Action
Here we have all the games in the Action Section.
Gamecube
Action
Shows its animation studio roots in playing like an anime complete with a fine array of characters and superb specials. The settings are imaginative too with a digger surrounding the fight ring in the quarry stage and what looks like a bizarre transportation of Stonehedge to central London as players battle it out around the Houses of Parliament. Fast and furious fight action.
Famicom Cart
Action
A Jidaigeki is a historical drama as Kunio takes a trip back in time to enjoy some of Japan’s rich feudal history with samurai and chonmage hairstyles. Our Kunio fits the bill just fine though: equally at home fighting bad dudes down the game centre as unhinged bullies trying to capture his girl.
Famicom Cart
Action
A Jidaigeki is a historical drama as Kunio takes a trip back in time to enjoy some of Japan’s rich feudal history with samurai and chonmage hairstyles. Our Kunio fits the bill just fine though: equally at home fighting bad dudes down the game centre as unhinged bullies trying to capture his girl.
Famicom Cart
Action
Ever since seeing Mr Vampire on Channel 4, Genki has had a soft spot for the Kyonshi: an undead vampire which only seems to be able to jump at your relentlessly with arms held out. This has progressed to a(n) (un)healthy fascination with ghosts of the Orient and Kyonshis 2 is bursting with them. Holding your breath doesn’t seem to help here, but mastering the moves of the young disciple will certainly assist. (As will ignoring any perceived charms of multi limbed femme fatales.)
PS4
Action
Square Enix takes on Metal Gear Solid with stealth the order of the day, such as tossing an object over the barricade to distract the guards. Equally the odd Molotov cocktail does the same job. Set in a wintry East with snow falling, the mission is to regain control through sabotage of the rogue Mechs taking over.
Famicom Cart
Action
Any game with a guest appearance of Genki hero Xandra of Super Famicom Xandra’s Big Adventure fame is worthy of any collection in Genki’s humble opinion. RPG elements in this action title not very well known outside Japan. Catapulting around levels is great fun and saves having to revisit areas of this huge game.
Famicom Cart
Action
Any game with a guest appearance of Genki hero Xandra of Super Famicom Xandra’s Big Adventure fame is worthy of any collection in Genki’s humble opinion. RPG elements in this action title not very well known outside Japan. Catapulting around levels is great fun and saves having to revisit areas of this huge game.
Playstation
Action
Played in Matrix style environments that break up as they are destroyed to reveal sparking circuitry beneath, players take control of one of the three female androids charged with extinguishing the alien threat. Each lovely android has her own attributes: the all rounder, the slow, but punch packing and the nippy but weedy requiring different androids for the various missions and the weapons are very satisfying. Controls are similar to Virtual On with the analogue sticks coming to the fore: soon mastered though giving a great sense of interaction. The anime cut scenes are of production quality and good reward for a hard fought battle. Yet to see the whole selection takes time and increases the replay value multi-fold with performance determining which sequence is rewarded.
PS2
Action
A fine stealth title as Lupin once again goes after the loot and Fujiko uses her booty. Creeping past infra red beams and sneaking by guards is the order of the day as whilst it is possible to fight, its best not to draw too much attention. A delightful series and worthy gaming translation. Just try not humming the theme tune.
PS2
Action
Loveable rogue Lupin on the run again avoiding the authorities by dishing out some rough justice with a frying pan in true comic style. Lupin also stays under the noses of the incompetent police by pinching uniforms to aid his escape. A fine 3D action adventure with the classical musical score adding to its cut-above feel. Also known as Lupin III Majutsu-Ou no Isan.
PSP
Action
Macross is a mighty universe and this is a very weighty tribute to the series. The mechs transform between robot and ship to add two planes to the action. The dark of space is illuminated by powerful laser blasts as Star wars style space battles clash with on the ground skirmishes in a Neo Tokyo style environment. The voice acting keeps the tension cramped up as the high expectation of the series ensures top notch production values.
Playstation
Action
Genki once again grapples the mighty Macross plot and comes away with our tail between our legs. Suffice as to say: the pop idol group Milky Dolls has been kidnapped. The intergalatic rescue mission involves a variety ship and mech based of 3D shooting missions. The cramped cockpit of the mech suit captures the essence of the anime competently.
PS2
Action
Based on the story of ordinary farmers rebelling against their unjust samurai leaders with plenty of slicing and dicing in this historical epic.
PS2
Action, Sport
D3 Simple games are true to the name in having a simple premise: fun. Often feeling like playing a game using improper gameplay ie doing not what your meant to be doing, such a driving a tank down downtown New York with turrets blazing.
Famicom Cart
Action
The sort of title that works a treat as Nyamcot (as the cat crooks of the game would say) brings its vintage arcade formula to the Famicom. Players star as a wee mouse that must retrieve stolen goods from the platform levels with the help of trampolines from the bad cats. Pairing up hot goods results in a higher score and adds an extra tactical dimension to the gameplay. A real cult classic.
Nintendo 64
Action
Genki’s weapon of choice is a craftily dispatched red turtle shell. A poison chalice to follow up the mode 7 marvel that was the Super Famicom original, yet utilises the additional processing power of the 64 well with mud tracks and other vehicles on the circuit.
GameBoy Advance
Action
A triple A Nintendo game that oozes class from every conveyor belt Mario must traverse or rope he must swing on in order to get the key and free the stolen Mario toy. Being a Kong title the big showdown always hangs over the player. But the level design and multiple solutions show the vast amount of work that have gone into this superbly rendered action puzzler.
Famicom Cart
Action
A lack of shadowing does make avoiding some of the hazards across the castle a bit haphazard for our young samurai. But the levels are well set out and Irem have designed an impressive set of depth to this action based title. Known in the West as Deadly Towers.
Switch
Action
Attaining new levels with its all out action gameplay as the player’s mech is often dwarfed by the ginormous bosses that need to be taken down. The sense of destruction and the all out pyrotechnic action make for an adrenalin filled, explosion-a-minute thrill.
PS3
Action
Snake is starting to develop that thousand yard stare that a veteran of so many conflicts is in danger of. Yet the gameplay is invigorating and far from jaded as it once again ups both the gameplay and visual ante with seeming ease. Granted the action ante has also been upped and some will bemoan the lack of stealth. May will have little chance to notice amongst the strafe and shrapnel.
PS2
Action
Few can be as deserving of the nick name Solid Snake as Kojima’s hero. This one man war machine again dons John Rambo style headband and uses the art of stealth to progress without too much attention drawing strafe. Snake: beret off, we salute you.
PS2
Action
The stealth requirement distinguishes Metal Gear from more action orientated titles as players slip in and out of the bushes. Kojima deserves notoriety for such dedication to the project, not known since Miyamoto san.
PS3
Action
High tension and even higher stakes calls for a cool hand from Snake when stealthily sneaking past guards and taking down CCTV cameras to free the key hostage. As ever, the twist awaits…
PSP
Action
Stealth can be fun as Solid Snake sneaks up on unsuspecting guards and utilises the silenced sniper to take them down with a slug. A real credit to Konami and Kojima san.
32X
Action
The Metal Head is a giant mech requiring piloting around the cityscapes taking down enemy targets and accidentally blasting chunks out of surrounding skyscrapers. All very impressively realised in textured polygons showing the prowess of the 32X in the right hands.
Famicom Cart
Action
Famicom arcade conversion in fine fettle as participants have to run a gauntlet of futuristic obstacles to get to the other end of the course. Hurdles must be lept, ramps and booster squares propel the runner to the goal and its possible to leap from power square to power square in order to reach the finish line in record time.
Gamecube
Action
Well-planned levels and deep space atmospherics that would make even Sigourney Weaver jump. Its easy to understate just what a fine job has been made of transferring one of the most cherished SFC platformers into full 3D and maintaining the series high standards. Cavernous levels lit up by incredible strafe effects and incredible attention to detail.
Sega Saturn
Action
Madcap mayhem with up to eight players competing for dominance in the various off the wall mini games. Makes great use of the light gun and mouse which not many titles can claim. Fun variation between the games too making this well worthy of a place in a collection needing something other than smooth 2D fighters and blister inducing shooters.
Famicom Cart
Action
Milon dons his night cap and blows a few bubbles at enemies as he scales up the castles platforms. Secret doors and breaking walls can reveal hidden routes and surprises. Good, solid platforming fun. Apart from the crumbling ones… Known in Japan as ‘Meikyuu Kumikyoku Miron no Daibouken.’
PS2
Action
A fine Gundam title but more importantly a fine game in its own right with ginormous mech going for it in the confines of the sphere or in the more tactical open spaced mode. A massive multitude of mecha to unlock too but playing through the mission mode is a pleasure in itself with the controls soon feeling right after only a short bit of practise. Zone of Enders fans will be right at home here. Subtitled ‘Encounters in Space’ in the English version.