In my language, I refer to them as the core mechanics or pillars
The most important mechanics for this game are…
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Movement: the way the rocket moves.
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Camera: The player needs to see where they are going. It helps if the camera movement is smooth so it’s seamless and pleasing to the eyes.
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Fuel depends on how fast or slow the fuel is used.
I could have said powerups, obstacles, end goals and shooting, but those are easy to build, so I didn’t count them as core mechanics.