Games and movies have a long and storied history together. Ever since video games became widely available, major movie franchises would influence some of the titles that were released, with many being direct tie-ins to certain films.
Offering a video game experience of a popular movie is a singular opportunity; fans of the film will jump at the chance to play out events of the movie as characters they’ve grown to love.
Some games even extend the lore of a movie by adding to the story and exploring new elements of the world created in the cinematic experience. This makes these games almost a necessity for some fans.
This, obviously, is a mutually beneficial partnership for both the developers of the game and the studio which created the movie in the first place. The game will already have a captive, invested audience due to the popularity of the movie, while the film itself (and the franchise it might be a part of) will get an extra injection of interest.
This connection doesn’t stop at regular video games though, as online casino games have found huge success with movie tie-ins. The movies found among these online slots will be recognisable to almost everyone, for example.
These online casino games utilise clips from the movies they’re based on to entice players and feature the best-known characters from them. It’s an excellent way to stand out from competitors, but also provide a unique gambling experience.
One of the most successful examples of this is The Dark Knight Slot Machine, which is of course based on Christopher Nolan’s 2008 Batman movie. A large part of the film’s popularity stemmed from the villainous Joker, played by the late Heath Ledger, and this slot game leans heavily into the character’s chaotic nature.
Using edgy imagery from the film and characters like Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes (alongside Batman and Joker, of course), there are 243 routes to a win on this game. The Batman and Joker symbols also pay out more if they come in.
Given its iconic status in cinema, it’s no wonder Scarface has also inspired an excellent casino game. Developed by NetEnt, it’s a five-reel, 20-payline slot that features all the major characters from the film. Plus, when a winning combination drops in and includes a character, the game will play clips from the film featuring that same character, adding to the experience for the player.
The wild symbol is important too; getting a fully-stacked wild on the third reel unlocks a bonus level where players assist the movie’s protagonist, Tony Montana, in fighting off gunmen in a scene from the movie.
Sticking with the mobster theme, The Godfather Slot is another standout online casino game based off of a movie. Like the Batman game, this one features 243 ways of winning and offers 25 paylines. Based on major events in the trilogy, such as Corleone’s daughter’s wedding, the game features shifting scenarios and surprising twists, and is notably accessible, even to those new to slot games.
The Jumanji slot game is one of the most innovative iterations of the format. Based off the 1995 movie, the game’s format replicates the Jumanji board game in the film, and players must help Alan Parish escape from the fantastical jungle featured within – just like in the film.
The game also includes four different randomly triggered features (much like the board game within the film) that award wilds, sticky symbols, reshuffle and even turn the reels into wild ones.
When it comes to video games based on movies, few have been better executed than the James Bond GoldenEye console game released in the late 90s. Unlike other James Bond games, GoldenEye didn’t solely focus on shoot-em-up action but instead had a variety of levels, some of which relied on stealth rather than brute force. It even produced a spin-off online slot game of the same name many years later.
The Alien franchise is regarded as one of the best horror sci-fi series of films in recent history, and the Sega-developed Alien: Isolation game perfectly captured the freaky atmosphere and terror of the movies.
The xenomorph isn’t a typical enemy you’d find in other games, as the player cannot fight it head-on; this results in the death of the main character. Instead, when confronted by the alien, they need to run and hide while they progress through the game to figure out how to kill the creature properly.
Another space-centred game linked to movies is Bioware’s Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. While it doesn’t focus on the specific events of the Star Wars films, it is set in the universe created by George Lucas. Centring on the struggle between good and evil, players have to make several moral decisions throughout the game, which also ends with one of the biggest twists in gaming history.
Movies provide an excellent basis for different types of games, from online casino ones to regular video games. They can feature beloved characters and scenes, or they can expand on the worlds created in the films, providing exciting new stories and journeys.
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