Final answer:
Endless runner games are where you continuously move forward, strafe left and right to avoid obstacles, and collect upgrades. They are known for simple controls, indefinite gameplay, and escalating difficulty with the goal of achieving high scores.
Step-by-step explanation:
The games where you run straight and strafe left and right while picking up upgrades are commonly known as endless runner games. These games are characterized by an infinite track where the player must dodge obstacles, collect items, and achieve as high a score as possible before eventually meeting some form of 'game over' condition.
Endless runners are popular on mobile platforms due to their simple controls, which are well-suited to touchscreens. Players typically only need to swipe or tilt their device to move the character from side to side. As you progress, the game may speed up or introduce new obstacles to increase the difficulty. Popular examples of endless runners include Temple Run and Subway Surfers. They often involve a character being chased or automatically moving forward while the player's reactions to oncoming obstacles are tested.
The genre is appealing due to its easy-to-understand mechanics but hard-to-master gameplay, encouraging players to continually improve their high scores. Moreover, these games usually offer a variety of upgrades and power-ups to increase the player's abilities or score multipliers.