Green Link - The Leader
Green Links tend to lean towards being social gamers. Greens tend to enjoy working in teams, whether it be co-op or team based multiplayer, and are likely to try to convince their friends to play a game they've enjoyed. Green Links are well rounded in their interests, and they can find enjoyment in a game's story, or can forgive a lackluster plot for stellar gameplay, as long as the game excels in any one area. The most compelling reward for them is beating the game or, for multiplayer, working well with others.
Greens are straightforward, so they tend to enjoy action, adventure, less convoluted RPGs, or platformers, but they can really find enjoyment in anything. Greens may find particular enjoyment in MMOs or team based multiplayer due to the communal experience. Most likely to participate in an online community.
Blue Link - The Adventurer
Blue Link gamers are there for the experience, the story, the soundtrack, and the atmosphere. They tend to stop and smell the roses, explore every nook and cranny, and often enjoy searching for collectables or scanning through a game's compendium or codex. The most satisfying rewards for Blues are the journey and the memories.
Since Blues are more conceptual in nature, they don't tend to gravitate towards a specific genre. They can enjoy an RPG, puzzle, or action based game as long as the overall idea "clicks." They tend to gravitate towards single player experiences, not because they don't like playing with others, but because they frequently offer a more well crafted world and narrative. They tend to get into arguments with Reds, who frequently claim that story doesn't matter in games. Most likely to buy an artbook for a game.
Red Link - The Fighter
Red Links are the competitive type. They like playing games to win. Reds are all about hitboxes, high scores, and kill counts. They're there to be the best. Reds will often try to master a game - they want to do everything so that they stand on top. That platinum trophy is meant to be displayed on the internet. That speed run is meant to be shown to others to show them that they did something amazing. The most satisfying rewards for Red Links are overcoming difficulty or beating out others.
Red Links tend to gravitate towards multiplayer, such as fighters, MOBAs, or shooters. However, you'll also find the variant of Red who finds enjoyment in "hardcore" single player games, such as Dark Souls, which reward perseverance and gate out the more casual crowd. Reds can be more critical of a game's flaws and will let everyone know what is they don't like about a game. Story is not important for them - after all, gameplay is what matters in a game. Most likely to watch or participate in e-sports, or argue with Blues about the importance of story in a game.
Purple Link - The Aesthetician
Purples play games to feel good. They're similar to Reds in that they seek victory, but they do so for the material reward. There is nothing more satisfying to a Purple than getting a new piece of loot, a new skin, or a new gun. They are likely to buy all of the DLC for a game in order to "have more stuff." For Purple Links, a game must reward their pleasure circuit for it to be enjoyable. They need to receive a concrete reward for making substantial progress. Purples also have another variant: the type who needs their experience to be optimal at all times. Framerate and graphics matter to them, enough so that if they aren't up to their standards, they're going to let you know. Having the latest and greatest gadgets to play games at 100% is important to them. They went out and bought a Pro, even if they already had a PS4. A Purple's greatest reward is getting more stuff.
Purples are likely to play loot-based games, such as MMOs or Diablo-likes, but can find enjoyment in many different titles as long as the game frequently rewards them for their progress. Purples tend to gravitate towards being PC gamers, as PCs offer them the best graphics and performance. Steam sales are their thing, because they love collecting games. Adding more to their collection - whether it be in-game, collecting the game, or with supplementary materials - is what they live for. Most likely to buy an Amiibo, or invest a substantial amount of money in a gaming PC.
As for me, I'm a Blue Link, through and through, although I think there's a dash of green in me as well. At the end of the day, I'm there for the atmosphere. I'll spend hours combing through a game's codex or debating its lore with others. Games have always been a conceptual "experience" to me, and I'll be the first to argue that yes, games can be art. Despite that, I still want my game to be an enjoyable game, and bad gameplay will detract from the experience for me.
My top five games of all time are:
Final Fantasy VII
Xenogears
Metal Gear Solid 2
Mega Man X
Suikoden
Mega Man X doesn't really fit with the story experience, but I always did love the atmosphere in those games. The soundtrack alone might be reason enough to love it.
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