There are many types of games that fall into the category of “Skill Games”. This page will define each type of skill games, from puzzles and word games to board games and casino skill games, to arcades. Basically, any game that where players can greatly increase their chance of winning by obtaining a certain level of skill and experience can be defined as a skill game.

For convenience sake, we’ve chosen to list each type of skill game alphabetically.

Types of Skill Games – Arcade Games

Arcade style skill games are 1-player games that involve a keen ability to solve situations with the utmost speed. One of the best known arcade skill games is Bejeweled, where the player is required to match up identically shaped and colored jewels in a sequence of 3 or more. A few more good example of arcade skill games include BrickOut, SwapIt!, Diner Dash, Luxor and others.

While speed is always a factor, not all arcade skill games actually require a lot of strategic thought, but rather good hand-eye coordination. The goal of an arcade skill game is generally simple in nature, and a good level of experience is often all it takes to become a very good player.

Types of Skill Games – Board Games

Board games are perhaps the largest category of skill games, when you consider just how many skill-based board games have been developed over time. Board games are 2+ player games where opponents compete to reach a specific goal before their competitor(s).

Some excellent examples of skill-based board games include Chess, Backgammon, Monopoly, Checkers, Cribbage and many more. There is sometimes going to be a luck factor involved in skill-based board games, but skill overcomes more often than not. For instance, the roll of the dice in Backgammon will directly affect your options. But making the right decisions with what you’re given can mean everything in the end.

Types of Skill Games – Casino Skill Games

Casino skill games are single and multi-player card games that can be played online. Casino skill games combine luck and skill, much like some board games. Whenever there are cards involved, luck will always be a factor, more or less.

Common casino skill games include Solitaire, Solitaire Rush, Spider Solitaire, Spades, Hearts, Catch 21 and others. In fact, multiple variations of Solitaire make up the majority of all casino skill games combined. When you play single-player casino skill games online for real money, the idea is to win/complete the game, but also to do it as quickly as possible.

Types of Skill Games – Puzzle Games

For the most part, when people hear the term “puzzle game” they think of jig-saw puzzles. There are, in fact, plenty of online jig-saw puzzle games, but there are many more popular varieties. Mine Sweeper, Sudoku, Cubis and Tile City are all skill-based puzzle games you may have come across in recent years.

Mine Sweeper is especially popular, being a standard addition with the purchase of any new Windows PC computer. This game, like Sudoku, involves numeral calculation. When it comes to play online, speed and accuracy is the name of the game!

Types of Skill Games – Word Games

Skill-based word games come in all types, most requiring the player to develop words from the letters provided. Scrabble Cubes is a good example; an online spin-off from the original Scrabble board game. Other popular skill-based word games include Bookworm, Family Feud, Hangmania and Word Mojo.

Word games can be played in single and multi-player varieties. The single player versions are generally based on speed and difficulty (the length of words), while multi-player games are points- and/or turn-based.