In a world where video games are popular and have taken over, have you ever wondered where your favorite games originated from? Or what inspired the creation of the game characters? If you didn’t know, many of these games didn’t just come into existence because the game developers created the ideas and brought them to light. Many of these games were inspired by movies, books, popular comics, animated shows, and more. Today, some of these game adaptations have won the hearts of gamers and are played all over the world, earning them the title of “top games”.
What makes these top games stand out from others is that, aside from being adapted from comics and animations, the developers add features, storylines, and visuals that make the games more enjoyable. Overall, we can say their success is linked to creating exactly what their audience wants or will want. For instance, if someone enjoyed a show, and then they come across the video game adaptation, they will definitely play the game. If it impresses them, it becomes their favorite. This applies to millions of people out there.
The world of gaming is constantly evolving, with new games being developed all the time, giving everyone a large selection to choose from based on their preferences.
The most popular types of games vary from platform to platform. When it comes to console and pc gaming, competitive online multiplayer games are top dogs. In these games, players compete head to head to outplay their opponent and take victory. The popularity of these games has led to a whole professional competitive scene forming around it, in these leagues or tournaments, the world’s best compete against one another for glory and huge prize pools.
When it comes to browser gaming iGaming leads the way. A huge variety of games fall under this umbrella, with online sports betting and casinos having the highest user base. The online casino industry has seen large growth over the last few years, as seen by the number of new platforms listed on NewCasino (an iGaming resource that offers users in-depth reviews and education about online casinos).
The last popular platform we’ll discuss is mobile gaming. This market is booming with a 7.1billion mobile devices in use globally which is a lot of potential users for any game launched on the platform. While mobile gaming is usually seen more as a place for brain teaser games and casual puzzles, the Esports World Cup showcased how the platform could become a powerhouse for professional gaming in the future.
Are you one of the millions of gamers that enjoy particular games? Here are some of the top games you should know about that were inspired by comics and animation.
Marvel’s Spider-Man
The popular Spider-Man game franchise was produced by Insomniac Games. The Marvel comic character was created by the late Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, making its debut on August 10, 1962, with Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1. This issue earned the title of the best-selling book that year.
Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 is a superhero action comic about a high schooler named Peter Parker, who developed superhuman powers after being bitten by a spider during a science experiment. As a result, he gained the ability to cling to solid surfaces, sharp reflexes, and a “spider sense” that allowed him to sense danger and rescue people. However, there was one person Peter couldn’t save—his Uncle Ben, who was killed by a thief.
Marvel adapted this series, focusing mainly on the characters while creating their own storylines. These Marvel Spider-Man games can be downloaded on mobile devices and played on PlayStation consoles.
Overall, the game series has received a lot of positive feedback from players. Many look forward to unlocking higher levels as they play, and there is also anticipation for more installments in the series. A new episode of the game franchise is about to be released, although the date has not been announced yet.
Batman
Batman was originally a comic book series produced and published by DC Comics in the early 1900s. Just like Spider-Man, it also became widely loved by the general public, leading to the continued production of comic books to this day. Batman was based on a character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane. Even to this day, the comics remain popular—as of 2023, Batman comics have made over $1 million each, making them some of the top-sold items in 2023.
In 2009, Rocksteady Studios and Warner Bros. developed the game adaptation of the Batman comics, called Batman: Arkham Asylum. It is an action-adventure video game, and the storyline centers on how Batman battles his archenemy, the Joker, who plans to ruin Batman by taking control of Arkham Asylum (a psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane foes of Batman) in Gotham City and locking Batman up with his enemies.
This game won over the hearts of video gamers because the characters, storylines, improved features, and game visuals reminded them of the comic books. Because of the success, as the year went by, more Batman games kept being developed, leading to over 40 series, so players have access to countless options to play. Some of the Batman Game series include
- Batman: Arkham Knight
- Batman: Arkham Origins
- Batman: Arkham City
- Batman: The Enemy Within
- Batman Arkham Trilogy
All these game series have different storylines, but the main character is always Batman, whom players really love to see. This game can also be played on PlayStations.
Deadpool
Deadpool entered the scene as one of the best things to happen to the Hollywood industry. Developed by High Moon Studios and published by Activision, this action-adventure video game was inspired by the Deadpool comics, first published in December 1990.
One of the major reasons why Deadpool ranks among the top games inspired by comics and animation is its ability to infuse self-aware humor with amazing gameplay. While this may not seem like a big deal, it’s important to note that adapting a game from comics and animation is not as easy as it seems. However, Deadpool has successfully bridged this gap. We should not leave out the fact that the famous Nolan North voices the character in the game.
Deadpool is an action-packed third-person shooter. The character fights enemies using various weapons, such as melee weapons, guns, and hammers, acquiring more as he advances to higher levels. The video game can be played on PlayStation 3, Xbox, and PC (downloadable version).
Conclusion
As said earlier, video game adaptation is not an easy job to do. Many have tried but couldn’t grab the video gamer’s attention, hence their failure. However, these games listed above have succeeded in not only grasping their audience’s attention but also sustaining it, hence why they are the top games inspired by comics and animation.