Action Games - ranked by preference

Release Date: September 3, 1998 (JP)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: KCEJ
Genre: Action

When I got the Playstation in late 1998, my love for video games was starting to fade...Then I ordered a pizza from Pizza Hut, got a promotional demo disk along with it, and discovered Metal Gear Solid and a few other titles on it. Upon playing the MGS demo, I got hooked...And before I knew it, I had reached the cliffhanger ending and NEEDED to buy the game so I could see what happened next. I did, and then played through what ended up being my absolute favorite game of all-time...It pretty much re-sparked my interest in video games and re-taught me what a video game could be.

Release Date: March 19, 1994 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Genre: Action

I can't really think of many games that I can point to and say, "This is close to perfection." Super Metroid is usually the first game to come to mind. Not only did it improve on the already great formula established in the original Metroid, it dang near perfected it resulting in one of the absolute best action-adventure games that you could ever play. When I talk about my favorite games of all-time, this one is always in my top three - and depending on my mood, sometimes sits at number one.

Release Date: March 20, 1997 (JP)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Genre: Action

Super Metroid was a game that was dang near perfection...And Symphony of the Night takes the classic Castlevania gameplay and inserts that into the Super Metroid formula to create one of the absolute best games ever created. I recall working at a video rental store (remember those?) and hearing people mock this game because it was 2D and "nobody plays 2D games anymore." They totally missed out. Symphony of the Night is one of those rare games that I like to pull out about once a year to play through from beginning to end...And the best part? Beat the game with certain requirements and you unlock the upside-down version of the castle, basically doubling your gameplay time with new enemies and bosses to discover, as well as the true ending. The ability to play the game as other characters as well with their own gameplay styles just adds to an already awesome overall package. If you haven't played this yet, do yourself a favor and play it. It is absolutely amazing.

Release Date: August 22, 2001 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: DMA Design
Genre: Action

I'll admit it - I didn't think that this game would be anything special. I had played Driver 2 and thought that it was alright, but was disappointed overall by the result. The Grand Theft Auto series wasn't as critically acclaimed as Driver, so I was expecting a similar result...Instead I got absolutely blown away. Whether you were working on the main story, working side jobs, collecting packages, or just wandering around doing nothing...It was all fun. Today, I know the streets of GTA III's Liberty City better than I know most of the streets around my neighborhood from playing this game so much. I also take great pride in the fact that I perfected flying the Dodo, often wowing my college roommates with 20-30 minute joyrides in the skies above Liberty City.

Release Date: June 12, 2008 (ALL)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Kojima Productions
Genre: Action - Stealth

I love the Metal Gear franchise...And when Metal Gear Solid 4 came out, I was really looking forward to it. I had high expectations and this game shattered them and went far beyond what I was hoping for, giving me an experience that I enjoyed so much that I felt the need to play through the game nearly ten times since its release.

The area where you battle Crying Wolf had me bouncing in my seat with joy, as I couldn't believe that Kojima would create such an awesome fan service as that level (which I refuse to mention by name due to spoiler reasons). Video games rarely create such excitement within me these days, Metal Gear Solid 4 managed to create it a few times throughout my time with it.

Release Date: 1981 (NA)
Publisher: Midway
Developer: Midway
Genre: Action

Pac-Man was, and still is, a great game...But Ms. Pac-Man adds to the already great Pac-Man formula and might even tweak it to perfection. The best part is that while in Pac-Man the AI was predictable, the AI in Ms. Pac-Man is more random, meaning that once you think you've got their pattern down, the ghosts could surprise you. It's worth noting, however, that Ms. Pac-Man was never a planned game. It was actually a hack of the original Pac-Man named "Crazy Otto." Once Midway, the American distributor of Pac-Man, saw Crazy Otto, they bought the game and transformed Otto, from his "Pac-Man with legs" appearance to the "Pac-Man with a ribbon on his head" look that we've all come to know and love. In my opinion, it very well could be the best arcade game ever made...And it's a major contender for best game, period.

Release Date: December 22, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Aspect
Genre: Action

Subsistence is more than a simple re-release of Snake Eater...It includes a new camera system which, in itself, makes it a better game overall than it already was. On top of that, a plethora of extras like new Snake vs. Monkey mode stages, extra camo and face paint for Snake, connectivity with Metal Gear Acid 2 on the PSP, and a multiplayer mode that allows up to eight people to battle for supremacy online. It's also got the MSX versions of the original two Metal Gear games, making this, like I stated in the beginning, so much more than a simple re-release. It made one of my favorite games even better and tossed in a bunch of extras to boot - Konami went above and beyond with this game.

Release Date: March 22, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Sony CEA
Developer: SCE Santa Monica
Genre: Action

I was skeptical of God of War before I first played it. A friend of mine gave it a perfect 10 out of 10 on the website we were working on, but it just sounded like a repetitive hack 'n' slash title to me...Then I played it. Within the first few minutes, you're thrust into an awesome boss fight against a giant hydra...It set the stage for an amazing experience from beginning to end. The game only has one flaw - the Hades columns. But aside from that minor part of the game, God of War is absolutely amazing from your first boss fight to the last.

Release Date: January 11, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Action - Horror

Resident Evil 4 was a drastic change in the Resident Evil series, switching from a slow-paced adventure-style gameplay to a much faster, action-oriented gameplay. The result was what some call the best game to come out in the last decade. I wouldn't quite go that far, but it is easily in the top 5. Running from a man with a sack on his head wielding a chainsaw is the part I remember most from this game...The anxiety I felt was nothing like I felt in previous entries in the franchise's history...And the fact that it played like a dream only helped matters. If you haven't played it yet, do so. Without exaggerating, this is one of the best games not just on the Gamecube, but of all-time.

Release Date: May 18, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar San Diego
Genre: Action

If you're reading this and haven't played Red Dead Redemption yet, you need to...if for no other reason than to experience the world that Rockstar created. I don't think I have ever been sucked into an atmosphere like I did with this game. Playing through this title really felt like you were in the old west...There is never really a safe moment, either. Whether it be bandits, law enforcement, or even the various wildlife, you can think that you're doing great, and then quickly find yourself pushing up daisies. The story is also very, very good. You really feel emotions towards the characters by the end...Whether you like them or hate them, the emotion is there, which is the key to a great story. To top it all off, the gameplay is on par with all of the stuff I mentioned above. And like the Grand Theft Auto series, it's just as fun wandering around, doing nothing, as it is playing the actual game. I can't recommend this game enough - it really is that good.

Release Date: November 1988 (NA)
Publisher: Taito
Developer: Taito
Genre: Action

I remember walking around at a Wal-Mart as a small kid with my mom and seeing a huge display for Bubble Bobble. In reality, it was probably just a few cardboard stands, but to a six-year old kid, it was huge...I remember wanting an NES so that I could play this game. A year or two later, I got my wish and Bubble Bobble became the first game that I ever got to play. It lived up to my expectations and to this day, Bubble Bobble remains one of my favorite games to pop in and play from time to time. With more than 100 levels to play through, a harder mode called Super Bubble Bobble to discover, and multiple endings to see, this was just an absolutely amazing game to play when it came out. I highly recommend it.

Release Date: 2010 (NA)
Publisher: AtariAge
Developer: Ed Fries
Genre: Action

I'm not a huge first-person shooter guy, so it's probably no surprise that my favorite Halo game isn't one. Halo 2600 is an absolutely fantastic game made for the Atari 2600 in 2010. It's brilliantly designed with minor aspects of modern gaming applied to the old style and very limited data space of older Atari 2600 games. Ed Fries deserves an award, for he has created one of my favorite games for the console roughly 25 years after the Atari VCS's prime.

Release Date: August 15, 1987 (NA)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Action

Metroid was amazing when it originally released. Traversing through various locations of a planet with an emphasis on exploration rather than a linear path, discovering multiple power-ups, battling a large variety of bosses and enemies...this game was huge. Then you battle your way through the game, defeat the Mother Brain, and watch on in awe as you realize that the cool, intergalactic tough guy that just destroyed the end boss is really a cool, intergalactic tough girl...And then you're rewarded with the ability to play through a second time, but this time sans your spacesuit and with all of your power-ups still intact. Super Metroid improved on this game to near perfection, but for its time, the original Metroid was still absolutely incredible.

Release Date: July 19, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Hudson Soft
Genre: Action

I absolutely LOVE Saturn Bomberman; it's my favorite game in the franchise by quite a large margin. It's very fun in single player, but multi-player is what most folks enjoy Bomberman for, and Saturn Bomberman surpasses all other games in the Bomberman series in that regard. This game supports up to ten players playing together at once. Yes, ten. Think of the chaotic fun to be had with that many people. Saturn Bomberman is a great game in itself, but the multiplayer options turn a great game into one of the greatest games ever made, in my opinion.

Release Date: October 31, 1991 (JP)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Genre: Action

Super Castlevania IV is a beautiful game, especially for one that came out so early in the SNES life cycle. It also has some very nice and interesting level design to go along with the pretty graphics. Top it all off with some of the most solid gameplay in the series and fancier usage of the infamous whip, and you've got an extremely solid entry in this long-running franchise. If you're spoiled by the Symphony of the Night formula, you may not appreciate this game quite as much, but if you love action games, Super Castlevania IV is one of the absolute best that you'll find on the SNES.

Release Date: October 27, 2002 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar North
Genre: Action

With the massive success of Grand Theft Auto III, Rockstar thought it would be best to follow it up with a game based in Vice City, a parody of 80's Miami. I can't really argue with that decision. This was the Grand Theft Auto formula that took the gaming world by storm, with the dingy colors of III traded for the pastel hues of the 80's. Add in one of the nicest soundtracks in the history of gaming, the ability to drive motorcycles, and a few other little touches and tweaks, improving the overall gameplay, and you've got a fantastic prequel that any fan of sandbox-style games will love.

Release Date: August 1981 (NA)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Rock-Ola
Genre: Action

I wish I knew why this game didn't get more attention...It's both innovative and fun. At first glance, Warp & Warp looks like a regular shooter...Walk around the level, shoot at enemies, don't get shot yourself...The catch is there's a warp portal in the center of the room. When it says "warp" on it, you can walk between them and warp to another world with different gameplay. The second world plays like a crude bomberman. You don't have bullets, only bombs, and you need to lure the enemies into the bombs you drop in order to kill them...After a while, the warp portal opens up again and you warp back to the shooter level. The warping between levels was innovative back then and the change in gameplay between the levels really prevents too much repetition, making this a game that takes quite a while to get old. It may not be well known, but Warp & Warp, in my opinion, is one of the better early Arcade games by far.

Release Date: March 21, 2001 (JP)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: KCEK
Genre: Action

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon was first first in a long line of Symphony of the Night-inspired Castlevania games that have now become mainstays of Nintendo handhelds, and it's probably still my favorite of that bunch as well. It's the same enjoyable formula found in Symphony of the Night, with a few minor changes, and in portable form - what's not to like about that? In the early days of the Game Boy Advance, this was one of the must-buy titles for the handheld...And even towards the end of the GBA's lifespan and beyond to today, it has maintained that title.

Release Date: November 12, 2001 (NA)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Genre: Action

I remember Metal Gear Solid 2 came out shortly after I had begun college. I barely had money to eat after tuition and book fees....But I didn't care. I bought this game and gladly enjoyed my bread-and-water meals as I stayed up for over twenty-four hours to play it from beginning to end. The game itself had, quite possibly, the biggest surprise in video game history. And I'm about to spoil it here...If you haven't heard about it, skip to the next game. The introduction of Raiden, taking the place of Solid Snake for the majority of the game, was never leaked out until the date the game hit store shelves. While I never really had a problem with Raiden, most folks (aside from the Japanese folk, from what I've heard) hated him. But love him or hate him, he starred in a pretty nice game here, and one that I've played over multiple times since its release.

Release Date: October 24, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar Leeds
Genre: Action

I love Grand Theft Auto III. By the time that Liberty City Stories came out, I knew the streets of Liberty City by heart, so I didn't think this game could do much to surprise me. I was wrong. Combining some of the best aspects of other games in the series, like tweaked gameplay from GTA III, the ability to enter your safehouse and change clothes, the inclusion of motorcycles, and various other goodies, Liberty City Stories almost felt to big for a handheld game. It legitimately felt like a port of a console title rather than a handheld game that later got ported to consoles. The end result is a must-play title for the PSP, and a great choice if you're looking for some Grand Theft Auto on the go.

Release Date: August 9, 1985 (JP)
Publisher: ASCII Entertainment
Developer: MTL
Genre: Action

Astro Robo Sasa was one of the first import video games that I fell in love with. It's one of those games where it takes a while to get used to, and until you do, you'll be horrible at it. But, it's also a game where you can notice your progression of mastering the game...You'll noticeably get better the more you play...That feeling of accomplishment was one of the best rewards you could get out of a game back in the 80's, and Astro Robo Sasa provides a good example of it.

Release Date: February 28, 1992 (JP)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

The original Contra on the NES was tough, but it was a cakewalk compared to this tough-as-nails, scrolling shooter. Contra III delivers more of what the first game in the series game us - more explosions, more aliens, more weapons, and as previously mentioned, more difficulty. In fact your only reward for surviving through the game on Normal difficulty is the game telling you to beat it on Hard if you want to see an ending or fight the game's true final boss. Despite its increased difficulty, Contra III is a superior game to the original in just about every way and is easily one of the best run-and-gun style games to ever be created.

Release Date: June 27, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Cellar Door Games
Developer: Cellar Door Games
Genre: Action

Rogue Legacy is a game that keeps on giving. You'll die at least one hundred times....and you'll still want to keep playing because each time you play, you'll be getting a unique experience. The basic concept is that when you die, you're dead. The next time you play, you're playing as one of the children of the person that died and that child may have beneficial genetics, negative ones, or stuff that really has no impact on the game other than amusement. You play one game where you're near-sighted, another where you've got gigantism, another where you have turrets syndrome...Half the fun is just seeing how the next generation you'll play as will be. It's also worth mentioning that if you can find it while exploring the castle, this game quotes the Wheel of Fish scene from UHF, which automatically makes it better than most games I've ever played.

Release Date: March 27, 1992 (JP)
Publisher: Character Soft
Developer: Pax Softonica
Genre: Action

Ever want a sequel to Balloon Fight? Hello Kitty World may be the closest that you'll get. In Hello Kitty World, you got from level to level trying to stay afloat via your balloons, while also popping any stray balloons you find. The game starts out easy, but the difficulty increases substantially from level to level, and by the end, every movement has to be precise or you're gonna pop your balloons very quickly. Also neat is the ability to ditch your balloons in order to enter doorways or nab extra lives in areas that you normally wouldn't be able to reach while clinging to your helium-filled means of transportation. You can then quickly blow up some more balloons to continue floating around. This game really is fantastic and easily one of my favorite imports on the NES.

Release Date: April 29, 2008 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar North
Genre: Action

Grand Theft Auto IV was an extremely anticipated game when it came out...And while I loved the characters, story, and game as a whole...In some respects it felt like a step back. Half the fun of previous GTA games was the ability to take over the city. Granted, that wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to allow that in this story, it still felt like something was missing when playing. That minor gripe aside, GTA4 lives up to any and all hype it received. If you haven't played it yet, give it a try. It's an easy game to lose several hours in.

Release Date: December 9, 1988 (JP)
Publisher: Tecmo
Developer: Tecmo
Genre: Action

Ninja Gaiden is fantastic. Some folks complain about its difficulty, which picks up drastically after a few levels, but it's a game that the more you play, the better you get. Spend a while playing this non-stop and you'll soon be on your way to do battle with the final boss. I think the second game in the Ninja Gaiden series is the best, but the original here is quite solid in its own right.

Release Date: November 17, 2002 (NA)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Action

I remember really, really looking forward to this title...And I'll admit it, I was a little disappointed by it. I wanted a game like Super Metroid, where you could explore around in order to figure out how to advance...Instead, Metroid Fusion is much, much more linear and it almost holds your hand through each area of the game. However, those complaints aside, this is still a great game. The basic gameplay is fun, the story is interesting, and the graphics and audio are very good as well...If not for the hand-holding, linear story/gameplay progression, this probably would have been my favorite game on the Game Boy Advance. But as it is, it's still near the top of the heap.

Release Date: May 1980 (JP)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Genre: Action

A study would have to be done to confirm this, but I'd be willing to bet a decent sum of money that despite other game characters surpassing Namco's yellow mascot over time, that Pac-Man is still the most recognizable character in video games. Heck, back in the day, even the ghosts (Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde) were household names. But anyway, Pac-Man is one of those rare titles that if you have a young kid play it, they're likely to understand why people loved it back when it was released rather than wonder why anyone would enjoy it like many other games from the 70's and early 80's. All that said, the AI followed set paths, making this game easy to beat once you've memorized them...But that's honestly the only real flaw that I can think of. Ms. Pac-Man improves on the formula found here to near perfection...But Mr. Pac-Man is still pretty dang great.

Release Date: October 9, 2012 (NA)
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: Arkane Studios
Genre: Action

I love stealth. So, of course, when I saw that Dishonored encouraged, and even rewarded, players for being stealthy when playing, I was immediately interested. However, if you're more into barging into areas and killing everyone in sight, Dishonored let you do that as well. You can play Dishonored any way that you wish and the game will adapt to your style. Want to kill everyone? Naturally, you're more dangerous, so more enemies will appear to counter your threat. Want to be stealthy? Nobody knows you're around, so there's no need for so much security. Dishonored is a top-notch game, and is, quite possibly, my favorite non-remake game of 2012.

Release Date: May 1987 (NA)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Genre: Action

The original Castlevania may have been surpassed in quality by some of the later games in the series...But it's still a very solid title in its own right. Using a whip to neutralize the large variety of undead enemies that attack you is good fun. The later levels can get a tad difficult - especially when they involve platforming...But everything in this game can be overcome with practice...Even Death...No matter how much of a jerk he is. If you're a fan of the Castlevania series, the initial entry is a must-play title that's still fun to this day.

Release Date: December 5, 2006 (NA)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Kojima Productions
Genre: Action

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops was the PSP game that Metal Gear fans were waiting for. Metal Gear Acid wasn't a bad title, but it wasn't what most fan of the series wanted. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops brings the stealth-based action gameplay to the PSP in fantastic fashion. While the fancy cut-scenes were replaced by comic book-like scenes, it didn't take away from the story of enjoyment of gameplay one bit. Also toss in a unique element of capturing enemy soldiers in order to recruit them to your side, with the option to control them rather than Snake later on. With each ally having their own special abilities and the player having the option to switch between characters on the fly, it allows for you to use the strengths of each soldier in the best situations. It's a game that made owning a PSP very worthwhile for fans of the Metal Gear series.

Release Date: March 2, 2004 (NA)
Publisher: Tecmo
Developer: Team Ninja
Genre: Action

Ninja Gaiden can be frustratingly difficult for some...While I found it to be difficult, I never really found it to be frustrating, as every time I continued, I found myself getting better and better. It reminded me of the 8-bit Ninja Gaiden games, which were the same way. Yeah, those games could get difficult too, but when I'm having this much fun while I fail, I don't mind failing repeatedly, especially when I see progression of my skills in the game. Essentially, this was a spiritual version of the 8-bit games with a beautiful coat of paint...And I think of that as a good thing.

Release Date: March 21, 2003 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Action

When I first played WarioWare, I was amazed. "They captured the inner workings of my brain and turned it into a video game," I remember thinking to myself. The concept of a bunch of minigames that take seconds to play thrown on top of each other doesn't sound like it would be something to keep you coming back for more...But WarioWare, Inc. is so charming, bizarre, and fun, that you're very likely to come back for more time and time again.

Release Date: December 22, 2010 (JP)
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: HexaDrive
Genre: Action

The 3rd Birthday may be the most graphically-impressive PSP game ever made. It's just gorgeous. But a game isn't good just 'cause it's pretty, and 3rd Birthday delivers in the gameplay department, too. Continuing in the trend set by earlier games in the Parasite Eve franchise, with Parasite Eve being an RPG, and Parasite Eve 2 being an adventure game, the 3rd Birthday tackles a new genre - the action genre. However, this isn't your typical action game, as Aya Brea, the series' heroine, can transport herself into the bodies of her allies, meaning that if you run out of ammo or low on health and one of your allies is still alive, you can transport to them and reap the benefits of better health and more ammo...or even a deadlier weapon. It's quite fun to play and a very solid entry into the Parasite Eve franchise...And in case I didn't mention it, it's absolutely beautiful.

Release Date: 1982 (NA)
Publisher: Commodore
Developer: Commodore
Genre: Action

Kickman is such an odd title, but it's also extremely frantic and fun. You control a clown on a unicycle riding beneath balloons that drop down you goal is to make sure that none of these balloons hit the ground. You have the ability to kick your legs out, hence the title, to knock the balloons back into the air and have them bounce around the screen, Breakout-style. As you're trying to keep these balloons in the air, more continue to drop, making it an enjoyable and hectic game to play. This game was an absolute blast for its time and if you're into Atari 2600-era games, I really can't recommend this one enough.

Release Date: March 16, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Action

God of War III brought the story of Kratos to a close in a solid, but not overwhelmingly great, fashion. This entry in the God of War series is a very, very solid game in the franchise, but it seems to lack something in comparison to the first two games. That being said, it's still an extremely enjoyable game, and the final battle really underlines the fact that it was the end of Kratos' story. It's a definite must-play for fans of the previous two entries in the series.

Release Date: July 5, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sonic Team
Genre: Action

Sonic Team is best known for creating Sonic the Hedgehog games. However, some argue that NiGHTS into Dreams is the best game that Sonic Team ever created. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I definitely agree that NiGHTS is one of the top two or three games that Sonic Team developed. There's just something enjoyable about soaring through the air, picking up power-ups, and taking part in large boss fights. The disappointing Wii sequel has nothing on this gem.

Release Date: March 18, 2004 (JP)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Now Production
Genre: Action

Katamari Damacy was such a unique game when it came out. I remember picking up Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas at the store, seeing this game with its bizarre cover art and low price tag, and buying it along with San Andreas. Mid-way through playing San Andreas, I decided to give this game a try....I never got back to the Grand Theft Auto title. Katamari Damacy absolutely hooked me with the simple gameplay mechanic of rolling up anything and everything in sight. Few things in gaming are as satisfying as rolling up enough thumbtacks and caramel candies to make your katamari large enough to roll up that jerk mouse that sent you flying across the level earlier.

Release Date: October 23, 2012 (NA)
Publisher: Dennaton
Developer: Dennaton
Genre: Action

Hotline Miami got a lot of criticism from people for how it "glorifies violence." I think those folks haven't actually played the game. Yes, this is a very violent title...One look at the "box art" will tell you that...But the violence is part of the story - it's not there just for the sake of having violence in the game. With that out of the way, Hotline Miami's gameplay reminds me a little bit of Super Meat Boy in that you'll likely die a lot when you play, but upon death, the level restarts again instantly, and the levels don't take too long to complete, so usually the constant deaths don't get too frustrating. As long as you don't mind a little (okay, a lot) pixelated gore, Hotline Miami is a very solid indie title to get behind.

Release Date: June 18, 2001 (NA)
Publisher: Sony CEA
Developer: Incognito Inc.
Genre: Action - Car Combat

The first two Twisted Metal games were great. Twisted Metal 3, 4, and Small Brawl...Not so much. So, when Twisted Metal Black was released, I expected a sub-par game...Instead we got what I consider to be the best game in the series as well as the best car combat game of all-time. Not only was the action fast and furious, but the dark, disturbing storylines for each character were absolutely awesome. This game also works well with an old pick-up line - Once you go Black, you never go back.

Release Date: 1984 (NA)
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Atari
Genre: Action

Pengo was one of the last games released for the Atari 2600 until the console's short-lived "rebirth" in the late 80's, which is a shame because it's also one of the best games on the console. Pengo basically has you taking the roll of a penguin that shoves blocks of ice at enemies to crush them with various levels to do the crushing on. It's actually really fun and well worth picking up if you're ever lucky enough to spot a copy.

Release Date: January 22, 1985 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Action

Balloon Fight has two modes of gameplay - one involves you on a single screen, floating around trying to pop the balloons of enemies around you while also trying to prevent your own balloons from being popped. This mode is pretty fun and makes Balloon Fight a worthwhile game for its time in its own right. The second mode is simply called "Balloon Trip" and is a side-scrolling game where you try to last as long as possible and rack up as many points as possible before your balloons pop and/or a giant fish eats you. The addition of this mode really makes Balloon Fight shine, in my opinion. Hello Kitty World later improves on the "Balloon Trip" concept, but Balloon Fight did a dang good job debuting it to the world.

Release Date: January 17, 2011 (NA)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: BioWare
Genre: Action

The original Mass Effect was more of an adventure-style game with an emphasis on exploration and interacting with people. Mass Effect 2 still has some of that, but a much larger emphasis is placed on action this time around. The end result isn't bad, but I don't feel like it's as solid as the original. If games with more action is your kinda thing, though, you may have the opposite opinion of me and prefer this game to the original. It all depends on your preference, I suppose. Anyway, Mass Effect 2 is still a very good game, and well worth playing if you enjoyed the original to see where the story goes.

Release Date: January 24, 2000 (NA)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Hitmaker
Genre: Action

Crazy Taxi was a blast in the arcades, and while you can't sit in a booth with a steering wheel and a gas pedal while playing this at home, maneuvering around the city using a controller is nearly as fun. Crazy Taxi is arcade-style gameplay at its most fun, with a premise that doesn't sound like it would be too enjoyable - drive people around location to location as quickly as possible. I was never all that great at this game, but that never prevented me from enjoying it one bit.

Release Date: October 31, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: SingleTrac
Genre: Action - Car Combat

Until Twisted Metal: Black came out, this was easily the best game in the Twisted Metal franchise. Everything is just so well done here - the level design, the controls, the secrets to discover, the new characters...it's all just so well done. Twisted Metal basically created the car combat genre, but Twisted Metal 2 set the bar for quality so high that even the next three Twisted Metal games on the Playstation One couldn't come close to reaching it. Until Twisted Metal: Black came out, this is what I thought that car combat perfection was like.

Release Date: February 26, 1998 (JP)
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Acquire
Genre: Action

I was never into ninjas when I was young, so the concept of Tenchu never really appealed to me until after I had played Metal Gear Solid and really got into the stealth-style of gameplay. Once I began to play Tenchu and silently crept along rooftops and slithered from shadow to shadow to avoid detection as I fulfilled assassination contracts, I was hooked. The often gorgeous, Asain environments and wonderful soundtrack just helped add to the experience - an experience that I don't think any other game in the franchise has been able to match.

Release Date: 1978 (NA)
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Atari
Genre: Action

Breakout is one of my favorites from the early days of video games. It's simple, and looks boring at first glance, but frantically trying to keep the ball bouncing off the walls, essentially playing a game of Pong by yourself, is a blast even today. There's a reason that Breakout was one of the biggest hits in the early days of video games - it's designed well enough where it's still fun over 35 years later.

Release Date: December 16, 1990 (JP)
Publisher: Enix
Developer: Quintet
Genre: Action

ActRaiser is a unique title that successfully blends together strategy-like gameplay on the overworld map along with hack 'n' slash action in the game's main levels. It can seem a tad difficult for newcomers, but the more you play, the more you master this game. It's also worth noting that to accompany you through this neat hybrid of a game is some of the best music that you'll find on the Super NES. If you haven't played it yet, do it. It's on the Wii's Virtual Console in all regions.

Release Date: June 25, 2000 (NA)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Genre: Action

Oh, Mr. Driller how I love thee. When I first played Mr. Driller, I was working at Funcoland and we had the game hooked up for people to try out. I was on break, so I gave the game a try and instantly became a fan. The odd mixture of Dig Dug-like digging and Tetris-like block matching was a blast to play, and still is today. Later Mr. Driller games have added some more modes and features, but the core gameplay has almost completely stayed the same...and there's a reason for that. I don't think it can get much better than this. Give it a try. I bet you'll be glad that you did.

Release Date: January 31, 1988 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: West One
Genre: Action

What a transformation for Wonder Boy...The first game was an Adventure Island clone. The second game, dare I say, is superior to any Adventure Island game ever made. Wonder Boy in Monster Land is a game that pulls me in every time I play it. I meant to play it for a few minutes to grab screens for this list...Next thing I knew, an hour had passed and I still didn't want to put the controller down. It may not seem like anything special in comparison to most games of today, but for its time, it was absolutely amazing. And like I kind of mentioned above, I'll gladly spend hours in Monster Land now like I did twenty-five years ago.