Action/Adventure

Another popular genre in retro games is the action/adventure. The genre appeared mainly on the consoles at the time, and provided a different style of gameplay compared to other games. The gameplay is different in a few notable ways, one being the camera. Instead of the camera scrolling with the character horizontally or vertically, it uses a fixed position whilst the character can freely move around on screen. The point of view of the camera is from an angled perspective above the level, allowing you to see the top and the side of all the design elements including level and character. The player advances from one area to the next by entering doors and tunnels which separate the different screens. This provided an alternative dynamic in gaming, as it allowed more to be shown on the screen and provided a sense of progression whenever you advanced to the next area.

The Legend of Zelda, 1986

One of the most notable retro games of this genre includes The Legend of Zelda (1986) on the NES. The game was the beginning of a huge series, and combined action elements with puzzle elements to create an overall adventure game. The game used the fixed camera perspective, and provided the player with different types of weapons and items to advance through the game, including a sword for melee attacks and a bow and arrow for ranged attacks. Puzzle elements that were incorporated into the game included standing or moving solid objects onto switches which would open new pathways, and firing an arrow to hit a switch you cannot gain physical access to.

Goof Troop, 1993

Another game that stood out within this genre was Goof Troop, which was released on the

Super Nintendo in Europe in 1993. Release many years after The Legend of Zelda, but it refined the genre in the form of local multiplayer. The game had two main protagonists of which the player could choose between. Alternatively, two players could play simultaneously as each character, providing a new element in the action/adventure genre. The concept was very similar to that of previous action/adventure games, but provided a new element in the form of two players being able to play simultaneously.


- Chris