5 Movie Tie-In Games You Forgot Were Awesome

by

It’s generally accepted that video games based on movies are usually pretty bad. This has been true for a long time, and a notorious early example is the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial game for the Atari 2600. While most movie tie-in games are disappointing, a few surprisingly stand out as well-made and enjoyable. We’ve sifted through a lot of them to find the best ones – games that are fun, well-programmed, and have good stories – and here are five, listed in the order they were released.

1) Batman: The Video Game

Released in 1989 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Batman: The Video Game by Sunsoft is a surprisingly excellent platformer and stands out as one of the best games based on DC Comics. It coincided with the release of Tim Burton’s Batman film and was well-received by both critics and players. The game features five levels and a climbing mechanic similar to Ninja Gaiden, but its story doesn’t really follow the plot of the movie. Interestingly, this distance from the film might be a key reason why the game is so good – it’s a tie-in that doesn’t rely on the source material.

2) The Matrix: Path of Neo

There haven’t been many Matrix games, but the ones that exist are surprisingly well-made. In 2005, Atari released The Matrix: Path of Neo, an action game based on the first three Matrix films. It doesn’t follow the plot of any single movie exactly, but we’re including it anyway. The game was available on Xbox, PlayStation 2, and PC, and let players experience and replay some of the most exciting action scenes from the trilogy, essentially offering a new take on the best moments from the films.

3) Scarface: The World is Yours

While it’s a bit of a stretch to call it a direct tie-in game, Scarface: The World is Yours wasn’t created to promote a new movie—it was more of a celebration of the original 1983 film. Released in 2006 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC, the game continues Tony Montana’s story, ignoring the events of the movie’s ending. Despite this, Scarface: The World is Yours is an enjoyable game that plays a lot like the early Grand Theft Auto titles and offers a fun return to the Scarface universe.

4) X-Men Origins: Wolverine

It’s common for video games based on movies to be disappointing, but the game X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a notable exception. Most fans actually consider it far superior to the movie it’s based on. The film is generally seen as a weak link in the X-Men series, particularly for its handling of the character Deadpool. The game, however, is a well-made action-adventure title with a strong story and fast-paced, God of Warinspired combat. An uncensored version offered even more intense action, making X-Men Origins: Wolverine a rare example of a movie tie-in game that surpasses its source material – and one of the best X-Men* games ever created.

5) World War Z

Although the World War Z movie disappointed fans of the original book, the video game based on the property is surprisingly good. It’s interesting because both the movie and the game strayed from their source material – the book didn’t translate well to film, and the game took a different approach than the movie – but the game’s changes actually worked out well. The movie itself isn’t bad, it just isn’t faithful to the book. Released in 2019 alongside the film, the game lets you play as four different survivors battling to stay alive in the zombie apocalypse. It also features a multiplayer mode and has been a success, selling over 3 million copies and earning praise from both players and critics.

Hey everyone, I’m curious – what’s the best movie game you’ve ever played? Seriously, let me know in the ComicBook Forum – I’m checking it out and would love to hear your thoughts!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/list/5-sci-fi-games-not-enough-people-remember/embed/#

Read More

2026-03-03 22:17