It used to be one of the things Movie lovers wished for – to see their favorite characters become playable in the world that they know and love.
There is joy when a game development company manages to release a game that looks and feels like the movies they are based on – but they have to work extra hard to turn the game into something that feels like the movie but has something new to it.
After all, playing the movie point for point wouldn’t bring fans anything new!
The great thing about games that come from a movie franchise (most often horror or superhero) is that they don’t need to be plot specific. Games can take the fans and the characters through new worlds and undiscovered places and even explore some of the storylines that never made it to the movies.
Often just being set in the same universe can be enough.
There are a couple of movie x game crossovers that have done wonders for the overall popularity of the franchise.
So what are the standout crossovers between movies and games?
GoldenEye 007
If you ever mention the golden gun and see a gleam in someone’s eye – the chances are, they are thinking back to when they had it or needed to run from it in this game. GoldenEye 007 didn’t have a movie connection, but since it was James Bond, that never really mattered.
A split-screen action-packed shooting game – and depending on the bravery and skill of your opponent, matches could go on for some time.
For the authentic experience, you’re going to need to pull your dusty Nintendo 64 out from storage and fire it up. Always keep in mind when you do this, the graphics we are now used to and what you are used to are vastly different.
The game was remastered for Xbox, though, and you can get it on Nintendo Switch Online too.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars games were never going to go bust – but because of how expansive the universe is when it comes to Star Wars, there is always a risk that it would never quite be big enough. Knights of The Old Republic hit the market, and not only was it hotly anticipated, but the uptake of the game was phenomenal.
Of course, being able to play as a Jedi is one of the best things about the game, and it runs on a D2 system which decides if the action is successful or not.
It was released in 2003, but it is still one of the most successful looks at movies that crossed over into games.
Alien: Isolation
When it comes to survival horror games, the Alien ones are worth their weight in gold; being chased through a ship with a Xenomorph hot on your tail is quite terrifying. And, if you add some headphones into the equation, it gets a lot worse pretty quickly.
Alien, the movie had some decent jump scares and became a cult classic pretty quickly – and the games have followed suit.
In Isolation, you’re not playing as the original Ripley, though; you’re playing 15 years after the incidents that happened in Alien – your Ripley’s daughter, fighting for your life. The game forces you to run and hide while you slowly uncover the story and the tools to help you stay safe.
Alien: Isolation holds firmly to the tense moments and ambiance of the original movie.
The Godfather
There are several games of The Godfather, the two most popular were the 2006 release on the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PlayStation Portable. The success of the movies and the rise in interest in mafia and mob life meant that it was a smash hit.
What followed was The Godfather: Mob Wars, the Wii edition of The Godfather: Blackhand Edition, and the PS3 version of The Godfather: The Don’s Edition.
While it is not one of the newest slot games on the market, The Godfather slot game is one of the most iconic and most played. It has everything you want to see in a traditional slot game – but with your favorite scene and iconic symbols on screen too.
You’ll find food, wine, phones, characters, roses, and even cake made up of the symbols that The Godfather fans will enjoy.
Marvel’s Spider-Man
With gameplay that was a revelation and swinging from roof-tops on webs as smooth as butter, Marvel’s Spider-Man was highly anticipated and massively adored by Spider-Man fans.
The combat in the Spider-Man game closely resembles that of the movie and follows in the footsteps of Batman: Arkham fast, intuitive, and with different difficulties. Of course, no good comic book game would be complete without a goal, plenty of bad guys, and a story like the movies before them. There are many great movie-to-game transitions, and we are likely to get a few more winners in the future too! These are just a few that highlighted the possibilities and paved the way for more movie-to-game smash hits.
Image Source: EY
