Games are an amazing source of entertainment, be it a highly competitive FPS game or an RPG with an immersive environment. In stores, video games have something or the other for everyone, but that’s not what video games are all about. Over the years, games have become more story-driven.

Games like Red Dead Redemption, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and Far Cry 3 are a few of the best games to grace the public with not just entertaining and immersive games but also beautiful storytelling. Playing games has become one of the best ways to narrate a story; the freedom to control your character and environment and finish the story at one’s own pace has made them popular among people.

However, not everyone has the option to spend thousands of dollars on a PC or hundreds of hours navigating and exploring games. Due to this, many stories don’t reach most audiences and die within the video game community; filmmakers have noticed this and have started making movies inspired by games.

But don’t get confused; many times, these games don’t turn word for word into stories. Some become faithful adaptations, while others get creative liberty; however, there is no denying that games’ influence on cinemas is stronger than ever.

From action-packed adventures to eerie horror tales, here’s a look at some of the most notable films inspired by video games.

13 Tekken (2009)

One of the most celebrated game franchises is the Tekken series, which was started in 1994 by Bandai Namco Games. Since then, the series has added 10 additional games under the same title. It was in 1997, with the launch of Tekken 3, that the game series caught worldwide attention.

Seeing the massive success of the franchise, the director Dwight H. Little made his version of the movie in 2009, loosely based on the game. While it features many recognizable characters like Kazuya, Nina, and Yoshimitsu, the plot and character dynamics differ from the games. The film follows Jin Kazama as he enters the Iron Fist Tournament to avenge his mother’s death and take down the corrupt Tekken Corporation, led by Heihachi Mishima.

Tekken failed to capture the spirit of the fighting game franchise. It had weak action scenes and an unseasoned plot; the fans and critics didn’t shy away from slamming the movie with a rare 0% Rotten Tomatoes score. Moreover, it failed horribly at the box office by grossing just $1.6 million despite an investment of $30 million. The game series went on to become a huge success, with the latest edition of the game being added in 2024, but sadly, the same could not be said about the movie.

Tekken is currently available to stream on Apple TV+.

12 Hitman (2007)

An assassin saga popular among stealth fans, the Hitman games are based around a genetically engineered clone trained to be the most deadly assassin. Once he escapes the facility that made him, he is hired by a contract killing agency known as the International Contract Agency (ICA).

The game saga started in 2000 under the name Codename 47. Since then, the franchise has added seven more games, with the last edition released in 2021. Following the game, the Hitman franchise has had two live-action film adaptations: Hitman (2007) and Hitman: Agent 47 (2015), both inspired by the popular stealth-action video game series.

The 2007 movie, directed by Xavier Gens and starring Timothy Olyphant, was a modest box office success; it garnered over $101.2 million worldwide. The film does follow the signature tattoos and the dual Silverballer, but instead of following the stealth theme, it relies heavily on action sequences. It also lacks a compelling plot, which did not sit well with critics, as it gained only 16% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Hitman is currently available to stream on Apple TV+ and Hulu.

11 Max Payne (2008)

The game follows Max, a tormented NYPD detective whose family was murdered by some drug addicts, which leads the detective to turn into a vigilante and seek revenge for his family. The game was developed by Remedy Entertainment and Rockstar Games, and it gained popularity due to its cinematic appeal, compelling premise, and the famous slo-mo dive while shooting.

The Max Payne series is a franchise with three games, the latest addition in 2012. The game is widely loved due to its bullet-time gameplay style, noir-style storytelling, and immersive third-person shooting.

Following the commercial success of the original game and the sequel, director John Moore made the film Max Payne, starring Mark Wahlberg as Max Payne, an NYPD detective turned DEA agent who is obsessed with avenging his family’s murders. The movie followed the same premise as the game; it even had the same dark and rainy aesthetics, but the scenes of hallucinations from the drugs were a bit overpowering and overshadowed the game’s main plot.

Despite its stylish cinematography and attempts to capture the gritty tone of the games, Max Payne was widely criticized for its weak script and lack of engaging action, which led to a worldwide collection of just $87 million. It was a box office disappointment and is often cited as another example of a failed video game adaptation; the film also scored a very low Rotten Tomatoes score of just 16%.

Max Payne is currently available to stream on Apple TV+.

10 Assassin’s Creed (2016)

The Justin Kurzel film Assassin’s Creed (2016), starring Michael Fassbender, was inspired by Ubisoft’s highly successful video game franchise, known for its historical settings, stealth-based gameplay, and sci-fi lore. The series revolves around the centuries-old conflict between the Assassins, who fight for peace and free will, and the Templars, who seek control and order. The famous scene of jumping from the top of really tall structures is also featured in the film.

The games typically feature a modern-day protagonist (like Desmond Miles in the early games) who is connected to the Assassins by bloodline. Using a machine called the Animus, they relive the memories of their ancestors who were Assassins from different historical eras to fight against the Templars’ modern organization, Abstergo Industries.

The saga is one of Ubisoft’s most successful franchises, with 13 mainline titles under its name. The franchise got a boost in sales and recognition with the release of Assassin’s Creed 2 (2009), which sold more than 10 million copies of the game. With a compelling storyline, a brilliant set, and the huge success of the franchise, it was an easy choice for filmmakers to make the game into a movie, and that’s what led to the making of the film.

The movie stayed true to the story of the game; however, it failed to connect with its fans and critics. One of the biggest notable flaws of the film was the heavy focus on modern-day storylines over the historical sequences, which were a major appeal to the game fans. It lacked the action and fluid parkour of the game, which led to a mere 19% Rotten Tomatoes score. Despite the low score, the movie managed to generate $240.6 million worldwide, mostly due to the popularity of the name.

Assassin’s Creed is currently available to stream on Max.

9 Need For Speed (2014)

The Need For Speed film was an ambitious attempt at hopping on the trend of turning popular games onto the big screen. The games follow an arcade racing theme with a lot of high-speed racing, stunning cars, police chases, and stunts. Following this same premise, the saga has made multiple games under the title—25 games to be precise.

EA Games has been releasing NFS games since 1994. The saga is mostly known for its popular games like NFS Underground 1 & 2 (2003 & 2004), Most Wanted (2005), and Hot Pursuit (2010), to name a few. The 2005 Most Wanted was one of the fan favorites; it sold more than 18 million copies worldwide. Many believed NFS games were way ahead of their time; players had the option to choose from tons of cars to race from, and the game also could provide a sense of speed like no other game at that time.

The saga lacked an intricate plot. Unlike other franchises such as Assassin’s Creed or Tomb Raider, Need for Speed didn’t have a strong story foundation to build on. The film tried everything it could to derive the movie from the game; it focused on underground street racing, revenge, and cross-country chases, incorporating high-speed action and practical stunts to capture the adrenaline rush of the games.

Despite staying true to the franchise’s focus on fast cars and thrilling pursuits, it ultimately failed to make a lasting impact. The movie ended up becoming a generic revenge plot that failed to stand out, leading to mixed reviews from critics and audiences.

Need for Speed is currently available to stream on Apple TV+.

8 The Super Mario Bros. (1993)

The Super Mario Bros. movie (1993) was the first live-action adaptation of a video game, but it became infamous for all the wrong reasons. Based on Nintendo’s beloved Super Mario franchise, the film attempted to bring the colorful world of the games into a dystopian cyberpunk-type world.

The Nintendo game is one of the most iconic and successful video game franchises of all time. Since its release in 1985, the series has sold over 400 million copies worldwide, making Mario one of the most recognizable characters in gaming history. The games are loved for their colorful and whimsical world and timeless art style, influencing generations of gamers and shaping the industry itself.

With its massive popularity and the love shown by the public for the franchise, Hollywood tried to bring the game to the cinemas. However, the live-action version of the movie, directed by Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton, was a disaster. The movie barely took the plot of the game. It reworked almost everything—from the world to the villains—replacing the Mushroom Kingdom and the fire-breathing dragon with a dark and dull world and King Koopa resembling a power-hungry businessman.

This version of Mario, starring Dennis Hopper, disappointed both viewers and critics and became a huge failure; it holds a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Super Mario Bros. is currently available to stream on Prime Video.

7 Prince Of Persia (2010)

Prince of Persia, when launched in 1989, became one of the most beloved action-adventure franchises in gaming. Its 2003 reboot, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, was groundbreaking, featuring parkour-inspired terrains, swordplay, and the ability to rewind time.

The game felt fresh compared to all other games present at that time, with its Persia-inspired theme, fantasy setting, and compelling narrative, making the game a perfect candidate to make into a movie.

In 2010, Mike Newell worked with Disney to make the game into a live-action movie, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as the prince. The film tried to replicate the exact idea of the game, but ultimately fell short.

The movie had stunning visuals and impressive action scenes, but it could not narrate the story in the same impactful manner as the game. The story felt rushed, the character development was bland, and the controversial casting of Jake Gyllenhaal instead of an actual Persian did not sit well with critics and viewers, leading to the movie’s low score of just 37%.

Despite the critics, the movie adaptation of the game made over $336 million worldwide—another game with a compelling story and potential that fell victim to a failed attempt to make a game into a movie.

Prince of Persia is currently available to stream on Disney+.

6 Resident Evil (2002)

Based on Capcom’s survival horror game, Resident Evil inspired film directors Paul W.S. Anderson, Alexander Witt, and Russell Mulcahy to make multiple film adaptations, making it the longest-running movie series based on a game. The game franchise focuses on horror games, which draw inspiration from zombie movies, sci-fi thrillers, and bio wars.

The Resident Evil game franchise started in 1996, and unlike other franchises, this saga didn’t have to wait for multiple games to establish itself; the first game became one of the most influential horror game series of all time. There are a total of 10 main title games; however, if the spin-offs and console games are added, it comes close to 30 games.

The reason the game gained so much attention was its ability to create a sense of fear in a game that was created with limited resources. The games were always focused on atmospheric horror, tense resource management, and the ongoing battle against the Umbrella Corp. bioweapons; however, the movie took the idea and made it into a high-action thriller.

Resident Evil (2002), the first adaptation of the game into a movie, introduced an original character created for the film, Alice. She battled zombies and bioweapons like the T-virus created by the Umbrella Corp. The film does not follow the slow-paced resource management style of the game; instead, it follows a gunslinging badass who can’t be stopped.

The following movies, like Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), focus on escaping the doomed city; Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) features Alice gaining superpowers and introduces Claire Redfield; Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) continues the story; Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) features a virtual simulation of the outbreaks; and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016) follows the conclusion of Alice’s story with a final battle against Umbrella.

However, the brand name of the game franchise did help the films gross over $1.2 billion worldwide. Another shot at the game series was tried with the reboot Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City (2021), which featured classic characters like Chris and Claire Redfield, Leon Kennedy, and Albert Wesker.

However, this movie also failed to hit the spot, with poor CGI, weak characters, and a rushed plot; the movie grossed over $41 million and got a low Rotten Tomatoes score of 30%.

Resident Evil is currently available to stream on Apple TV+ and Starz.

5 Monster Hunter (2020)

One of Capcom’s most popular game franchises is based on action RPG gameplay. Players take on the role of hunters who have to track and battle massive creatures in a vast and open environment. The franchise launched its first game in 2004 on the PlayStation 2 and has become one of Capcom’s best-selling series, with over 90 million copies sold worldwide.

The franchise hit its peak with the launch of Monster Hunter: World (2018), which became Capcom’s best-selling game of all time. The game’s ability to support cooperative play has made it one of the most beloved action RPG franchises in gaming history.

In 2020, Paul W.S. Anderson worked on his next franchise, adapted from a game. The movie was given the same title as the original game—Monster Hunter—and it was the second time Anderson attempted to do a film adaptation of the monster-slaying experience.

The movie did not follow the same approach as the game; it failed to show the main aspects that made the fans fall in love with the franchise in the first place. It lacks focus on exploration, teamwork, and strategic combat against monsters. Instead, it revolves around a group of modern-day soldiers who get transported into the Monster Hunter universe.

The movie could not embrace the spirit of the game; it received criticism for its uneven pace, weak dialogue, and unfinished characters. The notable factor was the impressive CGI used to create monsters like Rathalos and Diablos, but this was not enough to convince the fans and critics.

While the movie did better than Anderson’s adaptation of the Resident Evil franchise, it still has a low score of 44% on Rotten Tomatoes. It even underperformed at the box office, grossing only $44 million worldwide despite having a reported budget of $60 million.

Monster Hunter is currently available to stream on Apple TV+ and Hulu.

4 Mortal Kombat (1995)

A well-known fighting game series developed by Midway Games, the Mortal Kombat franchise quickly gained attention for its brutal combat mechanics, unique fighting characters, and violent finishes. Over the years, the franchise has released 14 main title games under its name.

The game stood out because of its game mechanics, cinematic story mode, and competitive online matches. The series’ story revolves around a deadly tournament, where fighters from different realms battle to decide the fate of the Earthrealm. A powerful sorcerer, Shang Tsung, organizes the tournament, and warriors like Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, and Johnny Cage join the fight to protect their world from being invaded by dark forces from other realms, such as Outworld and Netherrealm.

In 1995, Hollywood took the opportunity to bring Mortal Kombat to the big screen. The first live-action film, simply titled Mortal Kombat, grossed over $70 million worldwide. However, critics slammed the movie for mediocre acting, cheesy dialogue, and a poorly constructed plot, which forced the movie to attain a Metascore of 47%. It later became a cult classic among fans.

However, its sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997), was booed for poor acting and low-budget effects, damaging the franchise’s cinematic reputation. After a few more years, Hollywood tried another crack at the game-turned-movie of the franchise, Mortal Kombat (2021) was released as a reboot, trying to bring the brutal world of the game to life with R-rated violence and the popular characters.

However, just like other video game adaptations, it struggled to fully show what made the franchise so beloved. While it featured iconic fighters like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Liu Kang, it also introduced a new original character, Cole Young, which many fans saw as unnecessary.

The film received mixed reviews, with praise for its action sequences but criticism for its uneven storytelling and weak character development. It grossed $84.4 million worldwide and did a better job with the critics than the prequels; the latest film gained a score of 55%, which is decent but nowhere close to the level of the game franchise.

Mortal Kombat is currently available to stream on Apple TV+.

3 Detective Pikachu (2019)

The 2016 Nintendo 3DS game Detective Pikachu introduced a new take on the Pokémon world by focusing on solving mysteries instead of battles. It was praised for its story-driven gameplay, humor, and unique detective elements, making it an interesting choice for a movie adaptation.

The Rob Letterman film Detective Pikachu follows a similar storyline, with Justice Smith playing Tim and Ryan Reynolds voicing Pikachu. Instead of focusing on Pokémon battles, the movie takes a buddy-cop mystery approach, blending humor and adventure. What made Detective Pikachu stand out was its faithful recreation of Pokémon in a live-action setting. The CGI Pokémon looked realistic yet still maintained their charm, bringing fan-favorite creatures like Charizard, Bulbasaur, and Mr. Mime to life.

What made Detective Pikachu stand out was its faithful recreation of Pokémon in a live-action setting. The CGI Pokémon looked realistic yet still maintained their charm, bringing fan-favorite creatures like Charizard, Bulbasaur, and Mr. Mime to life.

While some critics felt the plot was predictable, the movie was generally well-received, earning a 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the low score by critics, the film managed to gain an impressive collection of $450 million worldwide. It is safe to say that Letterman did a pretty good job with this video game adaptation.

Detective Pikachu is currently available to stream on Apple TV+.

2 Werewolves Within (2021)

Unlike many video game movies that struggle to impress audiences, Werewolves Within (2021) took a different approach—and it worked. Based on Ubisoft’s VR multiplayer game, the movie mixed horror, comedy, and mystery to create something fresh and entertaining.

The original game is a social deduction game where players must figure out who among them is secretly a werewolf. Instead of following the exact gameplay, the movie turned this idea into a mystery-comedy, similar to films like Clue or Knives Out.

Directed by Josh Ruben and starring Sam Richardson and Milana Vayntrub, the story takes place in a small town where a group of people gets trapped during a snowstorm. As fear and paranoia grow, they must find out who, if anyone, is a werewolf.

Unlike most video game movies that get negative reviews, Werewolves Within was a success. It holds an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, showing that a game adaptation doesn’t have to follow the game exactly to be great—it just needs a good story and the right tone. However, due to the game’s lack of popularity, it failed to pull the expected viewers and was not a success among cinemas, as most seats were left empty, and only $991,898 was generated worldwide.

Werewolves Within is currently available to stream on Apple TV+ and AMC+.

1. Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is one of the most famous video game series of all time. First released in 1991 by Sega, it introduced players to Sonic, a blue, fast-moving hedgehog known for his speed and attitude. Over the years, the series has expanded, with 24 mainline games and multiple spin-offs.

Among these, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) remains one of the most beloved; this was the game that introduced Tails, Sonic’s sidekick, while also improving the game’s fast-paced platforming. In 2020, Sonic made the jump to the big screen. Initially, fans were worried after the first trailer showed an unusual design for Sonic, which was heavily criticized.

However, the studio listened to the feedback and redesigned Sonic to look more like his classic video game version. This change helped make the first film a success, and the Sonic the Hedgehog movie series has only gotten better with each installment.

The first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, directed by Jeff Fowler, was released in 2020. It starred Ben Schwartz as Sonic and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. The story follows Sonic as he arrives on Earth and teams up with a small-town sheriff, Tom Wachowski, to stop Robotnik. The film blended comedy, action, and adventure, making it enjoyable for both fans and new audiences.

Despite initial concerns, the movie performed well, earning $319 million worldwide. Critics gave it mixed but generally positive reviews, leading to a 64% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While some felt the plot was simple, many appreciated the humor and Jim Carrey’s entertaining performance.

With the success of the first movie, a sequel was quickly developed. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) expanded the story, introducing Tails and Knuckles. This movie focused more on the action and brought in more elements from the games, such as the Master Emerald and Sonic’s super transformation into Super Sonic.

The sequel was appreciated among fans, earning $405 million at the box office and improving its Rotten Tomatoes score to 69%. Fans and critics praised the exciting action, better character development, and the faithful adaptation of Sonic’s world.

The third film, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024), was the most celebrated film in the series. It introduced Shadow the Hedgehog, voiced by Keanu Reeves, a fan-favorite character, and continued to expand Sonic’s universe. With stronger storytelling and deeper character arcs, the movie received the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of the series at 86%. The latest addition of the movie grossed the highest of all three movies at a staggering $447 million.

The Sonic the Hedgehog film series is now one of the most successful video game adaptations in history. Many game-based movies struggle to impress both critics and audiences, but the Sonic the Hedgehog movie series achieved that and managed to grow its fan base. Sonic’s journey in cinema has proven that video game movies can work when they are true to the game while bringing in a compelling narrative.

Sonic the Hedgehog is currently available to stream on Apple TV+ and Paramount+.