Summary
Since the beginning of video gaming history, the stories of the silver screen have had a huge place in the hearts of gamers. Starting with Raiders of the Lost Ark on the Atari in 1982 and continuing to this very day, movies have found a place in the video game landscape, for better or for worse.
AfterE.T. The Extraterrestrialalmost crashed the video game industry, licensed tie-in video games have found themselves being looked down on by some. However, a select few games rise to the top and are incredible games in their own right. Here are some of the best licensed tie-in games of all time.
A grand-scale open-world adventureset in the post-apocalyptic world ofMad Max, this 2015 release borrowed the best features from a collection of other popular games. Although the story doesn’t follow established films, fans of George Miller’s universe will see plenty of familiar elements.
Graphically, the game is stunning, and while the narrative is nothing special, the developers managed to adaptArkham Asylum’s free-flow combat system to fit the gritty world perfectly. Vehicular combat and a car that can be endlessly modified and upgraded make the world ofMad Maxspring to life and toss fans of the franchise into the desert plains of the nuclear winter.
X-Men Origins: Wolverinewas a less-than-stellar film, but the team in charge of adapting the film into a console game definitely went out of their way to put the slash back into ‘hack and slash’. Borrowing combos and flashy attacks from the likes ofGod of WarandDevil May Cry, while ensuring that fans of the character feel the animalistic rage of Logan carries over into gameplay, the combat was well-received by players.
The edition that was released on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC was subtitledUncaged Editionand unleashed Wolverine’s attacks in bloody violence that led to the game being stamped with a Mature rating.
Perhaps the most faithful licensed tie-in game,The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingwas a huge achievement after the previous game in the series. Fans of the trilogy were given a huge number of possible playable characters in each segment: Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli take on the main combat challenges, while Sam and Frodo are also playable for segments that feel much more intense and difficult.
The gameplay takes on a standard hack and slash format, using a variety of attacks to break through enemy blocks, cleave through hordes of Sauron’s dark forces and leveling up to unlock better abilities and progress. The ability to take on levelswith a partner in local co-opmakes this adventure worthwhile for any fantasy fans.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottomis a gleeful exploration of collectathon gameplay as well as a love letter to the classic cartoon. Easter eggs that reference jokes from the series are dotted throughout the many levels that players can take on, and while swapping between characters and using different abilities to progress is simple, there are seriously challenging platforming challenges for players who look a little deeper into the game.
These jumping puzzles are opportunities for tightly controlled 3D platforming that can be rare to find outside some of the most beloved gamesin the PlayStation 2 generation. Thankfully, this game has received a remaster in recent years to allow fans to get their hands on it to this day.
A big release by none other thanRockstar Games,The Warriorsalmost immediately gained a cult following. Fans of the game still call for a remake or remaster of the brawling beat ‘em up. For any lovers of the original 1979 movie, the game is a must-play, giving more insight into the origins of the gang and the main characters as well as letting players branch out and explore the gritty New York City setting.
Planting stolen goods on crooked police officers,fighting in combo heavy combat with rival gangsand battling their way to the final scenes taken from the film, players are likely to get lost in the story, whether they are new to it or whether this is their hundredth exploration ofThe Warriors’world.
King Kongis the definition of a hidden gem. Indulging in an immersive gameplay loop that switches between first-person shooting and third-person brawling,Konghas players taking on the character of Jack Driscoll with a minimalist HUD and fighting their way onto Skull Island. Fans will switch to third-person gameplay tofight massive creatures as the hulking gorilla himself.
While the story can be a little bare-bones, the gameplay is so reactive and complex for such an early game, and the graphics are of such high quality that, when paired with the original cast of the film reprising their roles as voice actors, it can be easy to fall into the world of this otherwise underground game.
The first Disney film to have one of its tie-in games make this list,Aladdinis a perfect blend of nostalgia and quality gameplay for any fans of the classic animated movie. With very different versions for both theSuper Nintendoand theSega Genesis, the side-scrolling platformer sees the titular character making his way through stages formed around the market of Agrabah, the Cave of Wonders and the Palace.
Players can jump onto the heads of enemies to defeat them and should navigate the tricky platforming segments to collect gems, apples to throw at obstacles and golden scarabs that can lead the way to secret stages where the Genie will reward players with extra lives and bonuses. Even featuring carpet ride segments and boss fights,Aladdinis simplistic but a masterfully done tie-in to an amazing film. It is important to note
Using a game as a prequel to the movie it pairs with is a unique idea matched to the style ofPitch Black. Vin Diesel returns to reprise his role of Riddick in a prison break narrative that seems to be a send-up of other FPS adventures likeHalf-Life.Using stealth, brawling with fists and later unlocking a group of guns, players will make their way through the guards and security of a maximum security prison.
Developed as an extension to the established story and used as an opportunity to show the character in a different light, fans of theRiddickfranchise will love getting their teeth stuck into this classic action game.
2Star Wars Arcade
Tie-ins at the arcade
A relic of the earlier licensed tie-in games from the arcade era,Star Wars(1983) wasan arcade cabinet that has left a long legacy. Coming in both stand-up cabinets and sit-down cockpit simulators,Star Warshas players take on the piloting of an X-Wing in the trench run of the Death Star in the originalStar Warsfilm.
While the graphics are quite primitive, players get a sense of real speed as they tilt their ship to avoid incoming fire and enemy ships and fire their own lasers to try to take out any TIE-Fighters and gun turrets that they can. Fondly remembered and one of the first games that fans were able to get truly immersed in the world of,Star Warsdeserves its place high on this list.
GoldenEye 007is still a revered game, constantly talked about and remembered as a pinnacle of local co-op, fast-paced FPS gameplay and realism. While it has aged, the licensed game sold the third most copies of any Nintendo 64 game. Fans of stealth FPS games will find plenty to do inGoldenEye 007,where they are tasked with taking out particular enemies or saving hostages. A whole slew of different weapons can be used alongside simple close combat, but players who go about their missions too loudly will quickly find themselves overwhelmed by foes.
The multiplayer is still infamous for allowing players to face off in deathmatches in split screen while letting players choose their character. GoldenEye is the golden standard for how to adapt a film for a licensed tie-in game.
