History ActionGirl / VideoGames

** Princess Peach is infamous as a DamselInDistress, but there are a few games where she really gets to shine. The levels in badass she takes in these games don't generally tend to stick in subsequent games, but it's still nice when it does happen. Games where she becomes a proactive hero include ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'', ''VideoGame/SuperPrincessPeach'', ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'', ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'', ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'', ''VideoGame/MarioPlusRabbidsKingdomBattle'', Super Mario Run and Mario Plus Rabbids Sparks Of Hope. She is also able to participate in the torture and chaos that is Mario Kart and Mario Party, is just as much of an athlete as everyone else in the various sports games (the Mario Strikers series in particular make her a sassy and confident LadyOfWar) and is also a very impressive and powerful fighter in Super Smash Bros. One really does wonder why she gets kidnapped so frequently and easily when she can hold her own so formidably.

* By virtue of being a fighting game series, ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' features a bunch, which include [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Samus Aran]], [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Jigglypuff]], [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Princess Zelda]] (also as [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Sheik]]), [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Princess Peach]], [[VideoGame/IceClimber Nana]], [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy Rosalina]], [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Lucina]], [[VideoGame/KidIcarus Palutena]], and VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}. But special mention goes to the ''VideoGame/WiiFit'' Trainer, who attacks opponents with what are basically yoga poses. All those other women had at least ''some'' taste of action in their original franchises, even Peach; the Trainer's games never featured any action ''at all''.

* Fiora, Melia, and Sharla from ''[[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1 Xenoblade Chronicles]]'' are all fantastic warriors, and part of the main group of heroes. Fiora is a knife-wielder who [[later becomes a cybord and upgrades to wielding twin swords]], Melia is a powerful mage who can nuke enemies into oblivion, and Sharla has a huge gun that fires magic bullets for both damaging foes and healing allies.

* Fiora, Melia, and Sharla from ''[[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1 Xenoblade Chronicles]]'' are all fantastic warriors, and part of the main group of heroes. Fiora is a KnifeNut who [[later becomes a cybord and upgrades to wielding twin swords]], Melia is a powerful mage who can nuke enemies into oblivion, and Sharla has a huge gun that fires magic bullets for both damaging foes and healing allies.

** All three of the girls in ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'' are Action Girls. Ahem...
*** Tear Grants is a strong, silent, battle-hardened CombatMedic who manages to make the WhiteMagicianGirl role seem really, really badass. So badass, she could have killed the BigBad ''10 minutes after the start of the game'' if [[TheHero Luke]] didn't defend him.
*** [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Princess Natalia]] [[OverlyLongName Luzu Kimlasca Lanvaldear]] is a [[PrettyPrincessPowerhouse pincess]] with some awesome archery skills, proving she's definitely ''not'' helpless like other fictional princesses.
*** And finally, Anise Tatlin is a tank-tastic CuteBruiser who rides into battle on [[ImprobableWeaponUser a giant teddy bear]], and boy, can that teddy bear kick ass.

* ''VideoGame/MinecraftDungeons'': Some of the character skins are clearly intended to be female, allowing for this trope to be invoked.

* Blaze the Cat is the most straight example from the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' games, but Amy is no slouch with [[DropTheHammer that hammer of hers]] and Rouge will ''literally'' kick your ass as a KickChick. Cream will sometimes take action as well, and actually made her debut game a breeze to play through(thanks to her Chao sidekick, Cheese). Shade [[spoiler:the Echidna]] from ''VideoGame/SonicChronicles: The Dark Brotherhood'' is another perfect example, armed with twin blades, grenades and martial arts.

** In [[BaldursGateIII the third game]], Lae'zel and Karlach are the primary physical brawlers of the group, Shadowheart is a CombatMedic, Minthara is an [[BlackKnight Oath of Vengeance]] [[MagicKnight Paladin]], and they are joined by an OlderAndWiser Jaheira.

** Aya from ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedOrigins'' is the husband of Bayek and one of the founders of the Hidden Ones, the ancient precursors to the modern Assassin Brotherhood. [[spoiler:She is also known by her alias Amunet]] and was responsible for the death of [[spoiler:Cleopatra after she agreed to allow her to train her son Caesarion as a Hidden One]].

** Also Sniper Wolf from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', Olga Gurlokavich and Fortune from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' (Fortune also wields the biggest gun in the whole series including Raven's), and to some extent EVA from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3''. There's also Quiet from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'' whose a deadly ColdSniper and taken down multiple soldiers barehanded by herself.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series:

** ''VideoGame/Fallout3'' had Star Paladin Cross, for goodies and Clover the psycho-slave for baddies.
** ''VideoGame/Fallout2'' had Miria, an UnwantedSpouse that you could marry regardless of gender, who was [[GoodOldFisticuffs quite skilled in Unarmed]].

** Rosalina was recently added to the cast a few games ago. In ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'', she [[spoiler: transforms her space station into comet mode and blasts though the armada surrounding the castle like the ships were nothing but cheap toys]], and in ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'', she's a playable character who has her own personal attack against enemies. A welcome addition to the franchise indeed.

** The spin-off titles (''VideoGame/MarioKart'', ''VideoGame/MarioParty'' and the sports titles) have Princess Daisy, a TomboyPrincess who is certainly more then willing to get down and dirty with the rest of the cast.

** Savyna, Xelha, and Mizuti in ''Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean''. Savyna is a ex-soldier who talks with her fists. Xelha is a mage who basically kicks off the plot by chasing the BigBad and the others join ''her'' in the quest. Mizuti is a 14-year-old girl who takes pride in powerful magic.

* ''20 Minutes Till Dawn'' has everyone of its characters being a gun-toting girl with magical powers. From Scarlett who's every 3rd shot releases a wave of flames to Lilith who turns slain enemies into damaging ghosts. Guns for your girls range from a pistol to grenade launchers to the mystical bat shooters which fire a pair of [[HomingProjectile enemy-seeking bats]].

* Krystal, from ''VideoGame/StarFox'', although it's heavily debatable on whether or not she's an ActionGirl or a FauxActionGirl.

* Eleanor Lamb from ''VideoGame/{{Bioshock|2}}''. We may only get her briefly, but she kicks so much butt. Dr. Tenenbaum also deserves credit for surviving Rapture and WWII with only her smarts and her gun. We may not see her fight, but she must've to live to that age and still be alive (and escape).
* Pretty much ''every'' female character in ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' is this. The most notable examples, though, are [[FragileSpeedster No]][[BadassAdorable el]] [[TheGunslinger Vermi]][[WaifFu llion]], [[LadyOfWar Tsu]][[LightIsNotGood baki]] [[KnightTemplar Yayoi]], [[ChineseGirl Lit]][[MsFanservice chi]] [[HospitalHottie Faye]]-[[KickChick Ling]] and [[LittleBitBeastly Mak]][[HotBlooded oto]] [[GeniusDitz Nan]][[MusclesAreMeaningless aya]].

** [[BoobsOfSteel Tifa Lockhart]] from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' can punch and kick her way with the best of them. She has been [[CharlesAtlasSuperPower trained]] in martial arts since she was a child, and has superhuman reflexes and [[SuperStrength strength]]. Yuffie Kisaragi the teenage ninja also qualifies, though her action is based more on speed than strength. Despite being a flower girl, Aerith Gainsborough herself is no slouch as WhiteMage (although in the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake remake]] they promote Aerith from WhiteMage to RedMage). The [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake remake]] adds Jessie Rasberry, going from TheLoad in the original game to a skilled DemolitionsExpert who’s handy with grenades.

* KOS-MOS from ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' with her big-ass guns. And her big-ass... [[BoobsOfSteel other guns]].

** Marian from ''VideoGame/DoubleDragon'' would grow to become this in the continuity for the sole reason of getting tired of her DamselInDistress routine and as a result, she became a powerhouse with chiseled abs so that she won't get punched in the gut and carried off to parts unknown anymore. And even outside of the River City Girls series, she still gets her time in the action spotlight in a Neo Geo Double Dragon game as a fighter and in ''VideoGame/DoubleDragonGaidenRiseOfTheDragons'' where she is equipped with a HyperspaceArsenal of firearms.

* ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'': Since the [[PlayerCharacter Vault Hunters]] are supposed to be the biggest badasses in a planet where EverythingIsTryingToKillYou, all of the playable women (Lilith, Maya, Gaige, Athena, Nisha, Aurelia, Moze, and Amara) are this by default. Plus, many of them are Sirens (beings with special and mysthical powers), making them arguably MoreDeadlyThanTheMale Vault Hunters.

** Not just any staff. She uses a Zhua! A sub-section of staff with a big-ass, heavy, SHARP claw on the end. For bonus points: Said claw is a [[IncrediblyLamePun Katt's]] claw! Don't think there's a difference? The Zhua has been known to crack a man's skull cleanly in two with a single swing. And that's BEFORE they get the sharp end out.

*** Alicia is a [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething princess]] who insists on being treated like a knight, wears armor, and carries a BladeOnAStick. And she's cute, to boot.