Action
Action is a genre of video games in which the success of completing a task depends on the player's reaction speed and ability to make quick, correct decisions. The dynamics of such games are high, although some allow for a slower pace. Most often, this genre includes fighting games, shooters, platformers, and some sub-genres of real-time strategy. Action games may include elements of exploration, racing, puzzles, and more, but the foundation is always built on visual-motor coordination.
Years
Platforms
NESGame BoyCommodore 64TurboGrafx CDMSXSharp X1GenesisPC-88Amstrad CPCSEGA Master SystemPC-98FM TownsSharp X68000DOSTurboGrafx-16Apple IIPC Engine SuperGrafx
Statuses
Best Games in the Action genre of 1989 (Game released)
Game released: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, FM Towns, Game Boy, Game Gear, MSX, NES, SEGA Master System, Sharp X68000, TurboGrafx-16, Wii, ZX Spectrum → 1991
This arcade racing game centers on police chases, with the player driving a Porsche 928 in pursuit of fleeing criminals. Each level requires catching the target...
Game released: Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit, BlackBerry, Commodore 64, ColecoVision, DOS, Game Boy, Intellivision, J2ME, Mophun, MSX, NES, Odyssey 2, TI-99/4A, VIC-20 → 1983
Players:
7.5/10
This arcade game centers on an isometric pyramid of cubes that the protagonist must recolor by hopping from one to another. Each landing changes a cube’s color, and...
Game released: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, Genesis, iPhone, PlayStation 3, SEGA Master System, TurboGrafx CD, Wii, PC, WonderSwan Color, Xbox 360, ZX Spectrum → 1991
Players:
8.7/10
Steam:
84/100
Metacritic:
68/100
Golden Axe is a fantasy action game about three heroes who set out against the evil Death Adder. Players choose a mighty fighter, an Amazon, or a dwarf and battle...
Role-playing game, Action, Platformer, Third-person view, Top-down view, Anime / Manga, Fantasy / Medieval
Game released: Genesis, MSX, PC-88, PC-98, Sharp X1, TurboGrafx CD → 6 December 1991
Exile (1991) is a third-person role-playing game with a mixture of action, platforming, anime/manga and fantasy games from the developers of Renovation Game. The...
Game released: Android, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Game Boy, iPhone, J2ME, MSX, PC-88, SEGA Master System, Sharp X68000, TurboGrafx-16, TurboGrafx CD, Wii, ZX Spectrum → 12 September 2011
R-Type is an arcade game with action and shooter elements from developers from the Irem Corp. studio. The game is published by Electric Dreams Software. R-Type...
Game released: Acorn 32-bit, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, BREW, Commodore 64, Genesis, J2ME, MSX, NES, SEGA Master System, Sharp X68000, Zeebo, ZX Spectrum → 1991
An arcade maze-action game viewed from an isometric perspective, Pac-Man has to collect dots while evading the ghosts chasing him. A stage is cleared by collecting...
Game released: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, Game Boy, Genesis, MSX, NES, TurboGrafx CD, Wii, ZX Spectrum → 1989
Players:
8/10
Double Dragon 2: The Revenge is a third-person action game with fighting game elements from the studio Technos Japan Corp.. The main publisher of the game is Virgin...
Arcade, Action, Shooter, Platformer, Third-person view, Futurism (Future), Anime / Manga, Combat robots
Game released: DOS, MSX, PC-88 → 1990
Fire Hawk: Thexder — The Second Contact is a third-person arcade game with elements of action, shooter, platformer, anime/manga and robot simulator from Game...
Game released: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, FM-7, Game Gear, NES, PC-88, SEGA 32X, Sharp X1, SEGA Master System, Sharp X68000, SEGA Saturn, TurboGrafx-16, Wii, ZX Spectrum, PlayStation 4 → 1988
Players:
7.7/10
A pseudo-3D arcade shooter in which the hero fires in all directions. The game also features fixed bursts of...
Game released: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, FM Towns, Genesis, NES, SEGA Master System, Sharp X68000, TurboGrafx-16, Wii, ZX Spectrum → 1989
New Zealand Story is a third-person arcade game with a dash of action and platforming from Taito Corporation. The game's main publisher is Ocean Software Ltd.. The...
Game released: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, FM Towns, MSX, NES, PC-88, PC-98, SEGA Master System, ZX Spectrum → November 1988
A side-scrolling fantasy action game based on Dragonlance follows eight heroes on a journey through the ruins of Xak Tsaroth. Their quest is to recover the Disks of...
Role-playing game, Action, Shooter, Racing, Strategy, Third-person view, Top-down view, Anime / Manga, Cyberpunk
Game released: NES → 14 October 1989
Venus Senki is a third-person role-playing game with elements of action, shooter, racing, strategy and an anime or manga game from developers from the studio Human...
Game released: Android, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, DOS, Dragon 32/64, Electron, J2ME, MSX, ZX Spectrum → 25 September 2009
Chuckie Egg is a platform game in which the player collects eggs across multi-level stages before a countdown runs out. The character moves between platforms and...