Is there a word or term for "game with rules"? [closed]

Wiktionary defines "game" as "A playful or competitive activity". Chess would fit the latter part of that definition. It has clear rules which determine a winner and a loser. Lego fits the prior. You "play" with it, for entertainment value, but there's no rules, no winning or losing, you just do as you want.

This distinction isn't limited to the mode of play, either. Chess, specifically, is a board game, but soccer also has rules. Number of participants is also irrelevant, as playing house also fits the "playful activity" form.

I'm looking for a word or term where it wouldn't feel unnatural to say "I was doing X" ("I was engaged in a competitive activity" sounds more than a bit weird), but in which, without having to specify the exact game, it's clear I wasn't playing with dolls.

Changing the verb instead, and saying "I'm competing" gives the connotation of a final tournament. Like, you wouldn't say you're "competing in soccer" if you're just going out to play with friends. Also, it doesn't allow a sentence of the form "Soccer is an X".

Basically, some term where I could say "Chess is an X, Lego is not an X".

Any word/term/phrase for this?

Solution 1:

The terms that best describe this may be structured and unstructured. It's also important to note that they're not mutually exclusive, with Minecraft being a good example of a game that can be structured (e.g. defeat the Enderdragon) and unstructured (e.g. build the coolest buildings). Legos are also an example that can go either way: if you're following the instructions that's structured, and if you're building whatever you want that's unstructured.

I've seen these two terms used in two places: ludology (the study of games/gaming, which uses "structured/unstructured games") and pedagogy/parenting (which mostly uses "structured/unstructured play").

Here's some articles addressing this from a ludology standpoint:

• Maximizing Gameplay by Satisficing (I remember needing to read this in college, in fact)
• Jack's Game Development: Concept of 'Play'

Here are some articles looking at it from the perspective of pedagogy/parenting:

• Playground Center: Unstructured Vs Structured Play & Examples
• Pathways: Parents' Guide to Structured Vs Unstructured Play
• Rescu: Play time: unstructured play vs. structured play and why your child needs both