Best games
Best Action games of 2006
The 38 best Action games released in 2006, ranked from 11,825 critic and player ratings.
The best Action game of 2006 is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, with a critic score of 98/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2006.
- 38 games are listed on this page, carrying 11,825 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 29 September 2026.
Top 38
01
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was initially developed with the Nintendo GameCube in mind, but ended up receiving a Wii port when it was released to promote the new console. This version has motion control compatibility for the sword and pointer controls for the menus, the bow and the boomerang. This version of the game has a completely inverted map and locations when comparing with the GameCube release. The change in layout was meant to adapt Link's usually left-handed design to right-handed people, given the motion controls.
98
/100
02
New Super Mario Bros.
New Super Mario Bros. is a side-scrolling 2.5D action-adventure platformer game for the Nintendo DS, starring Mario and Luigi. The game features a solo story mode with Mario or Luigi, a two-player wireless game Mario Vs. Luigi, as well as a minigame mode for up to four players. The gameplay of New Super Mario Bros. is very much like that of the classic 2D platformers, mostly Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3, and substantially builds upon them to create gameplay both classic and contemporary. As the game is on DS, the touch screen allows players to store an additional power-up and view the distance still to go in a level.
95
/100
03
Okami
Set sometime in classical Japanese history, Ōkami combines several Japanese mythology and folklore to tell the story of how the land was saved from darkness by the Shinto sun goddess named Amaterasu, who took the form of a white wolf with celestial markings covering its fur. It features a distinct sumi-e-inspired cel-shaded visual style and the Celestial Brush, a gesture-system used to perform miracles.
93
/100
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was initially developed with the Nintendo GameCube in mind, but ended up receiving a Wii port when it was released to promote the new console. This version has motion control compatibility for the sword and pointer controls for the menus, the bow and the boomerang. This version of the game has a completely inverted map and locations when comparing with the GameCube release. The change in layout was meant to adapt Link's usually left-handed design to right-handed people, given the motion controls.
98
/100
02
New Super Mario Bros.
New Super Mario Bros. is a side-scrolling 2.5D action-adventure platformer game for the Nintendo DS, starring Mario and Luigi. The game features a solo story mode with Mario or Luigi, a two-player wireless game Mario Vs. Luigi, as well as a minigame mode for up to four players. The gameplay of New Super Mario Bros. is very much like that of the classic 2D platformers, mostly Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3, and substantially builds upon them to create gameplay both classic and contemporary. As the game is on DS, the touch screen allows players to store an additional power-up and view the distance still to go in a level.
95
/100
03
Okami
Set sometime in classical Japanese history, Ōkami combines several Japanese mythology and folklore to tell the story of how the land was saved from darkness by the Shinto sun goddess named Amaterasu, who took the form of a white wolf with celestial markings covering its fur. It features a distinct sumi-e-inspired cel-shaded visual style and the Celestial Brush, a gesture-system used to perform miracles.
93
/100
04
Half-Life 2: Episode One
Half-Life 2: Episode One is the first of a planned trilogy of expansion packs/episodes for the 2004 first-person shooter game, Half-Life 2. The episode takes place immediately after the end of Half-Life 2, in the war-torn setting of City 17. The player is forced to deal with the effects of their actions during the main game. The episode is a stand-alone game; while a continuation of Half-Life 2, it does not require the original game to be installed or registered to a user's Steam account to play. It takes advantage of several major upgrades to the Source engine since the release of Half-Life 2, primarily its high dynamic range rendering capabilities and the upgraded facial animation system. Episode One was released together with Half-Life Deathmatch: Source, a port of the original Half-Life's multiplayer, which doubles as Episode One's multiplayer component. The retail copies of Episode One also come with Half-Life 2 Deathmatch for those who have not previously purchased the later title.
87
/100
05
Bully
As a mischievous schoolboy, you’ll stand up to bullies, get picked on by teachers, play pranks, win or lose the girl, and ultimately learn to navigate the obstacles of the worst school around, Bullworth Academy - a corrupt and crumbling prep school with an uptight facade.
87
/100
06
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
MPO is the fourth Metal Gear title made specifically for the PSP and the first one to retain the series' action-based play mechanics. It is the first canonical outing of the Metal Gear Solid series for a portable platform, following the storyline of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Set in Colombia in 1970, six years after the events of Snake Eater, the game follows the exploits of Naked Snake after his former unit, FOX, goes renegade. The game also chronicles the eventual founding of FOXHOUND and The Patriots, as well as the inspiration of the military state Outer Heaven. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops has received highly positive critical reception from critics, and is often viewed as one of the best games released for the PSP. It was praised for its visuals, usage of Metal Gear elements and story, while criticism was directed at the game's control scheme.
87
/100
07
Resistance: Fall of Man
In an alternate 1951, Sgt. Nathan Hale is among a unit of US soldiers sent to aid the British military against the invading aliens, known as Chimera. When Hale's unit is completely wiped out in a surprise attack, he struggles for survival...
86
/100
08
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six makes its next-generation hardware debut in the most dramatic installment of the renowned first-person shooter franchise to date. Experience Las Vegas like never before – through revolutionary next-generation technology as you work against the clock to keep one of the world's most recognizable cities from utter devastation.
85
/100
09
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
The year is 2013 and you play as Captain Mitchell, commander of a Ghost Recon team, on a mission in Mexico City where rebels are attempting a coup, putting Mexico and the USA in danger. To deal with the different situations you have to face, taking out AA-guns or defending injured personnel until the rescue team arrives, you do not only have access to top-notch weapons like the different versions of the MR-C, but also to futuristic equipment like a drone that flies over the battlefield to spot enemy units.
85
/100
10
Gears of War
A third-person tactical shooter from Epic, running on the Unreal Engine 3. Gears of War thrusts gamers into a deep and harrowing story of humankind's epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet. Unlike other shooters, Gears of War is all about teamwork in a big way. All game modes, levels and scenarios are designed specifically to encourage co-operative play, whether it be with A.I. partners or human players (with A.I. teammates designed with specific strengths, weaknesses and personalities.) On top of that, voice recognition will be available for players, and obviously voice chat to discuss strategy with your friends. In addition to voice chat, gamers will be able to experience individualized matchmaking, view player statistics, earn player achievements, customize their games, and build and personalize their gamer profiles over Xbox Live.
84
/100
11
Prey (2006)
83
/100
12
LocoRoco
83
/100
13
Dead Rising
82
/100
14
Saints Row
81
/100
15
B
Hitman: Blood Money
80
/100
16
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
80
/100
17
Battlefield 2142
80
/100
18
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
79
/100
19
Alien Shooter 2: Reloaded
78
/100
20
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening Special Edition
76
/100
21
The Ship: Murder Party
76
/100
22
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
76
/100
23
F.E.A.R. Extraction Point
75
/100
24
SiN Episodes: Emergence
75
/100
25
The Godfather: The Game
74
/100
26
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
72
/100
27
Dark Messiah of Might & Magic
72
/100
28
Call of Juarez
72
/100
29
Roblox
71
/100
30
Rayman Raving Rabbids
70
/100
31
Titan Quest
69
/100
32
Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
69
/100
33
Half-Life Deathmatch: Source
69
/100
34
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
66
/100
35
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey
62
/100
36
Gothic 3
62
/100
37
Tomb Raider: Legend
60
/100
38
B
Just Cause
60
/100
Half-Life 2: Episode One
Half-Life 2: Episode One is the first of a planned trilogy of expansion packs/episodes for the 2004 first-person shooter game, Half-Life 2. The episode takes place immediately after the end of Half-Life 2, in the war-torn setting of City 17. The player is forced to deal with the effects of their actions during the main game. The episode is a stand-alone game; while a continuation of Half-Life 2, it does not require the original game to be installed or registered to a user's Steam account to play. It takes advantage of several major upgrades to the Source engine since the release of Half-Life 2, primarily its high dynamic range rendering capabilities and the upgraded facial animation system. Episode One was released together with Half-Life Deathmatch: Source, a port of the original Half-Life's multiplayer, which doubles as Episode One's multiplayer component. The retail copies of Episode One also come with Half-Life 2 Deathmatch for those who have not previously purchased the later title.
87
/100
05
Bully
As a mischievous schoolboy, you’ll stand up to bullies, get picked on by teachers, play pranks, win or lose the girl, and ultimately learn to navigate the obstacles of the worst school around, Bullworth Academy - a corrupt and crumbling prep school with an uptight facade.
87
/100
06
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
MPO is the fourth Metal Gear title made specifically for the PSP and the first one to retain the series' action-based play mechanics. It is the first canonical outing of the Metal Gear Solid series for a portable platform, following the storyline of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Set in Colombia in 1970, six years after the events of Snake Eater, the game follows the exploits of Naked Snake after his former unit, FOX, goes renegade. The game also chronicles the eventual founding of FOXHOUND and The Patriots, as well as the inspiration of the military state Outer Heaven. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops has received highly positive critical reception from critics, and is often viewed as one of the best games released for the PSP. It was praised for its visuals, usage of Metal Gear elements and story, while criticism was directed at the game's control scheme.
87
/100
07
Resistance: Fall of Man
In an alternate 1951, Sgt. Nathan Hale is among a unit of US soldiers sent to aid the British military against the invading aliens, known as Chimera. When Hale's unit is completely wiped out in a surprise attack, he struggles for survival...
86
/100
08
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six makes its next-generation hardware debut in the most dramatic installment of the renowned first-person shooter franchise to date. Experience Las Vegas like never before – through revolutionary next-generation technology as you work against the clock to keep one of the world's most recognizable cities from utter devastation.
85
/100
09
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
The year is 2013 and you play as Captain Mitchell, commander of a Ghost Recon team, on a mission in Mexico City where rebels are attempting a coup, putting Mexico and the USA in danger. To deal with the different situations you have to face, taking out AA-guns or defending injured personnel until the rescue team arrives, you do not only have access to top-notch weapons like the different versions of the MR-C, but also to futuristic equipment like a drone that flies over the battlefield to spot enemy units.
85
/100
10
Gears of War
A third-person tactical shooter from Epic, running on the Unreal Engine 3. Gears of War thrusts gamers into a deep and harrowing story of humankind's epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet. Unlike other shooters, Gears of War is all about teamwork in a big way. All game modes, levels and scenarios are designed specifically to encourage co-operative play, whether it be with A.I. partners or human players (with A.I. teammates designed with specific strengths, weaknesses and personalities.) On top of that, voice recognition will be available for players, and obviously voice chat to discuss strategy with your friends. In addition to voice chat, gamers will be able to experience individualized matchmaking, view player statistics, earn player achievements, customize their games, and build and personalize their gamer profiles over Xbox Live.
84
/100
11
Prey (2006)
83
/100
12
LocoRoco
83
/100
13
Dead Rising
82
/100
14
Saints Row
81
/100
15
B
Hitman: Blood Money
80
/100
16
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
80
/100
17
Battlefield 2142
80
/100
18
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
79
/100
19
Alien Shooter 2: Reloaded
78
/100
20
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening Special Edition
76
/100
21
The Ship: Murder Party
76
/100
22
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
76
/100
23
F.E.A.R. Extraction Point
75
/100
24
SiN Episodes: Emergence
75
/100
25
The Godfather: The Game
74
/100
26
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
72
/100
27
Dark Messiah of Might & Magic
72
/100
28
Call of Juarez
72
/100
29
Roblox
71
/100
30
Rayman Raving Rabbids
70
/100
31
Titan Quest
69
/100
32
Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
69
/100
33
Half-Life Deathmatch: Source
69
/100
34
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
66
/100
35
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey
62
/100
36
Gothic 3
62
/100
37
Tomb Raider: Legend
60
/100
38
B
Just Cause
60
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Action game of 2006?
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess currently tops the ranking with a score of 98/100 across 493 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.