Top 5 Action-Adventure Games

A compelling narrative and memorable characters make this a standout game.

As microcomputers gained more power, the graphical adventure format developed from text-based interactive fiction. [77]

A notable subgenre is puzzle adventure games, which put a heavy emphasis on logic-based puzzle challenges in worlds that are often open and can be explored freely. Examples include Myst and The Talos Principle.

The Legend of Zelda

Developed by Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto, The Legend of Zelda launched the Action-Adventure genre of video games. The series centers on a sword-wielding hero named Link and the eponymous kingdom of Hyrule.

The original game was released as a launch title for the Famicom Disk System in Japan in 1986. The disk drive facilitated data saving and added an extra sound channel to the Famicom’s five.

The Legend of Zelda introduced many new gameplay features to the genre, including a three-dimensional map and the ability to save and resume progress at any time. The game also featured a unique dungeon design, in which each dungeon is in the shape of a symbol (the first being an Eagle, the second being a Snake, and the third being a left-facing Swastika) that represents its name.

Super Metroid

The game that defined the genre of action adventure, Super Metroid offers a unique blend of freedom and guidance. It trusts its players to understand the mechanics of its world, but doesn’t force-feed them information with cutscenes or a plethora of text.

Despite the lack of dialogue, there is still plenty to be learned by simply exploring the game’s environments and picking up power-ups. From Samus’ subtle idle animation to the non-mirrored sprite, every detail has been meticulously crafted to create an immersive universe of mystery.

While the pause screen shows you only the areas that will be accessible, the game’s map design ensures that you can chart your own path through Planet Zebes without over-relying on it. This makes the game much more fluid and rewarding to play, allowing you to learn mechanical novelties at your own pace.

Super Star Wars

Developed by Sculptured Software, Super Star Wars is a side-scrolling action game based on the 1977 movie A New Hope. The game follows farmboy Luke Skywalker and his droids C-3P0 and R2-D2 on their quest to rescue Princess Leia from the Empire. The gang also recruits rogue smuggler Han Solo and his Wookiee companion Chewbacca to help along the way.

While most 2D platformers of the time were keen on a linear format, Super Star Wars breaks this trend and introduces arcade levels such as driving a land-speeder and flying an X-wing, plus exploratory elements like spelunking through caves. It’s this diversity that makes the game feel more open than most of its counterparts.

Despite its limitations, the game received critical and commercial success. The soundtrack was especially well-received, with its accurate representation of John Williams’s famous score.

Star Wars Jedi Knight

In this first-person Star Wars game from Raven Software, you play as mercenary turned Jedi Kyle Katarn. This time, he must battle an evil cult that has taken control of the Force. Kyle develops powerful Light Side powers as the game progresses. He also learns to choke people Darth Vader style! Full motion video cutscenes advance the story between levels.

This sequel to Jedi Outcast takes the series to the next level. It uses id’s Quake 2 engine and allows you to use your lightsaber while in first or third person view. It’s also one of the first games to include a morality system and the planet Dromund Kaas (which would later become a major location in KotOR). This game was ahead of its time.