Game Jargon Definition: "Abstract Game"

Abstract Game (adjective, noun) – ab·stract game /abˈstrakt ɡām/

A game that is primarily based on its mechanical aspects with little or no thematic or narrative elements. Typically, abstract games are built on simple and straightforward design principles and game mechanics. They tend to give all players perfect information about the state of the game (e.g., not keeping information hidden from players) and they typically involve direct conflict (e.g., directly attacking or negatively impacting a player to the point of them being eliminated from the game). In addition, abstract games usually limit the amount of luck, chance, and random occurrence in a game and, therefore, often omit dice and cards. While abstract games typically employ one or more of these features, and sometimes all of them, there certainly are exceptions. For example, Stratego (1946) is considered an abstract game, but employs hidden information, and Backgammon (3000 BCE) is certainly an abstract game, but uses dice rolling.