People are raving about the new series “The Last of Us,” which has been getting more and more views as the weeks go by. However, the more I see this show on the news or in the papers (yes, I am that old), the more I hear how surprised older critics are at how good the show is, even though it’s based on a video game. I am always amazed by these comments because these critics have probably never played a single video game. For that reason, I will share the “Best 5 TV Adaptations of Video Games.”
1. Pokémon
I grew up with Pokémon and began playing the Yellow game when I was five years old in 1999. I have watched the anime for nearly 25 years and will most likely stop now that Ash and Pikachu are world champions. The Pokémon movies have several slots in the top 50 highest-grossing video games of all time, so they are quite popular.
Detective Pikachu was also a smash hit, becoming the second-highest-grossing video game film of all time. Even though the creators obviously knew nothing about Pokémon, Ryan Reynolds’ comedic performance as Detective Pikachu made it enjoyable to watch.
This video game has inspired an entire universe consisting of anime, toys, video games, and trading cards. 27 years later, Pokémon is still popular. I’m 100% positive that I’ll be bonding over Pokémon with my kids and cannot wait for that day.
2. Sonic the HedgeHog
On my Sega Genesis, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was the first video game I ever played. Then, when I was a little older, I played a few games on my Game Boy Advance. The Sonic games have evolved drastically since my early childhood in the late 90s. When this movie was announced, I was damn excited.
The first film was a solid entry point into the franchise. The adventures of an alien hedgehog with super speed who finds himself on Earth. After defeating the villain, Doctor Robotnik. Sonic leaves the Doctor stranded on a mushroom planet, at least temporarily. The movie ends with Sonic settling down with a couple who adopt him so that he can live a regular life as a kid.
The sequel released last year was perfect, even better than the first. Everything, from the comedy skits, CGI, and action sequences used throughout the movie was great. I especially loved the fight between Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles versus Doctor Robotnik. Idris Elba and Jim Carrey portrayed the characters Knuckles and Doctor Robotnik perfectly. I cannot wait for the next movie and what’s to come with this franchise.
3. Uncharted
Having played the original games back when I was a teenager, I was ecstatic to hear that Uncharted was getting a film adaptation. The film follows the adventures of Nathan Drake and Victor Sully Sullivan. The duo goes on an epic adventure to find the Magellan ships, which contain a vast amount of treasure.
When Sony announced that Tom Holland would portray Nathan Drake, I did not think it was a good casting choice. But after watching this movie twice and seeing the action stunts that Holland can perform, along with the comedic skits he does with Mark Wahlberg, I have changed my mind. The film was largely successful last year, becoming the fifth-highest video game film of all time.
4. The Witcher
I have just started playing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and have read the first two books in the series as well. So, I have a bit of knowledge of the franchise to judge the Netflix series, but I still have a long way to go.
Our protagonist is Geralt, a Witcher. His job is to slay monsters for the greater good of society. Geralt’s life gets turned upside down when he becomes a father figure to a young girl named Ciri, whom he is bound to by destiny. While the first season of The Witcher was exceptional, I still thought that Netflix could have spent a bit more on CGI and special effects.
The second season, I felt, knocked it out of the park. I love the fights that Geralt finds himself in this season while learning the origins of Ciri’s past. Henry Cavill’s dedication to the character Geralt is admirable; everything from the costume, appearance, and voice is spot on. With the unfortunate news that he would not be playing Geralt after season 3, I find myself leaning more toward the books after this year. Since I cannot see anyone else playing the character as well as Henry did.
5. Arcane
League of Legends is the inspiration behind Arcane. This game was quite popular back when I was a university student in the early to mid-2010s. This is the only show on this list where I have not had a chance to play the game. I decided to watch Arcane after several friends recommended it to me. I was amazed by the stunning animation in the first episode and became totally hooked on this universe.
The series follows the lives of two sisters, Violet and Powder, who lose their parents at a young age. The two find themselves facing off against each other in a war between the rich Utopia Piltover and the poor undercity known as Zaun.
Hailey Steinfeld proves her superior voice acting skills in projects like “When Marnie Was There” and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” but I think Violet might be her best performance. Nonetheless, this has been one of my favorite animated series over the past couple of years, and I highly recommend it.
What are your favorite video games?
So overall, guys, those are the series I think are the Best 5 TV Adaptations of Video Games. Since Marvel has dominated the box office for the past 15 years, Hollywood is forced to find new and creative ways to get people into theaters. So they’re turning to video games to combat superheroes. Honestly, I am all for it. Anything that will bring a new and creative story to the big screen is okay in my books. If you want to watch more movies based on video games, click this link.
Anyway, guys, that wraps up this post. What were your favorite video games growing up? Let me know in the comments because I’ve recently returned to gaming and am always looking for new recommendations. Thanks for reading, and until next time!