They say you shouldn’t beat a dead horse. Well, someone should tell that to whoever licenses out the rights for movies to be made into video games. In the 1980s, video games were becoming a ubiquitous part of home entertainment. Because of this, movies were rapidly gaining more and more video game tie-ins. Was it a cash grab? Sure, it always has been and always will be, but some of these games have left a cultural imprint.
Though it may not always be for the right reasons, there are many memorable video games based on movies. Giving film fans the chance to fill the shoes of their favorite characters if just for a few hours. We can imagine that to be an intoxicating scenario. However, most of these games were rushed to finish and don’t hold up any more than a Pez dispenser from the time. Without further ado, here are the 20 strangest video game adaptations of famous movies.
20Back to the Future
One of the most beloved film series in movie history deserves a video game of similar stature, no? Apparently not,Back to the Futurehad a videogame adaptation for the Nintendo Entertainment System which came out in 1989. That’s four whole years after the original movie premiered, you’d think that would be plenty of time to produce a game adaptation that holds a candle to the source material. Yet, theBack to the Futurevideo game is barely even recognizable as such if it weren’t for the cover art, title screen and world map labeled “Hill Valley”.
The object of the game is to collect clocks so that time doesn’t run out as you’re walking up the street. It is more reflective of any random arcade cabinet from the era than it is anything to do with theplot of Back to the Future. Forget about any 8-bit version of “Power of Love”, this game has a very short musical loop that plays on repeat, making it all the more grating to play. The closest this game gets to the film is a segment in a 50s style diner.
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19Bee Movie
Bee Movieis strange enough without mid 2000s video game graphics, this adaptation is faithful to the source material but takes the story of Barry B. Benson to another level. While the game does a great job of retelling the events of the film, it also contains extra, inconsequential plot points to extend gameplay. Players can control Barry’s character as he drives through the hive, flies through the city streets, and takes on all the human adversaries from the movie.
The game is fully voice actedby Jerry Seinfeldas well as most of the original voice cast from the film. Though, at times it seems like sound bites from the movie were directly re-purposed for the game rather than re-recorded. The graphics of the game do a good job depicting theDreamWorks animated charactersyet are just a cut below which makes the whole game funny to experience from the get-go.
18The Karate Kid
A video game adaptation ubiquitously hated by even the biggest fans of the film,Karate Kidhas one of the most painstaking video game adaptations ever. The first level takes place at the martial arts tournament and is deceptively easy. What follows is a side scrolling mess that is designed against the player. Video games in the 80s were a lot more difficult since they were designed to farm coins from arcade goers. That trait unfortunately stuck around in the early stages of home consoles andKarate Kidis a perfect example.
You play as Daniel-San, punching and kicking your way across the screen as you must avoid all sorts of obstacles, pitfalls, and enemy fighters. The stage design somewhat resembles the film, as we can make out the palm trees and seagulls of southern California in the 8-bit graphics. The consensus among those who have beaten this game is that it is not worth the time and effort. The parts which are most like the film include a segment catching flies with chopsticks and a wink from Mr. Miyagi if you should complete all four levels.
17Shrek: Fairy Tale Freakdown
As the title suggests, this video game adaptation of the originalShrekis a parody of WWE’s Smackdown. Despite this, the game is more similar to a tournament fighter like Street Fighter orMortal Kombatthan it is to any wrestling game. It has nothing to do with the plot ofShrekbut is a good attempt at a game using the visage of our Ogrelord and some of his companions. However, the graphical limitations of the Game Boy Color lead to some hilarious interpretations of the beloved DreamWorks characters. Take for example the title screen: Shrek with a knight in a headlock.
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16Wayne’s World
Excellent! … is not a word we can use to describe theWayne’s Worldadaptation for Super Nintendo. For one of the most culturally significant films of the 90s it is hard to believe there wasn’t more effort put into making a good video game. What we got was a basic platformer that’s all around as goofy as the film. However, the level design reflects nothing seen in the original motion picture. Wayne must platform through guitar stores, donut shops, bars, and floating suburban neighborhoods.
The aesthetic is peculiar throughout; Wayne has a bobble head and shoots sound waves from his guitar at anthropomorphic enemies pertaining to each level. After fighting a giant donut monster in the second level, he must face none other than Elvis Presley at the end of the third. Wayne seems out of place everywhere since the design of the game is grounded neither in the film nor reality.
One of the best movies ever made by one of the best directors (Stephen Spielberg)… has an extremely poor video game adaptation.Jawswas unfortunately adapted to the Nintendo Entertainment System and suffers from slow paced and repetitive gameplay.
Players control a sailboat and get drawn into random encounters at sea. Then, the player can scuba dive to fight sea creatures. It is a long erroneous slog to leveling up enough to be able to fight Jaws. In the end, the famous shark is stabbed with the front of the boat and the game ends right there.
14Where the Wild Things Are
The video game adaptation forWhere the Wild Things Areis a faithful retelling of the story with extra material to extend play time. Still, the game takes only about 5 hours to complete, making it rather short when compared to the average game from 2010. Max and the Wild Things appear well-designed, however the world they inhabit is rather stale and empty. The game borrows elements from any other adventure game and is a decent 3D adventure for children.
13Who Framed Roger Rabbit
The belovedlive action - cartoon hybridfilmWho Framed Roger Rabbit?blends the cast into a fully digital format for its lackluster video game adaptation. Players control the character of private-eye Eddie Valiant. Following along with the original plot, the goal is to look for clues to the mystery throughout locations from the film. There is an over world to drive through, but the controls are nearly impossible to operate. Judge Doom is such an infallible final boss that most players have never seen the end screen.
12White Man Can’t Jump
White Man Can’t Jumpis a total classic in the genre of sports comedy. StarringWesley Snipesand Woody Harrelson, the film is aging like wine as a social commentary that was early to the party to talk about race relations in marginalized communities. Despite its social significance, the film ironically heralded a transient yet forgotten basketball game on the forgotten Atari Jaguar console.
Somewhere between the transition from 2D sprites to less polygonal 3D models, theWhite Man Can’t JumpBasketball game exists, and it’s up to four players. Although that may sound great, the limited 3D spaces don’t work too well as a fast-paced sports game since the camera is always twitching about trying to keep up with the movement.White Man Can’t Jumpis receiving arebootsometime this year, perhaps we’ll receive an updated video game as well.
Adored by audiences of all ages,Elfstarring Will Ferrell is a Holiday comedy that proves to stand the test of time year after year. Its light yet extravagantly fun humor especially resonated with children, making it the perfect candidate for a film worthy of adapting to Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance.
The game directly follows the story of the film as players control Buddy on his adventure from Santa’s Workshop to NYC. The play style cleverly changes with the action of the narrative. If Buddy is traveling, the game is a platformer. If he is throwing snowballs, it’s a shooting range game. There is even a game mode dedicated to the infamous elevator button scene from the film.
