As the video game industry continues to grow and evolve, so does the variety of experiences it offers. One of the most popular categories is the action genre, with titles that will test your skills and reflexes. The high-octane genre spans several subcategories, from fighting to survival games. I’ll explore the best action titles currently available, some of my personal favourites and take a look at what’s coming soon to Best Buy.
Let’s dive into one of the largest gaming genres and find an action experience that’s right for you!
Fighting games
Nothing says action like a knock-down-drag-out fighter that depends on hair-trigger reflexes to emerge victorious. The classic two-player showdown first established itself in arcades across the globe in the 1980s. Now, all these brawlers and more are available on a home console or PC gaming platform near you. Fighting games boil down to combat between two or more opponents who attack and defend. Using various combos and other offensive tactics, you chip away at each other’s health bar until someone reaches zero and is KO’d.
This formula has created legendary showdowns in classic franchises like Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter and Tekken. Sports prize fighters like EA’s UFC offer ultra-realistic graphics and authentic moves to give you a taste of action in the octagon. I’ve featured more simulation-style fighters in my video Game Sports Genre Spotlight if that’s what you are looking for.
Whether you are a fan of 1v1 or 4v4, a ton of fighting action is available for both beginners and veterans. Here are some “Kings of the Ring:”
Top heavyweight fighters out now
Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6 is the next evolution of Capcom’s legendary fighting series, featuring innovative new gameplay features and enhanced visuals. Take your skills worldwide in search of your own personal strength in three distinct game modes: Fighting Ground, World Tour and Battle Hub are you ready to step into the ring?
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros Ultimate is a modern action fighter that focuses on multiplayer brawls and enjoys a massive following. It’s a great party game and features classic characters like Mario, Link, Banjo-Kazooie, and more.
Mortal Kombat 1
Mortal Kombat 1 takes you back to the start of the epic battle for Earthrealm. Explore a new universe with re-imagined origins and guest fighters, and learn the secrets of the Fire God Liu Kang, the Keeper of Time. Fight with a new system, modes, and fatalities that will blow your mind.
Tekken 8
Join the ultimate fighting tournament in Tekken 8, the latest installment in the legendary Tekken franchise. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Tekken 8 looks to deliver stunning visuals, fluid gameplay, and intense action. Follow the saga of the Mishima and Kazama clans as they clash in epic battles that will shape the fate of the world. Experience a new focus on “Aggressive” tactics through a “Heat System” that challenges your offensive skills.
Fighting games coming soon
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
Get ready for high-speed 3D battles in the Dragon Ball universe. Complete with authentic moves like beam clashes and planet-razing ultimate attacks. Fight with an incredible roster of characters, each with unique abilities and transformations.
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics combines seven iconic titles into one package. Arcade legends like X-Men vs. Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom 2 are coming to the Nintendo Switch and PS4. Dive into the action with Marvel characters and Capcom legends and experience the thrill of classic beat ’em-up gameplay.
Platforming games
Some of the most iconic games ever created have come from the platforming genre. Legendary names like Crash Bandicoot, Donkey Kong, Super Mario, and Sonic the Hedgehog hopped, skipped, and jumped into stardom.
The general formula for these titles has you controlling characters who traverse platforms and other obstacles while facing off against enemies. Modern titles still reinvent themselves decades later with incredible graphics, mind-bending storylines and challenging levels. Must-play games like Astro’s Playroom (free on the PS5), Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Super Mario Bros. Wonder showcase the incredible experiences platformers have to offer.
Must-play platformers
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Go on a journey full of surprises with Kirby in Forgotten Land for Nintendo Switch. Play as the powerful pink puffball Kirby, and while the journey unfolds, step into a 3D platforming world featuring abandoned monuments and remnants from a past civilization.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Get ready to manipulate time with the dynamic duo of Ratchet and Clank as they work to stop an evil empire. Battle through cross-dimensional worlds with an outrageous arsenal of weapons. New and old friends await your adventure as you fight to protect your universe.
Sonic Superstars
Play as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose to race across the Northstar islands in the Sonic Superstars. Race through the islands and use your powers to stop Dr. Eggman’s evil plan. Play alone or with others in local co-op mode.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Mario Wonder is a side-scrolling platform game for the Nintendo Switch that features Wonder Flowers, game-changing items that can convert Mario and friends into some wonderful and wild forms. The game looks to recapture Mario’s old magic with a fresh spin. You can play with up to three other people to help each other overcome obstacles.
Hotly anticipated upcoming platform games
Astro Bot
The universe’s most lovable robot returns with his biggest adventure yet! Join Astro as he embarks on a mission to rescue his scattered crew and rebuild the PS5 mothership. Explore over 50 vibrant planets with challenging platforming, unique power-ups, and enemies.
Sonic X Shadow Generations
Sonic X Shadow Generations brings together the best of Sonic and Shadow in an all-new collection. Play as Shadow in a brand-new story campaign, using his unique abilities to battle enemies and tackle platforming challenges. Relive iconic levels from Shadow’s past and explore a new hub world inspired by Sonic Frontiers. This collection also includes a complete remaster of Sonic Generations, featuring both 3D and 2D stages with upgraded visuals and new bonus content.
Shooting Games
The largest and most popular genre in gaming is shooters. These games range from military-style conflicts to run-and-gun side scrollers (and everything in between). The commonality between all these titles is a player-controlled character with a fireable weapon. The perspective in which these games are played comes in multiple forms: from the first-person perspective to the over-the-shoulder third-person perspective to heroand tactical shooters.
First-person shooters
First-person shooters (FPS) give you the in-game character’s field of vision while you play. This puts you in the protagonist’s shoes, adding to the game’s immersion. Some of the legendary pillars that make up the FPS experience are games like Bioshock, Call of Duty, Doom, Half-Life, Halo, Quake, Wolfenstein, and more.
Modern “best-in-class” first-person shooters
Call of Duty Modern Warfare III
Prepare for the ultimate showdown in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. You are the last line of defence against the ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov, who is plotting to unleash a global catastrophe. Adapt or die in a fight that spans across the world, customize your load-outs, choose your own path through missions, and decide whether to go stealthy or loud in this epic FPS sequel.
Upcoming “must-play” first-person shooters
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 plunges you into a spy action thriller set in the early 1990s. Join Black Ops veteran Frank Woods and his new team as they navigate a world of espionage and betrayal. Experience dynamic gameplay with the new “Omnimovement” system. 16 new multiplayer maps await, along with hordes of the undead in the return of round-based Zombies.
Concord
Concord is the latest team-based first-person shooter on the block. Set against an orginal sci-fi universe, you’ll assemble your crew of Freegunner space outlaws and engage in intense 5v5 PvP battles. With a diverse roster of characters, each with unique abilities and dynamic game modes like Trophy Hunt and Area Control, every match offers a new challenge.
Third person shooters
Third-person shooters give you a full-body view of your character with “over-the-shoulder” aiming mechanics. They create immersion through the shared experience between you and the on-screen avatars. Some of these games follow a linear path, like the Tomb Raider series, while others have a more open-world approach, like Grand Theft Auto. Not all shooters are necessarily for mature audiences. Nintendo’s Splatoon 3 is available for some family-friendly, light-hearted fun.
Hotly anticipated third-person shooters
Star Wars Outlaws
Play as Kay Vess, a scoundrel seeking freedom and a new life, along with her loyal companion Nix. Explore new and familiar locations across the galaxy, engage in high-stakes missions, and outwit the galaxy’s most dangerous crime syndicates. Star Wars Outlaws offers an immersive experience for fans and newcomers alike.
Tactical shooters
If you are looking for more realistic, strategic experience as a shooter, you might want to go tactical. These games avoid the common tropes of arcadey-style action shooters, instead taking a more methodical approach to combat. Tactical shooters require you to plan movement carefully, provide limited health and rely heavily on your squad mates. A pinnacle of the squad-based experience is Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six series, offering challenging combat and thrilling “breach and clear” moments. The current game in the series, Rainbow Six Siege, features tense multiplayer moments and a big focus on team-based strategy.
Must play tactical shooters
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction
Take on the unknown enemy with your knowledge, cooperation, and a tactical approach. Team Rainbow has been the shield against the worst global threats imaginable. Now, we face the greatest terror yet: a lethal, mutating alien parasite.
Survival games
This part of the action genre will leave you on the edge of your seat as you fight tooth and nail for your own life. From battle royales and sims to survival horror, there is an adrenaline-filled experience that will keep you entertained for hours. Buckle up; the survival category isn’t for the faint of heart, but it will leave you with a few stories to tell!
Survival simulators
Survival sims channel your inner Bear Grylls to live off your surroundings. You are left with minimal resources in a hostile environment, and it’s up to you to figure out the rest. Minecraft is a great starting point if you are interested in this subgenre with block-style procedurally generated worlds.
Survival video game action
Minecraft
This sandbox adventure game lets you explore infinite worlds and build everything from simple homes to grand castles. You can play in Creative Mode with unlimited resources or mine deep in Survival Mode, crafting weapons and armour to fend off dangerous mobs. With regular updates and a vibrant community, Minecraft offers endless possibilities for adventure and creativity.
Grounded
This harrowing survival action-adventure game sees you and your friends shrunk to the size of ants to navigate the perils of a suburban backyard. Explore, build, and endure together in this cooperative adventure, facing off against giant insects and uncovering the mysteries of your tiny world.
Survival horror
The survival horror genre is all about trying to live through a terrifying environment filled with nightmarish enemies. Think zombie apocalypse or escaping a haunted insane asylum, and you start to understand the terrifying thrills this subgenre offers. Some of my most memorable moments with video games have come with classic horror titles. The “must-play” horror games in the genre offer experiences that match and often exceed some of Hollywood’s most terrifying films. Alan Wake, The Last of Us and Resident Evil are experiences that offer as many thrills as chills. Get ready for some goosebumps, here are my spinetingling top picks:
Top-tier survival horror titles
Dead Space
The Dead Space remake offers a more captivating experience that original game fans will surely love. Join Isaac Clarke as he searches the USG Ishimura for his partner, Nicole, and unveils the many secrets hidden aboard the ship. This classic sci-fi survival horror game features stunning visuals, suspenseful audio, and gameplay improvements.
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4’s third-person shooter survival horror game stays true to the franchise’s atmospheric adventure horror genre. New gameplay highlights include heightened design and creative direction in a frightening survival story using a contemporary approach, building upon the survival horror genre, and utilizing lighting and sound to create an intense and up-close horror feel fans will enjoy.
Upcoming horror games
Alan Wake 2 (Deluxe Edition)
The highly anticipated sequel to the cult classic survival horror game Alan Wake has arrived. This was my “Game of the Year” for 2023 as a horror fan. The upcoming physical deluxe edition is one of the most comprehensive versions of the game yet. It includes the base game Expansion Pass, which grants access to the Night Springs and Lake House expansions, weapon and character skins, and other digital items. You’ll also receive a digital copy of the original game, Alan Wake Remastered.
In Alan Wake 2, you play as both Alan Wake, a best-selling author trapped in a dark dimension, and Saga Anderson, an FBI agent investigating a series of ritualistic murders in Bright Falls. Explore two worlds, two mysteries, and two characters as you face the Dark Presence, a mysterious cult, and your own nightmares. Get ready to enter the darkness!
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster has been reanimated for a new generation to experience classic zombie-slaying. The chaos of Willamette Mall returns looking better than ever with 4K graphics, enhanced gameplay, and fully voiced characters. This remaster includes quality-of-life improvements like auto-saves, revamped controls, improved UI, and new photo filters.
Silent Hill 2
The Silent Hill 2 remake brings the psychological horror classic to the PS5, rebuilt from the ground up on next-gen hardware. Step into the shoes of James Sunderland as he searches for his late wife in the eerie town of Silent Hill. The terrifying experience has enhanced soundscapes, an over-the-shoulder camera, and modernized combat, making this the most immersive Silent Hill experience yet.
Music games
If you enjoy music and are no stranger to singing or dancing along to a song, rhythm games could be a perfect fit. These titles are all about carefully timing button presses or matching movements on screen to sync with a musical beat.
Rhythm games come in forms like the 1996 classic PaRappa the Rapper, where you follow along with a loose storyline and jam with characters by pressing buttons. There are also peripheral-based experiences like Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Each comes with its own hardware, like a dance mat, guitar controller and full band kit. These games prompt you to hit drumbeats, guitar frets or vocal notes with included hardware.
Just Dance 2024
Sing and dance along to 40 new songs from your favourite artists, as well as timeless classics and viral hits. Dance the night away with online multiplayer with your friends and join seasonal events throughout the year to win badges and customize your Dancer Card.
Music games coming soon
Just Dance 2025
Just Dance 2025 returns this Fall with 40 new songs that will get you moving. Whether you like to party or exercise, this edition has something for everyone. Dance to chart-topping hits, pop anthems, and all-time classics, with multiple difficulty levels to suit every dancer.
High-octane video game action
The action gaming genre is the gaming industry’s biggest by far, offering a wide range of adrenaline-pumping experiences. If you are looking for a game that will entertain and put your skills to the test, you’ll surely find an unforgettable title in this category. With dozens of subgenres, award-winning titles like Call of Duty, Bioshock, Uncharted, and more, you’ll find multiple games that rival any Hollywood action experience. Try a title from each category above and see which fits you best!
Let me know what your favourite action game is in the comments below.
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