Sports of Japan
Asia
Originating in Japan
Sports whose history and codification began here.
Aikido
From Japan
Modern Japanese martial art founded by Morihei Ueshiba (~1920s-30s) focused on defensive redirection of attackers' energy through joint locks, throws, and pins — 'the art of peace' with no competition in most styles.
Cardfight!! Vanguard
From Japan
Bushiroad's flagship TCG — 'Vanguard' units power up by stacking, with dramatic 'Trigger' reveals from the deck.
Dance Dance Revolution
From Japan
Konami's foot-stomping arcade rhythm game — hit the four arrow panels in time with the music.
Digimon Card Game
From Japan
Bandai's Digimon-branded TCG — 'digivolve' your creatures up through evolution stages to overwhelm the opponent.
Donkey Kong
From Japan
Nintendo ARCADE PLATFORMER — Shigeru Miyamoto, 1981. Player controls JUMPMAN (later MARIO) climbing girders + ladders to rescue LADY (Pauline) from DONKEY KONG. Introduces MARIO to world; establishes PLATFORMER genre; sparks Nintendo's video game empire. Famous 'Kill Screen' at Level 22. Iconic speedrun/high-score competitive scene (Billy Mitchell + Steve Wiebe rivalry documented in 'The King of Kong' 2007).
Drifting
From Japan
Judged motorsport of holding a car sideways through corners — Formula Drift is the pro world tour.
Duel Masters
From Japan
Wizards' and Takara Tomy's Magic-inspired TCG — five 'civilizations', mana-driven summons, and shield-breaking finishes.
Elden Ring
From Japan
Open-world Souls-like — enormous, punishing fantasy world by Hidetaka Miyazaki with lore by George R.R. Martin.
Escape Room
From Japan
Real-world puzzle-room game — a team is 'locked' in a themed room and must solve chained puzzles to escape within 60 minutes.
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.
Final Fantasy
From Japan
The world's most-famous JRPG series — mostly-unrelated numbered fantasy epics with crystals, airships and chocobos.
Galaga
From Japan
Fixed-shooter sequel to Galaxian — dogfight formations of alien insects that dive-bomb your ship.
Gomoku
From Japan
Place stones on a 15×15 grid — the first player to line up five in a row (any direction) wins.
Hanafuda
From Japan
Traditional Japanese playing cards. 48 cards divided into 12 SUITS = 12 MONTHS, each with 4 cards depicting flowers/plants for that month. Origin 1600s Japan (during Tokugawa shogunate). MANY GAMES: Koi-Koi (2 players), Hachi-Hachi (3 players), Go-Stop (Korean Hwatu). NINTENDO founded 1889 as hanafuda card maker.
Hanetsuki
From Japan
Traditional Japanese badminton — hit a feathered soapberry seed back and forth with rectangular hagoita paddles.
Iaido
From Japan
Japanese art of drawing, cutting and re-sheathing the katana in a single fluid movement.
Jodo
From Japan
Japanese art of the short jo staff (4 ft) — paired kata used historically by samurai to defeat the sword.
Judo
From Japan
Japanese grappling art of throws, pins, chokes and arm-locks — win by ippon (perfect throw) or accumulate waza-ari.
Karate
From Japan
Okinawan striking art of empty-handed punches, kicks, elbows and knees — contested as forms (kata) and sparring (kumite).
Karuta
From Japan
Japanese card-matching family — a reader chants a verse, players race to snatch the matching card.
Kemari
From Japan
Ancient Japanese ceremonial kicking game — keep a deerskin ball in the air using only your feet.
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).
KenKen
From Japan
Sudoku-plus-arithmetic — fill a grid so each row and column contains 1-N; cage clues give a target and an operation.
Kickboxing
From Japan
Stand-up combat sport combining boxing punches with karate/muay-thai-inspired kicks, contested in a ring with various rulesets (K-1, Full-Contact, American, Dutch).
Kudo
From Japan
Japanese full-contact hybrid martial art — Kyokushin karate strikes plus judo throws plus BJJ ground work.
Kyudo
From Japan
Japanese martial art of the longbow — an asymmetric yumi shot from a formal seated or standing stance.
Metroid
From Japan
Sci-fi exploration platformer — Samus Aran hunts space pirates through interconnected non-linear alien worlds.
Nonogram
From Japan
Grid logic puzzle — fill cells based on numeric row/column clues to reveal hidden picture. Invented independently 1987 by Non Ishida (Japanese graphic editor) + Tetsuya Nishio (Japanese puzzler). Made global by Nintendo's PICROSS video games (1995+). 100M+ Picross games sold; standard NYT Sunday Games feature.
One Piece Card Game
From Japan
Bandai's One-Piece-branded TCG — leader-driven decks and life-hit combat drawn from the manga's factions.
Onitama
From Japan
Two-player chess-lite — each player holds two move cards, swapped every turn with a shared fifth card.
Othello
From Japan
Two-player board game on an 8×8 grid — flip your opponent's discs by trapping them between your colour. "A minute to learn, a lifetime to master."
Pac-Man
From Japan
Iconic ARCADE MAZE game — Toru Iwatani, Namco 1980. Yellow character eats DOTS through maze while avoiding 4 GHOSTS (Blinky, Pinky, Inky, Clyde). Power pellets let Pac-Man temporarily eat ghosts. First video game character in popular culture. Best-selling arcade game of all time (~400,000 units, $2.5B+ 1980-2010). Speedrunning/high-score competitive scene ('perfect game' = 3,333,360 pts).
Pachinko
From Japan
Japanese vertical mechanical gambling arcade game — players fire small steel balls into a pinball-like maze of pins; balls falling into scoring pockets win more balls, exchangeable for prizes (technically bypassing Japan's anti-gambling laws).
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+.
Renju
From Japan
Professional refinement of Gomoku — five in a row, but with opening restrictions to balance the first-player advantage.
Shogi
From Japan
Traditional Japanese chess variant played on a 9×9 board with 20 pieces per side, unique for the 'drop rule' allowing captured pieces to re-enter play under their new owner.
Shorinji Kempo
From Japan
Post-war Japanese martial art blending Zen philosophy with hard strikes, joint locks and pressure-point attacks.
Soft Tennis
From Japan
East Asian tennis variant using a soft rubber ball and a lighter racket — huge in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
Sonic the Hedgehog
From Japan
Sega's answer to Mario — a blue hedgehog runs at supersonic speed through loop-the-loop Zones.
Space Invaders
From Japan
Seminal ARCADE SHOOTER — Tomohiro Nishikado, Taito 1978. Player controls LASER CANNON at bottom defending Earth from advancing 55-alien grid. First mainstream video game shooter; ONE OF FIRST 'KILLER APP' arcade games. Massive Japanese success (100 YEN COIN SHORTAGE in Japan 1978-79 from Space Invaders play). Launched video game industry as mass phenomenon.
Street Fighter
From Japan
Iconic fighting game franchise by CAPCOM. STREET FIGHTER II (1991) revolutionized fighting genre — 8 selectable characters, special moves via combos, arcade dominance. Direct ancestor of EVO Championship + entire FGC (Fighting Game Community). SF6 (2023) latest mainline. Massive competitive esports scene — CAPCOM CUP with $2M+ prize pool.
Sugoroku
From Japan
Japanese race-game family — 'ban-sugoroku' (backgammon-like) and 'e-sugoroku' (illustrated race boards).
Sumo
From Japan
The national sport of Japan — two enormous rikishi try to force each other out of a straw-ring dohyō, or make any body part other than the soles of their feet touch the ground.
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.
Super Smash Bros
From Japan
Nintendo's cross-franchise platform fighter — knock opponents off-stage rather than depleting health bars.
Tekken
From Japan
Iconic 3D FIGHTING GAME franchise by BANDAI NAMCO. Original 1994 arcade — first fully polygonal fighter. Realistic MMA-inspired martial arts styles per character (Karate, Muay Thai, Judo, Capoeira, Boxing, etc.). LATEST: TEKKEN 8 (2024). Massive competitive esports scene — TEKKEN WORLD TOUR $2M+ prize pool. South Korea + Pakistan dominant.
The Legend of Zelda
From Japan
Foundational action-adventure series — Link explores Hyrule, solves dungeons, and rescues Princess Zelda.
Time Crisis
From Japan
Namco's light-gun rail-shooter series — foot-pedal cover system and a plastic pistol against terrorist henchmen.
Yabusame
From Japan
Japanese horseback archery — shoot three wooden targets at full gallop down a 255 m course.
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.
Widely played in Japan
7 Wonders
From France
Modern card-drafting civilization game. Designed 2010 Antoine Bauza (French designer). Repos Production. 3-7 players, 30 min. Won 30+ awards including Kennerspiel des Jahres 2011 (first ever). Players build one of the 7 Ancient Wonders civilizations across 3 ages via simultaneous card drafting. Duel 2-player version 2015.
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.
Alpine Skiing
From Austria
Winter racing sport where skiers descend a snow-covered mountain course through gates, in five disciplines from slow-turn slalom to 130 km/h downhill.
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.
Archery
From United Kingdom
Precision sport of shooting arrows at a target from a set distance — competitive events include recurve (Olympic), compound, barebow, and field archery.
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).
Arm Wrestling
From Ancient / global
Combat sport where two opponents grip hands across a table and attempt to force each other's hand down to a touchpad — decided in seconds through explosive strength, technique (top-roll, hook, press), leverage, and grip endurance.
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.
Badminton
From India
The fastest racket sport in the world — hit a feathered shuttlecock over a 1.55 m net using a light racket; win by driving the shuttle to the floor of your opponent's court.
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.
Battleship
From United States
Two-player naval guessing game — each player secretly places a fleet of ships on a 10×10 grid and takes turns calling coordinates to sink the opponent's fleet; first to sink all opponent's ships wins.
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.
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.
Bobsleigh
From Switzerland
Winter sliding sport in which teams of 2 or 4 push a streamlined sled down a twisting refrigerated ice track, reaching speeds of 150+ km/h.
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.
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.
Boxing
From United Kingdom
Two fighters in a roped square trade punches — win by knockout, technical stoppage or points over 3-12 timed rounds.
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.
Bulls and Cows
From United Kingdom
Two-player code-breaking guessing game (or single-player vs computer) — one player picks a secret 4-digit number with unique digits; the other guesses, receiving 'Bulls' (correct digit + position) and 'Cows' (correct digit, wrong position) feedback until deducing the secret code.
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.
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).
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.
Cross-Country Skiing
From Norway
Endurance winter sport in which skiers propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using long, narrow skis and poles — Olympic events include sprint, distance, relay, and mass-start.
Curling
From United Kingdom
A Scottish winter sport in which teams of four slide granite stones down a sheet of ice, sweeping ahead of the stone to control its path.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Fencing
From Italy
Olympic combat sport with three weapon disciplines (foil, épée, sabre) — two fencers on a 14m × 1.5m piste score touches with electronically-scored bladed weapons under strict right-of-way (foil/sabre) or open (épée) rules.
Figure Skating
From United Kingdom
Winter sport where skaters perform jumps, spins, step sequences and lifts on ice, judged on technical difficulty and artistic execution across four disciplines.
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.
Football
From United Kingdom
The world's most popular team sport — two sides of eleven aim to score more goals than the opponent using any part of the body except the arms and hands.
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.
Freestyle Wrestling
From United States
Olympic wrestling style that allows attacks on both the upper and lower body — takedowns, throws, exposure and pins score points across two 3-minute periods.
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.
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.
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.
Go
From China
Ancient East Asian board game — surround more territory than your opponent on a 19×19 grid of intersections.
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.
Hearthstone
From United States
Digital collectible card game by Blizzard set in Warcraft universe — 1v1 duels between 30-card decks; heroes with unique powers + game modes (Standard, Wild, Battlegrounds, Arena, Duels, Mercenaries). 100M+ players lifetime; pioneering digital CCG that inspired hundreds of imitators.
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.
Hopscotch
From Italy
Ancient children's game found across world cultures in which players toss a marker (stone/beanbag) into numbered squares chalked on the ground, then hop through the pattern without stepping on lines or the marker.
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).
Javelin Throw
From Greece
Ancient athletics throwing event — athletes sprint down 30m runway + hurl a 2.6-2.7m spear-like javelin (800 g men / 600 g women) with maximum distance + accuracy from behind the arc line.
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.
Kabaddi
From India
A high-tempo South Asian contact sport in which a solo 'raider' crosses into enemy territory to tag defenders and return home — all in a single breath.
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.
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.
Le Mans Endurance Racing
From France
Premier endurance sports car race — 24 hours around 13.6 km Circuit de la Sarthe (France) since 1923. Teams of 3 drivers rotate. FIA WEC (World Endurance Championship) governs. Winners in Hypercar class recent: Toyota, Ferrari (2023), Porsche. Legendary marques: Porsche (19 wins), Audi, Ferrari, Ford, Bentley.
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.
Mahjong
From China
Chinese four-player tile game — arrange 14 tiles into four sets and a pair before your opponents, using draws, discards, and locked melds.
Marathon
From Greece
The classic 42.195-kilometre road race — the Olympic long-distance running event and the flagship event of every big-city runner festival.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Racquetball
From United States
Fast indoor court sport played with a stringed racquet and a hollow rubber ball on a fully-enclosed 40×20×20 ft court — every wall (including ceiling) is in play.
Rally Racing
From MC
Point-to-point motorsport in which co-driver-navigated cars race one at a time against the clock over closed public roads of gravel, tarmac, snow, and mud across multi-day events.
Reversi / Othello
From United Kingdom
Abstract strategy game invented 1883 in England — 2 players place black/white discs on 8×8 board; flanking opponent's discs converts them to your color. Simple rules ('A minute to learn... a lifetime to master'); huge in Japan; WOF World Othello Championship since 1977; computer-solved for perfect draw (2023).
Rhythmic Gymnastics
From Russia
Women's Olympic sport combining dance, ballet, and gymnastics with hand-apparatus (rope, hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon) — performed on a 13×13m floor to music, judged on difficulty and artistry.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Sepak Takraw
From Malaysia
Southeast Asia's answer to volleyball — three players per side vault into acrobatic scissor-kicks over a badminton-height net, using only their feet, knees, chest and head.
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.
Skeleton
From Switzerland
Winter Olympic sport where athletes race head-first, prone (belly-down) on a small sled down icy tracks at 125-140 km/h — the only sliding sport where athletes go head-first; single-runs, 4-run cumulative time format.
Ski Jumping
From Norway
Winter sport in which athletes ski down a steep ramp (inrun), leap into the air, and glide as far as possible before landing on a slope — judged on distance and style.
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.
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.
Snowmobiling
From Canada
Motorized winter sport — riders race snowmobiles at 100+ km/h on snow tracks with jumps, moguls, banked turns. Disciplines include snocross (motocross-style), cross-country, hillclimb, freestyle, drag racing, ice racing. X Games staple since 1998; huge in Scandinavia, Russia, Canada, USA.
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.
Speed Skating
From Netherlands
Ice-skating race sport on a 400 m double-lane oval; distances from 500 m sprint to 10,000 m endurance with skaters swapping lanes each lap.
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).
Sudoku
From United States
Number-placement logic puzzle in which a 9×9 grid partly filled with digits 1-9 must be completed so every row, column, and 3×3 box contains all digits 1-9 exactly once.
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.
Table Tennis
From United Kingdom
Fast-paced indoor racket sport played on a 9-foot table divided by a low net — hit a lightweight ball with a rubber paddle before it bounces twice.
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).
Tangram
From China
Ancient Chinese dissection puzzle — 7 flat geometric pieces (tans: 5 triangles, 1 square, 1 parallelogram) arranged to form thousands of shapes. Origin ~1815 Qing Dynasty; global craze 1810s-1820s (Napoleon owned one in exile); classic educational puzzle teaching geometry.
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.
Tower of Hanoi
From France
Mathematical disc-stacking puzzle — move stack of discs from source peg to destination peg via auxiliary peg, one disc at a time, never placing larger on smaller. Invented 1883 by French mathematician Édouard Lucas. Minimum moves = 2ⁿ−1 (7 discs = 127 moves, 8 = 255). Classic algorithm demonstration + brain teaser.
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.
Tuho
From China
Ancient East Asian throwing game — players throw arrows/sticks into narrow-necked jar or pot from distance. Originated CHINA (Zhou Dynasty ~1046 BCE); spread to KOREA + JAPAN. In Korea, popular ROYAL COURT + folk game; still played traditional holidays. Similar to horseshoes / cornhole conceptually. Elegant, minimalist, cultural preservation focus.
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.
Volleyball
From United States
6-a-side team sport where players use hands and forearms to send a ball over a high net, aiming to ground it on the opposing side within three touches.
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.
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.
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.
Yut Nori
From South Korea
Traditional Korean board game played especially during LUNAR NEW YEAR (Seollal). 4 wooden STICKS (yut) tossed as dice; landing curved/flat determines move (Do 1, Gae 2, Geol 3, Yut 4, Mo 5, Back-do reverse). Race 4 pieces around cross-shaped board. Origins Three Kingdoms period Korea. UNESCO recognized cultural heritage.