What Are Collection Online Games?
Collection online games are a genre of video games where the primary objective is to collect, gather, or unlock a variety of in-game items, characters, or rewards. These games often feature expansive collections that players must complete over time by finding or earning specific items, completing challenges, or reaching certain milestones. The collected items could be anything from characters, skins, cards, or even rare resources, and often serve to enhance the gameplay experience, provide visual rewards, or unlock special abilities.
The thrill of collection games lies in the excitement of discovering new items, completing sets, and achieving milestones. Many collection games offer players a sense of progress, where each collected item adds value to their inventory and often provides unique benefits or cosmetic rewards. Collection games are common across various genres, from role-playing games (RPGs) and strategy games to card games and mobile puzzle games.
Types of Collection Online Games
- Card Collection Games
In these games, players collect cards representing characters, items, or abilities, and build decks for strategic gameplay. These games often feature a “gacha” system, where cards or items are randomly awarded, encouraging players to collect the entire set.- Example: Hearthstone – A popular card-based strategy game where players collect cards to build decks, and can unlock rare and powerful cards through packs or achievements.
- Character Collection RPGs
Many role-playing games (RPGs) allow players to collect characters, heroes, or creatures that can be upgraded and used in battles. Players often collect these characters by completing quests, defeating enemies, or pulling them from gacha pools.- Example: Summoners War – Players collect a variety of monsters, level them up, and use them to battle other players or AI-controlled opponents.
- Item or Skin Collection Games
These games focus on collecting visual items such as skins, outfits, or cosmetic accessories. The goal is often to unlock all the different variations, customizing characters or environments with unique and rare designs.- Example: Fortnite – In Fortnite, players collect skins, emotes, and other cosmetics, with items often available through battle passes, seasonal events, or in-game purchases.
- Treasure Hunting Games
These games revolve around discovering hidden items, resources, or treasures. Players explore virtual worlds, solve puzzles, or complete tasks to gather and collect rare artifacts.- Example: Minecraft – While not strictly a collection game, Minecraft allows players to gather various resources, rare items, and achievements as part of the overall experience, encouraging exploration and discovery.
- Pet Collection Games
In pet collection games, players collect, raise, and sometimes breed virtual pets. These games often feature unique species or types of pets with different traits, stats, and abilities.- Example: Pokémon Go – Players collect different types of Pokémon by exploring the real world, participating in events, and completing challenges.
- Achievement and Trophy Collection Games
In these games, players aim to collect in-game achievements, trophies, or badges that represent milestones, challenges, or completion of specific objectives. The focus is on completing all possible achievements to gain full mastery over the game.- Example: PlayStation Network – Many PlayStation games feature trophy systems where players can collect a wide variety of in-game achievements and challenges.
- Gacha Collection Games
A popular feature in many mobile games, “gacha” refers to a system where players earn random items or characters through virtual “draws” or pulls, much like a vending machine or capsule toy machine. These games often include rare, limited-time items or characters that players try to collect.- Example: Genshin Impact – Players collect characters and weapons using a “wish” system that randomly grants items, encouraging players to complete collections of rare or powerful items.
- Collection-Based Puzzle Games
These games involve collecting different types of puzzle pieces, icons, or other visual elements. Players must gather all pieces to complete a puzzle or achieve a certain goal.- Example: Bejeweled – Players match various gems and collect different combos, unlocking new levels or power-ups as they progress.
Key Features of Collection Online Games
- Randomization and Discovery
Many collection games rely on randomization to create excitement and encourage players to keep playing. Items, cards, or characters might be awarded randomly or through chance-based mechanisms, such as loot boxes, draws, or gacha systems. This randomness fuels a sense of discovery and excitement as players continue to unlock new content. - Progression and Rewards
Collection games often include a progression system where players unlock more valuable or rarer items as they continue to play. The game rewards players for their time and effort by offering unique collectibles that can either enhance gameplay or provide cosmetic upgrades. - Compulsion and Completionism
One of the primary draws of collection games is the compulsion to collect everything. Many collection games feature a “completionist” challenge, where players strive to gather every item, character, or achievement, and complete sets. This can create a sense of accomplishment once a collection is fully assembled. - Social and Competitive Elements
Some collection games introduce social and competitive features where players can compare their collections, trade items, or even compete against other players. This can enhance the game’s replay value and add a layer of community interaction. - Event and Time-Limited Collections
Many collection games introduce seasonal events or time-limited challenges that give players the opportunity to collect exclusive or rare items. This creates urgency and excitement, encouraging players to log in regularly or participate in limited-time activities to complete their collections before the event ends. - Customization and Personalization
Collection games often offer customization options, allowing players to personalize their in-game characters, avatars, or environments with the items they collect. This provides players with a sense of ownership and creativity.
Popular Collection Online Games
- Pokémon Go
One of the most famous collection-based games, Pokémon Go encourages players to collect various species of Pokémon by exploring the real world. Players can also collect and evolve their Pokémon to complete their Pokédex. - Genshin Impact
In Genshin Impact, players collect a wide range of characters and weapons through a gacha-based system. Each character has unique abilities and storylines, making the collection process both a gameplay and narrative experience. - Hearthstone
Blizzard’s Hearthstone is a digital collectible card game where players collect cards, build decks, and compete against each other. The game regularly adds new card sets and expansions, expanding the collection and keeping players engaged. - Fortnite
Fortnite is not only a battle royale game but also a collection game where players collect cosmetics, skins, emotes, and other items. The game’s frequent updates and events introduce new items, encouraging players to keep collecting. - Clash Royale
Clash Royale is a mobile strategy game where players collect cards representing troops, spells, and buildings. The objective is to collect and upgrade these cards to build more powerful decks and compete against other players. - Minecraft
While Minecraft is primarily a sandbox game, it features a collection element through crafting, resource gathering, and achievement systems. Players collect materials to build structures, explore new worlds, and unlock rare items and resources. - Animal Crossing: New Horizons
In Animal Crossing, players collect a variety of items like furniture, clothes, fish, bugs, and fossils to decorate their islands. The game’s goal is to collect and customize everything while building relationships with in-game characters.
Conclusion
Collection online games are a beloved genre that taps into the human desire to collect, complete, and discover new items. These games offer players a sense of progression, reward, and satisfaction through the act of unlocking and gathering unique items, characters, or achievements. Whether it’s collecting rare Pokémon, unlocking new skins in a battle royale game, or completing a set of cards in a digital trading card game, the process of collecting offers a compelling reason to continue playing.
The appeal of collection games lies not only in the joy of discovering new items but also in the sense of achievement that comes with completing a collection or mastering a set of challenges. Whether it’s for the visual rewards, the competitive aspects, or simply the fun of discovery, collection games offer something for every type of player. The community and social elements often embedded in these games further enhance their replayability and appeal, making them engaging and immersive for long-term players.