Hollywood is one of the most prolific film production hubs in the world. Over the years, it has been the birthplace of some of the biggest box-office hits and critically acclaimed movies.
From superhero flicks to eternal classics, some special movies have expanded beyond the limits of big screens and home televisions. An example of this is movie-inspired video games. Not always successful and sometimes perceived as money-grabbers, games inspired by movies can struggle to break through, but there are plenty of successful examples too.
Batman: The Video Game (1989)
Batman is inspired by the film of the same year, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, and Kim Basinger.
In the game, the player commands Batman within the city of Gotham reimagined by Burton. The game’s purpose is to knock down Joker’s henchmen until you finally face the Clown Prince of Crime. Playing it today still provides satisfaction due to the simple controls and retro appeal, as well as the excellent soundtrack, typical of an 8-bit game.
GoldenEye 007 (1997)
One of the most celebrated movie-based games of all time, GoldenEye 007 arrived two years after the 17th Bond film, Goldeneye, premiered. At the time, Pierce Brosnan had been cast as James Bond for the first time, and he would go on to play the role in three more movies.
The film’s legacy lies in GoldenEye 007, a first-person shooter in which you take on the role of James Bond, facing Russian soldiers in a plot similar to that of the movie. At the time, this title drew attention for its beautiful visuals and clever narrative. In addition to the great story mode, there is a local multiplayer mode that allows four players to join in on deadly contests and is equally fun.
The James Bond franchise has also expanded beyond video games and into other forms of media, including online slot games. In the 25 years after GoldenEye, the online casino industry has grown exponentially, now offering many different services. Some of these emulate the land-based casino entertainment that could be seen in the Bond films, while other options have evolved as they’ve entered the virtual world. To get a taste of the variety of entertainment on offer, sites such as BonusFinder CA not only list casino sites, but also bonus guides detailing the best offers, bonuses and free spins.
It’s likely that the franchise will continue to adapt to modern times and it shouldn’t be long before we see another actor play the famous character, which will be an exciting time for fans.
Blade Runner (1997)
One of the great film classics of all time, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner remains in vogue to this day – so much so that it earned a sequel at the hands of Dennis Villeneuve that impressed the film critics at CBC and numerous other places. The original movie, which starred Harrison Ford, was transformed into a game released in 1997 and is expected to gain a new version for the current generation of consoles later this year as reported by Polygon.
This title is a quality point-and-click game not only because of its advanced visuals for a game released in 1997 but also because of its great narrative and gameplay. The story follows the life of Ray McCoy, a novice android hunter who finds himself trapped after being the victim of a setup. As a result, he is thrown into a futuristic 2019 Los Angeles underworld where, with the help of replicants, he will try to escape.
The plot of the game is parallel to the events of Scott’s film and offers a similar depth by highlighting the dilemmas of a hunter’s relationship with androids.
These three games certainly bring good memories to anyone fortunate enough to have played them and deserve a place among the list of great retro games.
