Turn taking multiplayer games are the simplest and echos the more traditional board game format. Each player takes it in turn at the controls as the game progresses in a stop start fashion. This enables a large number of players to compete against each other using just one console and controller.

Whilst this doesn't lend itself well to most sports, racing games like Forza 2 ont he 360 and Mario Kart Wii have developed a ghost lap feature. Each player takes it n turns to set a fastest lap, each time they race a faint version of the fastest driver is played on the track. This gives a sense of racing each other in real time although in actual fact each player is just taking turns.

iPhone and PC games often use Facebook, Twitter or email to create a turn based competition. WordFu on the iPhone or iPod Touch for example, will post your score to Twitter or Facebook as a challenge to friends to take their go. This combines the social aspect of existing networks and competitive turn based gameplay.

Strategy games, being close to the aforementinoed board games, lend themselves to turn based action. A genre in its own right, these Turn Based Action games let each player take a turn but often with the added twist of stopping the waiting players from watching the moves made. The results of each move are then calulated and player out on screen. Games such as Advance Wars DS are strong examples of this.

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