In Adventure games (also referred to as interactive fiction), the player enters a game world and the story's progression follows from the player's interaction with that world. Progress toward the goal is usually impeded by intellectual problems to solve using resources within the game world. The term adventure game derives from Crowther and Woods's "Adventure", the computer game that invented the genre. This category includes classic text adventures (like the original Zork trilogy), and graphical adventure games (like Myst). Interactive movies like Dragon's Lair lack the intellectual problem solving of adventure games, but may be listed here for want of a better category. Games in the cinematic adventure genre, such as Tomb Raider, are not necessarily adventure games in the sense used here. Nor are collections of puzzles on a similar theme, like Jewels of the Oracle, though they may be marketed as adventure games because puzzle games appeal to the same audience. The best RPGs (roleplaying games) share the plot-driven character of interactive fiction, though interaction with the game world is often limited to combat and static conversations rather than intellectual problem solving. They are listed under Genres/Roleplaying.
Browser based adventures are interactive fiction where the player can change the outcome of the story by his or her input. Games require a web browser.
This category is for interactive fiction games, such as "choose-your-own-adventure", text adventures, or Myst like point-and-click adventures. Please do not submit role-playing games (RPG) or action games that happen to have adventure in the title.

Adventure writing systems should be submitted in Games: Internet: Browser Based: Adventure: Development Tools.

Contains sites which provide cheats, frequently asked questions (FAQs), walkthroughs, help files, hints, and codes.
This category covers the design and development of adventure games (aka interactive fiction). This includes both sites about storytelling and problem construction as well as how to program games.
Downloadable interactive fiction games, such as "choose-your-own-adventure", text adventures, or Myst like point-and-click adventures, as well as related downloads.
Graphical adventures refer to adventure games which have graphical visual interfaces, rather than textual command line input. This includes games with moving character graphics (ex. King's Quest, Grim Fandango), or first-person graphics (ex. Myst, Zork Nemesis). Illustrated text adventures (ex. Arthur, The Hobbit, Spellcasting 101) are listed in the "Text Adventures" category.

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This category is for sites devoted to individual games which are non-commercial in nature. These would include:
  • freeware games;
  • amateur games made with programs such as SCRAMM;
  • and companies whose games have not yet been sold to a publisher.
This category is primarily for individual Interactive Fiction/Adventure games written as shareware or freeware.
Contains sites whose main focus are to provide information, news, reviews, previews, articles, and fora about adventure games.
The text adventure genre started by Crowther and Woods' Colossal Cave adventure in 1972. "Text Adventures" is often used interchangeably with "Interactive Fiction". Playing text adventures involves typing plain English and reading textual responses, although it is not uncommon to find graphics inserted with the text, or commands given by the mouse. The genre has blossomed to include a huge variety of games: difficult puzzles or no puzzles; inspired, evocative, funny, or terse writing; and also a few arcade games. More games are available every week, and there is an Interaction Fiction Competition every year. This category includes illustrated text adventures with a command line interface.
Visual novels are Japanese adventure games featuring still graphics and novel-style text. They overlap heavily with dating sims, but a visual novel is a separate medium and games can be in any genre.
Websites dealing primarily with Gyakuten Saiban Series can be submitted to this category.

Following these guidelines will allow us to add your site to the directory as quickly as possible.

  • Use your site''s actual title.
  • Create a brief description, under 25 words, listing the current content of your site (not the future content).
  • Do not use first person verbiage (we, our, us).
  • Do not use marketing verbiage. (We''re the best!, Most awesome site, Check it Out!)
  • Avoid using terms such as much more, lots, more, or anything else that would indicate that there is more to your site than what is in the description. Take the time to list out what the site has instead of using these terms.
  • Your description should resemble descriptions of sites already listed in the category.