Movies Based on Games: Must-See Top Picks of Game-Inspired Movies

Movies Based on Games: Video games transport viewers to enthralling universes by letting them customize, engage, and impact narratives. Therefore, it should comeย  as noย  surprise that Hollywood often looks to popular games for ideas.ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย ย 

Transforming one medium into another is a common thread connecting movies and video games. The most dedicated players will remember the original Super Mario Bros. from 1993, featuring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as Mario and Luigi, as well as Street Fighter (1994) with Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Everย sinceย studiosย haveย jumpedย onย theย bandwagonย ofย popularย videoย gameย seriesย toย bringย theseย gamesย toย theย bigย screenย inย theย formย ofย filmย adaptations.ย Gameย designersย wouldย doย wellย toย honeย theirย storytellingย andย characterย developmentย chops,ย asย theย twoย fieldsย haveย manyย similarities.ย 

Studentsย learnย theย basicsย ofย creatingย captivatingย gamesย andย filmsย fromย workingย gameย designers,ย actors,ย writers,ย directors,ย andย producersย atย NYFA’sย Gameย Designย School,ย whichย wasย recentlyย namedย oneย ofย theย topย gameย designย schoolsย byย Theย Princetonย Review.

Theseย areย theย topย game-themedย films,ย alongย withย streamingย links,ย soย youย mayย enjoyย themย atย yourย leisure.

Movies Based on Games

1.ย Tetris

Tetris โ€” Official Trailer | Apple TV+

Olderย kidsย mightย rememberย withย delightย theย countlessย hoursย theyย spentย afterย schoolย playingย aย gameย whereย theyย snappedย littleย coloredย blocksย intoย placeย nextย toย eachย other.ย 

Evenย thoughย itย mayย notย seemย likeย much,ย inย 2023 they managed to transform that 8-bit recollection into a rather enjoyable film, all because of nostalgia for a storyless game.ย  ย 

Theย filmย byย Jonย S.ย Bairdย recountsย theย crazyย real tale of the game’s inception rather than endowing the blocks with personalities (thankfully, Patrick Stewart isn’t voicing a poop emoji).ย  ย ย 

Theย game’sย Russianย inventor,ย Alexeyย Pajitnov,ย isย playedย byย Nikitaย Yefremov,ย andย theย Dutchย designer,ย Henkย Rogers,ย isย playedย byย aย wild-hairedย Taronย Egerton.ย 

Thisย unusualย trioย overcameย insurmountableย obstaclesย toย bringย theย legendaryย videoย gameย toย arcades,ย homeย consoles,ย andย theย revolutionaryย GameBoy.Instructions:ย Beginningย onย Marchย 31,ย youย canย watchย Tetrisย onย Apple’sย streamingย service.

2.ย Clue

"Clue (1985)" Theatrical Trailer

Everyย otherย gameย movieย isย measuredย againstย thisย one.ย Theย factย thatย theย originalย boardย game,ย Clue,ย isย structuredย likeย theย mostย basicย whodunitย inย theย styleย ofย Agathaย Christieย isย helpful.ย Everyoneย thereย hadย aย motiveย toย haveย committedย theย evilย deed,ย andย Mr.ย Boddyย (thatย nameย willย hauntย meย forever)ย turnsย upย dead!

Thisย allowedย directorย Jonathanย Lynnย carteย blancheย toย parodyย theย tiredย tropeย ofย aย groupย ofย strangersย strandedย inย theย sameย placeย asย aย serialย killerย waitsย inย theย shadows.ย The difference now is that it does it by drawing on the well-established generic character types that Hasbro’s original version had plagiarized extensively.ย  ย 

Janet Hirshenson and Jane Jenkins, the casting agents for Clue: The Movie, trulyย deservesย allย theย accolades,ย though. The casting of such brilliant comedians as Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, and Colleen Camp as character after characterโ€”e.g., Mustard, Plum, Scarlet, Peacock, etc.-is what makes this film so memorable and funny. Holy cow! We’re engulfed in flames!ย  ย 

3.Ouija: The Origins of Evil

Ouija: Origin of Evil - Official Trailer (HD)

Theย factย thatย theย 2016ย prequelย toย theย forgettableย 2014ย pictureย Ouija,ย Ouija:ย Originย ofย Evil,ย was aย decentย filmย wasย theย biggestย shock.ย 

Itย makesย senseย inย 2023ย whenย theย nameย Mr.ย Mikeย Flanaganย isย familiarย toย usย asย aย resultย ofย theย hauntedย houseย andย midnightย massย filmsย heย hasย beenย releasingย onย Netflixย forย theย pastย fewย years.ย 

Theย bestย typeย ofย shockย happenedย inย 2016ย whenย thisย filmย cameย out.ย Theย storyย takesย placeย inย theย lateย 1960sย andย followsย twoย sistersย asย oneย ofย themย requestsย theย board’sย helpย inย communicatingย withย theirย deceasedย father,ย whileย theย otherย becomesย possessedย byย aย malevolentย ghost.ย 

Everyย sleepoverย forย theย lastย 130ย yearsย hasย beenย plaguedย byย theย smallย woodenย boardย andย itsย recognizedย planchette,ย yetย Flanaganย managesย toย extractย hugeย wallopsย ofย theย oogie-boogies.ย (Ifย youย canย believeย it,ย theย modernย Ouijaย Boardsย haveย beenย aroundย sinceย 1890!)

4.ย Werewolves Within

Werewolves Within - Official Trailer | HD | IFC Films

Theย 2021ย Joshย Rubenย remakeย ofย theย 2016ย Ubisoftย gameย argues,ย likeย ย Clueย beforeย it,ย thatย theย keyย toย creatingย anย excellentย videoย gameย adaptationย isย toย keepย theย originalย materialย asย simpleย asย possible.ย 

Traditionalย partyย gamesย likeย Werewolvesย andย Mafiaย servedย asย inspirationย forย Werewolvesย Within.ย Inย theseย games,ย playersย takeย turnsย killingย non-werewolvesย toย identifyย theย werewolf.ย 

Inย Ruben’sย film,ย weย findย ourselvesย inย theย smallย mountainย townย ofย Beaverfieldย justย beforeย aย snowstormย isย aboutย toย hit.ย Weย meetย theย locals,ย whoย areย introducingย newcomerย Finnย Wheeler,ย playedย byย theย charismaticย Samย Richardson.ย 

Anย excellentย frameworkย forย theย upcomingย procedural!ย Inย addition,ย Mishnaย Wolff’sย entertainingย screenplayย addsย complexityย toย theย centralย ideaย byย providingย theย individualsย withย multipleย ulteriorย motivesย forย murderย thatย areย unrelatedย toย lycanthropy.

Justย likeย inย Clue,ย theย skeletonย wasย sturdyย andย uncomplicated.ย Andย theย goodย timesย cameย becauseย ofย theย murderousย ensembleย ofย snowed-inย Beaverfieldersย whoย allย getย theirย handsย dirtyย (whenย theyย aren’tย completelyย severed,ย thatย is).

5. Resident Evilย 

RESIDENT EVIL: DEATH ISLAND - Official Trailer

Residentย Evilย hasย givenย fansย aย lot to rave about with seven films and a short-lived Netflix series. Fans of Capcom’s zombie survival game series, which has been around for almost 30 years,ย areย sureย toย haveย theirย preferredย remakes.ย 

Theย originalย 2002ย pictureย withย Millaย Jovovichย asย anย iconicย actionย heroย isย stillย myย favorite.ย Itย wasย directedย byย Paulย W.S.ย Anderson.ย (Iย rankย herย alongsideย Slyย andย Arnold.)Theย protagonist,ย Aliceย (Jovovich),ย isย anย amnesiacย whoย awakensย toย findย herselfย surroundedย byย writhing,ย ravenousย zombiesย inย theย firstย film.ย 

Sheย endsย herselfย lostย inย theย crumblingย hallwaysย (andย subterraneanย lairs)ย ofย aย mansionย thatย holdsย countlessย secrets.ย Inย theย end, she will find herself confronted with the horrific Umbrella Corporation and its numerous evil genetic experiments.ย 

Theย openingย elevatorย sceneย isย oneย forย theย recordย books,ย andย theย film’sย actionย setย piecesย areย soย intenseย thatย notย evenย Catherineย Zeta-Jonesย inย aย catsuitย couldย surviveย theย lethalย gameย ofย laserย tag.

If you’re eager for additional updates and insights about celebrities and entertainment, browse through our previous posts where we’ve thoroughly explored every aspect.

6. Silent Hill

Silent Hill (2006) - Official Trailer

Manyย peopleย thinkย Residentย Evilย isย theย mostย terrifyingย videoย gameย ever.ย Onย theย otherย hand,ย actionย moviesย haveย alwaysย beenย theย preferredย genreย for filmย adaptations.ย 

Thus, French filmmaker Christophe Gans arrived in 2006 and, using horrifying jumps and pyramid-headed bounds, transformed Konami’s game Silent Hill into the most terrifying video game film toย date.

In the role of Rose, played by the much- maligned Radha Mitchell, a mother searches for her lost daughter in the deserted mining town of Silent Hill. The inhabitants of hell areย depictedย inย Gans’ย filmย inย aย bizarreย light.ย 

And that isn’t even mentioning the seductive demon nurses’ dancing group. To this day, I still cringe at the sound of the movie’s alarms, as if I were preparing myself for some new tragedy. Extra points for Alice Krige’s authenticity, as always.

7.ย Piย 

Pi | Official Trailer HD | A24

Despiteย appearances,ย theย 2,500-year-oldย strategyย gameย ofย Goย isย closelyย tied to Darren Aronofsky’s surreal black-and-white breakthrough film Pi, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and will be re-released in 8K theaters by A24.ย  ย  ย 

Theย film’sย protagonists,ย mathematiciansย Maxย (Seanย Gullette)ย andย Solย (Markย Margolis)ย playย theย gameย atย variousย pointsย toย illustrateย theirย divergentย viewsย onย theย cosmos,ย whichย theyย useย toย justifyย theirย respective worldviews.

The movie is intentionally painful, just like the game. But even after all these years, it remains unique, and without it, there would be no mind-bending films like Something in the Dirt and The Endless, directed by Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson.

8.ย Mortalย Kombat

MORTAL KOMBAT Trailer (2021)

Paul W.S. Anderson’s 1995 cinematic version of the notoriously violent combat game has many devoted followers. It wasn’t only thatย itย provided a two-hour raucous diversion from theย  extremely hectic real world;ย  I enjoyed director Simon McQuoid’s 2021 remake of the franchise. That isn’t all, though.ย  ย ย 

From 17th-century Japan to the present day, this retelling tells the tale of an MMA fighter (Lewis Tan) whoย is unaware thatย  he is the heir to a vicious clan of ninjas (played by the legendary Hiroyuki Sanada).ย 

However, he quickly learns the truth when the villain Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim, Warrior) arrives and begins amputating limbs at will.ย To decipher the film’s many old prophecies and esoterica about the destruction of Earthrealm by Outworld, you should essentiallyย switchย offย yourย brainย andย focusย onย theย visuallyย stunningย battleย scenesย includingย stunningย actorsย suchย asย Tan,ย Mehcadย Brooks,ย Ludiย Lin,ย andย Taslim. That’sย moreย thanย enoughย forย tenย films,ย orย overย aย fourthย ofย aย Johnย Wick. Please,ย makeย aย sequelย already!ย 

9. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

Beforeย aย solarย eclipseย wipesย usย allย out,ย orย something,ย theย Egyptianย artifactย knownย asย theย Triangleย ofย Lightย regulatesย time,ย andย theย adventurerย Laraย Croftย (Angelinaย Jolie)ย mustย discoverย anย oldย Illuminatiย keyย toย openย it.ย Itย isย completeย andย utterย confusionย toย me.ย 

Althoughย Iย findย theย Laraย Croftย filmsย ofย 2001ย andย 2003ย toย beย extremelyย foolish,ย Iย willย alwaysย haveย aย sweetย spotย forย them.ย Evenย ifย Millaย Jovovichย wasn’tย upย toย theย taskย ofย playingย incrediblyย foolishย actionย flicks,ย Angelinaย Jolieย certainlyย was.

Theย taskย wasย clear to her. And with just the right twinkle in her eye, she struck the shark square in the nose.ย  Evenย thoughย the point of these filmsย  was to gawk at Jolie’s impossibly large figure, I liked how they gave her rough-boy suitorsย  (portrayed by Gerard Butler in the second film and Daniel Craig in the first) their fair share of screen time.ย  ย 

10. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thievesย 

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves | Official Trailer (2023 Movie)

Theย fourthย Dungeonsย &ย Dragonsย filmย wasย theย oneย thatย finallyย gotย itย right.ย This big-budget adventure from comedy writers Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley is,ย toย quoteย ourย critic,ย “oneย wildย rideย youย won’tย wantย toย miss.”ย 

Itย isย sureย to please both longtime fans of the role-playing game and newcomers who may not be familiar with the series’ trademark otherworldly magic.

Dungeonsย &ย Dragons:ย Honorย Amongย Thievesย cracksย openย theย dodecahedronย withย vivacity,ย starringย aย dazzlingย Chrisย Pineย asย aย charmingย thiefย andย aย devilishย Hughย Grantย asย theย other,ย moreย evilย side.ย 

Michelle Rodriguez, Regรฉ-Jean Page, Justice Smith, and Sophia Lillis provide generous support as shape-shifters, wizards, and the like.ย 

Particularย recognitionย goesย toย Theย Lastย ofย Us.

Theย Lastย ofย Us,ย aย blockbusterย phenomenonย onย HBO,ย isย moreย appropriatelyย classifiedย asย aย televisionย seriesย thanย aย film.ย However,ย afterย onlyย oneย season,ย weย areย preparedย toย placeย itย amongย theย topย videoย gameย adaptationsย available.ย 

This is because the plot is just as engaging as the original game, and the characters are portrayed by actors with exceptional talent, such as Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.ย ย 

Joel, played by Pascal, is one of the few survivors of a devastating fungal infection apocalypse in which the afflicted transform into monstrous monsters with mushroom heads.ย ย 

The Last of Us | Official Trailer | Max

Yearsย later,ย afterย Ellieย (Ramsey)ย provesย toย beย immuneย toย theย infection,ย itย becomesย Joel’sย dutyย toย transferย herย acrossย perilousย terrain. Theย centralย themeย ofย thisย straightforwardย roadย tripย novelย isย theย growingย closenessย betweenย aย fatherย andย daughter.ย 

Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, the show’s creators, bring a serious and lighthearted approach to post-apocalyptic content that has shown us a lot of loss and sadness without letting us dwell on it.ย 

ย (Thatย isย toย say,ย Iย prayย weย don’tย encounterย anyย Negan-esqueย charactersย inย theย future.)

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