Twitch games are
computer and video games in which the user must
react quickly to circumstances, to continue playing and win the game. Such skill is a common element of many kinds of video games, from
first-person shooters like
Doom, where the sudden appearance of dangerous monsters invoke the
fight or flight response, to puzzle games like
Tetris, where the speed of the game mirrors the player's progress.
The advantage to a twitch game is that the movement is quick, and the feedback immediate. This works to keep the user actively engaged. Any time a player actively responds to a rapidly changing scenario within a game, the player is said to be "twitching". Twitch can be used to expand tactical options and play, test skill in various areas (usually reflexive responses) and generally add difficulty (relating to the intensity of "twitching" required).
Twitch games, when applied as a genre, refer to games where success is essentially guaranteed by correct "twitching". Such games can fall under other categories, but success is still essentially based on "twitch".
Twitch Games