctica."

2022 October 12, Emily Morrow, “Apex Legends pro Mande says Vantage's bullets are 'the size of f*****g Antarctica'”, in Dot Esports:

"We really underestimated C9, and they definitely shat on us," Jojopyun stated in am interview with Travis Gafford, and reiterated that no matter how well they played, there were always areas they needed to work on.

2022 October 9, Ethan Shin, “EG Jojopyun: 'With the amount of improvements so far, I think we can qualify for the Knockout Stage'”, in ONE Esports:

(video games) To beat utterly and easily; to trounce; to waffle-stomp.


carebear

From care + bear, referring to the Care Bears, a brand of cheerful bear figures on greeting cards.

Role-players, carebears and casual gamers belong here. They advance at their own pace, oblivious to the race going on around them.

2001, John Peat, “Losing XP - is it the fairest system”, in alt.games.anarchy-online (Usenet):

If a guy turns out to be a griefer, he won't last... […] Personally, i'd^([sic]) be more than happy if the carebear fucks stayed the hell out of Neocron.

2002, Ron Jeremy, “I'm done with AC2.. Moving to Neocron on 13th!”, in microsoft.public.games.zone.asherons_call (Usenet):

There are always going to be carebears who will scream at the slightest notion that they can't take their leisurely stroll through the game where nothing bad ever happens, but piss on 'em. :-)

2002, foamy, “Sar^([sic]) Wars MMOG: No appeal for me”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (Usenet):

(slang, derogatory, video games) A player who is against griefers; one who dislikes, or tries to prevent, trouble (often PvP related) in the game world.


no-scope

(video games, slang) A kill with a sniper rifle performed without scoping in.


no-scope

no-scope (third-person singular simple present no-scopes, present participle no-scoping, simple past and past participle no-scoped)

no-scopes (present singular third-person)
no-scoping (participle present)
no-scoped (participle past)
no-scoped (past)

(video games, slang) To shoot without scoping in; especially with a high-precision, long-range gun, such as a sniper rifle.

(video games, slang) To kill by means of a no-scope.


teamkiller

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-teamkiller.wav


hat switch

(video games) A control on some joysticks, used to manipulate the point of view.


rubberbanding

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-rubberbanding.wav

From rubber band + -ing, referring to the fact that when two objects are connected by an elastic band then the movement of one is constrained by the other.

(video games, racing games) The speeding up of computer-controlled cars far behind the player, often as a method to increase the level of challenge provided to the player.

(video games) A form of lag (delay) where the player's position is updated on their local client but is delayed reaching the server, so that they seem to "jump" to the new location when the client and server eventually synchronize.


rail shooter

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-rail shooter.wav

(video games) A shoot 'em up game in which the player character travels automatically between scenes, the player's input being limited to aiming and firing a gun.


loadout

en-noun

loadout (countable and uncountable, plural loadouts)

I've got my custom loadout, a holographic scoped assault rifle and a stock of claymore mines to use to cover my back as I look out over the wreckage of the downed transport plane for insurgents.

2015, Alan F. Meades, Understanding Counterplay in Video Games:

(by extension, video games) A set of items and abilities chosen by the player before embarking on an in-game mission.


puzzlefest

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-puzzlefest.wav

(video games, informal) A game, especially a text adventure, that mainly requires the player to solve puzzles.


CODBLOPS

CODBLOPS is a very system intensive game, so before even firing it up, make sure it has as many resources available as you can throw at it.

2010 November 23, Richard Cobbett, “How to make Call of Duty: Black Ops run faster on your PC”, in PC Gamer:

After I prestige on CODBLOPS I'll be up for a bit of variety and this will do nicely.

2010 November 23, Dr Zoidberg, uk.games.video.misc (Usenet), message-ID <icgdc2$nkb$1@news.eternal-september.org>:

A new free to play game will allow you to compete online in games like CODBlops without feeling like a noob.

2010 December 20, Greg Tito, “FPS Trainer Aims at Making You Kill Better Online”, in The Escapist, archived from the original on 2011-01-15:

Wait, there's CoDblops on iPhone? Now we're doomed.

2011 April 21, BrunoN Bluthgeld, comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (Usenet), message-ID <4db0562b$0$2492$65785112@news.neostrada.pl>:

Just think, you can now actually enjoy CODBLOPS II The Way Its Meant To Be Played, while sitting on the toilet.

2013 January 8, John Gillooly, “Why the PC has won the first round of the next-gen console wars”, in PC & Tech Authority:

Call of Duty: Black Ops
w:Call of Duty: Black Ops

(video games, slang) Abbreviation of Call of Duty: Black Ops.


PKer

How could you prove beyond any doubt that the person is a die-hard KSer or PKer?

2000 February 17, K. Laisathit, “Re: Verant planning a Star Wars MMORPG?”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (Usenet), message-ID <88hndr$q8e$1@nntp6.u.washington.edu>:

(video games) Abbreviation of player killer.


fog of war

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-fog of war.wav

Calque of German Nebel des Krieges, an expression coined by Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz.

The game starts with an overhead view of a map with the “fog of war” covering all areas not within sight of the player's units.

2014, Tony Hey, Gyuri Pápay, The Computing Universe: A Journey through a Revolution, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 185:

(video games) The shrouded concealment of enemy activity outside of areas observable by a player's forces.


teamplay

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-teamplay.wav

(video games) A competitive gameplay mode in which players are grouped into teams.


rail-based

en-adj

rail-based (comparative more rail-based, superlative most rail-based)

more rail-based (comparative)
most rail-based (superlative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-rail-based.wav

From rail + based, likening the experience to moving along a rail.

The design of the boss characters is interesting, and the multiplayer mode is a nice touch, but the graphics are far too drab for a rail-based shooter.

2002, Andy Slaven, Video-game Bible, 1985-2002, →ISBN:

The game is apparently sort of a rail-based shooter, and you use your finger to aim and tap the screen to shoot.

2009 February 20, David Carnoy, “CNET News Crave New details on 'Metal Gear Solid 4' for iPhone”, in c|net, retrieved 2013-01-31:

The brainchild of Reisuke Ishida, the creator of Taito's cult hit Space Invaders: Infinity Gene, Groove Coaster is a rail-based rhythm game set to dozens of tracks from Taito video games.

2011 September 16, Scott Stein, “30 best iPad games”, in CBS News:

The Far Cry series is known for offering up an open-world alternative to the rail-based experiences of most mainline FPS titles,[…]

2012 June 15, “EGM DoubleTake: Far Cry 3”, in Electronic Gaming Monthly, archived from the original on 2013-02-11:

It is a rail-based game, so the only movements you really have to control is jumping in the short action sequences that break up the "shooting zones," if you will.

2012 July 16, Matt, “Major Mayhem: Save hostages, create combos, and even blast some chickens!”, in iPad Game Ratings, archived from the original on 2012-08-24:

(video games) Of a game wherein a player character automatically moves along a preset path.


freelook

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-freelook.wav

The mouse's right-side button switches between freelook and locked-on-an-individual modes.

I blundered across an insurgent camp because I was using the freelook camera to admire the gorgeous forestry.

2009, PC Gamer, volume 16, numbers 7-9, page xcix:


QTE

quick time event
quick time event#English

(video games) Initialism of quick time event.


Famiclone

You may also see very unauthorized Famiclones — third-party, unlicensed NES joysticks, sometimes with an attached light gun and not as many games as the packaging says.

2005, Simon Carless, Gaming Hacks, page 34:

Like keyboard-based Famiclones today, these early home computers were also commonly connected to a TV display[…]

2009, James Derek Lomas, The social movement laboratory:

(informal, video games) Any electronic hardware designed to replicate the Family Computer/Nintendo Entertainment System video game console.


polyself

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-polyself.wav

(video games, roguelikes) The transformation of one's own character into another type of creature.


polyself

en-verb

polyself (third-person singular simple present polyselfs, present participle polyselfing, simple past and past participle polyselfed)

polyselfs (present singular third-person)
polyselfing (participle present)
polyselfed (participle past)
polyselfed (past)

(video games, roguelikes, intransitive) To transform one's own character into another type of creature.


quickplay

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-quickplay.wav

(video games) A mode in which the player can begin and play a game quickly, without time-consuming configuration or layered objectives.


debug mode

en-noun

debug mode (countable and uncountable, plural debug modes)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-debug mode.wav

The debug mode enables full flight around every level, plus you can add a whole mess of objects to the stage at the press of a button.

2017, Jeff Ramos, How to access and use Sonic Mania’s debug mode, Polygon:

A "debug mode" is a broad term used to describe a feature or series of features included in a game by the development team to allow quick testing of the game's various features.

2017, Help:Contents/Terminology/Debug Mode, The Cutting Room Floor:

(video games) A (usually hidden) tool or set of tools in a video game used in its development and testing, the use of which typically enables players to cheat, modify the game's behaviour, or perform diagnostics.


consolitis

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-consolitis.wav

(slang, humorous, video games) A notional condition affecting video games released for game consoles, making them inferior to computer versions.


guildie

2010, Mike Langlois, Reset: Video Games & Psychotherapy or "The Face Behind the Screen"
Throughout all of this Luke was able to stay connected and supported by his friends and other members of his guild. He attributes his ability to move on and be ready for the next phase of his life through the enjoyment of WoW and his guildies.


demake

(video games) A remake of a modern game for an older platform.


demake

en-verb

demake (third-person singular simple present demakes, present participle demaking, simple past and past participle demade)

demakes (present singular third-person)
demaking (participle present)
demade (participle past)
demade (past)

(transitive, video games) To remake (a modern game) for an older platform.


Doomer

Alternative form: DOOMer

Doomers, ranging from children to senior citizens, are up all night hunting specters, imps, and other hellspawn, battling each other in so-called Deathmatch tournaments, and checking out the latest Doom lore by conversing with the game’s developers over computer chat lines. […] What’s ahead for Doomers? Id has authorized a company called Austin Virtual Gaming to license an eight-screen Doom arcade setup around the country.

I am not a female Doomer, but I did "catch" my fiance playing Doom the other day. It led us to a discussion of why ID didn't put the option in to choose a female character.

1994 April 30, Ricardo Lopez, “Are there any *female* doomers out there?”, in alt.games.doom (Usenet):

The sense of reality is so seamless that on the Internet, where many Doomers gather, there is a FAQ (frequently asked questions) document that talks about Doom-induced motion sickness. […] At one point, Carnegie Mellon University’s 25,000-user network had so many student Doomers playing that the system nearly ground to a halt.

1994 September 23, Robert S. Cauthorn, “‘Doom’s Day’: Oct. 10 is release date for sequel to wildly popular game”, in The Arizona Daily Star, volume 153, number 264, Tucson, Ariz., section E, page twelve:

#doom This channel is a cousin of #vidgames […] And some players use it to find others who have the Internet Head-to-Head Daemon (IHHD) software, which lets folks play Doom over the Net. (Note: Some “Doomers” may want to try finding the #modemdoom channel if #doom is not active for some reason.)

1995, Donald Rose, Internet Chat Quick Tour: Real-time Conversations & Communications Online, Ventana Press, →ISBN, page 119:

On the downside, they’ve created such indelible demons and Death match tournaments that Doomers of all ages have reported actual perception changes.

1996, Faith Popcorn, Lys Marigold, Clicking: 16 Trends to Future Fit Your Life, Your Work, and Your Business, HarperCollins, →ISBN, page 86:

By intentionally leaving cracks in his source code, [John] Carmack encouraged Doomers to hack the game and create their own elaborate levels — new battlegrounds upon which the carnage took place.

1999, The New York Times Biographical Service, page 786:

“Doom is a great stress-reliever,” said Lewis. “Its^([sic]) a great way to blow off stress after a bad day.” This defense is rather common among “Doomers,” as Doom enthusiasts have come to call themselves.

a. 2003, Mathew Webb, “Is it doom for Doom?”, in Cougar Chronicle, Austin, Tex.: Hill Country Middle School; quoted in Homer L. Hall, “Those Opinionated Columns”, in Junior High Journalism, New York, N.Y.: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2003, →ISBN, page 189:

(video games, informal) A player of the video game Doom.


inventory Tetris

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-inventory Tetris.wav

In reference to the shape-fitting puzzle game Tetris.

(video games) A system of inventory management where acquired items must be arranged according to the space that they consume.


ROTT

(video games) Initialism of Rise of the Triad.


pushwall

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-pushwall.wav

With either Wolf (the full-blown 60 level version) or Spear of Destiny, Many times the pushwalls move too far, and block the goodies. For example, Episode six, floor two - the first pushwall moves too far, and blocks *all* the other pushwalls, and *all* of the treasure.

1993, No parking EXCEPT FOR BOB, “Wolf-3D & Spear: a bug in common?”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (Usenet):

Useful any time you've got 99% of the points and you don't want to hunt all over the place for that one little piece of gold you missed, or for when you don't want to mess with a dozen pushwalls to finish the level after you've whacked everybody.

1994, Bob Fishell, “Re: Any Blake Stone cheat codes?”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (Usenet):

In the shareware-version, first room, there is a small secret room on the same side you startet^([sic]). Inside is another pushwall and then a door. How can I open this door ? It always tells me that this door is locked. I've got the same problem with some other pushwalls, but this one in the first level is my biggest problem so far.

1995, Henning W. Rauth, “ROTT - help needed”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (Usenet):

(video games) A wall that moves or triggers some other action when the player character pushes against it.


let's play

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-let's play.wav

Originates from the titles of forum threads on the website Something Awful.

(Internet, video games) A video recording or comparable broadcast in which a person plays a video game while commenting on the gameplay.

Let's Play (video gaming)
Something Awful


Minecrafty

en-adj

Minecrafty (comparative more Minecrafty or Minecraftier, superlative most Minecrafty or Minecraftiest)

more Minecrafty (comparative)
Minecraftier (comparative)
most Minecrafty (superlative)
Minecraftiest (superlative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Minecrafty.wav

Stranded 2 - a fun little game, now available for free. A bit minecrafty.

2011 May 16, John Dow, “Re: Premiership, West Ham, Balls, European”, in uk.games.video.misc (Usenet):

If you've been living in a massively multiplayer cave for the last few months, it's the pretty Minecrafty prologue to the ambitious Everquest Next, which will let you build and decorate and even alter the terrain of the world/s as you see fit.

2013 December 7, Tom Sykes, “Everquest Next Landmark trailer asks the pertinent question 'What is Everquest Next Landmark?'”, in PC Gamer:

If you've been busy mining, farming, and doing all the other Minecrafty things that get you established, […]

2014, Stephen O'Brien, The Ultimate Player's Guide to Minecraft, Que Publishing, →ISBN, page 137:

(video games, informal) Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Minecraft.


Minecrafter

If the game is on easy mode, the zombies will just pound on the doors and create a really nice scare and, as any Minecrafter knows, they won’t even spawn on peaceful mode.

2012 February 27, Meg Iserloth, “Mojang: Where are They Now?”, in University Chronicle, volume 88, number 33, St. Cloud, Minn.: St. Cloud State University, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 9, column 3:

Furthermore, you can sync with other Minecrafters on a local area network in order to invite and play with friends in your own little world.

2013, Darren Murph, “The Best Not-exactly-productive Apps”, in iPhone Secrets: Do What You Never Thought Possible with Your iPhone, Indianapolis, Ind.: John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, part III (Diving into Software), page 185:

He and others in the community had begun discussing the opportunity for a gathering of Minecrafters, similar to anime and sci-fi conventions.

2013 November 4, David Langlois, “Minecon 2013 – Creepin’ around the Corner”, in The Bay Window, volume 14, number 3, Muskegon, Mich.: Muskegon Community College, →OCLC, page 5, column 2:

(video games) A person who plays the game Minecraft.


killboard

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-killboard.wav

The killboard system also offered an indicator of the expertise and trust hierarchy. A member who was active in the combat team would keep statistics of combat he or she was involved with on the killboard […]

2014, Harald Warmelink, Online Gaming and Playful Organization, page 108:

(video games) A table that ranks players by number of kills.


-mance

I very much look forward to this on my Dorianmance playthrough.

My Andersmance was taken at a more leisurely pace, so I really got into the depth and grief over his character and his romance.

My own Galemance run will go full swing once my Astarionmance one wraps up, so more to come soon ☺

2023 September 19, Irma 'Aimo (@aimostudio), Twitter:

(fandom slang, video games) A suffix attached to a noun or character's name to create a word for an in-game romance subplot or mechanic.


superplay

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-superplay.wav

(video games) A playthrough of a computer or video game in which the whole game or a select part of it, such as a single level, is played as skilfully as possible, optionally with certain prerequisites.


minimap

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-minimap.wav

From mini- + map; (simple map of landmarks): introduced by Siegel and White (1975).

(video games) A small on-screen map to aid players in orienting themselves within the game.