Movies to games. Good? Bad? Ugly? Yes.

[Ryukage]

Making movies based on games turns out worse. Super Mario Brothers, Mortal Kombat and Street fighter anyone!?!?

dont forget tomb raider and resident evil. those sucked too

Ah, but what about Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer?  That little gem of an OAV was actually BETTER than the game it was based on! So much better, in fact, that the OAV is considered a classic by many long-time anime fans, but few of them are even aware it was based on a game.

Actually, the Super Marios Bros. and Street Fighter movies aren't all that bad, you just think they are because you go in expecting them to bear some kind of resemblance games they share a title with, and then find out that they don't.  People who went to see those (and Wing Commander as well) with no preconceived notions (from playing the games) of what they should be like typically found them rather enjoyable, excepting of course people who just plain don't like pulp superhero movies (like 99% of all movie critics).

Whichever way you go, I think the main problem is the franchise mentality: the producer of the adaptation thinks they can sell the product based on name alone, and just doesn't bother to put any real effort into it.  How many games-based-on-movies are just cookie-cutter platformers with different graphics pasted in?  This is probably why Gowcaizer breaks the mold: the game sucked, so they figured the OAV damn well better be good to make up for it.

[GarageGothic]

What about movies based on people playing games?  (e.g. The Wizard)

One of my favourite movies when I was a kid was "Cloak & Dagger" I have never played the game, but I would have watched the movie at least 20 times. It had that kid from ET in it (Henry Thomas).

That was a really neat movie. But is it actually based on a real game? I thought it was just a fake game, like the one he plays in Big (you know, "melt ice wizard with thermonuclear wand" and all that). In fact, I really like movies about people who play games, which then become real - that's sort-of what happens in Shadowplay as well, but with movies instead of games. Wargames absolutely rocks, The Last Starfighter is cool, and Gotcha! (although not about computer games) is still among my favorite 80s movies.

[Timosity]

That was a really neat movie. But is it actually based on a real game? I thought it was just a fake game

you could well be right, I've never seen the game, but it could be an old atari game or based on a similar one.

It's funny cause I remember there were also action figures (or toy soldier type) in the movie  [there may have even been a D&D like game in there], and the movie was also a live version of the game in a kids fantasy sort of way, so it would have been a good opportunity to pimp a game and action figures along with the movie.

I don't know, I think an American that lived in that era might have a better idea.

[Captain Mostly]

I hear Tron has made for a good game, and the film was poo! Maybe there's a formula!