The consensus in the world of video games is that movie-licensed games are, more often than not, cheap cash-ins meant to capitalize on the success of a recently released movie, with little regard for quality in terms of game design. Sure, there have been some real diamonds in the rough, with movies like GoldenEye and Spider-Man 2 inspiring really good gaming counterparts. Still, for the most part, video games seldom live up to the quality of the film they’re based on.
Now and again, though, game studios absolutely nail it, to the point that the quality of the game is actually way better than the movie. This is truly a feat because bad movies usually breed equally bad games. So, if a game manages to surpass that of the movie, it’s a major accomplishment. These are the best movie-licensed games that exceed the quality of their source material, which tells the movie’s story in better ways than the movies themselves.
10 ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ (2009)
Platforms: Mobile/DS/PS2/PSP/Wii/XB360/PS3/PC
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a classic case of a good plot terribly executed. It is by far one of the worst X-Men movies, thanks to a series of bizarre choices that made the movie feel like a bit of a fever dream, so when the video game came out alongside the movie, hopes weren’t very high. But this ended up working out for the better, as fans of the franchise were pleasantly surprised.
The X-Men Origins: Wolverine video game proved to be a super fun hack-and-slash, with Hugh Jackman reprising his role as the titular character. But where it really shines is in its Uncaged Edition, sold exclusively for the Xbox 360, PC, and PlayStation 3 ports. This version of the game was brutally violent and super gory, which brought a new grittiness to the character that ended up working out for the better. As it stands, the video game is remembered much more fondly than the movie.
9 ‘Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever’ (2002)
Platform: Game Boy Advance
Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever is, without question, the worst spy movie ever made and may even be a contender for one of the worst movies ever. This movie starring Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu received a jaw-dropping 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, which it definitely earns, but there was actually something good that came out of it: two video games.
The first, known only as Ecks vs. Sever, came out in 2001 and is based on the movie’s script rather than the film itself. The first one is definitely better, but it came out before the movie, so it isn’t necessarily a “movie-licensed game” per se. The second game was very similar to the first but actually followed the plot of the movie. Although a bit daunting at first, with the first level containing a difficult hedge maze, the game is still kind of awesome. Truth be told, even if it were terrible, it would likely still be better than the movie, which definitely didn’t set a very high bar. Still, both GameBoy Advance games are very fun and worth every penny.
8 ‘007: The World is Not Enough’ (2000)
Platforms: Nintendo 64/PlayStation 1
007: GoldenEye is easily considered one of the best Nintendo 64 games of all time and a revolutionary first-person shooter, but even it couldn’t live up to the masterpiece that was its movie counterpart. GoldenEye is the first James Bond movie of the Pierce Brosnan era and one of the series’ best, though this success was short-lived, and its following three sequels weren’t nearly as good.
Yet, the studios responsible for the GoldenEye video game kept going full steam ahead and delivered a video game for The World is Not Enough. There are two completely different versions of this game: one came out for the PlayStation and was honestly not very good. However, the one that came out for the Nintendo 64 was very similar to 007: GoldenEye, with tense stealth sections, cool gadgets, exciting multiplayer, and smooth combat… for the time, anyway. Fans of the original GoldenEye will definitely want to get their hands on 007: The World is Not Enough because it’s pretty much the same in all regards but features new levels and storylines.
7 ‘Spider-Man 3’ (2007)
PS2/PS3/PSP/XB360/PC/Wii/GBA/DS
The Spider-Man 3 video game has become something of a meme lately due to all the hilarious cutscenes that happen if the player were to screw up one of the game’s many quick-time events. Most notable is the viral YouTube video in which a woman strapped to a bomb calls for help, only for Spider-Man to faceplant into the ground. The woman promptly says, “I’m going to die,” before the bomb goes off in an unintentionally hilarious fashion.
Still, the open-world game had a lot of neat features, like extrapolating upon the world of the movie and delivering more villains and characters. The movie itself was thoroughly disappointing in the wake of Sam Raimi‘s previous two films, so the game, while far from perfect, came as a pretty good entry in Marvel’s video game repertoire. If players don’t enjoy the gameplay, they’ll at least appreciate some of the more comedic aspects of the game, accidental or otherwise.
6 ‘Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters’ (2011)
Platforms: Nintendo DS/Nintendo 3DS/Wii/Xbox360/PlayStation 3
Okay, so Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is really not fantastic and is probably the most “meh” game ever made, but it’s still better than the terrible movie it’s based on. Green Lantern is one of the worst and most boring superhero movies, with its star, Ryan Reynolds, even acknowledging how bad it is on more than one occasion. The movie was so bad that it was not uncommon for people to literally walk out of the theatre.
The game is pretty standard, with some basic platforming and combat sequences interspersed with on-rail flying and shooting section, but it also included a co-op mode, which was much more fun than single-player. Reynolds returns to the role and proves to be just as charming as he battles his way through extra-terrestrial beings using the power of his ring. While ultimately not anything special, Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is still better than its awful movie counterpart.
5 ‘Aliens vs. Predator’ (2010)
Platforms: PC/PlayStation 3/Xbox 360
Alien vs. Predator sounds like a cool crossover event, with two action/sci-fi/horror icons coming face-to-face on screen for the first time, but critically, the film was an absolute disaster. Interestingly, the first movie would appear to be based on a game in itself, as an Aliens vs. Predator arcade game came out way back in 1994, followed by multiple sequels, though it should be noted that even this game is based on a 1989 comic book. Still, the 2010 game, which came as a reboot of both the movie and the video game franchise, was by far one of the best.
It’s not perfect or even fantastic, but it’s pretty good regardless and much better than the 2004 film. In the game, players can get the best of both worlds as they can choose between the Xenomorph or the Predator, both of which feature unique campaigns and levels. But that’s not all, as players can also play as soldiers with distinctive storylines. All in all, the 2010 game is much better than any of the films, and for fans of either franchise who want some more modern Alien vs. Predator action, this is something they should definitely invest in.
4 ‘The Mummy Demastered’ (2017)
Platforms: PC/PlayStation 4/Xbox One/Switch/Luna
The 2017 reboot of The Mummy, starring Tom Cruise, was a weird and overhyped movie that didn’t sit very well with critics. Making a video game based on an already questionable movie was an even weirder choice, but it got even weirder. The game opted to go for a Metroidvania style, which didn’t make a whole lot of sense because that is certainly not the vibe the movie gives off. And yet, this Metroidvania was totally awesome in nearly every way.
Simple yet endlessly reminiscent of retro games, The Mummy Demastered can be enjoyed by everyone, whether they’re younger or veteran gamers. With its challenging puzzles, easy-to-remember controls, pixelated visuals, and thrilling gameplay, The Mummy Demastered proved to be way, way better than the movie and a breakthrough for the independent developer responsible for the game, WayForward Technologies.
3 ‘Star Wars Episode I: Racer’ (1999)
Platforms: PC/Nintendo 64/Game Boy Color/Dreamcast/Switch/PlayStation 4/Xbox One
Now, THIS is podracing! Who knew that a Star Wars-based racing game, of all things, could be this much fun? Based on the iconic pod-racing scene from The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Episode I: Racer had players assume the role of multiple characters and vehicles as they race across some of the most interesting set pieces from the movie.
Now, The Phantom Menace is nothing to write home about, so it was doubtful that a video game based on it would be better. There was an RPG-style game that came out with the same title that was fine, but nothing remarkable. This podracing installment, though, is by far the best game to come out of the first prequel film. Racer was actually so popular that it was re-released by THQ Nordic for newer consoles, with updated graphics, allowing nostalgic gamers and Star Wars fans alike to kick back and live out some good old-fashioned podracing events from their childhoods.
2 ‘The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay’ (2004)
Platforms: Xbox/PC
The Chronicles of Riddick is the second installment in Riddick, a trilogy with only one good movie. Sadly, the good one is the first one. To coincide with the release of the second film, game developers were tasked with creating a video game tie-in, which ultimately wound up being better than the film itself.
The game, titled The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, is a first-person shooter/stealth action game inspired by various other works. Though the inspirations behind the game are clear, it’s very entertaining, featuring a whole new story in the movie’s universe in a brand new prison break-type setting. It was particularly noted for its graphics, which were advanced for the time, along with the actual gameplay itself, with many critics considering it to be more enjoyable than the actual movie.
1 ‘TMNT’ (2007)
Platforms: PC/PlayStation 2/GameCube/Xbox 360/Wii/Nintendo DS/PSP
The 2007 animated TMNT movie was ultimately very forgettable, acting as a sequel to the television series while trying to introduce new adversaries. Unfortunately, this new plotline felt out of place, and the feuding between the brothers in the movie kind of destroyed what they were really all about. Not even Nolan North as Raphael could save the movie from being extremely mediocre.
Enter the 2007 video game based on the movie. It had a few bumps here and there, namely in its repetitive combat and janky camera, but overall, it was a whole lot of fun. Players could interchange between the different brothers, all of whom had unique abilities and fighting styles, and the game featured some fast-paced and well-executed platforming sections, too. And that doesn’t touch on the brilliant, often hilarious cheats featured in the game, as well as its charming dialogue. While the mobile versions were pretty standard, the PC and console versions reign supreme, providing a far more thrilling adventure than the movie did.
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