Sports of Australia
Oceania
Originating in Australia
Sports whose history and codification began here.
Australian Rules Football
From Australia
Australia's homegrown 18-a-side contact sport played on a huge oval with a red leather ball — a fast, high-scoring blend of kicking, marking and long running.
Marn Grook
From Australia
Traditional Aboriginal Australian football — high-marking kicking game often cited as an ancestor of Aussie Rules.
Polocrosse
From Australia
Hybrid of polo and lacrosse — three-a-side on horseback, catch and pass a rubber ball with a long-handled racket.
Speedway (Motorcycle)
From Australia
Motorcycle racing on oval dirt track (300-400m) — 4 riders race 4 laps without brakes on single-gear 500cc methanol-fueled bikes. Global sport especially Poland, UK, Sweden, Denmark, Australia. FIM Speedway Grand Prix (SGP) since 1995 dominant international series. Legendary sport for extreme cornering slides.
Surf Lifesaving
From Australia
Competitive rescue sport — beach sprints, surf swims, board and ski paddling, and iron-man/woman multi-event finals.
Touch Rugby
From Australia
Non-contact rugby variant — touching the ball carrier instead of tackling, mixed-gender competition.
Vigoro
From Australia
Australian women's team sport combining cricket, baseball and tennis — 12-a-side with a paddle-shaped bat.
Widely played in Australia
Aerobatics
From Russia
Aviation sport of performing acrobatic maneuvers in aircraft — loops, rolls, spins, tumbles, inverted flight. Governed by FAI CIVA (Commission Internationale de Voltige Aérienne). World Aerobatic Championships biennial since 1960; Red Bull Air Race (2003-2019) popularized. Iconic aircraft: Extra 300, Sukhoi Su-26, Pitts Special.
Alternate Reality Games (ARGs)
From United States
Interactive narrative games blurring reality + fiction across websites, phone calls, physical locations, social media. Players ('players') collaborate online to solve massive puzzles + uncover story. Pioneered by 'The Beast' (2001, promoting AI film) + 'I Love Bees' (2004, Halo 2 promo); Cicada 3301 (2012-2014) legendary mysterious ARG.
American Football
From United States
11-a-side gridiron sport where the offence advances an oval ball toward the opponent's end zone through carries and passes to score touchdowns and field goals.
Apex Legends
From United States
Hero-based battle royale by Respawn Entertainment (Titanfall studio) — 20 squads of 3 drop onto shrinking map; each 'Legend' has unique abilities. Innovated with SLIDE MOVEMENT + PING COMMUNICATION SYSTEM. ALGS (Apex Legends Global Series) is $5M+/year esports circuit. 100M+ players since 2019 launch.
Arkham Horror
From United States
Cooperative Lovecraftian horror board game. First edition 1987 Chaosium; second edition 2005 Fantasy Flight Games; third edition 2018. Set in H.P. Lovecraft's fictional 1920s Arkham, Massachusetts. 1-8 investigators battle to prevent Ancient One from awakening. Extensive expansions + spinoffs (Eldritch Horror, Arkham Horror LCG, Mansions of Madness).
Artistic Gymnastics
From Germany
Olympic sport in which gymnasts perform short choreographed routines on apparatus — men on 6 events (floor, pommel, rings, vault, parallel bars, high bar), women on 4 (vault, uneven bars, beam, floor) — judged on execution and difficulty.
Artistic Swimming
From Germany
Olympic aquatic sport blending swimming, dance, and gymnastics — athletes perform elaborate choreographed routines to music (solo, duet, team of 8-10) in pool with judged difficulty + artistic impression + execution. Renamed from Synchronized Swimming 2017. Historically women's-only; men added 2024.
Azul
From Germany
Abstract tile-drafting board game. Designed 2017 Michael Kiesling (German designer). Plan B Games. 2-4 players, 30-45 min. Won Spiel des Jahres 2018 (Germany's game of the year). Players are Portuguese tile-layers decorating royal palace walls with Moorish-style zellige tiles. Elegant, beautiful components, easy to learn.
Baccarat
From Italy
The Bond-favoured casino card game — bet on Player, Banker or Tie, aiming for a two- or three-card total closest to 9.
BASE Jumping
From United States
Extreme parachute sport — jumpers leap from FIXED OBJECTS (Buildings, Antennae, Spans/bridges, Earth/cliffs) with parachute deployment during 3-15 second freefall. Coined 1978 by Carl Boenish. Iconic locations: Kjerag Norway, Perrine Bridge Idaho, Angel Falls Venezuela. ~40 deaths per year globally; one of world's most dangerous sports.
Baseball
From United States
9-a-side bat-and-ball sport played on a diamond — the batter tries to hit a pitched ball into fair territory and circle the bases; the team with the most runs after 9 innings wins.
Basketball
From United States
A five-a-side team sport in which players score by throwing an inflated ball through a 10-foot-high hoop.
Beach Volleyball
From United States
Two-a-side variant of volleyball played barefoot on sand — the smaller court and no substitutes make endurance, all-round skill, and reading the wind essential.
Bingo
From Italy
Number-matching game where players mark drawn numbers on a card, aiming to complete a pattern (line, house, or shape) and shout 'Bingo!' first.
Blackjack
From France
The most-played casino card game — beat the dealer's hand by getting closer to 21 without going over.
Blood Bowl
From United Kingdom
Fantasy football miniature wargame. First published 1986 by Jervis Johnson (Games Workshop). Parody of American football with WARHAMMER FANTASY races (Orcs, Elves, Dwarves, Humans, Skaven, Undead, Goblins, Chaos). Second Season Edition (2020) current. Combines football tactics + violent fantasy. Long-running cult classic; leagues + digital versions.
BMX
From United States
Bicycle motocross — high-intensity 20-inch-wheel bike sport spanning motocross-style racing on 8-rider tracks with jumps, and freestyle disciplines (park, dirt jump, street, flatland, vert).
BMX Freestyle
From United States
Extreme cycling discipline on 20-inch BMX bikes performing tricks, spins, flips, and grinds on parks (bowls, ramps, boxes), streets (rails, ledges, stairs), dirt jumps, or flatland — judged on difficulty, style, and combination.
Bocce
From Italy
Ancient Italian outdoor precision ball game — teams roll/toss weighted resin balls toward a smaller target ball (pallino) on a long narrow court; closest team scores; first team to 12 or 13 wins.
Bodyboarding
From United States
Surf sport riding waves on a small rectangular foam board (~1m long) in prone (lying) or drop-knee position; uses fins for propulsion. Easier entry than surfing but capable of dramatic aerial tricks + heavy-wave riding (Pipeline, Teahupoo, Nazaré).
Bodybuilding
From Germany
Aesthetic sport where athletes build extreme muscle size, definition, and symmetry through years of training + diet, then pose on stage to be judged on muscularity, conditioning, symmetry, and presentation.
Bolt Action
From United Kingdom
WWII 28mm miniature wargame. First published 2012 by Warlord Games + Osprey Publishing. Designed by Alessio Cavatore + Rick Priestley (both ex-Games Workshop). Uses ORDER DICE mechanic — one die per unit drawn from bag; introducing tactical uncertainty. Third Edition released 2024. Most popular WWII historical miniature wargame.
Bouldering
From France
Free-climbing discipline on short (typically <5m) rock walls or artificial holds without ropes — solved as short intense 'problems' requiring extreme power, technique, and creative movement, protected only by crash pads below.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
From Brazil
Ground-based grappling martial art focused on submissions and positional control, developed by the Gracie family in Brazil from Japanese Judo and Ju-jutsu in the 1920s-30s.
Bridge
From United States
The world's premier partnership card game — bid to a contract with your partner, then take enough tricks to make it.
Call of Cthulhu
From United States
Lovecraftian horror tabletop RPG. First published 1981 by Sandy Petersen (Chaosium). Set in 1920s New England (traditional) exploring H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. Percentile (d100) system + SANITY mechanic where investigators lose mental stability confronting cosmic horror. 7th Edition 2014 current. Longest continuously published RPG after D&D.
Call of Duty
From United States
Long-running military first-person shooter franchise spanning WWII, modern warfare, Cold War, and futuristic settings — with a massive multiplayer scene and the free-to-play battle royale Call of Duty: Warzone.
Canasta
From Uruguay
Rummy-family card game invented 1939 by Segundo Santos + Alberto Serrato in Montevideo, Uruguay. Uses 2 standard decks + 4 jokers (108 cards). Players form MELDS (3+ cards same rank) — CANASTA = 7-card meld (500 pts natural, 300 mixed). Massive American craze 1948-1953. Partnership Canasta (4 players) standard. Cult classic; declining but active online.
Canoe Sprint
From GB/DE
Olympic paddling race on flat calm water — athletes race kayaks (K) with double-blade paddles or canoes (C) with single-blade paddles over 200m, 500m, or 1000m in single, pair (K2/C2), or four (K4/C4) crews.
Canoeing
From Canada
Paddle sport using an open canoe (open-top boat) propelled by a single-blade paddle — includes flatwater sprint, whitewater slalom, marathon, and recreational touring.
Canyoning
From France
Adventure sport — descending canyons via combination of walking, scrambling, climbing, jumping, swimming + rappelling. Popular in Alps, Pyrenees, USA (Utah, Colorado), Australia, NZ. Not competitive typically — recreational adventure activity. Requires technical equipment (harness, rope, wetsuit).
Capoeira
From Brazil
An Afro-Brazilian art that blends martial technique, acrobatics, dance and music — practised in a circle (roda) to the beat of the berimbau.
Capture the Flag
From Global (uncertain)
Traditional outdoor team game where two teams each guard a flag in their territory + try to capture the opponent's flag and bring it back — combines strategy, sneaking, tagging, and jailbreaks.
Carcassonne
From Germany
Modern German tile-laying board game (2000) — players draw + place terrain tiles building a shared medieval landscape of cities, roads, monasteries, and farms; place 'meeples' to claim features and score points; 2001 Spiel des Jahres winner.
Catan
From Germany
Modern German-style strategy board game for 3-4 players, in which players collect resources by rolling dice on their hex-tile settlements, then trade and build to reach 10 victory points first.
Charades
From France
Classic party game in which players silently act out words, phrases, or titles for their team to guess — with strict rules against speaking, sound-making, or drawing.
Cheerleading
From United States
Team performance sport combining tumbling, jumps, stunts (partner + pyramid lifts), and dance in 2:30 routines — competed on spring floor mats, judged on difficulty + execution — plus traditional sideline cheer at football + basketball games.
Cluedo
From United Kingdom
Deduction murder-mystery board game (3-6 players) — players move through a mansion's rooms, make suggestions about who committed the murder (which suspect, weapon, room), gathering clues by elimination until confident enough to make a final accusation.
Codenames
From Czech Republic
Modern Czech party word-association game (2015) — two teams of spymasters give one-word clues to lead teammates to identify their agents on a 5×5 grid of code names, while avoiding opponents' agents and the assassin; 2016 Spiel des Jahres winner.
Connect Four
From United States
Two-player vertical strategy game — players drop colored discs into a 7-column × 6-row grid, aiming to be first to connect four of their color in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally).
Cornhole
From United States
American outdoor bag-tossing lawn game — two players/teams alternate throwing 4 fabric bags at a raised angled board with a hole, scoring 1 point per bag on board and 3 points per bag through the hole; first to 21 wins.
Counter-Strike
From United States
Legendary tactical first-person shooter esport — 5 vs 5 team-based competitive gameplay pitting Terrorists (T) vs Counter-Terrorists (CT) in objective-based rounds on maps like Dust II, Mirage, Inferno.
Craps
From United States
Fast-paced dice game in which players wager on the outcome of two dice rolled across a specially marked table, with dozens of betting options ranging from safe pass line bets to long-shot 'hard-way' proposition bets.
Crazy Eights
From United States
Classic shedding card game (ancestor of UNO) — players discard cards matching top card by suit or rank; eights are wild + let player change suit. First to empty hand wins. Simple, fast, universal children's + family game worldwide.
Cribbage
From United Kingdom
Classic 2-player English card game (also 3-4 player variants) with unique peg-based scoreboard; combines card play + hand-scoring with combinations like 'fifteens' (cards totaling 15), pairs, runs, flushes, and the iconic 'nobs' bonus for jack matching cut card.
Cricket
From United Kingdom
A bat-and-ball team sport where two teams take turns batting and fielding, scoring runs by running between wickets or hitting boundaries.
Crossword Puzzle
From United States
Word puzzle where solvers fill grid with words based on clues — horizontal (Across) + vertical (Down) intersecting words. Invented by Arthur Wynne (British-American), published NY World Dec 21, 1913. Global staple: NYT Crossword launched 1942 (Sat/Sun 21×21, weekday 15×15); The Guardian cryptic; American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (ACPT) since 1978.
Darts
From United Kingdom
Precision throwing sport in which players hurl small missiles at a segmented circular board, aiming to reduce a starting score (usually 501) to exactly zero, finishing on a double.
Decathlon
From Greece
MEN'S COMBINED-EVENTS athletic competition — 10 EVENTS over 2 days. Day 1: 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m. Day 2: 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, 1500m. Points scored per event via IAAF tables. Winner = highest total. Decathlon champion considered 'WORLD'S GREATEST ATHLETE'. Ancient (Greek pentathlon roots); modern Olympic since 1912.
Devil Sticks
From China
Skill toy — main stick balanced + manipulated with two handsticks. Origins in China (2000+ years ago as 'diabolo' cousin) + Egypt. Traditional wooden variant + modern rubber-tipped 'flower sticks' (safer, easier). Not competitive; flow art + juggling convention performance. Popular in circus + street performance.
Diabolo
From China
Ancient Chinese juggling skill toy — spool-shaped device balanced + spun on string held between 2 hand sticks; tricks include spinning acceleration, tosses to great heights, 'suicide' releases, whip-catches, and choreographed multi-diabolo routines. Popular Chinese cultural performance + modern juggling sport.
Disc Golf
From United States
Golf-like outdoor sport played by throwing plastic flying discs (frisbees) at metal chain baskets across an 18-hole course through forested terrain — fewest throws per hole wins, same scoring as ball golf.
Discus Throw
From Greece
Ancient athletics throwing event — athlete rotates 1.5 turns within a 2.5m diameter circle and hurls a heavy metal-rimmed disc (2 kg men, 1 kg women) for maximum distance into a 34.92° landing sector.
Diving
From Sweden
Aquatic sport in which competitors jump or leap from a springboard (3 m) or platform (10 m), execute acrobatic manoeuvres in the air, and enter the water with a minimum of splash for judged scores.
Dodgeball
From United States
Team throwing/dodging game in which two teams throw rubber/foam balls at each other, eliminating opponents by hitting them below the shoulders while avoiding being hit themselves.
Drag Racing
From United States
Straight-line acceleration motorsport — two vehicles race from standstill to finish line over quarter-mile (402m) or eighth-mile (201m). NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) sanctions US pro drag racing since 1951. Top Fuel dragsters reach 335+ mph (540 km/h) in under 4 seconds; fastest accelerating land vehicles.
Dragon Boat Racing
From China
Ancient Chinese team paddling sport (2,000+ year history) — long narrow decorated boat with 20 paddlers + 1 drummer + 1 steerer race over 200-2000m. Traditional Duanwu Festival ritual + modern global sport with world championships since 1995.
Dressage
From France
Equestrian Olympic sport — precision performance of prescribed movements by horse+rider in 20×60m arena. French word 'dressage' = 'training.' Governed by FEI since 1921. Olympic since 1912. Modern era dominated by Germany + Netherlands + UK. Iconic: Charlotte Dujardin (GB, Valegro), Isabell Werth (Germany, most decorated female Olympian).
Dungeons & Dragons
From United States
Foundational tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) — a Dungeon Master narrates adventures for 3-7 players, who create characters and roll polyhedral dice (d4/d6/d8/d10/d12/d20) to resolve actions in a shared fantasy world.
EA Sports FC
From Canada
The world's most successful football (soccer) simulation — annual release by EA Sports. Renamed from FIFA to EA Sports FC in 2023 after EA-FIFA partnership ended. Ultimate Team mode dominates gameplay; over 150M lifetime FIFA/FC players; largest sports simulation esport.
Endurance Riding
From United States
Long-distance equestrian racing 40-160 km (25-100 mi) over 1 day; horse welfare central via mandatory vet checks. Modern sport originated Tevis Cup 1955 (100 miles / 24 hours California Sierra Nevada). FEI governs internationally. Dominant: UAE (Sheikh Mohammed patronage), USA, Australia. Arabian horses preferred for endurance.
Escape Rooms
From Japan
Live team-based puzzle experience — 2-8 players 'locked' in themed room, solve interconnected puzzles + riddles to escape within 60 minutes. Originated Japan 2007 (SCRAP's 'Real Escape Game'); global explosion 2012+; 10,000+ facilities worldwide by 2020s; $2B+ industry.
Euchre
From United States
Fast 4-player partnership trick-taking card game using 24-card deck (9-A of each suit); features 'bowers' (jack of trump suit = highest card, jack of same-color suit = second-highest); popular in US Midwest, Canada, UK, Australia — origin of the joker card.
Eventing (3-Day Event)
From Sweden
Olympic equestrian triathlon combining Dressage + Cross-Country + Show Jumping across 1-4 days. Originated as cavalry test 1900s; Olympic since 1912. Cross-country phase — 4-6 km course with 30-45 obstacles at 550-570 m/min — is world's most physically demanding equestrian test. Iconic events: Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky.
Farkle
From United Kingdom
Family-favorite push-your-luck dice game in which players roll 6 dice, set aside scoring dice, and choose to bank points or risk further rolls — first to 10,000 points wins.
Field Hockey
From United Kingdom
Eleven-a-side stick-and-ball team sport played on artificial turf — flick, push and hit a hard ball into a caged goal using a J-shaped stick.
Floorball
From Sweden
Indoor team sport similar to hockey — 6-a-side, plastic sticks, light plastic ball with holes. Originated Sweden/Finland/US 1970s. Massive popularity Sweden + Finland (top participation sports). 2 halves × 20 min each. IFF World Championships. Growing global sport; IOC recognized.
Formula 1
From United Kingdom
The pinnacle of open-wheel single-seater motor racing — 20 drivers, 10 teams, 24 grands prix, one world championship.
Fortnite
From United States
Free-to-play battle-royale shooter in which 100 players parachute onto a shrinking island, gather weapons and materials, build defensive structures, and fight until only one player or squad remains.
Freestyle Skiing
From United States
Winter Olympic acrobatic snow sport with 6 disciplines — moguls, aerials, ski cross, halfpipe, slopestyle, big air — combining skiing with tricks, jumps, and stylistic maneuvers judged for difficulty + execution + creativity.
Futsal
From Uruguay
5-a-side indoor football played on a hard court with a smaller heavier ball that barely bounces — 2 halves of 20 minutes, faster tempo than football, developed in Uruguay/Brazil (1930s), core to Brazilian football technique development.
Gaelic Football
From Ireland
Irish team sport played 15-a-side with a round ball on a 130-145m pitch, combining elements of football, rugby, and Australian rules — score by kicking under the crossbar (goal, 3 points) or over (point, 1 point).
Geocaching
From United States
Global outdoor treasure hunt using GPS coordinates — players find hidden containers ('caches') at specific coordinates worldwide. Started May 2000 (day after GPS Selective Availability turned off); 3+ million active caches; 8+ million users; every continent + underwater + space station.
Gin Rummy
From United States
Fast 2-player card game invented in 1909 in New York — race to form sets (3-4 same rank) and runs (3+ same suit consecutive) in your 10-card hand, then 'knock' when unmatched cards total 10 or fewer, or shout 'Gin!' with all matched.
Gloomhaven
From United States
Cooperative dungeon-crawler campaign board game. Designed 2017 Isaac Childres. Cephalofair Games. 1-4 players, 60-120 min per scenario, 95+ scenarios in 200-hour campaign. #1 BoardGameGeek ranked game for years (2017-2021). Kickstarted for $4M+ (record at time). Includes 17 unlockable character classes + retiring characters + world map + legacy elements.
Golf
From United Kingdom
Individual precision sport played on an 18-hole course — hit a small ball from a tee into a series of cups using the fewest possible strokes.
Grand Theft Auto V
From United Kingdom
Open-world action-adventure crime game and online multiplayer platform set in a satirical Los Angeles, developed by Rockstar and one of the best-selling and highest-grossing entertainment products in history.
Hang Gliding
From Germany
Air sport in which a pilot flies a rigid-framed delta-wing aircraft, launched by running down a slope, controlled by shifting body weight relative to the wing while suspended in a harness underneath.
Hearts
From Spain
Trick-taking card game for four players where the goal is to avoid winning hearts and the Queen of Spades, or 'shoot the moon' by winning all of them.
Heptathlon
From Greece
WOMEN'S COMBINED-EVENTS athletic competition — 7 EVENTS over 2 days. Day 1: 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m. Day 2: long jump, javelin, 800m. Points via IAAF scoring tables. Winner = highest total. Considered women's decathlon equivalent. Olympic sport since 1984 Los Angeles. JACKIE JOYNER-KERSEE world record 7291 pts (1988).
Hide and Seek
From GLOBAL
Universal children's game in which one player counts while others hide, then searches for them — with 'home base' safe-tag rules that vary by region.
High Jump
From United Kingdom
Vertical jumping event in which athletes clear a horizontal bar without the aid of any apparatus, using the Fosbury Flop back-arch technique — current world records: 2.45 m (men) and 2.09 m (women).
Horse Racing (Thoroughbred)
From United Kingdom
Ancient equestrian sport — thoroughbred horses race over flat courses (dirt, turf, synthetic) with jockeys, wagering, and championship classics. Modern thoroughbred breeding since 1700s England (Darley Arabian, Godolphin Arabian, Byerley Turk). Iconic races: Kentucky Derby (1875), Epsom Derby (1780), Melbourne Cup (1861), Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Hot Air Ballooning
From France
Aviation sport using large fabric envelope filled with hot air (heated by propane burner) for lift. Modern hot air balloon first flown November 21, 1783 by Montgolfier brothers (France). Iconic sport in Albuquerque NM (Balloon Fiesta since 1972; world's largest annual balloon event; 500+ balloons). FAI Ballooning World Championships.
Hurdles
From United Kingdom
Track athletics event in which runners sprint and clear 10 barrier hurdles evenly spaced along the track — Olympic events: 100mH (women), 110mH (men), 400mH (both).
Hurling
From Ireland
Ireland's ancient national sport — 15 vs 15 played with a wooden hurley and a small leather sliotar, described by some as 'the fastest field game in the world'.
Jet Ski Racing
From United States
High-speed motorized water sport — riders race Personal Watercraft (Jet Skis, WaveRunners) around buoyed course at 100+ km/h; disciplines include Ski (standing), Runabout (sitting), and Freestyle (aerial tricks). UIM Aquabike World Championship since 1996.
Jigsaw Puzzle
From United Kingdom
Assembly puzzle where players fit irregular-shaped interlocking pieces to form complete picture. Invented ~1760 by John Spilsbury (British engraver, London) — originally 'dissected maps' for teaching geography. Sizes: 100 pieces (child) to 40,000+ (world's largest). Popular meditative hobby; RAVENSBURGER + BUFFALO GAMES top publishers.
Karting
From United States
Open-wheel motorsport with small four-wheeled vehicles ('karts'). Modern karting invented 1956 by Art Ingels (California). Standard training ground for Formula 1 drivers — Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen all started karting. FIA-sanctioned World Karting Championship + amateur leagues globally.
Kayaking
From GL
Water sport in which a paddler propels a kayak (a small, narrow enclosed boat) using a double-bladed paddle — includes flatwater sprint, whitewater, slalom, marathon, sea, and freestyle disciplines.
Kendama
From Japan
Traditional Japanese skill toy — wooden 'ken' (sword-shaped handle) with three cups + spike, connected by string to a wooden 'tama' (ball); players perform tricks catching ball on cups or spike, with modern competitive scene featuring 100+ tricks.
Kendo
From Japan
Modern Japanese martial art descended from samurai swordsmanship — two combatants in armor (bogu) score points by striking prescribed target areas (head, wrist, torso, throat) with bamboo swords (shinai) while shouting the target name (kiai).
Keno
From China
Lottery-style casino game — players pick 1-20 numbers from 1-80; casino randomly draws 20 winning numbers; payouts based on how many of your picks match. Simple, fast-paced, high house edge (25-30%).
Kho Kho
From India
Traditional Indian tag sport in which one team of 9 chasers try to tag runners from the opposing team on a rectangular field, using seated relay-style handoffs and directional running.
Kickball
From United States
American playground + adult league team sport combining SOCCER + BASEBALL. 9-11 players per team; batter KICKS PITCHED BALL + runs bases (like baseball). Invented USA 1917. Ubiquitous US elementary school PE + growing adult recreation leagues. Governing body: WAKA + Kickball 365. Simple, accessible, social.
Kitesurfing
From France
Extreme water sport combining surfing + kite flying + wakeboarding — rider stands on small board (kiteboard or surfboard) while being pulled across water by large controllable power kite; jumps 10-30m high, back-rolls, kite-loops. Olympic sport since Paris 2024 (Formula Kite class).
Korfball
From Netherlands
Dutch mixed-gender team sport invented 1902 by Nico Broekhuysen. 8 players per team (4 men + 4 women each) score by shooting ball through 3.5m elevated basket (korf). UNIQUE — only major team sport designed for MANDATORY MIXED-GENDER play. Popular Netherlands, Belgium, Taiwan, small international scene. IWGA World Games sport.
Kubb
From Sweden
Swedish lawn game played with wooden BLOCKS (kubbs) + THROWING STICKS (kastpinnar). Objective: knock down all opponent's kubbs + finally the KING (larger central block). Also called 'VIKING CHESS'. Modern popularity dates to 1990s Gotland, Sweden. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP annually in Rönneby, Sweden. Highly strategic + accessible.
Lacrosse
From Canada
Fast-paced team sport played with sticks with mesh nets used to catch, carry, pass, and shoot a rubber ball into the opposing team's goal — includes field (10v10), box (6v6 indoor), and sixes (6v6) variants.
League of Legends
From United States
Free-to-play 5v5 multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) in which two teams of five champions each fight to destroy the opposing team's Nexus at the base of a three-lane map called Summoner's Rift.
Liar's Dice
From Peru
Bluffing dice game descended from South American origins in which players secretly roll dice under cups, make escalating bids on the total count of a given face across all players' dice, then challenge with 'Liar!' or higher bid.
Long Jump
From Greece
Track-and-field horizontal jump: sprint down a runway and jump for maximum distance from a fixed take-off board into a sand pit.
Madden NFL
From United States
Iconic American football simulation by EA Tiburon — named after legendary coach/broadcaster John Madden. Annual release; official NFL + NFLPA license makes it the ONLY licensed NFL simulator. Ultimate Team + Franchise + Face of the Franchise modes; huge esports scene (Madden Championship Series).
Magic: The Gathering
From United States
The world's first trading card game (TCG) — 2+ players build 60-card 'decks' (Modern/Legacy) or 100-card commander decks from ~25,000+ unique cards, then battle by casting spells + summoning creatures to reduce opponent's life total from 20 to 0.
Marbles
From Global (ancient)
Ancient game using small colorful glass or stone balls — players flick their 'shooter' marble at target marbles inside a ring or hole; hitting/knocking out targets wins them. Countless regional variants; global children's game with 5,000+ year history.
Minecraft
From Sweden
Sandbox video game in which players explore a procedurally-generated 3D world of textured cubes, mine resources, craft items, build structures, and survive against mobs in a variety of game modes.
Mixed Martial Arts
From United States
Full-contact combat sport combining striking (boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai) with grappling (wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo) — most bouts fought in an octagonal cage over 3-5 rounds of 5 minutes.
Modern Pentathlon
From Sweden
Multi-discipline Olympic sport combining 5 events over one day — pistol shooting, fencing, swimming (200m), equestrian show jumping, and cross-country running (3.2km) — designed for an idealized 19th-century military officer.
Mölkky
From Finland
Finnish lawn game invented 1996 by Tuoterengas company (Karelian tradition). Players throw wooden PIN (Mölkky) at 12 numbered SKITTLES (Molkkypins). Complex scoring: knock down 1 = its number; knock 2+ = count of pins. First to EXACTLY 50 wins; over 50 = penalty back to 25. Highly strategic — endgame critical. World Championship annually in Finland.
Monopoly
From United States
The world's best-selling property-trading board game — buy, rent and mortgage streets until you bankrupt every opponent.
Motocross
From United Kingdom
Off-road motorcycle racing on closed dirt circuits with jumps, whoops, and berms, contested in short heats over 30-40 minutes plus 2 laps.
MotoGP
From United Kingdom
Premier class of motorcycle road racing — 1,000 cc four-stroke prototype bikes race on closed circuits worldwide at speeds exceeding 350 km/h.
Mountain Biking
From United States
Off-road cycling on rugged terrain — encompassing cross-country (XC), downhill (DH), enduro, freeride, and 4X disciplines using specialised suspension bikes.
Muay Thai
From Thailand
Thai national combat sport known as the 'art of eight limbs' — fighters strike with fists, elbows, knees and shins over five rounds of three minutes.
Murder Mystery Games
From United States
Role-playing party game — guests assume characters + solve fictional murder over dinner or during evening. Popularized by 1980s HOW TO HOST A MURDER kit series; modern iterations include Hunt A Killer subscription boxes, interactive theater experiences, and online formats.
NBA 2K
From United States
Definitive basketball simulation by Visual Concepts (2K Games) — annual release; 5-on-5 NBA basketball with realistic physics, all 30 NBA teams + international leagues. NBA 2K League (2K esports) partnered with real NBA — first sports league to own official esports league. MyTeam + MyCareer flagship modes.
Netball
From United Kingdom
Ball sport played predominantly by women — 7 vs 7 on a rectangular court (30.5 × 15.25m) with a raised goal ring at each end; players pass the ball (no dribbling) and only 2 specific position players can score.
Overwatch
From United States
5-vs-5 team-based hero shooter by Blizzard — 40+ unique heroes with distinct abilities across 3 roles (Tank, Damage, Support); map-based objective modes (control, escort, hybrid, push, flashpoint). Overwatch League 2018-2023; now OWCS competitive circuit.
Pai Gow
From China
Chinese gambling game — 32-tile version (traditional) or card version (Pai Gow Poker, 1985 casino invention using 53 cards including joker) — players form TWO hands (high + low) from 7 cards/4 tiles that must both beat the dealer's two hands to win.
Pandemic
From United States
Iconic COOPERATIVE modern board game by Matt Leacock (Z-Man Games, 2008) — 2-4 players work TOGETHER as disease specialists racing to cure 4 diseases before outbreaks destroy the world. Revolutionized cooperative board gaming; Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 (2015) is BoardGameGeek's #1 game of all time. 8M+ copies sold.
Parkour
From France
Movement discipline — practitioners (traceurs) navigate obstacles efficiently through running, jumping, vaulting, climbing. Founded 1980s France by David Belle (parkour) + Sébastien Foucan (freerunning). FIG recognized 2018 (controversial — many traceurs oppose sportification). First FIG World Championships 2022 Tokyo.
Pathfinder
From United States
High-fantasy tabletop role-playing game. Published 2009 by Paizo (spun from D&D 3.5 when Wizards released 4th Edition). PF2 released 2019. Setting: Golarion. #2 tabletop RPG globally after D&D. Adventure Paths (long campaign modules) hallmark. Popular for player customization + tactical rules depth.
Pickleball
From United States
Paddle sport on a small tennis-sized court using a perforated plastic ball and solid paddles — combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. The fastest-growing sport in the United States.
Pictionary
From United States
Classic party game in which teams take turns drawing pictures to help teammates guess a secret word within 60 seconds, racing across a board to win.
Poi
From New Zealand
Skill toy / performance art — spinning tethered weights (poi) in geometric patterns around body. Originated MĀORI PEOPLE of NEW ZEALAND (spiritual + practice for wrist flexibility). Modernized globally 1990s+ as flow art. Fire Poi = flaming variant popular at festivals. Non-competitive typically; performance + personal flow.
Pokémon (Video Games)
From Japan
Legendary Japanese role-playing video game franchise (1996-present) by Game Freak/Nintendo — players capture, train, and battle 1000+ fictional creatures ('Pokémon') across turn-based RPG adventures — best-selling media franchise in history ($150+ billion revenue).
Pokémon Trading Card Game
From Japan
World's #2 collectible card game — 2 players battle using decks of 60 Pokémon + Trainer cards. Launched Japan 1996; global explosion via Pokémon franchise; 43+ billion cards printed by 2023. Pokémon TCG World Championships since 2004; Charizard rare cards sold for $420,000+; annual sales $1B+.
Poker
From United States
The umbrella family of betting card games — read your opponents, bet with hidden hands, and win by making the best five-card hand or by forcing everyone to fold.
Pole Vault
From Greece
Vertical jumping event in which athletes use a flexible carbon-fibre pole to launch themselves over a horizontal bar, currently exceeding 6.2 m (20+ ft).
Polo
From Iran
Team equestrian sport — 4 mounted players per team hit small wooden ball toward goal using long-handled mallets. Ancient origins ~600 BC Persia + Central Asia; modern rules codified 1859 by British in India (Silchar Polo Club). Field 274 × 183m — largest team sport playing field. Governed by FIP; iconic in Argentina (top players + most-decorated), UK (Cowdray Park), USA, India.
Pool
From United States
Cue sport played on a 7-9 ft pocketed table with 15 numbered object balls and a white cue ball; primary variants are 8-Ball (stripes vs solids) and 9-Ball (lowest to highest).
Powerlifting
From United States
Strength sport in which competitors attempt maximum single-repetition lifts in three movements — Back Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift — with sum of best lifts (Total) determining the winner.
PUBG: Battlegrounds
From South Korea
The battle royale that started the genre — 100 players parachute onto shrinking island; scavenge weapons + gear; last player/squad standing wins. Brendan 'PlayerUnknown' Greene created it 2017 based on Battle Royale novel/film. Spawned Fortnite, Warzone, Apex Legends. PUBG Global Championship + PUBG Mobile Global.
Real Tennis
From France
The ORIGINAL tennis — 12th-century French monastic sport played in enclosed courtyards with sloping roofs, buttresses, galleries + windows. Predecessor to modern lawn tennis. Only ~50 active courts worldwide; played mainly in UK, Australia, France, USA. Considered father of most racket sports.
Risk
From France
Classic strategy board game of global military conquest for 2-6 players in which armies dice-battle across a stylized world map of 42 territories on 6 continents.
Road Cycling
From France
Bicycle racing on paved roads — from single-day Classics (Paris-Roubaix, Milan-San Remo) to three-week Grand Tours (Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España).
Roblox
From United States
Massively multiplayer online game creation and gameplay platform where users build, share, and play millions of user-generated 3D 'experiences' — from social hangouts to obstacle courses to full RPGs.
Rock Climbing
From United Kingdom
Adventure sport in which climbers ascend natural or artificial rock walls using strength, technique, and rope safety systems in disciplines from bouldering to trad multi-pitch.
Rock Paper Scissors
From China
World's most-played hand game — 2+ players simultaneously make 1 of 3 hand shapes (Rock, Paper, or Scissors). Rock crushes Scissors; Scissors cuts Paper; Paper covers Rock. Origins in ancient China (~200 BC 'shoushiling'); modernized Japan Edo era (jan-ken); global dispute-resolution tool. World RPS Society championships since 2002; $10K+ prizes.
Rocket League
From United States
'Soccer with rocket-powered cars' — Psyonix's beloved vehicular football; 3-vs-3 teams driving cars with jumps + boost + aerial flips to hit oversized ball into goals. Massive esports scene (RLCS); simple concept + deep skill ceiling; considered greatest hybrid sports game ever.
Root
From United States
Asymmetric wargame with cute forest animals. Designed 2018 Cole Wehrle. Leder Games. 2-4 players, 60-90 min. Each faction plays completely different rules (Marquise de Cat controls territory; Woodland Alliance uses guerrilla revolts; Eyrie birds have programmed decrees; Vagabond adventures solo). Kyle Ferrin's cute art masks brutal wargame. Cult favorite; multiple expansions.
Roulette
From France
Casino wheel game in which players bet on where a small ball will land among numbered pockets (0 or 00-36) spinning inside a wheel.
Rowing
From United Kingdom
Endurance water sport in which crews propel long, narrow shells backwards over 2,000 m using single (sculling) or double (sweep) oars, with or without a coxswain.
Rubik's Cube (Speedcubing)
From Hungary
3D combination puzzle invented by Ernő Rubik (Hungary, 1974) — 6-sided cube with 3×3×3 rotating faces of colored stickers; speedcubers solve it in under 5 seconds using memorized algorithms; WCA-sanctioned world championships since 2003.
Rugby League
From United Kingdom
13-a-side rugby code with faster, more open play — a team keeps possession for six tackles, then must score, kick, or hand the ball over.
Rugby Union
From United Kingdom
Fifteen-a-side full-contact team sport played with an oval ball — carry, pass and kick it to score tries and goals against the opposition.
Rummikub
From Israel
Tile-based rummy game for 2-4 players invented in 1930s Romania by Ephraim Hertzano; players race to be first to lay down all their tiles by forming sets (same number, different colours) and runs (consecutive numbers, same colour).
Sailing
From Netherlands
Wind-powered water sport in which crews race sailboats around a marked course, tacking and gybing to complete windward-leeward, coastal, or offshore legs faster than competitors.
Scavenger Hunts
From United States
Team/individual quest to find or complete list of items/tasks within time limit — parties, schools, corporate team-building, city-wide events. Popularized by American columnist Elsa Maxwell 1930s NYC celebrity scavenger hunts; modern variants include photo hunts, University of Chicago's 4-day 'Scav' hunt (world's largest, since 1987), CityHunt corporate events.
Scrabble
From United States
The classic word-building board game — form crossword-style words on a 15×15 grid using seven lettered tiles per rack, scoring for length, letters and premium squares.
Scythe
From United States
Alternate-history 1920s strategy board game — 5 factions in dieselpunk Eastern Europe compete for territory + resources + stars. Designed 2016 Jamey Stegmaier (Stonemaier Games). Artist: Jakub Rozalski. 1-5 players, 90-120 min. BGG Top 20 game; multiple Dice Tower / Golden Geek awards.
Shadowrun
From United States
Cyberpunk-fantasy hybrid tabletop RPG. First published 1989 by FASA. Setting: 2050s dystopian world where MAGIC returned + CYBERPUNK MEGA-CORPS dominate + ELVES/DWARVES/ORKS/TROLLS live alongside humans. Players are 'runners' doing corporate espionage. 6th Edition (2019) current. Complex D6 dice pool system; influential cyberpunk RPG.
Sic Bo
From China
Ancient Chinese dice casino game — three dice shaken in a covered container; players bet on possible outcomes (specific numbers, sums 4-17, small/big totals, triples, doubles). Payouts range 1:1 to 180:1 based on outcome probability.
Skateboarding
From United States
Action sport in which riders roll on a skateboard performing tricks on street obstacles, ramps, and bowls, judged on difficulty, style, execution, and consistency.
Skydiving
From United States
Extreme sport of exiting an aircraft at altitude, freefalling through the sky, and deploying a parachute to land safely — includes formation, freestyle, canopy, and speed disciplines.
Snakes and Ladders
From India
Universal children's board game — 2-4 players race tokens from square 1 to 100 by rolling dice; ladders shortcut up, snakes drop you down. Originally ancient Indian MOKSHA PATAM (~2nd c BC) with SPIRITUAL/KARMA themes teaching virtue vs vice. British Victorian adaptation 1892; Milton Bradley 'Chutes and Ladders' 1943.
Snooker
From India
Cue sport played on a 12×6 ft green baize table with 15 red balls, 6 coloured balls, and 1 white cue ball — pot reds and colours in strict alternation to score, break of 147 is the maximum.
Snowboarding
From United States
Winter sport where riders descend snow slopes on a single board with feet in fixed bindings — competed in freestyle (halfpipe, slopestyle, big air) and racing (parallel, snowboard cross) disciplines.
Softball
From United States
Bat-and-ball team sport related to baseball — played with a larger ball, an underhand pitch and a smaller diamond over seven innings.
Solitaire
From Sweden
Single-player card game where you arrange a shuffled deck into four ascending suit-ordered foundation piles, working from a tableau of seven descending face-down columns.
Spirit Island
From United States
Cooperative anti-colonial strategy game. Designed 2017 R. Eric Reuss. Greater Than Games. 1-4 players, 90-120 min. Players are SPIRITS defending native Dahan from European colonizers. Reverse-Colonial theme — you're the resistance. Complex + heavy game. TOP-10 BGG ranked cooperative game. Multiple expansions (Branch & Claw, Jagged Earth, Nature Incarnate).
Sprinting
From Greece
Short-distance track athletics events (60m indoor, 100m, 200m, 400m) contested at maximum speed with fastest time winning.
Squash
From United Kingdom
Racquet sport played on a four-walled indoor court where two players alternate hitting a small rubber ball against the front wall — fast, tactical, and endurance-demanding.
Star Wars: X-Wing
From United States
Star Wars starship combat miniature game. First published 2012 by Fantasy Flight Games; Second Edition 2018; Third Edition 2024 by Atomic Mass Games. Uses hidden simultaneous MOVEMENT DIALS + templates for spaceship combat. Iconic Star Wars ships (X-Wings, TIE Fighters, Millennium Falcon). Most popular miniatures game 2015-2018.
StarCraft II
From United States
Sci-fi real-time strategy (RTS) by Blizzard — 1v1 duels between Terran (humans), Zerg (aliens), Protoss (psi-race); build economy + army + tech in minutes. Considered greatest RTS + one of purest competitive esports; dominated by Korean pros. GSL Korea = most prestigious league.
Super Mario Bros.
From Japan
Legendary Nintendo platformer series starring Mario the plumber — jump, run, and battle enemies through the Mushroom Kingdom to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser; defined the platform game genre.
Superbike Racing
From United Kingdom
Motorcycle road racing on production-based sportbikes (1000cc superbikes). WorldSBK series founded 1988 by FIM as alternative to prototype MotoGP. Iconic manufacturers: Ducati, Yamaha, Kawasaki, BMW, Honda. Top riders: Carl Fogarty (4×), Troy Bayliss (3×), Jonathan Rea (6× consecutive 2015-20), Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (2021, 2024).
Surfing
From United States
Surface water sport in which a rider stands on a floating board and rides the face of an unbroken breaking ocean wave toward shore, performing manoeuvres for judged scores.
Swimming
From United Kingdom
Aquatic racing sport contested in a pool over set distances in four legal strokes — freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly — plus medley events.
Tag
From GLOBAL
Universal children's playground chase game in which one player is 'It' and must tag another to transfer the role — with countless regional variants (Freeze Tag, Shadow Tag, Manhunt).
Tchoukball
From Switzerland
Swiss team sport invented 1970 by Dr. Hermann Brandt (biologist) to REDUCE INJURIES + PROMOTE FAIR PLAY. 7-a-side; throw ball at REBOUND FRAMES (like trampolines) at each end of court; opponent must not catch rebound. NO CONTACT, NO OFFSIDE — designed as maximally cooperative team sport. Small but passionate global following. FITB governs. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS since 2004.
Teen Patti
From India
Popular Indian gambling card game descended from the British 'Three Card Brag,' in which 3 cards are dealt to each of 3-7 players who bet blind or seen on the highest hand ranking (Trail > Pure Sequence > Sequence > Colour > Pair > High Card).
Ten-Pin Bowling
From United States
Precision sport in which players roll a heavy ball down a 60-foot wooden lane to knock down 10 pins arranged in a triangle at the far end, scoring across 10 frames.
Tennis
From United Kingdom
One-on-one (or doubles) racket sport played over a low net — win points by making the ball bounce untouchable in the opponent's court.
Terraforming Mars
From Sweden
Modern strategy board game — players play corporations terraforming Mars by raising temperature (-30°C → +8°C), oxygen (0% → 14%), and creating oceans (0 → 9). Designed 2016 Jacob Fryxelius. FryxGames + Stronghold Games. 1-5 players, 90-180 min. Multiple award winner. Top BGG-ranked strategy game.
Tetris
From Russia
Legendary Soviet-designed puzzle game (1984) in which players rotate + place falling tetromino shapes into complete horizontal lines to clear them — one of the best-selling video games ever with 520+ million copies sold across all versions.
Texas Hold'em Poker
From United States
World's most popular poker variant — 2-10 players receive 2 hole cards + share 5 community cards. Best 5-card poker hand wins pot. Exploded globally via 2003 WSOP Chris Moneymaker win + online poker boom + televised broadcasts. WSOP Main Event $10K buy-in draws 10,000+ players; $10M+ prizes.
Ticket to Ride
From United States
Modern strategy board game for 2-5 players in which players collect train cards to claim railway routes across a map, connecting cities for points and completing hidden destination tickets.
Track Cycling
From United Kingdom
Olympic velodrome-based bicycle racing on a banked oval indoor/outdoor 250m track — includes explosive sprint events (200m flying, keirin, team sprint) and endurance events (individual + team pursuit, points race, omnium).
Trampoline Gymnastics
From United States
Gymnastics discipline — athletes perform aerial acrobatics on trampoline. Invented 1936 by George Nissen + Larry Griswold (Iowa). Olympic since Sydney 2000 (individual + synchronized). Athletes reach 8+ meters height performing multiple twisting somersaults. China + Russia + Belarus dominant.
Triathlon
From United States
Endurance multi-sport combining swimming, cycling, and running in sequence with fast transitions — Olympic distance (1.5km swim + 40km bike + 10km run), Ironman (3.8km + 180km + 42.2km) and other distances.
Twilight Imperium
From United States
Epic 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) space-empire strategy game. Designed 1997 Christian T. Petersen; Fourth Edition 2017 Dane Beltrami. Fantasy Flight Games. 3-6 players, 4-8 hours. Featured on stream shows, cult classic. TI4 sold 200,000+ copies. Top-3 BGG ranked game. Considered pinnacle 'epic' board game — dedicated all-day event.
Ultimate Frisbee
From United States
Self-officiated non-contact team sport played 7v7 with a flying disc on a football-sized field — advance disc down the field by passing (thrower can't move), score by catching in the endzone; first to 15 wins.
Uno
From United States
Family shedding card game with a custom 108-card deck — match colour or number, use action cards to disrupt opponents, and shout 'UNO!' when you have one card left.
Valorant
From United States
5-vs-5 tactical first-person shooter esport by Riot Games — combines CS-style bomb defusal with hero-shooter abilities (23 unique 'Agents' with signature powers), on maps designed for precise gunplay + tactical utility use.
Vampire: The Masquerade
From United States
Gothic-horror personal-horror tabletop RPG. First published 1991 by Mark Rein·Hagen (White Wolf). Players are recently-embraced VAMPIRES navigating politics of hidden vampire society (Camarilla, Anarchs, Sabbat, Independent clans). 5th Edition (V5) 2018 current. Iconic 1990s counterculture RPG; core of World of Darkness setting.
Warhammer 40,000
From United Kingdom
Iconic tabletop miniature wargame set in the grim dark future of the 41st millennium — players assemble, paint, and battle armies of intricately detailed plastic + metal figures across science-fiction battlefields.
Warhammer Age of Sigmar
From United Kingdom
Games Workshop's high-fantasy tabletop miniature wargame — successor to Warhammer Fantasy Battle after 2015 'End Times' reboot. Stormcast Eternals + Sylvaneth + Skaven + Nighthaunt + Ogor Mawtribes + 20+ factions battle across Mortal Realms. 4th Edition launched 2024. Sister game to Warhammer 40k.
Water Polo
From United Kingdom
Aquatic team ball sport where two teams of 7 players tread water in a deep pool and try to throw the ball into the opposing goal.
Water Skiing
From United States
Water sport where rider on skis is towed behind a motorboat via handle attached to towrope; disciplines include Slalom (zigzag through buoys), Trick (rotations + flips), and Jump (ramp launches for distance). Invented 1922 USA; peak popularity 1950s-80s. Barefoot skiing + wakeboarding are related.
Whist
From United Kingdom
Classic 18th-century English 4-player partnership trick-taking card game — direct ancestor of Bridge. 52 cards, 13 tricks per hand; last card determines trump; simple scoring based on tricks over 6. Historically dominant card game 1700s-1900.
Wingspan
From United States
Modern engine-building board game about birds. Designed 2019 Elizabeth Hargrave (first prominent female Kennerspiel des Jahres winner). Stonemaier Games. 1-5 players, 40-70 min. 170+ North American birds; expansions add Europe (2019), Oceania (2020), Asia (2022). Sold 1M+ copies; Kennerspiel des Jahres 2019 winner.
Wingsuit Flying
From France
Aviation sport using specialized suit with fabric between arms + legs to enable horizontal gliding flight after skydive/BASE jump. Modern wingsuit invented 1994 by Patrick de Gayardon (France); commercialized 1998 Jari Kuosma + Robert Pečnik (Birdman). Glide ratios 2.5:1 to 3.5:1; horizontal speeds 100-250 km/h; extreme risk in proximity flying.
Xiangqi
From China
Ancient Chinese strategy board game played on a 9×10 grid with a central 'river' — pieces move on line intersections; goal is to checkmate the enemy General.
Yahtzee
From Canada
Dice game where players roll five dice up to three times per turn and try to score in 13 different categories, aiming for the eponymous 'Yahtzee' (5 of a kind).
Yo-yo
From Philippines
Ancient skill toy consisting of an axle-connected pair of disks with string wrapped around axle — spun down/up with wrist flicks, modern competitive scene includes tricks like 'sleeping,' 'walking the dog,' complex string manipulations in 5 competition divisions.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game
From Japan
World's #3 collectible card game — 2 players duel with decks of 40-60 monster/spell/trap cards. Based on manga/anime by Kazuki Takahashi (1996). Launched Japan 1999; global anime boom 2001+. Guinness Record most sold TCG (2011): 25.1+ billion cards sold; Blue-Eyes White Dragon + Dark Magician iconic; Konami owns rights.