Bring Back Movie Tie-In Video Games

Amidst the seemingly never-ending whirlpool of pointless reboots and unnecessary sequels (sometimes prequels) in movie franchises, I thought I might take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about the good old days when blockbusters were still stand-alone events that featured tie-in video games as part of the fun.

One famous movie tie-in video game I often think of is Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, which came out on May 5, 2005, two weeks before the movie’s premiere on May 19. Developed for older consoles like the Xbox and PlayStation 2, the game has players alternate between controlling Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi in a single-player story campaign of 16 missions, leading up to the pair’s fateful lightsaber duel.

Although the graphics look super dated today, the gameplay remains surprisingly strong for its age. Notably it features several creative choices that highlight its enduring popularity.

• Movie Clip Teasers – Brief snippets from the film play at the start of each story mission, hinting at what fans can expect when they soon watch it in theaters

• Alternate Ending – The game sneakily throws in a 17th story mission with a what-if twist at the end

• Multiplayer Mode – Whether it’s one player vs. the computer or two players against each other, choose your favorite Jedi or Sith and battle your way to victory in epic lightsaber duels

Another movie tie-in game that deserves some recognition is Spider-Man 3 which released on May 4, 2007 alongside the film. Unlike Revenge of the Sith, this game features no movie clips whatsoever. To compensate for this loss, it features the principal voice talents of the film cast like Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man, Topher Grace as Venom and Thomas Haden Church as Sandman. Shoddy graphics aside, the gameplay appears decent, but upon looking at the lauded PlayStation 4 Spider-Man video game and its successful sequels, Spider-Man 3 just does not hold up today.

Video games are sometimes looked down upon as childish or juvenile interests, but thanks to the continuing evolution of technology plenty of people still find joy in them. With major franchises including the Marvel Cinematic Universe, James Bond, and Star Trek dominating the entertainment landscape, I would argue video games deserve their moment in the spotlight too. Movies and video games should support each other rather than compete for our attention.

When huge movies are poised to become blockbuster pictures, creative executives should plan accordingly to develop outstanding video game adaptations that can stand proudly alongside their film counterparts. That way audiences and gamers can equally share the excitement of experiencing the adventures of their favorite characters, both on the big screen and in their living rooms.