Best Video Games Based On Movies

In the fledgling years of the video game industry, titles based on films were all the rage. In fact, the idea of selling products that advertised each other (movies and coinciding video games), was a fairly new and advantageous marketing scheme. Over the years, quality games based on films became fewer and further between.

Despite all of that, there are still renowned video games to this day that were inspired by a cinematic foundation. And while there are plenty of terrible video games based on film properties, there are also a number of "diamonds in the rough." That's an Aladdin reference which will be totally relevant shortly.

Updated on July 8, 2024, By Rigoberto Ruiz: In 1982, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark was the first movie to be adapted into a video game for the Atari 2600. Since then, many popular movies have had video game adaptations that coincide with their movie releases. As the range of titles continually expands, we've added some more to this list.

15 Ratchet And Clank (Reboot)

Ratchet and Clank is a unique movie tie-in game that also acts as a reboot and remake of the series' first game. Before the movie, Ratchet and Clank was an ongoing series focused on third-person action, a fictional animal, and his robot companion.

The movie took heavy inspiration from the original 2002 video game but added more development for its characters, which was translated into this version.

Environments are re-imagined beautifully on the PlayStation 4, while gameplay is chaotic as ever. While Ratchet and Clank is aimed at a younger audience, if you choose the hardest difficulty, it is reminiscent of the game's past.

14 Star Wars: Episode 3 — Revenge Of The Sith

Star Wars: Episode 3 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox was released during a torrent of Star Wars video games. Although Lego Star Wars and Battlefront 2 outshine it, Episode 3 focused on making one of the best lightsaber combat systems that still holds up.

Story mode focuses on Obi-Wan and Anakin, where you can level them up as the story progresses and earn experience. Cutscenes from the movie are included between game segments. Episode 3 also included a multiplayer versus mode, where lightsaber combat shines, as characters like Mace Windu and Count Dooku all have distinct fighting styles and animations.

13 Aladdin (SNES)

In 1993, Aladdin was released for the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, each with a different version. While Sega had better animation, the Super Nintendo had better gameplay due to its development by Capcom.

Capcom's Aladdin played as any other '90s Capcom game, with great platforming while providing great visuals and sound design. While both versions are great, the Super Nintendo version is supreme as a platformer.

12 Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Midway released a first-person light gun shooter based on the hit sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day to accompany the movie. The arcade cabinet used two submachine guns, one for each player, mounted onto the cabinet. Each gun could swivel up and down and side to side.

Like Midway's magnum opus Mortal Kombat, T 2 uses a digitized rendition of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Robert Patrick as the T-800 and T-1000, respectively. The gameplay consists of gunning down Skynet cyborgs while they shoot machine guns and throw grenades at you.

11 The Warriors

The Warriors is about a street gang from New York on their way back home to Coney Island as other rival gangs hunt them down as they are framed for a murder. You control different members of The Warriors as you brawl against rival gangs and cops.

The Warriors follows the movie beat for beat, as many cutscenes are remade with 3D models. Additional story moments include backstories of many of the gang members that further flesh them out not seen in the movie, such as the formation of The Warriors and motivations for minor characters.

10 Back To The Future: The Game

In Back to the Future 3, Marty successfully saves the life of Doc Brown, the creator of a time-traveling car who was stuck in the year 1885. Now in the present day, Marty comes to terms with living in the moment, while Doc disappears again at an unknown time.

Back to The Future: The Game is set six months after Back to the Future 3, where Marty is bored without Doc. As everyone accepts his death, Doc orders the time-traveling car to find Marty and retrieve him, thrusting Marty into another adventure. The game is an excellent what-if story that can act as a Back to The Future 4, carrying the same tone and story beats as the movies.

9 X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Based on the movie of the same name, X-Men Origins: Wolverine focuses on the backstory of X-Men's famous mutant, Wolverine, before he became a student of Charles Xavier. You play through flashbacks when Wolverine was a weapon of war, hacking and slashing through hoards of soldiers.

Wolverine feels excellent to control as he shreds through enemies with all the blood and gore intact. The combat feels great, as Wolverine has signature moves like lunging and drilling claws. Origins is one of those unique cases where the game is better than the movie.

8 The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King was a unique case as it launched before its movie release, spoiling the movie for many fans. The story follows many beats from the film, so much so that cutscenes transition from the movie to video game cutscenes seamlessly, which is still impressive.

Return of the King shines with its co-op mode, where another player can join you as you fight through scenes from the movie. The gameplay consists of hack-and-slash fighting mechanics as you charge through armies reminiscent of the Dynasty Warriors series.

7 GoldenEye 007

GoldenEye 007 is many great things, and is mostly known for its innovations in the FPS genre. GoldenEye pushed the genre forward as many FPS games resembled Doom and this was more unique, especially in multiplayer.

Other than an in-depth campaign that mostly followed the film, GoldenEye featured a great split-screen multiplayer deathmatch mode, a first of its kind. On the Nintendo 64, four players can face each other using characters and weapons from the movies.

6 Spider-Man 2

Spider-Man 2 is the first great superhero game that made you feel like the hero you were playing. Spider-Man 2 improved upon Spider-Man as you could finally explore an expansive open-world Manhattan setting with great web-swinging mechanics.

Although we have had many Spider-Man games throughout the years, Spider-Man 2 introduced the blueprint of an explorable New York. The story is mostly faithful to the movie, but it also adds characters like Black Cat and Mysterio, who add a lot to the story.

5 Mad Max

Max Rockatansky is a nomad and a total post-apocalyptic badass. Bandits would be wise to steer clear of the man, but they'll never learn. This 2015 game is, of course, based on the Mad Max film property. Though Max doesn't have the likeness of Mel Gibson or Tom Hardy, it brings together the elements of a wasteland in the Outback as presented in the films.

Max embraces a fluid combat style not entirely dissimilar from Shadow of Mordor or the Arkham games. Additionally, there's plenty of full-throttle action to be had behind the wheel of Max's Magnum Opus. Despite the withered, dusty environment, Mad Max is a beautifully, riveting look at a bleak and dangerous world.

4 The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay

Riddick, a sci-fi anti-hero of sorts, is the creation of director David Twohy. Riddick, portrayed by actor Vin Diesel, first appeared in the 2000 action-horror film Pitch Black. He has since been the center of two other films as well as two video games.

Escape from Butcher Bay is a first-person affair with Riddick being designed after Vin Diesel's likeness. The actor even brings his voice to the role in the game.

Riddick embarks on a series of killer missions as he escapes imprisonment. The gameplay loop includes first-person shooting and melee combat. And, you even get to learn how Riddick acquired his special ocular "eyeshine" upgrade from the film. It's an experience no fan of the film property would want to miss.

3 The Thing

This early PS2-era game is something of a sleeper hit. Fans of John Carpenter's 1982 film, The Thing, are likely keenly aware of this game's existence, however. Developed by a relatively unknown team, it's a wonder that The Thing"turned out to be a competent third-person shooter.

The game is even a stand-in for a sequel that never was, and it takes place just after the events of The Thing movie. The assimilating alien organism now must contend with a U.S. Special Forces team. You control a squad that investigates the original incident. Despite managing a squad, there's nothing complicated about this experience, making it a fun thrill ride.

2 Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader

Since the release of the original Star Wars trilogy, there has been a wide range of games produced based on the galaxy far, far away. In fact, there are several Star Wars games that could easily make this list. But for the sake of simplicity and gameplay variety, Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader takes the prize.

As an aerial combat game, Rogue Leader excels in every capacity. This GameCube exclusive title improved upon the foundation of the original Rogue Squadron by implementing Squadron commands, perfecting controls, and adding features that made spaceflight a little less disorienting. To this day, Rogue Leader is one of the greatest Star Wars aerial combat experiences.

1 Alien: Isolation

Over the years, developers had struggled to nail down a winning formula set in the Alien franchise, but Alien: Isolation changed all of that. Instead of attempting to create yet another shooter, developer Creative Assembly dialed the scale back a bit and aimed for a claustrophobic horror.

The true nightmare of the original film was a sole Alien aboard a ship killing the crew one by one from the ship's deepest, darkest corners. This game is a realization of that horror as you seek to survive a lone unstoppable Xenomorph that is hunting you. Paranoia is your friend, and hiding will save your life. This direction for the Alien franchise in gaming was a risk that paid off.