In climbing games, the objective may differ. Sometimes the objective is to have no cards in hand at the end of the game, and sometimes it may be to win the most or a certain number of tricks. No matter what the objective though, they all share the same gameplay mechanics.
For climbing games, they consist of a player playing a card (or sometimes multiple cards), and the next player either playing a higher-ranking card (or cards) or passing. This continues until no one can beat or does not wish to beat the card(s). When this is achieved that player wins the trick and leads the next one.
While they share similarities in the ranking system of both beating and trick-taking games, climbing games take it a step further. The suite usually does not matter or these games and also there tends to be a ranking system for combinations of cards as well.
Though climbing games have become more and more popular they originated in China and only recently have reached the West in popularity.
Another thing about climbing games is the ranking of players at how well they played the game. These rankings are usually called names of social status, for example, the emperor would be rewarded to the highest ranked player, while the lowest ranked player would earn the title peasant. Sometimes these titles have gameplay effects such as lower ranking title giving good cards away to higher ranking title holders.
Some examples of climbing games include: