Terms starting with B
Back stab
An attack made against an enemy from behind, usually unnoticed or while the target faces away, often dealing extra damage or defeating the victim instantly.
Backlog
A collection of games a person has bought, been given or downloaded but has not yet played or finished, often growing faster than there is time to play them.
Backtracking
Returning to places a player has already visited, usually to reach something that was previously out of reach, to complete a task or to travel to a new destination.
Bad ending
A conclusion to a game in which the player's character fails, dies or leaves the story in an unhappy state, usually the result of poor choices or unmet objectives.
Base building
A game feature in which players construct and manage a settlement or headquarters, placing structures, gathering resources and defending it, either as the main activity or as part of a larger game.
Battle pass
A season-based progression system in which players earn rewards, such as cosmetic items, by completing challenges and gaining experience, often with a free track and a paid track.
Battle royale
A multiplayer game mode or genre in which many players fight in a shrinking arena until only one person or team remains, with everyone starting with little and collecting weapons and supplies.
Beat 'em up
A genre of action game in which the player fights large numbers of weaker enemies in close combat, usually along a scrolling level, with a stronger boss waiting at the end of each stage.
Boss
A particularly strong enemy, usually met at the end of a level or story section, that tests the skills the player has learned and must be defeated to progress.
Boss fight
A battle against a boss enemy, usually staged as a special encounter in its own arena, with distinctive attack patterns, a large health bar and a reward for victory.
Bot
A computer-controlled player or program that acts in a game, either as an opponent or teammate used to fill matches, or as an automated tool used by real players.
Buff
A temporary or permanent boost to a character's abilities, or a change made by developers to make a character, weapon or item stronger than before.
Bug
An error or flaw in a game's code or design that causes unintended behaviour, such as crashes, broken objects, wrong calculations or characters stuck in the scenery.
Bullet hell
A type of shooting game in which the screen fills with dense patterns of enemy projectiles that the player must weave through, relying on a very small hitbox and precise movement.
Bullet sponge
An enemy that can absorb an unusually large amount of damage before being defeated, often criticised as a lazy way of making a fight harder or longer.
Button mashing
Pressing buttons rapidly and randomly, rather than deliberately, in the hope of landing attacks or escaping trouble, usually by a beginner or a player who does not know the proper moves.