Action Adventure Games

Action-adventure games most frequently incorporate two game mechanics—game-long quests or obstacles that must be conquered using a tool or item collected, as well as an action element where the item(s) are used.

For example, in The Legend of Zelda, Link must find his way through eight dungeons to gather the scattered pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom. Once he’s collected all eight pieces and assembled the artifact, Link can enter the ninth and final dungeon to rescue Princess Zelda. Link uses a boomerang to collect distant items and attack enemies.

Action-adventure games like The Legend of Zelda focus more on exploration, solving puzzles, and discovering loot, while basic combat is more of a supporting activity to the overall experience.

^{Fun Fact: Games that don’t fit well into other game genres are often tagged as action-adventure games. The Atari 2600 game Adventure (1979) is considered to be the first action-adventure game.}