Your favorite film on screen? Brilliant. Your favorite film transformed into something else entirely? Well, that’s not so straightforward.
Some film to game adaptations are so amazing that you feel like you’re stepping right into the cinematic world that you love so much. On the othxer hand, there are some so poorly executed that you might forget why you loved the film in the first place. There are many examples of adaptations of films that are all across the board in terms of quality, but today we’re going to be having a look at instances where iconic films were transformed into something new, but just as iconic in their own way. So, let’s get stuck in!
Jurassic Park
Few films captured imaginations like Spielberg’s Jurassic Park. Its blend of cutting-edge effects, suspense, and a dash of philosophical pondering (hello, chaos theory!) left an indelible mark on pop culture. Naturally, this led to some incredible adaptations, especially in the gaming world.
Take, for instance, Jurassic World Evolution, a wildly popular simulation game that lets you step into the shoes of a park manager. You can build your own dinosaur habitats, keep Velociraptors under control (or try to – or, indeed, try not to…), and balance visitor satisfaction with not getting eaten. It’s a hands-on way to explore the ethical dilemmas and adrenaline of the film.
Source: Unsplash
The Wizard of Oz
Few stories are as timeless as The Wizard of Oz. From its iconic ruby slippers to the unforgettable journey down the yellow brick road, this film has inspired countless adaptations, being reimagined as stage productions, immersive theme park experiences, board games, video games, and even slot games. This film is so influential that you forget it itself is already an adaptation of a famous book series, a useful thing to know as many of the original books are in the public domain, allowing for a particular wealth of innovative adaptations made with or without Warner Bros.’s involvement.
The visually stunning imagery of the franchise has always translated well to other media, whether that is Spooky Cool Labs and Warner Bros. Interactive’s city-building game for iOS, or one of the several casino games based on Frank L. Baum’s fictional universe. The Sisters of Oz WowPot, for example, features golden reels that echo the yellow brick road while offering prizes of a heft that bring to mind those of the eponymous Wizard. The progressive jackpots in the Wowpot network pull around 5% of every spin and put it into the pot. Should they win, that player stands to win the lot. Then again, for Oz fans, no matter the medium, the greatest prizes will always be a brain, a heart, courage, or simply to go home.
Jumanji
Source: Pexels
So, this one is a little bit backwards, but hopefully you’ll forgive me! It’s rare for a movie to be built around a board game and then reinvent the genre entirely. Jumanji pulled off that trick, introducing audiences to a world where dice rolls determined your fate. And, often, unleashed unbridled chaos.
Naturally, Jumanji: The Game brought that concept full circle, letting players experience the movie’s unpredictability first-hand. The newer digital adaptations, like Jumanji: Reverse the Curse, immerse fans even further. This VR experience transports you into the wild, tasking you with solving puzzles while dodging dangerous creatures. The VR element is truly terrifying and makes for a whole lot of fun, especially in a social setting. Watching friends wildly swing the controller around as they stumble around the coffee table is about as chaotic as it gets. It feels like something the makers of the Jumanji film would wholeheartedly agree with!
So there you have it, three films, each of which already adaptations in one way or another, which have taken on lives of their own and gone on to inspire a wealth of other adaptations spanning media. It can sometimes feel like your favorite film’s virtue is being spoiled a little by all the permutations that come to surround it, but these examples should illustrate that it’s not all doom and gloom.
