10 Immersive Video Game Movies Adaptations That Blur The Lines Between Games And Reality
We've got to admit, video game movie adaptation isn’t the most critically acclaimed genre in the world, but they never fail to impress us gamers, who wait for decades to see our favorite childhood games appear on the silver screen. While (mostly) lacking in plot, movie adaptations of video games always have some kind of charms that awake the inner child inside of you, and tempt you to go to the theater. From the Mortal Combat classics to the most recent Super Mario, viewers can immerse themselves in the fantastical realms, where they can accompany iconic characters to embark on epic quests and breathtaking adventures ahead.
To make a decent video game movie alone is no easy task, as you have to cram 60 hours of gaming experience into just a 90 minutes screenplay, while still having to ensure that the story still makes sense and is intriguing enough to draw both gamers and casual viewers to the box office. Let’s immerse ourselves into these 10 most iconic video game movies that have successfully transitioned the addicting virtual world into reality, and relieve some of our best childhood memories through them.
#1. Sonic the Hedgehog franchise (2020, 2022)
Source: IMDb
One of the better video game adaptations in recent years, it’s hard to believe that Sonic the Hedgehog used to receive so much backlash before its box office debut, due to the hideous initial character design. As a result, Paramount had to delay the project for a while to do Sonic a complete overhaul, but the final product was worth the wait. While the story overall doesn’t stand out by any means, Sonic the Hedgehog is still a fun and speedy ride that manages to bring out the best aspects of Sega’s speedster.
The sequel, while lacking some of its predecessor’s charm, still entertains us viewers with the introduction of Idris Elba’s Knuckles.
#2. Detective Pikachu (2019)
Source: Warner Bros. Pictures
Pokemon, both game and anime-wise, is a gigantic franchise where players have to spend hundreds of hours to catch them all. Therefore, there was a lot of skepticism about the 2019 live-action movie, which is only 104 minutes long. Luckily, the new direction that the film decided to take back then ultimately paid off, and the adorable designs of Pikachu and other iconic Pokemons were highly appreciated by the audience.
#3. Warcraft (2016)
Source: Universal Pictures
World of Warcraft is easily one of the most iconic MMORPG games of the 2000s, and attracts a huge fanbase and players even these days. Director Duncan Jones is one of them, and it’s only befitting for a die-hard fan of the franchise to take the helm of the live-action film in 2016. Follows the battle between the orcs and the human side in the peaceful realm of Azeroth. As the war escalates, the leaders from both sides, King Llane and Orc chieftain Durotan, face difficult decisions to protect their people and prevent the destruction of their respective civilizations.
#4. Uncharted (2022)
Source: IMDb
Inspired by the critically acclaimed Naughty Dog's franchise, Uncharted follows the footsteps of the treasure hunter and archaeologist Nathan Drake and his mentor Sully on their quest to recover the Spaniard Ferdinand Magellan’s enormous fortune in the House of Moncada, fighting numerous fellow hunters and even mercenaries along the way. We can clearly see the film’s ambition, with a star-studded cast featuring the current biggest names in the industry, with Tom Holland as Drake, Mark Wahlberg as Sully, and Antonio Banderas as Santiago Moncada.
While the adaptation still retains the intense and gripping action sequences, Uncharted just simply fails to deliver the atmosphere that the games have brought to the players.
#5. Mortal Kombat (1995)
Source: IMDb
Mortal Kombat might be a fighting game, but the franchise’s extensive and extremely detailed lore makes it perfect for a movie adaptation. The 1995 titular film is Hollywood’s first attempt to bring the NetherRealm’s unique battleground to life, and while it didn’t gain favorable reviews from critics, it’s still good enough to attract a handful of cult followers. The vigorous actions and iconic skill moves from the game were successfully implemented into the live-action, and created a good foundation for later adaptations in the future. However, few Mortal Kombat movies can live up to the level of the 1995 version.
#6. Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Source: Disney
Unlike the other movies in the list, Wreck-It Ralph comprises not just one, but multiple classic 8-bit video games that we usually find in the arcades. The animated masterpiece tells the story of Ralph, who’s tired of being the bad guy in the Fix-It Felix game, and embarks on his own journey to find a place he belongs. His unique and adorable chemistry with Vanellope von Schweetz from the Sugar Rush franchise is easily one of the best aspects of the movie, along with tons of game references that only the hardcore fans would notice.
#7. Tomb Raider (2018)
Source: Warner Bros. Pictures
Like Uncharted, Alicia Vikander’s Tom Raider fails to capture the charm of the original franchise, but at least the actress herself portrayed the iconic Lara Croft pretty well. Traveling to a mythical island off the coast of Japan to find queen Himiko’s treasure, Lara must navigate treacherous landscapes, solve intricate puzzles, and confront a ruthless organization known as Trinity to reach her ultimate goal.
#8. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
Source: Illumination
The latest addition to the list, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a fun, wild yet confusing ride for casual viewers, but for lifelong Nintendo fans, it’s basically a dream comes true. The animated film revolves around the adventure of Mario and Luigi, along with Princess Peach, to fight against the sinister King Bowser from taking the Mushroom Kingdom. From the iconic Luigi Mansion theme to the epic track of Rainbow Road, the Hollywood adaptation features an enormous amount of references from every game in the franchise that fans simply cannot miss.
#9. Assassin’s Creed (2016)
Source: 20th Century Studios
The 2016 adaptation was a rather extravagant attempt to reimagine the stealthy Ubisoft’s iconic series. And while it lacks that intensity from the gameplay, the movie itself wasn’t a terrible live-action by 20th Century Fox, which stays quite faithful to the original extensive lore and includes some great action sequences both inside and outside of the Animus, and Michael Fassbender didn’t do half-bad as Callum Lynch either. However, the movie overall wasn’t very welcomed by the audience, so a sequel is highly unlikely for now.
#10. Pixels (2015)
Source: Columbia Pictures
Instead of adapting any video games, the Adam Sandler movie gathers the most iconic arcade games from the 80s like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Space Invaders, and makes them into nefarious alien forces that want to invade the Earth. Of course, since you fight games with gamers, Sam Brenner along with his childhood friends steps up to take on the challenge and save humanity. Packed with references, humorous moments, and exciting action, Pixels combines video game nostalgia with a lighthearted and entertaining adventure that would make hardcore old-school players shed a tear or two.
Which other video game movies do you want to include in this list? Let us know in the comment.