With the recent trend of video games being adapted into award-winning television shows and films, you may be overwhelmed with the speed at which your watchlist is growing.
If you need help narrowing down your options, here are 10 of the best video game to screen adaptations from the past few years.
1. The Last of Us
20 years after a fungal virus devastates society, a gruff survivor must escort humanity’s last hope across a post-apocalyptic America: a 14-year-old girl who is immune to the lethal infection.
Based on the beloved 2013 game of the same name, The Last of Us is one of the most loyal video game adaptations out there, faithfully transforming many of the game’s cut scenes into live action. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey’s emotional performances combined with the terrifying “zombies” earned rave reviews from critics and fans alike.
All of season one of The Last of Us is available to watch on HBO or Sky. And thanks to the amazing audience reception, the talented crew are already working on a second season.
2. Pokémon: Detective Pikachu
Following a mysterious accident that led to the death of his father, Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) must team up with Lucy (Kathryn Newton), a journalist eager to prove herself, and a talking Pikachu who dreams of becoming a detective (Ryan Reynolds) in order to get to the bottom of the conspiracy.
Although Nintendo have made several Pokémon films since the first game’s release in 1996, Detective Pikachu was the first to be made in live action. Drawing from the rich worldbuilding that comes with a franchise that’s more than two decades old, the fascinating setting and intriguing plot draw you into the world of Pokémon and it’s perfect for entertaining children or grandchildren.
3. Halo
A new threat emerges in the 26th century: the Covenant, an alliance between several advanced alien species who are all determined to be the ones who destroy humanity. With an epic battle looming on the horizon, the United Nations Space Command are the only people standing in the way of the destruction of mankind.
Based on the series of Xbox games with the same name, the show takes inspiration from the source material to explore the captivating and richly populated sci-fi world through the eyes of a diverse cast of characters.
You can watch the first season of Halo on Paramount+, and a second one is currently in production.
4. Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva
Puzzle-solving Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke are whisked into a dangerous game when a masked figure abducts an entire opera house. The reward for one lucky winner is eternal life, but failing to pass the mastermind’s complicated traps means the forfeit is death.
Part of the canon for the most popular series of Nintendo DS games, and with a new Nintendo Switch game due to be released next year, people from around the globe have fallen in love with the Professor Layton franchise since the first game’s release in 2007.
The film incorporates Level 5’s iconic animation style as well as the brain-training puzzles the games are known for through the compelling storytelling and beautiful soundtrack.
5. Arcane
Arcane follows sisters Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell) as they find themselves on opposing sides of a brewing conflict over arcane technologies and conflicting ideals.
Set in the same universe as the League of Legends games, it is perfect for both long-standing fans and those who are new to the franchise.
With gorgeous animation and a cast of skilled voice actors, Arcane became the first streaming series to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program and has already been renewed for a second season.
You can watch Arcane on Netflix.
6. The Angry Birds Movie
When their island is invaded by an army of scheming green pigs, it’s up to three flightless birds – Red (Jason Sudeikis), Chuck (Josh Gad), and Bomb (Danny McBride) to put a stop to their fiendish plot.
If you’ve ever wondered what made the birds from the popular mobile game of the same name quite so angry, you will enjoy the two Angry Birds films.
The Angry Birds Movie and The Angry Birds Movie 2 are available to watch on Netflix for your next family-friendly movie night.
7. Resident Evil
After a failed experiment threatens to destroy Racoon City, a special military unit is hired to investigate the ruins of the underground facility.
Facing an out-of-control super computer and hundreds of reanimated scientists who are hungry for blood, the team must find a way to stop the outbreak of the deadly T-Virus before it’s too late.
As one of the highest grossing horror film franchises, Resident Evil has plenty of onscreen adaptations for you to sink your teeth into. Starting in 2002, the original series of six films follows Alice (Milla Jovovich) as she fights the flesh-hungry creatures in her quest to unearth the truth about the corrupt Umbrella Corporation.
More recently, however, the franchise has been completely rebooted with a new cast. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City was released in 2021 with new characters and a different storyline to the original films. And in 2022, the spin-off Resident Evil series aired on Netflix.
8. Uncharted
Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is happy to continue pickpocketing the wealthy customers that visit the bar he serves drinks at. But when seasoned thief Victor Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) brings him into a race to discover a missing legendary treasure against a corrupt billionaire, he is sucked into the adventure of a lifetime, and might finally get some answers about his brother’s disappearance.
Based on Naughty Dog’s popular game series, Uncharted’s brilliant action scenes and all-star cast led it to become the fifth highest-grossing video game film of all time.
Uncharted is currently available to watch on Sky Go.
9. Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic (Ben Schwartz), a young blue hedgehog who can run at supersonic speeds, must team up with a small-town sheriff (James Marsden) to defeat the evil Dr Robotnik (Jim Carrey) before he can steal Sonic’s powers for his wicked inventions.
Based on the famous game franchise, two Sonic the Hedgehog films have already been released to very positive reviews, and a third one is scheduled to be released in 2024.
You can watch Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on Paramount+.
10. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
With help from Princess Peach (Anya Taylor Joy), his brother Luigi (Charlie Day) and all his friends from across Mushroom Kingdom, Mario (Chris Pratt) must become more than an ordinary plumber from Brooklyn to stop Bowser (Jack Black) from his plans to conquer the world.
After the failure of the 1993 live action Mario film, Nintendo was hesitant to make a second attempt. But with a cast of A-list celebrities and the animation team that created successes such as Despicable Me, the most famous brothers in video game history are back in the cinema.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is currently available to watch in cinemas.