The Best TV Shows and Movies Based On Video Games

Summary

• Recent video game adaptations shine after a history of failed attempts, akin to the surge of successful comic book films in the late 2000s.
• Mortal Kombat (1995) was ahead of its time and it set the stage for well-crafted video game movies and shows.
• Prime examples, such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie and The Last Of Us series show how adapting video games can lead to award-winning success.

For the longest time, it seemed that any movie based on a video game was doomed to fail. After all, a video game is supposed to entertain audiences with great gameplay, and not storytelling. However, that has changed in recent years. The newest generation of gaming allows developers to immerse players in a fully 3D world, experiencing compelling narratives.

Very few attempts at turning video game properties into movies and TV shows have been met well by critics, though. Movies like Assassin’s Creed and the original live action Super Mario Brothers flopped at the box office and failed to get an aggregate review score above 30%. Things are turning around for the genre, though, as there have been some truly great movies and TV shows in recent years that are based on video games.

Updated January 29, 2025, by Melody MacReady: Audiences are currently witnessing a resurgence of video game adaptations after years of unsuccessful attempts. This trend mirrors the experience of comic books, which faced poorly made movies and shows for years before finally finding success in the late 2000s and early 2010s. With the recent release of the third Sonic the Hedgehog movie and the second season of The Last Of Us coming to Max in April 2025, many people are convinced that we are entering a new era of well-crafted video game films and series. Additionally, several past adaptations also deserve recognition.

An Apocalyptic Series That Exceeded All Expectations

Almost everyone was convinced that a post-apocalyptic action-racing game like Twisted Metal was never going to work as a television series, but Peacock surprised all of them. The series mixes the brutality and absurdity of the games with a new story starring Anthony Mackie as John Doe, but it never loses its identity as a Twisted Metal adaptation.

In addition to being action-packed in almost every episode, Twisted Metal incorporates a significant amount of dark humor. It features the game’s flagship character, Sweet Tooth, portrayed physically by Samoa Joe and voiced by Will Arnett, creating an almost perfect adaptation of the character.

11

Mortal Kombat (1995)

The Movie That Continues To Influence The Games

Despite many production issues and a rookie director with no knowledge of big-budget special effects, Mortal Kombat became a beloved adaptation of the iconic fighting game franchise. The fight choreography combined with a now-iconic soundtrack was the source of adrenaline for many viewers and fans of the games.

Mortal Kombat would even be influential for the future Mortal Kombat games, with Kano forever being depicted as an Australian criminal and Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa becoming the definitive portrayal of Shang Tsung. While not perfect, many fans have grown to appreciate 1995’s Mortal Kombat for delivering an action-packed adventure with a theme song that has become more famous than the movie itself.

10

Sonic The Hedgehog

Listening To The Fans Resulted In A New Movie Franchise

After a controversial first trailer featuring a design for Sonic that was universally panned, Sonic The Hedgehog was delayed by an entire year to fix the problem. In 2020, fans were shocked that not only did they get a faithful design for Sonic, but a genuinely fun family-friendly adventure starring the blue blur going from Montana to San Francisco.

While Sonic The Hedgehog follows a very overused formula of a cartoon character and a human going on a silly adventure, it executes said formula effectively with plenty of faithful elements from the game. One especially beloved aspect was the introduction of Jim Carrey as Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik, who has become such an iconic villain, that he carries the film and its sequels on his back.

9

WarCraft

An Overlooked Fantasy Epic That Deserved A Trilogy

Made by and starring fans of the source material, WarCraft was meant to be the next epic fantasy franchise on the same level as The Lord of the Rings, but sadly, it never found an audience in theaters. However, as time passed, it has gained a following of fans who appreciate the story of how humans met orcs and how their war began.

The performance capture for the Orcs is often praised, with Toby Kebbell proving to be a standout as Durotan. The world of Azeroth was brought to life almost 1:1 from the games, from the designs of the locations, to how the spells look, to the different races, with a mix of CGI and practical effects that looked ahead of its time.

8

Sonic The Hedgehog 2

The Movies Became More Like The Games

Following the incredible success of the first Sonic movie, the studio partnered with Sega to develop a franchise. In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the blue hedgehog embarks on a new adventure, using his powerful super speed to thwart the ever-evolving Dr. Robotnik’s plans for world domination. Jim Carrey once again proves he was born for the role of Robotnik as he continues to look more like his video game counterpart.

This live-action sequel also brought in other fan-favorite characters from the games, Tails and Knuckles, with the latter being so popular that he received a spin-off show afterward. Sonic The Hedgehog 2 was an improvement in nearly every way, with more emphasis on elements from the games, showing a progression in accuracy to the source material.

7

Mortal Kombat (2021)

The Reboot Brought Back The Much-Needed Fatalities

The 2021 reboot of Mortal Kombat makes the odd decision of never featuring the titular tournament, but instead, is an origin story that establishes the heroes and villains before teasing the tournament for the next film. However, it still features what many expected to see: brutal fights and iconic characters from the game brought to life, from Kung Lao to the show-stealing Kano.

Fans had mixed feelings about Cole Young and the new explanation for everyone’s powers. However, the choreography for the fights is even better than the original thanks to a cast of dedicated actors who mostly do their own stunts. The biggest upgrade in the 2021 version is the R-rating, allowing for brutal fatalities just like the games, whereas the 1995 movie was PG-13. Also, the poster children, Scorpion and Sub-Zero, were better adapted to live-action in nearly every way, resulting in some of the best scenes in the film.

6

Castlevania

A Gothic Anime Brought To Life On Netflix

The horror-inspired, Gothic action-platform game, Castlevania, seemed like too niche of a video game franchise for anyone to adapt to another medium. Fortunately, the high number of streaming platforms looking for new content to adapt meant that Netflix picked up the property to turn it into a TV show. Of course, the unique world of Castlevania is too tricky to adapt to live action. That’s why the series was adapted into an anime.

On top of looking great, this multi-season show has remained faithful to the dark vibes of the games. Rather than one protagonist, it shifts focus between the characters of Dracula, Trevor Belmont, Alucard, and others to flesh out the universe. Featuring an all-star cast of voice actors, including Richard Armitage, Graham McTavish, and Jason Isaacs, this is a show that fans of the games cannot afford to miss.

5

Arcane

Two Seasons Of Fantasy And Class Warfare

Arcane is set in the League Of Legends universe, adapting for fans of the MOBA game some of the lore that is otherwise only told through text. Focusing on the sisters Vi and Jinx, the 3D animated show was much darker than expected, mixing steampunk fantasy with meta-commentary on class, with the common people of Zaun being oppressed by the rich and elite of Piltover.

Despite lasting only two seasons, Arcane was a hit on Netflix thanks to its beautiful visuals and stories based on real-world issues. Arcane also featured a plethora of memorable characters, with a healthy representation of the LGBTQIA+ community and complex stories to create an animated series unlike any other.

4

Sonic The Hedgehog 3

Sega Created A Perfect Video Game Adaptation Trilogy

It’s not often that a video game adaptation gets a good sequel, but even less so that the series continues to get better with each film. Sonic The Hedgehog 3 is an example of that, with the franchise gradually becoming more and more like the games, with the threequel introducing Shadow the Hedgehog and Gerald Robotnik to raise the stakes even more.

With influences from games like Sonic Adventure, Sonic Heroes, and Shadow The Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 continues to balance pleasing fans of the long-running franchise and generating interest from casual moviegoers. It even has some of the best action in the franchise, an homage to various modern blockbusters, with the Sonic and Shadow sequences being a delight and Jim Carrey continuing to steal the show as both versions of Robotnik.

3

The Last Of Us

The Award Winning Game Series Is Now An Award Winning TV Show

The Last Of Us series adapts the world of the games perfectly, even featuring familiar actors from the game, but it is the chemistry between the characters of Joel Miller and Ellie Williams, played by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, that drives this harrowing series. It is a true feat of adaptation, adapting portions of the game word-for-word while still expanding on elements exclusive to the series.

Some characters were given entire episodes to develop their characters, to the point that even the Left Behind DLC from the first game was brought to life. The Last Of Us is still considered one of the best shows around, hence why it is fortunate enough to get a second season based on The Last Of Us Part 2.

2

Fallout

The Wasteland Has Never Been More Fun

The Fallout show is currently only eight episodes long, but this series tells a gripping original story set in the Fallout universe, while still remaining faithful to the source material. Viewers follow a vault dweller, Lucy Maclean, as she searches the wasteland for her lost father, expanding on the canon of the games by showing California after the apocalypse.

On her journey, Lucy encounters allies, enemies, and various monsters, as well as The Brotherhood of Steel and a host of other unpleasant things that players of the Fallout games have no doubt experienced themselves. All this is packaged in a dark, humorous, gory, yet undeniably fun series that has won over fans already.

1

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Mario Fans And Audiences Cheered With Delight

The Super Mario Bros. Movie, created by Illumination Studios and Nintendo, became a highly successful animated film. Initially met with fan skepticism regarding the cast, it ultimately delivered an art style and soundtrack true to the games and a story rich with Easter Eggs and references, satisfying longtime Mario fans.

The journey through the Mushroom Kingdom serves as the perfect origin story for Mario and Luigi. It offers a vibrant, colorful, and whimsical atmosphere that truly brings the games to life. The Super Mario Bros. Movie feels like it was created by fans and developers alike especially for the fans, yet even non-gamers found enjoyment in it, particularly appreciating Jack Black’s portrayal of the lovesick and villainous Bowser.