10 best movies adapted from video games

Video games are an interactive form of media where players can immerse themselves into their main narrative and experience the story firsthand. However, publishing companies often try to increase the reach of video game stories by opening them up to movie adaptations, either live-action or animated.

Ever since video games have existed, numerous attempts have been made to develop good games based on movies. This has resulted in multiple live-action video game adaptations that are a mixed bag to pick from, along with a plethora of animated movies, ranging from good to intolerable.

Picking the cream of the crop, this list attempts to highlight some of the better movie adaptations developed from various video game IPs, some of which are live-action while others are animated.

Note: This article reflects the writer’s opinions.

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Ten video game movie adaptations that are great to watch

1) Sonic The Hedgehog

Possibly the best video game representation in a live-action movie, Sonic The Hedgehog knocked it out of the park for fans of the series. After some initial annoyance with Sonic’s appearance (which was quickly altered, thank god), the audience rapidly came around to this fast-talking blue fur ball.

Featuring a mostly original take on the story, the movie sees Sonic arrive on planet Earth and having to ultimately deal with the forces of Doctor Ivo Robotnik (or Eggman for the Japanese fans). Ben Schwartz as Sonic was quite a fun cast and delivered his lines in very Sonic fashion, and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik was a standout.

This movie even led to a sequel, Sonic The Hedgehog 2. It carried on the great representation of game characters by introducing Knuckles the Echidna and Tails the Fox into the mix.

Along with the release of Sonic Origins’ compilation of remasters in 2022, there has never been a better time to be a Sonic fan.

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2) Pokemon Detective Pikachu

Adapted from the video game of the same name, Detective Pikachu is a movie everyone should watch at least once, even if it is to see Ryan Reynolds voice a Pikachu in his usual Deadpool-esque demeanor. Despite being adapted from a video game, the story is original and has few things in common with the source.

While there is a larger mystery afoot, the Pikachu isn’t really a talking Pokemon who has taken on the career of a PI. Still, the movie excels in many ways, one of which is depicting a world where Pokemon and humans exist in harmony, which had not been done in live-action before.

Fans of the Pokemon video games have lots of Easter eggs to keep them happy, while fans of the anime series will find many similar elements, especially in the second and third acts of this movie. This is a Pokemon fan’s dream come true.

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3) Werewolves Within

Werewolves Within is a film heavily inspired by the video game of the same name, which in turn was adapted from the board game titled Werewolf. The premise of the title is quite simple yet exciting, which sees multiple players role-play as residents in a town, one among whom is a werewolf.

The movie delivers this simple premise expertly, as it is clear early on that there is a werewolf in the secluded town where all the characters live. This is followed by wanton suspicion, accusations, and even executions, leading to an atmosphere of utter chaos.

All of the above is characteristic of a regular game of Werewolves Within, so this is quite a fun representation. The story is also in the form of a whodunit murder mystery while being somewhat comedic at times. All in all, it’s a great watch.

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4) Angry Birds

After Angry Birds took over the mobile gaming genre, this point-and-shoot puzzle game became a critical and commercial success. So, obviously, it was immediately in the line to be adapted into a movie, which was the craze around the mid-2010s: developing absolutely any trivial concept into a film.

However, Angry Birds took a more relaxed approach in its adaptation by making it a comedy film, similar to the goofy nature of the title. One look at the cast would solidify this fact, with the presence of many well-known comedians, and it was half full of existing or previous members of SNL.

The movie’s premise centered around the origin of the conflict between the eponymous birds and the nefarious pigs. It was a fun film to watch for good family-friendly laughs and successful enough to produce a sequel, which performed surprisingly better.

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5) Pokemon: The Movie

While the Pokemon video game series has had lots of success with the anime adaptation, the first movie for the franchise, Pokemon: The First Movie, arrived in 1998. Like most anime films, its events occurred sometime between the first season, when Ash attempts to enter and be victorious in the Indigo league.

The original release of this movie included a 21-minute segment known as Pikachu’s vacation, followed by a 10-minute prologue. It was followed by the primary narrative, known as Mewtwo Strikes Back, which ran for 75 minutes.

This was the origin story of the artificial Pokemon known as Mewtwo, created from the eyelash of the legendary Pokemon Mew.

This movie featured Ash and his friends as they came across the powerful Mewtwo and its plans to take revenge on humanity. The trio must find a way to talk sense into the rage-driven Pokemon or risk it destroying the world.

It is a heartwarming tale about how someone’s beginning should not determine their destiny and has some of the best moments in Pokemon ever.

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6) Final Fantasy 7 Advent Children

Final Fantasy 7 was a beloved video game developed by Square Enix and released in 1997. After the warm reception to it, many tie-in media were released to expand on this world, one of which was the 2005 computer-animated film Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children.

The events of this film take place two years after the original video game and see a group of kidnappers taking children who have been afflicted with a mysterious disease. Cloud Strife, returning from the title as a protagonist, goes in search of the missing children while he himself suffers from the same affliction.

Many characters from the original game also make appearances in this movie, including Tifa Lockhart, a primary figure in the plot. Additionally, Aerith Gainsborough, Vincent Valentine, Yuffie Kisagari, and Barret Wallace have roles.

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7) Street Fighter 2: The Animated Movie

Street Fighter was not a popular game franchise until its second release with Street Fighter 2, in 1991. Expanding the playable roster with characters everyone knows today, this title was a critical and commercial success, which led to Capcom greenlighting an animated movie adaptation.

Known to the global audience as Street Fighter 2: The Animated Movie, it was an anime-style flick released in 1994, a few months before the live-action street fighter movie. This animated movie’s story was quite similar to the live-action counterpart, although better executed.

It featured several iconic characters from the video game, including Ryu, Ken, Chung-Li, Guille, and M.Bison. As an anime adaptation, the animations and action were a delight to watch and showcased the characters’ super moves in spectacular style.

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8) Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpions Revenge

It might sound strange, but Mortal Kombat did not have a proper animated movie until 2020, when Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpions Revenge was released. Developed by Ed Boon and John Tobias, the creators behind the video game series, this direct-to-video animated film reimagined the titles’ story and offered a fresh take.

Despite its name, the main narrative actually revolves around a loose adaptation of the events of the first video game in the series. Scorpion’s origin story is given more substance while Raiden and Liu Kang prepare for the upcoming Mortal Kombat event between the different Realms.

It showcases some iconic fights, including one between Scorpion and Sub Zero. Also featured are Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, and Jax as the defenders of Earthrealm, alongside Liu Kang.

Fatalities are fantastically showcased, and the larger story is admirably done, even outshining the 2021 live-action film.

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9) Digimon Adventure

Digimon actually started as a toy before being developed into a video game and an anime series in the same year. The video game preceded the anime by a few months, which saw Digimon originate as a game series with Digimon World.

The anime started with a short film titled Digimon Adventure and ultimately unfolded into a 54-episode series.

Unlike Pokemon, however, the Digimon Adventure series themed itself around childhood’s joys but eventually left it behind. This was evidenced as the protagonists of the first season grew up into high-schoolers in the second season, which centered around a relatively younger group of new middle schoolers.

Things finally came to a head for this beloved anime with a series of movies collectively called Digimon Adventure Tri, which saw the return of the original characters, now finishing up high school. It saw them partake in a final adventure with their Digimon partners and served as one of the last installments for this series.

A more character-driven final movie, Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna, served as the last entry and saw the grown-up characters from the original anime say a final goodbye to their Digimon partners and part ways for good.

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10) Resident Evil: Damnation

While the live-action Resident Evil film series has been one rollercoaster ride of mediocre quality after another, some 3D computer-animated film adaptations of this video game series have been great. A case in point is Resident Evil: Damnation, a part of a trilogy of movies.

Set in the same continuity as the video games, the story of Resident Evil: Damnation sees Leon Kennedy as a CIA operative investigating the use of biological weapons in a European war zone. In this movie, Ada Wong also features in her typical anti-hero persona, toeing the line between two moralities.

The story diverges from the game’s main narrative, and director Makoto Kamiya asked for Capcom’s aid in depicting the characters and keeping them true to their video game roots. This flick was originally released on October 27, 2012, and was a massive hit in Japanese theatres.