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Last week’s Four of a Kind examined the rule of thumb that film-tie video games are terrible. However there are always exceptions to rules, even in this case, as there are some good games based on cinematic releases. No really. This Four of a Kind aims to look at some of these diamonds in the rough.
1. Goldeneye (N64)
One of the most beloved film-tie in games ever made it would be odd not to begin with this N64 classic. Admittedly both graphics and game mechanics have not aged well but Goldeneye 007 included a variety of action, stealth, memorable sequences and good gameplay. The game added extra elements to the film plot in a way that only increased Bond’s appeal.
The single campaign was great, the multiplayer was more fun and cemented the game’s legacy as one of the most influential first-person shooter’s. Goldeneye did receive a, sort of sequel, in Rogue Agent and a remake (replacing Pierce Brosnan with current Bond Daniel Craig), however neither managed to capture the same experience as the original.
2. The Lion King (Sega Mega Drive, SNES, Game Boy, PC, Amiga, Game Gear)
Hakuna matata, what a wonderful game!. All puns aside The Lion King was an addictive, side-scrolling platformer supervised by the film’s creators. The aesthetics were pleasing and very true to the original film. Though at most times the difficultly setting was a little too high the overall tone of the game was balanced enough to keep gamers coming back for more. Essentially it was fun for both children and adults alike, circle of life? The puns will stop now.
3. Blade Runner (PC)
As Harrison Ford’s likeness was not permitted for use in Westwood Studios’ adaptation of Ridley Scott’s cult sci-fi film the Blade Runner game immediately should not have done well. However developers overcame this problem by using enough source material from both the film and Phillip K. Dick’s novel, the inspiration for the movie, to create an original story set within the same universe.
Taking on the role of Ray McCoy, a rookie android hunter, players must traverse through a dark story in a graphically well-constructed rendering of Los Angeles that still looks good by modern standards.
Advertised as “the first real time 3D adventure game,” Blade Runner utilised both 3D character rendering and an in-game world that progressed in real-time. As well as sharing parallels with the film the game also boasted 13 different endings to increase longevity.
4. Toy Story (SNES, Sega Megadrive)
Yet another video game based on a much-loved family favourite film, Toy Story the video game is another solid entry of good film-tie ins. Players controlled Woody through 17 levels (18 for Sega Megadrive owners) that closely followed the plot but with enough minor alterations to make the game unique.
The graphics for this game were visually impressive, even more so for the Sega Megadrive due to 3D rendering, and gameplay included; challenging platform sections, well-paced ‘sneaking’ segments and interesting boss fights.
That concludes this week’s Four of a Kind good film-tie in video games. Surprising wasn’t it?. As always leave a comment about your film-tie in games that may or may not have appeared in the list.
Honourable mentions: Disney’s Aladdin (Sega Megadrive), The Warriors (PS2), Spider-Man 2 (PS2), Robocop 3 (Amiga), The Terminator (PC), Dune II (PC, Sega Megadrive, Amiga), Blade Runner (PC), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (PS2)