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
NESSNESGame BoyTurboGrafx CDMSXGenesisPC-88SEGA Master SystemPC-98FM TownsSharp X68000DOSTurboGrafx-16LynxGame GearArcade
Statuses
Best Games in the Action genre of 1990 (Game released)
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...
Game released: Atari 2600, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, Atari ST, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, DOS, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Gear, Genesis, Lynx, MSX, NES, PC-88, PC-98, SAM Coupé, SEGA Master System, Sharp X68000, TurboGrafx-16, ZX Spectrum → 1990
Klax is an arcade puzzle game built around colored tiles moving down a conveyor belt toward a paddle at the bottom of the screen. The player moves the paddle to...
Game released: Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, ColecoVision, Electron, FM-7, Game Boy, iPhone, MSX, NES, PC-88, PC Booter, Wii, ZX Spectrum → 1984
Players:
5.5/10
Steam:
86/100
Boulder Dash is an arcade puzzle game set in underground caves, where Rockford tunnels through the earth to collect diamonds. Each cave requires him to gather a set...
Game released: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Game Boy Advance, iPhone, Sharp X68000, SNES, Wii, ZX Spectrum → 1991
Players:
9.7/10
Metacritic:
82/100
Final Fight — The main character of this game is the mayor of Metro City, Mike Haggar. One day he receives an anonymous phone call, and a voice tells him that...
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: Amiga, Atari 5200, Apple II, Apple IIgs, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 128, Commodore 64, DOS, Game Boy, J2ME, Lynx, NES, Nintendo 3DS → 1989
QIX is an arcade puzzle game about claiming sections of a playfield as an abstract entity moves through it. Each level begins with an empty rectangle, and the...
Game released: Atari 2600, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari 7800, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Genesis, Lynx, MSX, NES, Nintendo 3DS, SEGA Master System, Wii, Xbox 360, ZX Spectrum, iOS, PC, PlayStation 4 → 1988
Players:
9/10
Steam:
75/100
Metacritic:
65/100
A side-scrolling action game about martial arts experts Billy and Jimmy Lee, who take on the Black Warriors street gang to rescue Marian. Players fight through four...
Game released: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, MSX, SEGA Master System, Sharp X68000, TurboGrafx-16, ZX Spectrum, Nintendo 3DS → 1988
Metacritic:
74/100
An arcade action shooter about a combat helicopter pushing through enemy territory. The player pilots the helicopter and destroys enemy vehicles with guns and...
Game released: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple IIgs, Atari ST, BBC Micro, BlackBerry, Commodore 16, Plus/4, Commodore 64, DOS, Electron, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Gear, Genesis, J2ME, Lynx, NES, SEGA Master System, Xbox 360, ZX Spectrum → 1989
Players:
2.7/10
Metacritic:
71/100
This arcade game follows a paperboy riding a bicycle along an isometric suburban street to deliver newspapers. The goal is to reach subscribers while avoiding...
Game released: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, Genesis, iPhone, MSX, NES, PlayStation 3, SEGA Master System, TurboGrafx-16, TurboGrafx CD, Wii, PC, Xbox 360, Zodiac, ZX Spectrum, Mac, Linux → 1989
Players:
6.5/10
Steam:
93/100
This arcade action platformer is set in a mythological world and follows a quest to rescue Athena, the daughter of Zeus, who has been captured by Neff, God of the...
Game released: Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Game Boy, MSX, NES, PC-88, Sharp X1, Sharp X68000, TurboGrafx-16, Wii, ZX Spectrum → 1987
Players:
8/10
A horizontally scrolling shooter about the Vic Viper spacecraft battling alien enemies across varied environments. The player pilots the ship through stages that...
Game released: Acorn 32-bit, Amiga CD32, Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Genesis, J2ME, SEGA Master System, Windows Mobile, Xbox 360 → 1994
Metacritic:
64/100
A futuristic sports game built around a violent contest in which teams try to drive a steel ball into the opposing goal, with few rules and almost anything allowed...
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...
Game released: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, FM Towns, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Gear, J2ME, MSX, NES, SEGA Master System, Sharp X68000, Wii, ZX Spectrum → 1988
Players:
7.5/10
Bubble Bobble is a third-person arcade game with a dash of action and platforming from Taito Corporation. The game is published by Firebird Software Ltd.. Bubble...
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...
