A high budget live action film? The Time Is Right. The Technology Is Right.
Sonic The Hedgehog got his own movie and is already getting a sequel. Mortal Kombat is getting his own movie. Why stop here? The 90s children who spent their Sunday afternoons playing the retro games are all grownups with their own children spending their Sunday afternoons on their Playstation and Xbox. With the videogame market being so congested and so many games to choose from, why not give the OG fans what they deserve; a movie of the franchises who survived the test of time. Here is our list of the retro games that deserve their own high-budget live-action movie:
Legend of Zelda
For over 30 years, the Zelda franchise has garnered a huge fanbase spanning several generations which guarantees the commercial success of the movie even if it fails to pass the test of the critics. Zelda movies series should be a trilogy about Link obtaining Master Sword and exploring the kingdom of Hyrule, meeting iconic characters from the game, and a final showdown against Ganondorf. The feel and aesthetic of the movie should be like that of The Hobbit trilogy and the Narnia series. It may be the only time Link might break his silence.
“A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage.”
Mario
Been there, done that. Super Mario Bros. (1993) wasn’t well received mainly because it made the same error that most video game-based movies make i.e. deviating away from the source material. This is a big NO-NO for hardcore fans who find any alteration to the lore as an insult to the memory of their favorite franchise. So, if they ever decide to make a live-action Mario movie, they should embrace the lore and not shy away from its comedic and light-hearted nature; a world inspired by levels from Mario games, magical mushrooms, and stomping Goombas. It’s a videogame about a plumber saving a princess from turtles, for God’s sake.
A buddy cop film where Mario and Luigi travel across the Mushroom Kingdom to rescue the princess Peach from Bowser, the evil king of Koopas; I would watch that. Technology and the timing are right. Let’s get it moving.
“Thank you Mario! But Our Princess is in another castle!”
Chrono Trigger
If you were born in the 90s and you haven’t played Chrono Trigger, then I guess you either play it or not be born in the 90s. Chrono Trigger is easily top 10 best games ever made and it can’t get any better. It has been over two decades and the game has aged like fine wine. The engaging time-travel story, the friendship across different eras from a Jurassic World-esque to a Lord of the Rings-esque to a Game of Thrones-esque to a Terminator-esque world, the Chrono Trigger saga could easily span across several movies. Since Square Enix has no plans to do anything else with the game, they might as well adapt it into a movie.
“I used to call you… Daddy?”
Contra
Being a 90s kid I always imagined Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester as the two players you get to choose from at the beginning of the Contra. But since they are past their age to play gung-ho shirtless jacked young soldiers, I won’t mind seeing Tom Hardy, Chris Hemsworth, Henry Cavill or even Jason Momoa take up the roles of Bill and Lance and gun down aliens while doing a somersault.
“Congratulations! You’ve destroyed the vile Red Falcon and saved the universe. Consider yourself a hero.”
Mega Man
The year is 20XX and we still haven’t got a high-budget live-action movie. Mega Man is easily one of the front runners of the 90s videogame icons. With over 130 games, Mega Man is one of the most successful gaming franchises but its popularity has begun to fade with the passing years. What better way to attract the younger generation to the franchise than a movie? A light-hearted superhero movie where the protagonist takes on villains like Cut Man and Dr. Wily; count me in.
“I hate to say I told you so, but… I told you so.” Liked the list? Spread the word. For more on retro games and movies, make sure you tune into our website.
