What Makes a GAME?

[Drake_XIV]

How would you define a game in your own words?  

[nitnit]

achievements  

[Wade640]

Immersive  

[The Ginger Dude]

A way of living in fictional-minded people, and a another freedom, that delves into many different types of genres for simple and sophistaced people.  

[pathetic_negi_magician]

Gameplay that hooks you  

[dragwarrior]

endless fun  

[darkslasherX]

A game is a very broad thing, for there are many forms of games: word games, card games, board games, video games, and pen-and-paper role-playing games, just to name a few. The thing all forms of games have in common? They all have some set of rules and an objective, and they're all basically used to pass time.

Now, to be a bit more precise, I'll assume "video games" are the topic of discussion here. Most video games involve some playable character or characters and some final goal to achieve, and perhaps some side goals as well (for 100% completionists), with few exceptions. All video games are a way to pass the time, as well. So, more concisely, I'd say video games are a way to pass the time by trying to complete some goal or goals using your on-screen avatar or avatars.

The goal to accomplish and the means to accomplish this goal differ by genre of game: for example, you try to shoot things in a FPS, or reach some predetermined goal by jumping, running, and avoiding obstacles in a platformer. These are all basically just ways to keep a player entertained (or hopelessly frustrated in some cases), but the variety of genres is notable.

I forgot where I was going with this post, so yeah. Games = entertainment, and sometimes a means of release/escape.  

[DarkAMagician]

Innovation, creativity, FUN, user-friendliness.

Game is defined differently by people. The genre of the game plays a part on its likability too.  

[Dylmoo Kurosaki]

good story and atmosphere (metro 2033) addicting multiplayer (cod series and halo)  

[Appelsina]

To me, a hook at the beginning of the story, likeable and playable characters (practically, an RPG), and a preferably turn-based battle system.

Even if it has only one playable character for the whole game, that's fine, but I can handle mashing buttons for battle systems, too.