Computer games, also known as computer games software, are programs designed for use with personal computers, using a game pad or keyboard to control the game. Typically, a game is a structured type of play, often undertaken for fun or entertainment, and at times used as an educational instrument. Computer games differ from work, which is generally carried out for profit, and from literature, which is aimed at expressing some artistic or philosophical elements. Computer games, therefore, provide entertainment as well as educational purposes.

Popular computer games genres include racing, puzzle, action, adventure, simulation, shooting, sports and puzzle. Racing games are fast-paced, requiring the player to maneuver the virtual vehicle through a variety of tracks. Puzzle games have different sets of rules determining how the puzzle is solved. Action games are usually physically active, such as gun fights or fighting games. Although sports video games are played with a ball and a stick, other genres such as word and card games are entirely digital, using no physical skill.

The three major board game genres are chess, backgammon, and mahjong. Chess and backgammon are both played with one or more players sitting opposite each other on a shared board. Players make their moves through the use of the corresponding pieces on the chessboard, and players may play against each other using a pre-designed deck of cards. Players may also play against each other through a computer or a network of computers. Mahjong is a card game requiring the player to manipulate tiles by matching pairs of them, in a series of fits and starts that progress from basic matching of two tiles to more complicated patterns.

Computer and video games that feature chess as a theme contain not only the pieces themselves, but the rules and game concepts that go along with each chess move. Players may attempt to develop their strategy for the game and compete with other online players for placement on their team. There are many different versions of chess available to be played on a computer or through a network of players. In addition, many games may be played on a table top screen using a gaming device such as a digital piano or computer monitor.

A game of backgammon, also known as Greco-Roman chess, involves pieces on a square grid with the players taking turns attacking each other on the board. A single piece may be removed from the board at any time to allow a player to make a new move. Most modern versions of backgammon include a variety of different chess pieces including those that are unique to each side in the game. There are many different types of backgammon, including tournaments and local games played by collectors and friends, as well as popular books containing a variation of the game.

This is an overview of some of the most popular video games involving dice. Though most video games involving dice have a random chance of determining the outcome of a game, one player can have a much greater impact on how the game will end. When using a system of probability, the random chance of a game comes into play and one player can alter the outcome by a certain amount of dice.