One look around and chances are that somebody nearby is playing a game on their phone.
Maybe they are matching colorful tiles. Maybe they are building an elaborate virtual city. Maybe they are trying to beat a level they have been stuck on for three days. Or, if they have the quiet confidence of someone who has absolutely nothing left to prove, they are simply playing Sudoku or Solitaire.
Whatever the case, there are games for every type of person nowadays, and different kinds of people tend to pick up certain types of games. This is in no way definitive, and it is perfectly possible for a restless adventure-type to take up a city builder. The more likely case, however, is that it’ll be someone strategic, with long-term goals driving their life decisions.
Without further ado, here are seven common game types alongside a little zodiac-like analysis of who likes to play them.
1. The Classic Solitaire Player
For players whose idea of a good time is sitting down with a solo card game, particularly a relaxing title such as Grand Harvest Solitaire where they can tend to their farm and collect free chips along the way, there is a good chance they know the value of familiarity, but also like to challenge themselves every now and then.
The basic rules of Solitaire are the same now as they were in the 90s. Players are asked to match cards according to predescribed rules, but every game is different and requires quick thinking on the fly.
In everyday life, Solitaire players probably come across as calm, observant, and reasonably difficult to rattle. Family members and colleagues probably come to them for advice and respect their judgment even when they don’t follow it.
They’re also problem solvers who most likely have all the ducks in a row and tend to stick with the familiar, but who don’t mind when those familiar elements shift around and require a different approach to a solution.
2. The Match-Three Enthusiast
There is a very particular kind of satisfaction that comes from lining up three identical things and watching half the screen disappear in a chain reaction.
For match-three enthusiasts, the attraction is pretty obvious. Immediate results are probably a big part of it. They are people of momentum who prefer when things are moving and when the effort they put into something produces a result they can actually see, hear, and touch. Waiting around for something to eventually pay off has never been their favorite thing.
Adaptability is another likely trait. Every level gives them a slightly different problem, and players have to work with what is in front of them rather than complaining about what they would have preferred to get.
In everyday life, these players are likely energetic, optimistic, and reasonably easy to get along with. They enjoy a bit of competition, although they may insist that they’re only playing for fun right up until somebody beats their high score. Then they turn competitive.
3. The City Builder
Some people look at a mobile game and see a way to kill ten minutes. City builders? They see a project.
City-building games have a way of turning otherwise sensible people into infrastructure managers. It starts with placing the first little house, and the next thing they know, they are worrying about whether their virtual population has enough food and whether the roads are laid out properly.
These players enjoy building things from the ground up. More importantly, they enjoy seeing how small decisions add up over time. They don’t need everything to happen immediately because half the fun is watching something gradually become more complicated.
That probably says a bit about how they approach life too. They tend to think ahead and like having some sort of plan, even if that plan changes along the way. They are probably fairly organized and have a habit of thinking about consequences before making decisions. If there is a group holiday to arrange, they’re already checking dates. If everyone is going out for dinner, they’ve probably looked at the menu beforehand.
People probably trust them with things because they have a reputation for getting things done. They may also have a slight problem with letting other people organize.
After all, it’s not those other people that are going to place those roads correctly.
4. The Word Puzzle Regular
Word puzzle regulars are the kind of people who spend twenty minutes staring at five letters and consider that a perfectly good evening.
Word games present a curious mix of immediate gratification and a joy of anguishing over a single word. The more angst players feel about filling those blanks, the higher the satisfaction once they crack the code.
They have a fairly curious mind. They notice patterns, remember unusual information, and tend to enjoy those little moments when something suddenly clicks. There is also a good chance they’re patient. They don’t necessarily need to solve everything immediately and are comfortable sitting with a problem until the answer eventually comes to them. Because the answer will come. Sooner or later.
Word puzzle players may be quieter than some of the other people on this list, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t competitive. Far from it. They just prefer to win without making too much noise about it. Then, when everyone else is still trying to work out the answer, they casually say it out loud and go back to whatever they were doing.
5. The Endless Runner
Some games give players a farm to manage, while others give them a city to build. Endless runners give them a character running down a road while the game throws increasingly ridiculous obstacles at them.
There is beauty in the simplicity. No complicated set of rules or huge progression system to track. The game just starts moving and asks players to react to whatever comes next.
Those who keep coming back to these games are probably people who thrive on momentum. Getting started and adjusting along the way is more appealing than spending too much time planning before taking the first step.
They’re also probably fairly resilient. An endless runner is basically a game about making mistakes. Jumping too early, hitting something, starting again, and trying to get a little further is simply part of the experience. Eventually they improve without even really noticing that they are doing it.
That attitude probably carries over into other parts of their life. The players who like these games don’t like dwelling on mistakes for too long and are generally willing to give something another shot.
Endless runner players probably also get bored fairly easily. If someone says, “It’ll only take five minutes,” and then spends fifteen minutes explaining what they mean, they are already wondering if there is an endless runner they can play while they finish.
6. The Trivia Player
Whatever the question, there is always one person in the group who somehow knows the answer. If that’s the trivia player, read on.
Trivia players probably have a naturally curious mind that enjoys collecting information even when there is no practical reason to do so. They like learning things, but they also like that little moment when something they learned years ago suddenly turns out to be useful.
They’re probably fairly social too. Trivia is more fun when there is somebody else to beat, and there is a particular satisfaction in knowing an answer before everyone else in the room.
Generally, they’re the kind of people who look to better themselves in every way possible and see trivia games as a tool to sharpen their minds. They keep them on top of their game, so to speak, and there’s always a game or a trivia book right there when they need it.
Of course, there is a downside to knowing a lot of random information. People start expecting them to know everything. Worse, they start expecting more from themselves.
7. The Card Battler
Cards have always had a certain appeal because players know roughly what they are dealing with. Card battlers are probably fairly adaptable. They understand that they cannot control everything, so they concentrate on controlling the things they can.
That tends to be a useful personality trait outside gaming. They’re probably comfortable making decisions without having all the information available. They might think things through, but eventually they are willing to make a move and deal with the result.
There is also probably a bit of a risk-taker hiding in there. Not the reckless sort who jumps into everything without thinking, but the person who is willing to take a chance when the potential reward makes sense. They probably like having a few options available and hate being backed into a corner.
And when a risky move works out perfectly, they are going to remember it for a very long time. Probably speak about it over and over again, too.
Games Are the New Books
Games are not just pastimes. Like the books people read or the hobbies they pick up, they can say a surprising amount about the personalities behind those thumbs.
There is even some research behind the idea. A study published in Computers in Human Behavior looked at the personalities of 2,891 gamers and found differences in personality characteristics among people who preferred different game genres. For example, people who preferred action games tended to score higher in extraversion and lower in neuroticism. But that doesn’t mean someone’s personality can be diagnosed by looking at their phone.
Still, there are some interesting patterns. Some people want strategy, some want competition, and others are perfectly happy matching cards or tending to a virtual farm for twenty minutes. So the next time somebody is caught playing a game, it might be worth taking a closer look.
Maybe they’re not just killing time. Maybe they’re telling something about themselves.
