10 Best Classic Arcade Video Games Based On Movies And TV Shows – SlashFilm

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There was a time when virtually every major Hollywood blockbuster received a video game tie-in, with everything from “Waterworld” to “Platoon” getting their own games. Many television shows also saw video game adaptations, like “Star Trek” and “Batman: The Animated Series” getting notable game releases. More than home gaming platforms, like consoles and PC, these tie-in games were also released in arcades, primarily in the ’80s and ’90s. While many movie and television tie-in games were of questionable quality, there are definitely some gems that stood out, including from the arcade market.

From rail shooters to side-scrolling beat’em-ups, there were plenty of arcade titles based on popular movies and shows worth the quarters gamers poured into them. Decades later, these games still hold up and stand among the best movie tie-in titles of all time, regardless of platform. The best tie-in games prove enormously entertaining even if players aren’t overly familiar with the wider property the title is connected to. 

Here are the 10 best classic arcade video games based on movies and TV shows.

Bally Midway/YouTube

The original 1982 “TRON” is a true cult classic, with visual effects that were far ahead of their time, something that its legacy sequels continue to honor. With a narrative revolving around the then-exploding trend of popular arcade games, it was only fitting that the movie received a movie tie-in arcade game of its own. The arcade title had players control Tron as he battled Master Control Program’s forces across the Grid in four different game types. This includes the iconic Light Cycles, as well as the movie’s battle tank sequence as they outmaneuver and destroy their enemies.

With its multiple game types straight from the movie, “TRON” is like playing four Atari-era arcade games all in one cabinet. Not only do each of these games evoke the digital landscapes of the movie, but they each stand in their own right as entertaining experiences. A smash success, over 10,000 “TRON” arcade cabinets had shipped by 1983, even as the home console industry faltered in the United States. Perfectly encapsulating the era in which it was born, without feeling dated decades later, “TRON” is quarter-fueled arcade bliss.

Konami

In the ’80s and ’90s, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were a bonafide cultural phenomenon, spreading its reach from comic books to cartoons, video games, and movies. This included several arcade games, the first of which released in 1989, based on the long-running animated series that debuted in 1987. The game starts with the Ninja Turtles’ friend April O’Neil kidnapped by sinister Shredder, leading them to battle his army of minions across New York City. Players can choose between the four Turtles, with the arcade version allowing for up to four-player cooperative multiplayer as the heroes-in-half-shell stop Shredder and his associates.

From its visual style and character designs matching the animated series to the cast reprising their roles, the 1989 “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is the perfect adaptation of the show. Given that “TMNT” was one of the best cartoons of the 1980s, this is high praise and a must-play for any fan. The exuberant soundtrack and fun-filled combat gameplay really are standouts of the genre and the levels are masterfully designed and never overstay their welcome. The ultimate distillation of the Ninja Turtles in their classic forms, the 1989 arcade game is one of the best to ever do it.

Sega

After producing several music videos and short films with high production values and tightly choreographed sequences, including his groundbreaking “Thriller” music video, Michael Jackson set his sights on the big screen. This led to the 1988 anthology musical movie “Moonwalker,” produced by and starring Jackson, which featured longer-form vignettes set to Jackson’s songs, most notably “Smooth Criminal.” Though released straight to video in America, the movie spawned a number of video game adaptations, including an arcade game released in 1990 titled “Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker.” Distinctly different from its subsequent home console ports, the arcade game is an isometric beat’em-up game as Jackson sets out to rescue kidnapped children from local crime lord Mr. Big.

True to Jackson’s wishes, the game doesn’t quite have the pop star physically attack his enemies, but he defeats them with magically charged dance moves. Building up Jackson’s magic meter can lead to a larger dance sequence dispelling all enemies on-screen while Jackson can be upgraded into a metallic version by his pet chimp Bubbles. The arcade also supports up to three players in cooperative gameplay, with each participant playing a form of Jackson using dance moves from different music videos. One of those games that has to be seen to be believed, “Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker” is as much a toe-tapper as it is a solid action title.

Konami

Quickly cementing itself as a pop culture touchstone worldwide upon its debut in 1989, “The Simpsons” is still good over 30 years later and just as culturally relevant as ever. As part of the animated series’ subsequent merchandising juggernaut, the franchise branched out into video games, including a 1991 arcade game. Simply titled “The Simpsons,” the game is a side-scrolling beat’em-up that has the eponymous family rally to save Maggie after she’s kidnapped by Mr. Burns (Harry Shearer). This leads to an expansive brawl across their town of Springfield, including dust-ups with several familiar faces along the way.

“The Simpsons” is definitely a cut above the other arcade beat’em-ups of the time, with its smooth combat, colorfully rendered characters and environments, and the show’s cast reprising their roles. Whereas the show tends to focus so much on Homer (Dan Castellaneta), the game really takes advantage of the whole family ensemble. This is evident with each player having their own unique method of attacking and special moves, along with combo specials shared by two players at once. An entertaining tour of Springfield that involves battering any foes that happen to cross the family’s path, “The Simpsons” is another standout entry in the beat’em-up genre.

Atari Games/YouTube

Two years after its initial theatrical run, the 1989 “Batman” movie directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson was still a commercial powerhouse through merchandising. This continued relevance extended to video games, including a 1991 arcade game developed and published by Atari Games. Simply titled “Batman,” the game was primarily a side-scrolling beat’em-up, though it also had first-person vehicle sequences in the Batmobile and Batwing. Archival audio material from Keaton and Nicholson in their respective roles was included in the game, recreating scenes from the movie that made Tim Burton a box office hero.

“Batman” is an impressively detailed video game for its time, with a notably effective sound design, helping set it apart from other beat’em-ups in the arcade. More than just using his fists, the Dark Knight can employ everything from Batarangs to gas grenades to take out the Joker’s private army and save Gotham City. The vehicle sections are great interludes to the traditional combat sections, functioning like rail shooter segments. A great translation of the superhero movie to arcade hardware, “Batman” kept the classic movie’s legacy away until its 1992 sequel.

Midway/YouTube

1991’s “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” helped reestablish blockbuster sequels capable of not only going bigger but better than their predecessors, something that had waned since “Star Wars” and Indiana Jones. The movie received an ambitious arcade game adaptation the same year, a light gun rail shooter that saw Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong, and Robert Patrick reprise their roles. Players control T-800s reprogrammed by the futuristic human resistance to defend John Connor (Furlong) and raid Cyberdyne offices in 1995 to prevent its malevolent artificial intelligence to become self-aware. The early levels take place in the war-torn future of 2029, recreating and expanding “Terminator 2’s” opening scene.

“Terminator 2: Judgement Day” was a staple in arcades and bowling alleys long after the movie it was based on had left theaters, a testament to its pop culture staying power. The movie actors’ presence helps raise the pedigree of the game, while giving Robert Patrick another occasion he’s played the T-1000 outside of “Terminator 2.” The game was subsequently ported to a variety of home platforms, but the arcade version still stands as the definitive way to experience the title. A light gun classic that inspired countless knock-offs and helped keep arcade games alive well into the ’90s, “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” lives up to its source material’s legacy.

Sega/YouTube

While everything that went wrong with David Fincher’s “Alien 3” has divided fans for decades, the 1992 movie saw a number of impressive movie tie-in games. This includes a 1993 arcade title, “Alien 3: The Gun,” which certainly provided a more action-packed take on the movie’s events. The game has players control two Colonial Marines battling waves of xenomorphs on the remote planet of Fiorina “Fury” 161, including the correctional facility where most of the movie is set. In addition to fighting the acid-blooded monsters, the Marines also have to fight private security forces sent by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation.

Since the cinematic “Alien 3” is an oppressive interrogation of toxic masculinity, this more contemplative take on the franchise obviously isn’t well-suited for a video game. Instead, while the setting and narrative strokes remain, “Alien 3: The Gun” is much more in line with 1986’s “Aliens,” with its run-and-gun sci-fi action. Given the source material’s mixed reception, the complete change in tone is a welcome one, while still keeping the evocative atmosphere from the movie and its creeping tension intact. One of the best light gun games ever made, “Alien 3: The Gun” puts players right in the thick of a xenomorph horde in a fun-filled fight for survival.

Sega

For readers who may have forgotten or simply weren’t around for it, “Jurassic Park” changed movies forever and absolutely dominated the box office when it was released in 1993. This commercial juggernaut quickly spread to all sorts of tie-in merchandising, including video games on virtually every contemporary platform, as well as arcades. 1994 saw the release of the first “Jurassic Park” arcade game, recognizable by the faux branded Ford Explorer that gamers sat in while playing. An on-rails light gun game, the game opens with the players stalked by a T-rex as dinosaurs at the remote theme park run wild across the island.

The game’s setup is simple: If something moves on-screen, you should blow it away immediately and move on to the next target. The game’s Jeep-like novelty presentation helped set it apart from other arcade cabinets at the time, and it became a staple in the medium’s ’90s resurgence. There is a robust variety of enemies and a steady sense of progression that leaves players pouring in quarters to see where on the island this run-and-gun journey goes next. Numerous sequels and spin-offs later, “Jurassic Park” is still the best “Jurassic Park” movie, and its accompanying arcade title is still a highlight from its long list of tie-in games.

Sega

“Star Wars” has long had a strong track record with relatively good video game adaptations, dating back to the franchise’s first foray into arcade games in 1983. After the original trilogy’s special editions turned generational nostalgia into gold in 1997, “Star Wars Trilogy Arcade” was released the following year. Players could choose which movie from the original trilogy they wanted to play through, with each divided into their own set of missions. Most of these missions are on-rails shooters, either on foot or in vehicles, though the game does contain segments based around lightsaber duels as well.

Even today, the graphics for “Star Wars Trilogy Arcade” are incredible, really making players feel like they’re in the worlds of the movies. Getting to participate in the Battle of Hoth or speed through the forest moon of Endor feels surprisingly immersive. Though the gameplay is rewarding, it is deceptively difficult, enticing players to keep loading it with quarters to finish out the familiar stories. An all-around thrill ride that still looks and plays great, “Star Wars Trilogy Arcade” is a fantastic recreation of the iconic original movies.

LucasArts

While “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” remains a divisive entry in the franchise, many fans have come around to love it over the subsequent years. One of the generally agreed upon highlights of the prequel is its centerpiece podracing scene, as Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) races for his own freedom in a high-speed competition. This kinetic sequence was expanded into a whole arcade game, “Star Wars Episode I: Racer,” in 1999, with the arcade cabinet using a recreation of Anakin’s podracer. The game has players tour different planets around the galaxy, each with their own distinct racetracks, and choose between different racers, including Anakin and his underhanded rival Sebula (Lewis MacLeod).

True to its premise, “Episode I Racer” runs fast, with vehicles moving at a significantly greater velocity than most of its contemporaries, meaning players need to stay on their toes. “Star Wars” fans will love getting to see mentioned but previously unseen planets in the franchise while the racing announcers from the movie return to offer their play-by-play commentary. The arcade game saw well-received ports to the Nintendo 64, PC, and Dreamcast, which were remastered for modern platforms in 2020. The podracing scene is the key to understanding George Lucas and his attention to detail, with players able to dive into that fast-paced, tightly detailed world in “Episode I: Racer.”