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To this day, video games based on movies are widely treated as kind of a joke. While many agree that there are a few exceptions to the rule, the general consensus suggests that they are largely awful cash grabs representative of another era when gamers and parents could be easily fooled into buying something if was attached to a familiar, non-gaming name. To be fair, that reputation has been forged by countless games fitting that description.
Yet, those games’ greatest sin may just be they have polluted the cultural waters for genuinely great (or at least incredibly interesting) games based on movies. Those games seem destined to be overlooked and undervalued because of their association with outside properties, which is a shame given that they should serve as guiding lights toward a better way to make these kinds of games that are far harder to find in the modern era.
Before we give a little love to those games, here are a few points to keep in mind:
– We’re using a generous definition of “games based on movies” in order to account for more than direct adaptations. Along with those direct adaptations, we’re also including games based on properties that began as movies as well as side stories, prequels, and re-interpretations of popular movies set within the film’s universe.
– We’re using a “one game per franchise” rule for this list in order to prevent certain franchises from dominating the conversation.
With that out of the way, here are the best games based on movies.
25. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
There are far better X-Men games out there, but many of them are based on the comics or general property. X-Men Origins: Wolverine is not only one of the rare X-Men games based on the movies but one of the few such games that are significantly better than the movies they are based on.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a gloriously absurd, two-clawed embrace of the wonderfully over-the-top era of 3D action gaming it is an often underrated part of. It depicts Logan as a Kratos-like instrument of death who lives his life along a path of blood, destruction, and freshly punched helicopters. The fact that a movie with its head so far up its ass gifted us with a game so shamelessly enjoyable is still hard to believe.
24. Scarface
If you want to get slightly philosophical about it, you could argue that Scarface is a fascinating example of a video game interpreting a movie’s legacy rather than the film itself. Based on the truly ridiculous premise that Tony Montana survived the ending of the film, Scarface feels like a tribute to the film’s legacy as a gangster culture cornerstone rather than a genuine attempt to replicate the best qualities of the movie itself.
Mostly, though, Scarface is a ton of fun. It’s basically a Vice City clone that lacks the execution of its inspiration but makes up for its deficiencies by delivering an absurd adventure perhaps best described as how GTA games are often depicted in media rather than what they actually are. That said, some of its ideas (especially its empire building/drug dealing system) would fit quite nicely in a proper Rockstar title.
23. John Wick Hex
Like many of you, I would have greatly preferred a John Wick game designed in the style of the Max Payne titles or perhaps something like Hotline Miami. However, the expectations for such an experience seemingly blinded many to the surprising fact that John Wick Hex is an exceptional strategy game.
Hex’s brilliant premise sees you strategically maneuver John Wick through a variety of enemy-filled areas. The basic idea is to survive these seeming death traps by flawlessly executing the perfect maneuvers at the perfect time much like Wick does in the films. It’s challenging and undeniably different, but this game seems destined to be denied the respect it deserves.
22. Willow (NES)
During an especially dark early time for video games based on movies, the most popular adaptation strategy typically revolved around taking an established formula and crudely inserting familiar characters and locations into those concepts. You could argue that’s what Capcom (one of the best licensed game developers ever) did with Willow. Rather than repackage Mega Man or Ninja Gaiden, though, they used this adaptation as an excuse to pursue their own version of The Legend of Zelda.
The results are fascinating. Unsurprisingly, Willow does not hold a candle to The Legend of Zelda. Yet, the ways in which it delivers a more RPG-like take on that concept (complete with an XP system) makes Willow a rather unique NES experience and an unlikely early example of the ARPG concepts that would soon become much more popular in subsequent decades.
21. Little Nemo: The Dream Master
Honestly, one of the only reasons that Little Nemo isn’t higher on this list is the simple fact that it has a somewhat loose relationship with the largely forgotten movie that it’s based on. As a game, though, it’s one of the absolute best in this category.
Little Nemo was a bit of a flex for Capcom in an era that saw them pretty much perfect the 2D action platformer. Little Nemo is hardly their best entry in that subgenre, but it’s bright, colorful, creative, and entirely enjoyable all the way through.
20. King Kong (Xbox 360)
The King Kong video game is an interesting example of the benefits of timing when it comes to these kinds of adaptations. Peter Jackson’s King Kong film wasn’t quite the undeniable follow-up to Lord of the Rings some hoped it would be (though I’m a big fan of the movie), and some of the versions of this game are honestly pretty bad. Crucially, though, Ubisoft elected to make the flagship version of the game the version of the game they developed for the recently launched Xbox 360.
It’s that version of the game that earns a spot on this list. The Xbox 360 version of King Kong was a jaw-dropping technical showcase of the new console’s raw power. By utilizing an ahead-of-its-time minimalist UI format, Ubisoft crafted and displayed some of the most stunning set-piece moments ever seen in a video game up until this point. Much of the game doesn’t hold up (if it worked in the first place) but it was the kind of glimpse into the future that launch games rarely are these days.
19. The Mummy Demastered
I can only imagine what you must be thinking when you hear that someone made a game based on Tom Cruise’s 2017 Mummy film. That movie that is best remembered for its broken debut trailer is largely agreed to be beyond redemption. Yet, this game comes remarkably close to justifying that utterly ill-advised experiment.
The Mummy Demastered is actually a Metroidvania game and a pretty damn good one at that. Not the best Metroidvania game out there, mind you, but you owe nothing but love to those who looked at that utterly joyless film and decided to just make their own Castlevania-leaning Metroidvania title instead. It’s a true gem.
18. Robocop Rogue City
The newest game on this list harkens back to that strange mid-2000s golden age for games based on movies. That’s partially because of its outdated visuals and mechanics, but it has more to do with the ways developer Teyon turned their shameless love for the source material into something surprisingly bold and true to the original film.
From the intentionally slow movements to its absurd apocalyptic world just barely clinging on to the vestiges of society, Rogue City just gets Robocop in a way that every other game starring the character doesn’t. More than anything else, though, it’s a fundamentally fun game that constantly showcases the sheer joy that went into its development.
17. The Thing
Few swings in the history of games based on movies have been as big as when Computer Artworks convinced Konami to let them make a game based on John Carpenter’s The Thing. Not only was The Thing years away from enjoying the widespread acclaim it does now, but the developers aspired to make a game that was true to the film’s legendary premise. Unfortunately, the limits of their resources are often on display in this game that clearly punches above its weight.
Yet, it would take a truly cynical eye to look at this game and not admire nearly everything it attempts and what it succeeds. This game’s fear-based trust system adds a thematically thrilling spark to its survival horror gameplay. With any luck, Nightdive’s upcoming remaster of this game will reveal its full potential to a new generation.
16. Mad Max
Mad Max is held back by a series of development problems that ultimately made it too much of a product of its time. Whatever bad memories you have of that era when every open-world game was filled with monotonous tasks and generally joyless necessities are on full display in this often frustrating combination of concepts.
What really makes this game so frustrating, though, is the fact it gets the toughest things about making a great Mad Max game absolutely right. The feeling of cruising around a hostile wasteland in your customizable car while you fend off automotive assailants is damn near nirvanic. This game’s greatest qualities belong in a more complete overall experience.
15. Tron 2.0
Monolith Productions has a surprisingly long history of developing incredible games that are widely considered to be ahead of their time. That’s another way to say that they developed some fascinating flops and generally underappreciated works. It’s fitting, then, that they also developed a game based on one of the most fascinating flops in movie history.
Tron 2.0 endeavors to be as unique as the movie it is based on. From its rich visuals to its universe-friendly (and genuinely engaging) upgrade system, Tron 2.0 is a first-person shooter that often tries to upend nearly every convention of the genre at a time when those conventions were barely even established. Yet, the highlight of the experience has to be those jaw-dropping light cycle levels that recreate the most iconic moments of the now-legendary movie.
14. Batman (NES)
Sunsoft’s Batman video game is essentially Ninja Gaiden right down to the wall jumps and ridiculously high difficulty. Is that really an issue, though? Is there any other game of the ‘80s more fit to be converted into a Batman title than Ninja Gaiden?
When it comes to replicating the fluidity and thrills of that style of 8-bit action gameplay, Sunsoft meets (or even surpasses) their obvious inspiration. What makes this game so magical all these years later, though, is the sheer style of the thing. From the magical chiptune version of that classic Danny Elfman score to the eerily effective gothic visuals that make this one of the best-looking NES games, Batman helped show that adaptations could be something special.
13. Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Ghostbusters: The Video Game is a solid little action/adventure title that plays closer to a survival horror game without sacrificing the property’s comedic elements. When combined with a welcome co-op multiplayer mode, it’s pretty much everything you could hope for in a Ghostbusters video game. What makes this one more than that, though, is the involvement of the film’s cast.
Not only did Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson lend their voices and images to the game, but Ramis and Akroyd were closely involved with the game’s writing and story structure. Akryoyd later called this their vision of a third Ghostbusters movie, and that’s pretty much what it feels like. Rather than be forced to watch the old actors try to pretend like they’re the old Ghostbusters, though, this game affords the group the dignity of one last adventure unburdened by most logical real-world limitations.
12. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game
While technically inspired by the comic series, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game was released to help promote Edgar Wright’s 2010 film. It is also a kind of throwback to the age when many properties received an arcade-style beat-em-up tie-in game.
Scott Pilgrim is more than a tribute, though. Developer Ubisoft packed a surprisingly robust adventure into what was ultimately a budget title intended to help promote a new movie. Most importantly, the developers demonstrated both their love of the source material and their understanding of how to translate those elements into this kind of experience. This game has only gotten better since it went largely ignored at the time of its release.
11. Aladdin (SNES/Genesis)
The eternal debate over whether the SNES or Genesis version of Aladdin is better often ignores the miraculous fact that we got two, largely distinct games based on a hit Disney movie released for separate platforms. At a time when most games based on movies were still considered to be inferior products, Disney put a surprising amount of thought into what studios they worked with and how those games would become a part of those properties’ generational legacy.
Both versions of Aladdin may be the best example of the benefits of that approach (at least so far as movie games go). They’re colorful, creative, fun, and unlike some of the latter Disney games (looking at you Lion King) they are not brutally difficult for no conceivable reason. For the record, though, I give the slight nod to the Genesis version.
10. Sweet Home
1989’s Sweet Home isn’t exactly the best or most beloved horror film of its era. In fact, I’d argue that the movie is best remembered for being the basis for this Capcom horror RPG that is itself best remembered for being the spiritual predecessor to the Resident Evil franchise.
However, I’ve long argued that this game deserves to be freed from Resident Evil’s shadow. It is one of the NES’ most unique role-playing experiences, and the rare (possibly the only) console horror game of the ‘80s that is genuinely frightening in its own way. There are too few games that aspire to do what Sweet Home does, and fewer still that do it as well.
9. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Return of the King doesn’t try to do much more than its predecessor (The Two Towers; another game worthy of this list). It is another 3D beat-em-up game that blends recreations of the Peter Jackson films with then-impressive film footage. This sequel ultimately surpasses its predecessor by virtue of its larger character pool, refined combat, and slightly more ambitious level design.
The heart of what makes these games so incredible remains the same all these years later, though. At a time when the Lord of the Rings films felt like positively magical movie monuments, these games let you recreate some of their most exciting moments (and a few scenes not found in the films) with help from a friend while enjoying a style of 3D beat-em-up gameplay that came and went too quickly. Interestingly, the GBA version of this game is actually a surprisingly exceptional Diablo-like ARPG.
8. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay
With passing respect to the Chronicles of Riddick film, I feel comfortable saying that expectations were low for this prequel video game tie-in. In fact, I don’t even remember there being any real expectations for this game. Yet, Starbreeze Studios ultimately delivered something that has far outlasted the cultural impact of the Riddick movies.
Escape From Butcher Bay was often billed as a first-person shooter, though that’s a woefully inadequate description of its ambition. In reality, its blend of complex level designs, stealth, and melee action put it closer to something like the Thief series or perhaps the Condemned games. It’s an atmospheric and ambitious experience that is somehow both true to its source material and significantly more impressive than that material ever was. It still feels like a game that simply shouldn’t be as great as it is.
7. Blade Runner
It’s easy (relatively speaking) to imagine the Blade Runner movie as one of those point-and-click adventure games of the ‘90s. Ridley Scott’s atmospheric film that offers few easy answers just seems to fit within the confines of that genre that often boasted the same qualities. Yet, developer Westwood Studio was not tasked with imagining such a game but rather delivering it. They further burdened themselves by aspiring to offer a version of that experience as technically and narratively ambitious as the Blade Runner movies.
Yet, that is exactly what they delivered. Blade Runner’s revolutionary 3D visuals not only advanced the technological ambitions of the medium but offered the necessary atmosphere for this compelling narrative adventure that runs parallel to the Ridley Scott film. It’s an essential companion to that movie, which makes me that much more grateful that the game has been rescued and preserved for modern audiences.
6. The Warriors
The Warriors is the kind of big-budget passion project we just don’t see enough of in modern gaming. Riding high off the historic successes of the GTA sequels, Rockstar allowed themselves to veer far off the path of expectations and develop a beat-em-up game based on a cult classic ‘70s film. It was entirely unexpected yet felt like the perfect blend of developer and concept.
The final game benefits from a similar combination of qualities. The Warriors offers some of the finest 3D beat-em-up gameplay ever crafted as well as levels and objectives far more bountiful than what we typically associate with that genre. Yet, even those attributes pale in comparison to the game’s surprisingly ambitious narrative that serves as both a prequel to and adaptation of the movie. It’s not just a fantastic reimagining of a classic film; it’s a project that exists and excels on its own terms.
5. Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
Developer LucasArts has certainly forged its own legacy that is in no way dependent on the strength of the Lucasfilm properties. Yet, Fate of Atlantis is perhaps the most notable example of what happens when two divisions join forces to locate and navigate the fabled middle-ground between their respective empires.
The Fate of Atlantis is as visually thrilling and deviously challenging as any of the great LucasArts adventure games of the ‘90s. In Indiana Jones, though, that team found the perfect protagonist for such an adventure. While this game uniquely offers three distinct paths designed to emphasize the various defining qualities of that character, all of them showcase the creative wealth of the Indiana Jones franchise better than even the best action-oriented games ever could.
4. Alien Isolation
There have been a number of surprisingly exceptional Alien games over the years, though each of them typically emphasized the more action-oriented nature of the film Aliens. That made sense during the decades when such action was largely expected from games. With Alien Isolation, developer Creative Assembly chose a different path. They endeavored to offer an experience that replicated the claustrophobic terrors of the original Alien movie that turned a lone Xenomorph into the most terrifying creature ever captured on film.
Alien Isolation is arguably the greatest “stalker” horror game ever created. Thanks to a dynamic AI system that allows the xenomorph to learn from your actions and organically attack you based on them, Isolation manages to not only recreate the eternal horror of the original Alien movie but deliver arguably the scariest video game ever made in the process. While the game loses its way a bit in the second half, nobody will ever forget struggling to survive in those nearly perfect opening moments.
3. Spider-Man 2
Though early Spider-Man video games were a bit better than they seem to get credit for, it’s safe to say they weren’t quite what Spider-Man fans hoped for. They had the look and the characters, but they didn’t let us swing across the city in the ways that we so often dreamed of doing. Well, who would have guessed that the first Spider-Man game to get that part of the Spider-Man experience right would be a seeming cash-in on the latest film?
You don’t have to go back in time and imagine what it was like to swing across NYC as Spider-Man for the first time. Not really. The web-slinging mechanics this game introduced and refined have since become the basis for the Spider-Man games that followed which continue to dazzle us with the most satisfying movement mechanics ever seen in an open-world video game. Few games have ever made us feel like a hero quite like this one did.
2. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Though it was tempting to name one of the better direct adaptations of a Star Wars movie for the sake of variety, conventional wisdom ended up winning the day. Yes, Knights of the Old Republic is thousands of years removed from any of the Star Wars movies that preceded it. That makes its inclusion in this topic a controversial decision at the very least.
Yet, I can’t separate this game from those movies quite so easily. It removed itself far enough from the established Star Wars lore to allow BioWare the freedom they needed to craft a role-playing adventure in their own style but stayed true enough to that lore to allow fans to navigate the moral quandaries and complicated life of a Jedi in ways that had only been hinted at in other works. The fact that this RPG forever changed the console RPG landscape for the better is only a further testament to its credentials.
1. GoldenEye 007
Truth be told, I don’t think GoldenEye 007 is the best game on this list. At least not in modern terms. Playing this game now requires you to wear blinders that many simply do not have access to. Even then, results may vary. Yet I also don’t hesitate to call GoldenEye 007 the best game based on a movie and the finest example of what that type of adaptation is capable of.
Unlike some of the other games on this list which were either loosely based on a movie, released quite some time after that movie, or elevated weaker source material, GoldenEye was released just a couple of years after the movie it was based on. Unlike other games in this category which had to take numerous creative liberties, GoldenEye 007 stayed remarkably true to its source material while occasionally expanding upon it. And unlike other games on this list which have the rare pleasure of surpassing the quality of their largely weaker source material, GoldenEye 007 did that for a movie that is generally considered to be one of the best entires in an esteemed franchise.
On top of all that, GoldenEye 007 changed gaming forever with its revolutionary split-screen multiplayer that defined an era and created irreplaceable memories. It’s doubtful there will ever be another movie game that comes close to matching its impact and legacy.
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