Gaming Glossary: Terms Explained in Plain Language

Browser games, HTML5, ping, pass-and-play and more — a plain-language glossary of the words you meet when playing games online.

Games writing is full of jargon, and most of it hides something simple. Here are the terms you will actually meet while playing in a browser, explained without assuming you already know them.

Browser game Permainan pelayar

A game you play inside a web page rather than installing as an app. Nothing is installed, and the game usually works offline once the page has loaded.

HTML5 HTML5

The modern version of the language web pages are built in. It is what allows a browser to draw graphics and run games without any extra plugin.

Frame rate (FPS) Kadar rangka (FPS)

How many times per second the game redraws the screen. Sixty is smooth, thirty is acceptable, and lower than that feels sluggish. Measured in frames per second.

Ping / latency Ping / kependaman

The delay between you doing something and a server responding. It matters in online games, and not at all in games that run on your device.

Offline play Permainan luar talian

Playing with no internet connection. It works when the game lives on your device rather than on a server, which is the case for every game here.

Pass-and-play Hantar-bermain

Two or more players sharing one device and taking turns. No second phone, no accounts and no connection needed.

Cache Cache

A copy of a page your browser keeps so it does not have to download it again. It is why reopening a game you played yesterday is nearly instant.

Turn-based Berasaskan giliran

A game where players act one after another rather than at the same time. Ideal for pass-and-play, and never punishing if you get interrupted.

Endless Tanpa henti

A game with no finish line — you play until you make a mistake. Endless games are perfect for a two-minute gap because a run ends quickly.

Merge game Permainan cantuman

A puzzle where matching pieces combine into a bigger one. Simple to learn, deep to master, and the friendliest entry point into puzzle games.

Match-3 Padanan tiga

A puzzle where you line up three or more identical pieces to clear them. The format behind a great many casual games.

Speedrun Speedrun

Playing to finish a game as fast as possible rather than to score highly. A way to turn a familiar game into a fresh challenge.

Reaction time Masa tindak balas

How quickly you respond to something appearing on screen. It improves with short, regular practice and declines when you are tired.

RNG RNG

Random number generation — the dice roll inside a game that decides an outcome. A good game keeps RNG small enough that skill still decides most results.

Energy meter Pemeter tenaga

A timer that limits how often you can play unless you pay. We do not use them: every game here is playable whenever you like.

Pay-to-win Bayar untuk menang

A game where spending money gives a competitive advantage. It cannot happen here, because there is nothing to spend money on.

Leaderboard Papan pendahulu

A ranked list of scores. We keep them local rather than global, which means no account and no pressure to compete with strangers.

One-thumb Satu jari

A control scheme you can play with a single thumb, usually in portrait. Designed for standing on a train, holding a bag in the other hand.