Tag: ACTION

Action games are known for fast-paced gameplay focusing on movement, combat, hand-eye coordination, and reaction time. Action is a very broad genre typically used to describe video games that don’t quite fit into other categories like: racing, first-person shooter, or role-playing games, although shooters and platform games can also be classified as action games.

Action Games have elements from other game genres, the term “action/adventure” is often used to describe Action games that focus more on adventure elements, like exploring and collecting. While first-person shooters are based on moving and shooting, they are classified as they are due to the distinct perspective of the game. Many of the other major genres incorporate the level of control that the action genre is known for. Similarly, platform games have jumping puzzles and are usually action games.

Since it is such a broad term, it is now more often used to describe games that focus on movement and fighting.

What are Action Games?

An Action Game is a video game that prioritizes physical challenge. Its gameplay is typically frantic and intense and places a greater emphasis on speed, mental agility, and hand-eye coordination than on exploration or puzzle-solving. Original is not the main goal of the game, fighting or getting past obstacles is a big part of it.

Even though they are usually different from original Action Games, platformers, action-adventure games, and first-person shooters, action games can be considered a subgenre of hack ‘n slash games.

History of Action Games

The majority of the early arcade games were sports games that attempted to simulate actual sports when the video game industry first emerged in the early 1970s, following the success of Pong, especially Pong clones, and occasionally racing games. The industry was still largely dominated by sports games, even though some Action Games started to gain popularity around the middle of the 1970s with the releases of games like Gun Fight in 1975 and Sea Wolf in 1976. Ultimately, though, the flood of Pong clones caused the video game crash of 1977.

With the 1978 release of the shooting game Space Invaders, which put an end to the 1977 crash and signaled the start of the arcade gaming era, Action Games experienced a significant turning point. Due to the widespread popularity of Space Invaders, the Action Games genre came to dominate the market. This genre is still the most popular in arcades and gaming consoles today. Along with Space Invaders, other action game icons include Pac-Man from 1980 and Asteroids Deluxe from 1979. The 1982 arcade game Robotron: 2084, has also became a classic in the shooter genre,

When Donkey Kong was released in 1981, it did the same for the platform game subgenre as Space Invaders had done for the shooter video game genre. The 1984 movie Paperboy did a good job of making newspaper delivery into an Action Game, showing how flexible the genre is. In the same year, games with a martial arts theme started coming out. Kung-Fu Master started the side-scrolling beat-em-up subgenre, and Karate Champ started the one-on-one fighting game subgenre.

Even though DOOM, which came out in 1994, wasn’t the first first-person shooter, it quickly became a classic due to its emotional tone and departure from flat floors and rectangular rooms. In recent years, third-person shooters have become more popular thanks to new features like the cover system in 1999’s WinBack, over-the-shoulder aiming in 2005’s Resident Evil 4, and lock-on targeting in 1998’s The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Features of Action Games

Here’s how to recognize an Action Game for what it is.

1. Action Games Challenge You Physically

Action Games are more active, as the name would imply. Each story involves you actively and focuses heavily on combat, whether you’re using weapons like swords or guns or strategies like tactics.

The main point of this type of game is to test your hand-eye coordination, speed of reaction, and ability to get past obstacles quickly, even though you may also run into puzzles and calmer side quests from time to time.

2. Action Games Have More Moving Parts

Call of Duty and God of War are two excellent examples of how thrilling and challenging Action Games can be. The graphics, gameplay, and controls are much more complicated than in an adventure game.

While some developers attempt to create equally compelling plots, smooth transitions between levels should always take precedence. MMOs and Battle Royales come to mind. Both players and designers agree that they wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable if they weren’t Action Games.

3. Your Character Can Die in Action Games

It takes more than just beating deadlines and completing quests to enjoy Action Games. You’re also assisting your character in getting through the entire ordeal. The key distinction between Action Games and adventure games is the added pressure.

The struggle to survive heightens the thrill as well. As you progress in a video game, the level of difficulty goes up, and some enemies and battles require your full attention to win.

It challenges your abilities and makes you feel good when you succeed. However, especially when playing a very stimulating game, you might feel exhausted.

FAQ: