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Running at 60 FPS is standard for arcade & PC games, but hardware restrictions of consoles often force developers to aim for lower framerates in order to preserve visual detail or allow greater scale. 3D console games hitting 60 FPS are thus uncommon, though the trend of re-releasing games on newer hardware has technically resulted in more 3D console games hitting 60 FPS.
8-bit can be a reference to actual computing power, or it can be a retro look for videogames that want to recall a bygone era.
An AI companion is a computer-controlled ally who follows and aids you through your adventures or who requires your protection. The AI companion's survival is often essential to game and story progression.
Abilitease is an aspect of game design wherein a game will provide a glimpse of your full skill-set at or near the start, only to remove most of these skills, stats, and abilities soon after.
Extraterrestrials appear in many video games in a variety of styles. Sometimes they're evil, sometimes they're benevolent, and sometimes they're very similar to humans.
Anthropomorphism is the concept of an object, concept or character that has human qualities or traits, such as speech, a level of intelligence similar or higher than a human's and self consciousness. "Anthro" means "of human" and related to the concept of humanity.
Some games offer alternate modes or specific sections of the storyline that involve arena combat, gladiator style.
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, commonly refers to the programmed behaviors of NPCs in a game, whether it's the fact that a soldier takes cover behind a wall in Gears of War, or that townspeople cheer upon your arrival to their village in Fable.
Auto-aiming (or Auto-targeting) allows for a character to attack or interact with an object or enemy that's very near to the player or within their field of vision.
The game automatically saves for you when you reach certain points. Implemented in order to reduce frustration for forgetful savers.
Backtracking is the act of navigating through previously explored areas, usually for the purpose of progressing in an objective-based adventure game. Players who are lost may also backtrack to reorient themselves.
Bats are small, very social flying mammals. They may frequent caves or haunted houses.
An option that makes the physical character models in the game have enormous heads, and occasionally equally oversized arms. Usually accessed through a cheat code.
A proprietary video codec (.bik/bk2 extension) developed by RAD Game Tools and used in a very large number of video games.
Because you'd never expect a banana to be an undercover cluster grenade.
Body armor in games acts as additional protection. In most cases, when a player takes damage that would completely affect their health, their body armor reduces the damage taken or takes the damage instead.
Bosses are enemies that fight you at the end of a level or at a significant point in the story.
A boss fight is a culminating challenge that pits the player against one or more enemies representing a greater threat and/or difficulty than those previously faced. These scenarios typically feature unique antagonists.
On some box art, the main character is facing away.
When a character from an existing media franchise makes a brief appearance in a video game, sometimes without even openly acknowledging their origins.
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).
While modern chemistry defines 118 atomic elements, video games more often deal with classical elements as described in ancient philosophy, mainly fire, water, earth, and air. In many games, each element is stronger against certain elements, but weaker against others.
Climbing is a common tradition in games, particularly platformers. There is often a particular type of surface that can be climbed, and it has a recognizably different look than other surfaces in the game. Climbing ladders or stairs doesn't count.
Collectibles are items such as coins, rings, gems, packages etc. that can be gathered, usually for some kind of reward, or sometimes to simply beat a level. Often (almost too often) the source of earning achievements and trophies on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
A style of game that has platforming elements, but with more emphasis placed on fighting enemies than precise maneuvering through the level and its obstacles. Notable examples include Ratchet & Clank and early Ninja Gaiden games.
The comic relief is a character, other than the main character, who is meant to add humor and lighten the mood of the game. These characters are usually very dumb or very witty, and are usually very talkative.
The continue is a classic gaming concept, and usually arises when the player "dies" or fails in the game. Usually some loss is tied to a continue, in a form of a "life" or something of other value.
The last cragmite, Percival Tachyon used Kaden's Dimensionator to release his species.
The act of bending at the knees from a standing position. Crouching is an essential part of many shooters and platformers, and can be used by players to stay behind cover or avoid incoming projectiles.
A trap designed to kill off victims by crushing them. Commonly found in sacred temples though industrial variations (like car crushers) exist.
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