Film to game and game to film crossovers: what are some of the best and worst?

Finding ways to relax and have fun is essential. For a long time now, watching movies has been a popular choice. If you love catching the latest flicks, you will know how awesome it is. Movies not only allow us to forget our normal lives for a while but also take us to other places and show us new cultures or ideas.

New films are the lifeblood of the industry and this means that directors are always searching for inspiration. One popular place that many look to is gaming. As video gaming has grown in popularity over the years, filmmakers have realized that movies based on top-selling games can be successful at the box office. Of course, the same is true in reverse where video game studios know that titles based on hot films can sell well.

The emergence of online casino gaming as a way to have fun recently has also opened up fresh inspiration to both game studios and directors. Playing casino games over the internet has attracted a big following worldwide in the last decade and seen this sector become major news. When you consider the convenience, great bonuses and cool games on offer, it is easy to see why.

People can even play free casino games now by using NJ online casinos bonus codes. Just remember to check out an online comparison site before signing up to play so that you know what to expect. OddsSeeker is the best place in most people’s eyes, as it has all the information you need to know on the best internet casinos to play at.

Best film to game crossovers – Gladiator and GoldenEye 007 star

Keeping up with the latest film news is always good, but some of the best games are from older movies. Released in 2000 and starring Russell Crowe, Gladiator was a smash hit at the box office. The slot game based on the movie was also epic! The visuals are impressive, while the sound effects take you into the heart of the action. With 50 paylines and all the main characters popping up on the reels, it is a fun game for fans to enjoy.

James Bond films have been hugely popular with the movie-going public since they first appeared in the 1960s. GoldenEye was released in 1995 and was the first Bond flick to star Pierce Brosnan. The success of the film led to a tie-in video game being developed. Not only did it prove to be awesome, but it was also one of the first video games based on a film to really deliver. Coming out in 1997 on the Nintendo 64, it contained (at the time) revolutionary first-person split-screen action, great graphics and a smooth control system.

Which are the worst film to game crossovers?

While there have been some superb film to game crossovers, as shown above, there have been some real stinkers over time! There are quite a few to choose from, but Ghostbusters 2016 and the X-Men slot are particularly bad.

Ghostbusters 2016 was released to tie in with the equally poor remake, which hit Hollywood around the same time. What was it about this video game that was so shocking? The control system was puzzling to say the least, while the gameplay itself was clunky and confusing. Also, with only a few levels to play, it had no longevity.

On the face of it, Playtech’s X-Men 50 slot should have been the ideal game to tie in with the successful X-Men movie franchise. Although the 50 paylines are a plus, it just did not quite deliver as expected. An RTP of 92% put it well under what you want from a modern slot, while the lack of interesting animations and bonus features was a no-no.

Game to film crossovers – which are the best examples to try?

For many, the first Lara Croft: Tomb Raider film from 2001 ranks highly. Based on the hugely popular Tomb Raider series of video games, it did not leave fans disappointed when it was released. Angelina Jolie certainly brought the glamour and sex appeal to Lara Croft, which helped a lot. The action zips along at a fair pace and the story gives it an Indiana Jones feel. With Daniel Craig also putting in a good supporting performance (pre-Bond), it is a winner.

One other memorable game to movie crossover is 1995’s Mortal Kombat. The video game that this film is based on made a huge impact in the early 1990s – not only for its intense action but also for its level of violence. Cleverly, the filmmakers just stuck to what the game was about: a bunch of fighters turning up in a far-out location to do battle for the fate of the world. The fight scenes were great and seeing characters such as Sub-Zero on-screen was even better.

Game to movie crossovers – which did not fare so well?

If Mortal Kombat was a great film version of a beat ’em up game, 1994’s Street Fighter was most definitely not! You can see what the director was trying to do, but it just comes across as too silly and too camp. It also tried to construct a story to carry the film that was a bit too convoluted, rather than just sticking to the central theme of the video game. Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kylie Minogue’s performances in the lead roles are also best forgotten!

It is fair to say that Warcraft has been one of the biggest video game hits of modern times and it has amassed an army of loyal followers. Although the 2016 film version looked great, it just left you a little deflated. Multiple fake endings were annoying, and the performances from Ben Foster and Paula Patton were appalling. When you combine all that, it is not a good mixture!

Movies and games can be a happy combination – sometimes!

Anyone who loves watching films knows that the best can sometimes take inspiration from real life or other sources. Many great films (such as Trainspotting) have been based on books, for example. Casino and video games are also a fertile hunting ground for directors. While not all make the best films, they can be pretty awesome sometimes.