While Hollywood has made some really horrible movies based on popular games like Assassin’s Creed, some games based on hot studio franchises have done just as bad. It’s just assumed that something popular will hit in every sector.
One of the biggest areas where games are created based on films is with Sony PS4, Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo which is we are focusing on. You can also find many of your favorite characters at your local casino like the latest Ted slot game or even the really intense Walking Dead one.
So, here are the absolute worst games based on hot film franchises. Enjoy! (Games are based on Metacritic ratings).
Disney High School Musical 2: Work This Out! (Score: 38)
High School Musical is not the first movie you would think of that would make a decent video game. In fact, it would come across as something no one would ever ask for. However, the sequel got a game for the Nintendo DS.
As expected, it did not deliver anything except pain and sadness. Nintendo Gamer literally wrote, “At one point, we actually thought we were going to cry,” in their review for this game. Even diehard High School Musical fans would find the game insulting due to its lack of plot, repetitiveness, and poor graphics. Gameshark actually gave this game a zero out of 100.
DreamWorks Kung Fu Panda 2 (Score: 31)
Kung Fu Panda 2 isn’t the finest example of animated films, but it’s a soaring success compared to the game. Kung Fu Panda 2 takes place where the film ends, so at least it is not like you are watching the same film all over again. However, there is practically no storyline. Maybe they should have stuck to the movie’s plot.
For a PlayStation 3 game, it really failed in terms of graphics. At least it can make for a very easy Platinum Trophy for PlayStation trophy hunters.
Robocop (Score: 30)
This game was made for the Xbox in 2003 by Titus Interactive, and was a total flop. If you took away the “RoboCop” license then all the game becomes is a generic first person shooter. It is no surprise that Titus Interactive filed for bankruptcy just two years after they put out this game. Apparently, they made a ton of games that were bad like this one.
Ghostbusters (Score: 30)
Unsuspecting Ghostbusters fans paid about 50 dollars for this disappointing cash-in on a popular franchise. The scenario in which this game ended up in gamers’ hands due likely involved an unknowing parent or grandparent purchasing it due to the popular franchise title. It is one of those games that takes psychological prowess to slog through without dying of boredom from the amount of repetition. Fans of the film and fans of co-op shooters alike should stay away from this game.
Disney’s The Lion King: Simba’s Mighty Adventure (Score: 30)
Tied with Ghostbusters is a game made based on one of Disney‘s greatest films, The Lion King. As we learn time and time again though, a good movie does not necessarily make a good game. This particular one was for the original PlayStation and was created by Paradox Development. Critics absolutely despised the game while non-critics just kind of shrugged in terms of reviews.
Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game Of The Movie (Score: 28)
This game came out in 2000 for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PC, and Xbox 360. You play as Jack and get to use traps, your team, and weapons to survive the world that is full of dangerous predators. According to the game’s description, you have first-person perspective as Jack but get third-person battles as Kong.
Shrek Swamp Kart Speedway (Score: 27)
Here is a game that is just an assault to your eyes. It came out for GameBoy Advance. At first glance, it looks like critics hated the game while regular players loved it. That is until you read the actual positive reviews, which mostly go on about how “Shrek is love, Shrek is life” and “all hail the our Orgelord.” It’s one big meme.
Terminator 3: War Of The Machines (Score: 25)
This game sported both multiplayer and single player first person shooter missions. Game Over Online wrote, “If just one copy of Terminator 3 gets bought anywhere in the world, then I have failed as both a game reviewer and a member of the human race.”
According to other reviews, the game is unbearable in single-player mode. The bots you play with run into walls and cannot aim. Others noted that the game felt incomplete and abandoned by its publisher.
Rambo: The Video Game (Score: 23)
This game’s lowest score in particular was for the PlayStation 3 version. The game was repetitive and had various odd difficulty spikes. Typically the regular players are more easygoing than the critic, but not for this game. Both kinds of reviews bashed the game for its lack of twists, power-ups, and memorable boss fights. It did not even add little touches from the film to make the fans happy.
Fast & Furious: Showdown (Score: 21)
The PlayStation 3 version of this game got the lowest score out of the games we looked at for this list. With a 21 Metascore and a user score of 0.7, Fast & Furious: Showdown is a mess. Users advise not to give the game a try, even if it were a dollar. The visuals are awful, and the missions are boring.
Thankfully, there are plenty of amazing racings games out there. Especially if you wait for the Sony PS5 which will absolutely blow your mind this holiday season!