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Achievements are extra challenges added into video games that sometimes carry a point value or unlock bonus material, and are sometimes solely for bragging rights.
A marketing term coined by Sega in 1992 to advertise the Genesis console's faster performance compared to the rival SNES. Sega originally coined the term to refer to the high-speed bandwidth and fillrate of the Genesis VDP graphics processor's DMA unit. The term is also often used to refer to Sega's advertising campaign for the Genesis in the '90s.
A point within the game whereby the game saves its current state whether it be for the purpose of a more convenient respawn point or a gameplay design (such as in racing).
Although force feedback is often used in games to indicate such commonalities as when a player character is taking damage or feeling weapon recoil, it is sometimes used in more creative ways, such as providing hints to finding an item or providing emphasis during an otherwise non-interactive cinematic sequence. These games feature more creative uses of rumble than the norm.
The ultimate pressure feature. Players have to complete the task at hand, be it defeating opponents or cutting the right wire, in the allotted time.
These games let players see the credits without needing to play the game first.
Currency has all forms in video games. It is used to buy characters, vehicles, weapons, and more.
The concept of purchasing media and having it delivered over the internet. No physical representation of this content is given, and although the content resides on the user's hard drive they are typically granted a license to the product, rather than ownership of it.
Electronic music is one of the broadest classifications of music, and has been a staple of video game soundtracks since the 90s. The genre's main trait is the use of electronic instruments.
A line that signals the start or the end of the race. Even though it is used for racing, it could mean any type of racing game.
The floppy disk is a symbol for saving data that originated back when floppies were still the dominant format for computer games, but has persisted long after the technology became obsolete.
Game Over originally appeared in pinball machines, and later, arcade machines. When players lose at a game, it is game over.
An attack that is fueled by the attacker's own health, causing it to decrease each time the attack is used.
Honda manufactures vehicles such as the Civic, S2000 and the NSX. Honda is featured in racing game franchises such as Gran Turismo, Forza and the Need for speed series.
It's arguably the one move that symbolizes the medium to those outside it. The ability to jump, be it onto a building, a platform, or a skull, is one of the all time most important abilities ever put in a video game.
A lap is one circuit around a race track. This is featured in many, but not all racing games.
Games released coinciding with new hardware.
A leaderboard is a way for players of any multi-player game to know where they rank within the game's community.
Many games allow you to buy stuff, these are the dudes who help sell it to you. Typically they also engage in light conversation.
Jump on a motor-powered bike and race against the clock or opposing drivers. Besides pure racing games, other genres may also feature this activity.
Start doesn't mean "A". Start means "start", son. Kids these days...
Options menus give you the option to change anything the game lets you change. Whether you want subtitles or not, sound effects or not, the game to be harder or not, anything you want that the game lets you change, you can change in the options menu.
No point in gathering coins, gold, gil, money, or whatever if you can't buy anything with it.
A mode in the game, often an unlockable, allowing players to listen to individual music tracks, voice clips and/or sound effects.
Whether it's Super Scaler or Mode 7, growing and shrinking sprites/textures is a concept often used in sprite-based games. It was a popular technique used to create three-dimensional games with sprites, mostly during the 16-bit to early 32-bit eras. Sprite-scaling was an early form of 3D texture-mapping.
A grid that is organized for the start of the race in rows of 2, 3 or more. Very useful for standing starts in various racing titles.
3D Stereoscopy is the use of two images generated from slightly different angles in order to create a 3D effect. This usually requires the use of 3D glasses to separate the left/right image for each eye.
Propelling oneself with kinetic usage of limbs while submerged in liquid (or otherwise fluid material).
When a certain amount of time is given to the player to reach a goal or finish an objective.
The ability, through purchasing, winning, unlocking, or other means, to change your vehicle (usually for the better). Changes can be alterations to original vehicle or a completely new vehicle.
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