Game Jargon Definition: “Crunchy”
Crunchy (adjective) - crunch · y / ˈkrən(t)SHē /
“Crunchy” is a term in the hobby game community used to describe certain games, but has come to have two different definitions—which may or may not overlap within the context of a given game:
Games that subject players to a (relatively) high amount of number crunching in order to calculate the movement, damage, or other actions or reactions of the characters or units that players control. This definition of crunchy is most prevalent in rules-heavy role-playing games and war games that utilize numerous equipment, action/reaction, damage, and combat result tables.
Games that present players with deep strategic and/or tactical decisions, and have multiple paths to victory (as opposed to games that typically have one “correct” or strategically ideal path to victory). While other players are certainly the element that adds the greatest amount of variability in how a given (non-solo) game plays out, games that are said to have “crunch” may capitalize on the social interaction of players for its presentation of deep strategic and/or tactical options, but are not dependent on them the way that most games in the social deduction genre of games are.
Games may be said to be “crunchy” or to have “crunch.”
