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Gaming 101: Action Games

In this series, we are learning how different aspects of video games work by playing games that offer an easy introduction to this one concept. This is designed for people new to gaming and aims to identify games with the least barriers. In this entry, we are looking at Action games.

Action video games focus on exciting or challenging activities. They are a call to "action", to play your part in exciting events that require hand-eye coordination, good timing, quick reactions and learned skills.

Commonly you will control a character to navigate a level, collect objects, avoid obstacles, and battle enemies. Equipment in the game can help progress. There will be certain points in the game where the action reaches a crescendo, perhaps with a harder "boss" enemy that must be defeated before moving on.

As opposed to Turn-Based games, that pause while the player decides their next move, action games are usually time-pressured.

In Sports games this action is focused on team or individual performance in rounds of play. In Open World games the action arises through encounters with situations and characters. In platform games the action focuses on exploration and timed jumps.

This list includes 17 games from the last 24 years, with 719 likes. They come from a range of different genres and play-styles and are all good games if you want to play your first action game.

List Details

PEGI Ratings: PEGI 3 to PEGI 12
ESRB Ratings: ESRB EVERYONE to ESRB EVERYONE 10+
Australian Ratings: G to PG
Genres: Action, Adventure, Battle, Collecting, Communication, Creative, Fighting, Narrative, Platform, Puzzle, Race, Rhythm, Role-Play, Sequencing, Shooting, Simulation and Traversal
Total Likes: 719

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Components: 3D Third-Person, Cartoon and Hand-Made

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Components: 3D Third-Person and Blocks

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Out Now: Android, Apple TV, Mac, PS4, Switch, Xbox One and iOS

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Components: 2D Side-On, Day and Night and Weather

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OCO

PEGI 3 Video Game Age Rating for OCO in UK and Europe

OCO

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Out Now: Android, Mac, PC and iOS

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Components: 2D Side-On

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Out Now: Mac, PC, PS Vita, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 2D Side-On and Pixels

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Lego

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Getting Started
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Assistance Getting Starting:	Tutorials Practice Area View Control Mapping Assistance With Controls Reaction-Time Not Critical Low Pressure Adjust Speed No Jump Scares
Assistance For Progressing:	Guaranteed Progress With God Mode Bank Progress With Frequent Checkpoints Assisted Progress With Boosts Assisted Progress With Hints Assisted Recall for Characters Assisted Recall for Narrative and Dialogue Save Progress Anytime

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Gaming 101: Action Games

List Details

Related Lists

Rainbow Billy

Minecraft Dungeons

The Alto Collection

OCO

TowerFall Ascension

Lego (Series)

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Boomerang Fu

Heave Ho

Paper Mario: The Origami King (Series)

Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario Run

Doodle Jump (Series)

GigaBash

Temple of Rubbo (Sokpop)

Skies of Chaos

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	Motion Sickness Friendly
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Audio
	Balance Audio Levels
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	Play Without Hearing

Communication
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Online Communication Assistance:

Difficulty
Difficulty Options:	Simple and Full Version No Memorisation Advantage No Hidden Information No Deceit Advantage No Colour Advantage No Mathematics Advantage No Weighing Decisions

Getting Started
Assistance Getting Started:	Clear Manual Electronic Version of Manual Electronic Version of Manual for Screen Readers Getting Started Video Digital Version Reference Aid
Assistance Progressing:	Play Order Tokens (Or play order doesn’t change) Reaction-Time Not Critical Low Pressure Low Impact Catch Up Rule

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Reading Level:
Necessary Text Visibility:	Large Clear Text on Board (Or no text required) Large Clear Text on Cards (Or no text required) High Contrast Text (Or no text required) QR Code For Text (Or no text required) Primary and Secondary Text Distinguishable (Or no text required) Information Orientation Clear Icons

Physical
Pieces:	Components are Distinguishable by Touch Components are Replaceable No Non-Standard Dice (Or No Dice) No Tiny Pieces No Paper Money No Sprawl
Cards:	Large Card Size Standard Card Shape Limited Hand Management No Excessive Card Shuffling No Right-Handed Advantage
Placement:	No Unbound Placement Player Components Not Shared No Fiddly Placement Easily Verbalised Actions

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Printed Visibility:	Colour Blind Friendly Design Double-Coding Colour High Contrast Colours
Component Identifiability:	Outline Key Elements No Busy Backgrounds Easily Verbalised Game State No Close Inspection Disadvantage Playable Without Sight

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Communication:	Audio Cues Mirrored Visually (Or no critical audio signals) No Pressured Reveals No Pressured Communication Playable Without Hearing

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