Video game adaptations of films are a dime a dozen these days, but it's not just Hollywood looking to make a quick buck from a movie to video game tie-in. Television studios have been churning out games for years based upon long-running television shows. From classic animated series such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and DuckTales through to recent dramas including The Walking Dead and The Sopranos, there are dozens of games based on television shows. Even reality shows such as Survivor and The Amazing Race have been turned into games over the years.
But for some reason these adaptations never get the same attention as film to game tie-ins, so we thought why not recognize some of the best video games based on television shows. This list aims to showcase the 15 best video games based on television shows, from The Adventures Of Batman & Robin through to Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force, while also highlighting the 15 worst to make s♎ure you choose wisely.
30 Best: The Simpsons🏅: Hit & Run
If you've ever wondered what The Simpsons crossed with Grand Theft Auto would be like then look no further than the well-received The Simpsons: Hit & Run. Throughout the game players take control of Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge, and Apu as they investigate strange ongoings in Springfield in a less brutal and much funnier satire of GTA III. The gameplay is great, particularly the driving, and the open-world of Springfield is wonderfully detailed and makes you feel like you're actually part of a Simpsons episode🦄.
While there are many great Simpsons games out there, this i﷽s the only 🏅one you need to own.
29 ♔ Worst: 24: The Game
When 24 first hit television screens in 2001 it was celebrated for being an inventive and groundbreaking show focused on a counter-terrorist agent who has 24 hours to save the world. The same can't be said for the🥀 video game adaptation of the show that suffers from dodgy controls, stupid A.I., poor graphics, and boring combat. The game features a number of vehicle chases that are as about as much fun as what Jack Bauer went through in the finale of season one. While the storyline and voice acting - featuring the majority of the cast from the show - is fantastic, it's not enough to make this game worth your time.
28 💧ꦓ Best: Buffy The Vampires: Chaos Bleeds
The fourth game based on Joss Whedon's Buffy The Vampire Slayer is easily the best, taking place during the fifth season of the acclaimed television show. In a first for Buffy games, players can also control other characters from the show, with the new multiplayer option meaning you could take on vampires as Xander or Willow alongside Buffy. Chaos Bleeds is a well-made actio✨n romp with decent graphics, solid sound, and a good va🧜riety of vampires and other evil beings to take care of.
27 ꦦ Worst: Superman 64 🧜
Considered one of the worst video games of all time, Superman 64 is almost unplayable and will have you wishing the man of steel never existed. Based on the Dean Cain and Terri Hatcher starring 90s series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman, this game has virtually nothing in common with the show besides featuring Superman. Terrible graphics, annoying sound, hard to master controls, and an overwhelming sense of dread when playing, Superman 64 deserves to be in the trash.
26 ☂ Best: Gam🐼e Of Thrones
There have been a number of Game Of Thrones games released during the series seven seasons run, but Telltale Game's take on the adventure series reigns supreme. An episodic graphic adventure where players decisions affect the story arc, GOT scores p🍸oints for staying close to the world Westeros.
The game also includes the voices of the actual cast of the show, helping add authenticity to the game.
Although the graphics can be glitchy, this game captures the feel of the series and will have you proclaiming "Valar morghulis" i𝔉n your best Westeros ac⛄cent.
25 Worst: Home Improveꦚment: Power Tool Pursuit!
The Super Nintendo had its fair share of bad games during its life but few were as poorly executed as Home Improvement: Power Tool Pursuit! Controlling Tim "the tool man" Taylor, players have to recover all the missing tools from the newly released Binford-Taylor Turbo Power Tool Line. A boring and graphically poor looking platform game, Power Tool Pursuit! lacks the comedic elements of the show while presenting a stock standard Pitfall-esque game that's way too easy to complete and will leave you wonderi💎ng why you even bothered.
24 ꦬ Best: DuckTales: Remastered
Just as fun to play as watching the original Disney series, DuckTales is a classic action platform game from Capcom. Selling over a million copies worldwide (that was pretty good back in 1990) players take control of Scrooge McDuck and travel the world (and even space!) looking for new treasures to add to his collection. The levels are well designed and the bright colors and inviting animation make it feel like your actually watching the popular cartoon series. Although not the hardest game, DuckTales is great fun ♑and will 🏅have you coming back for more.
23 🌸 Worst: Fester's Quest
A spin-off game based on Uncle Fester from The Addams Family is a strange choice, and having played this horrendous game, the less said about Fester's Quest the better. The ridiculous plot revolves around aliens invading earth or 🌟something similar, with Fester deciding to save the day with help from other members of the Addams clan.
This one is extremely difficult and the process of upgrading Fester's weapons a nightmare.
Add in some strange 3D graphics that just don't work and Fester's Quest is another 𒁃rubbish television to game tie-in deserving of bein𒐪g in the bargain bin.
22 Best: South Park: The Stick Of Truth ౠ
Recognised as one of the most faithful adaptations of all time, South Park: The Stick Of Truth is a hilarious role-playing game set in the 2D open-world of the South Park universe. Containing references from the first 17 seasons the game is packed fu𝔍ll of jokes and abrasive humor, with certain countries having scenes from the game cut due to the humor being a little too offensive. While the combat sections of the game are a little easy, they're still great fun, and🌟 the appearance of favorite characters such as Chef and Randy add to the game's authenticity.
21 🏅 Worst: The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct
You know a game is bad when the creator of the television series it's based on comes out and says he wasn't involved in the game in any shape or form and wants no part of it. The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct was universally panned by critics upon release and contributed t🃏o developers Terminal Reality going bust.
From poor graphics and gameplay through to shoddy combat and horrible sound, Survival Instinct doesn't get much right.
The a🧸bility to play as 💝Daryl Dixon is cool, but that's about the only positive you'll have playing this one.