queuelike

Queuelike is a term used in video game discourse to describe games whose core mechanic centers on constructing and executing actions through a queue. In these games, the player designs a sequence of moves or orders that are lined up and then carried out in order, rather than acting immediately one shot at a time. Queues can govern a single character, a team of units, or broader systems, and resolution happens in discrete steps or ticks. The design often emphasizes planning, foresight, and the management of how queued actions interact with dynamics such as enemy behavior, terrain, and resources.

Queuelike is not a formal genre; it is a descriptive label used by communities to characterize titles that rely on delayed execution and strategic sequencing. It overlaps with turn-based strategy, puzzle, and sometimes roguelike elements, but there is no single canonical definition. The term tends to be applied to games that foreground ordering and timing over instantaneous input, though many titles blend queue mechanics with other genres.

Design implications include how to convey queue state to players, the feedback of queued actions, and how to prevent cognitive overload from long sequences. Effective queuelikes provide editing and preview mechanics, allow reordering, and make the consequences of the queue understandable at a glance. Developers must balance clarity with depth so that players can plan effectively without becoming overwhelmed.

Because the term is niche, examples are largely indie or experimental titles rather than mainstream games. The label is primarily used to discuss design space rather than to imply a fixed set of features, and it can intersect with turn-based strategy, puzzle, or roguelike elements depending on the title.