The third-person action genre is a broad game classification, and one of the most popular. The only requirements for it to be in this category is that the camera needs to be primarily in a third-person perspective. So whether it's a Spartan warrior stabbing a Minotaur in the face, or a cartoon like caveman bashing a dinosaur with a club, it's a third-person action game.

Other genres such as hack & slashes, third-person shooters and beat 'em ups can, sometimes, be considered sub-genres of third-person action.