The 10 best movies about video games, according to Ranker (2023)

There is a lot of stigma attached to video game movies, though fans are hoping for success from newer movies.sonic the hedgehog 2can help change that. The general feeling is that video game adaptations struggle to live up to the source material, often leaving fans disappointed. Adaptations aside, however, there is an entirely different genre of video game movies - those about games.

These types of movies really have an extensive history. They date back to the 1980s, even before the first mainstream video game was released in the 1990s. These gaming movies contain some popular cult classics. Who of them is the best, fans intendrilsvoted for their top ten.

Observation:Leaderboards are live and continue to collect votes, so some leaderboards may have changed after this release.

Player (2009)

The 10 best movies about video games, according to Ranker (1)

playerhas a somewhat unique premise. The idea is that there is a video game that uses nanites to control real people. During the gameHunter, Logan Lerman's character actually controls Gerard Butler's character in an actual deathmatch. The film finished fourth in its opening weekend, but did not receive a great critical response.

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Many critics criticized the film for lacking in talent, and also for overdoing it.matrix matrix. It's considered a low point for director Mark Neveldine, which is surprising considering he also directed the second.wrong way driver. At the very least, Gamer's unique concept was enough to win the full commercial.The Wizardto the top ten of the ranking.

Grandma's Boy (2006)

The 10 best movies about video games, according to Ranker (2)

Grandma's Boy is a pot comedyabout a game tester who gets fired and has to live with his grandmother. It was being handled by Happy Madison Productions, founded by Adam Sandler, so critics didn't like it. However, the public response was much more positive and it even won some Stony awards.

Allen Covert plays the title tester, Doris Roberts plays his grandmother, and Linda Cardellini plays his lover Samantha. The video game test takes up much of the film's running time, including a scene of a monkey playing games. Developer Terminal Reality provided resources for the film's gameplay, but the game in question was never released.

Tron (1982)

The 10 best movies about video games, according to Ranker (3)

When it comes to cult classics, none have the same appeal as the '80s sci-fi epic.Tron. In this film, Jeff Bridges was drawn into a game of his own making. The plot was criticized for being slow, but the graphics were something else, combining backlit animation with CGI for a distinctive look.

The movie was originally going to be animated before Disney picked it up and turned it into live-action. The film received nominations for Best Costume Design and Best Sound, but strangely not for Visual Effects. The film was only modestly successful, but would be used in many other Disney properties, such asKingdom Heartsbefore finally getting a sequel in 2010.

Tron: Legacy (2010)

The 10 best movies about video games, according to Ranker (4)

Tron: Legacysaw the return of actors and production staff from the original. With a soundtrack by Daft Punk and an animated series and video game to go with it, it was Disney's attempt to reinvigorate and market the brand. Unfortunately, the sequel received mixed reviews.

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The film deviated from the first's video game theme in favor of a story about emerging AI. Certain character motivations were also completely changed and Tron himself was barely introduced. The film was still financially successful, but it wasn't the big break Disney was hoping for. A third of the franchise has been in development hell ever since (forGizmodo).

The Last Starfighter (1984)

The 10 best movies about video games, according to Ranker (5)

The Last Starfighter is practically inseparable from the first games. Many games of this era were flight simulators and the film's plot took advantage of this, as Lance Guest is recruited as a pilot in a space war due to his gaming skills. The film also stars Robert Preston in his final theatrical role.

Along with Tron, this movie was also one of the first to use CGI. likelegacy, also received many enhanced media such as video games and a musical theater version. It is still fondly remembered and there have been attempts to bring it back. The Last Starfighter is in good company among theThe Most Underrated Action Movies of the 80s.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)

The 10 best movies about video games, according to Ranker (6)

Welcome to the Junglemay be one of the many jungle action movies starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, but it's actuallyOne of The Rock's best movies. O originaljumanjiThe board game evolved into a video game that changed over time. The main characters are drawn and transformed into the game's avatars.

The original Jumanji was a Robin Williams classic, so audiences were understandably reluctant to revive it. While some thought it lost the complexity of the original, it serves its purpose as a very funny adventure comedy. All the actors perform well together and successfully represent their teenage counterparts. The film also fits into many video game tropes, much like the board game original.

War Games (1983)

The 10 best movies about video games, according to Ranker (7)

In the early days of gaming, many movies used video game environments to critique war. In the 1983 filmwar games'Matthew Broderick unknowingly accesses a US supercomputer to play what he believes to be a game. Unfortunately, he is simulating and executing plans for a nuclear war against the Soviet Union.

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The film correctly predicts many unsettling things about the future, such as video games used by the military and drones. Perhaps most disturbing is how hacking and cybercrime are being portrayed as major weapons in global conflicts as they are today. The film is considered highly influential and was released straight to DVD in 2008.

Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

The 10 best movies about video games, according to Ranker (8)

in sequel ofJumanji: Welcome to the Jungleincreases the number of game references. It is set two years after the events of the first one with the same children. Two older men, played by Danny DeVito and Danny Glover, also join, leading to new Avatar characters, including one played by Awkwafina.

The discovery of a magical pool of water that allows players to switch avatars causes further complications. This results in one of the avatars being a horse in a hilarious twist. It also leads to discussions of class and stat systems in video games. The film ends with a happy moral about what to love, who to love with, and a teaser for a possible fourth film.

Wrack Es Ralph (2012)

The 10 best movies about video games, according to Ranker (9)

Unlike other films of this typedestroy it Ralphtakes place in a video game world, even more literal than one might expect. Litwak's Arcade contains a central hub where all of the game's characters live. They interact during the night, but it is forbidden to go to other games during the day.

Of course, the main character Ralph does just that and gets stuck in many different genres. It's a big part of why the film works, mixing its morality with video game references and cameos. The other big reason why it works ishow likable are the characters in Wreck-It Ralphit is.

Ready Player One (2018)

The 10 best movies about video games, according to Ranker (10)

Mid to late 2010sready player oneit was a phenomenon. The film and the book that inspired it were a tremendous crossover, but also a story about the spirit of humanity. In the future, everyone is addicted to OASIS, a huge virtual reality world where they can be anyone. The rights belong to whoever discovers the developer's secret, so the protagonists flee from evil corporations to find him.

Due to the nature of OASIS, avatars are often familiar characters that have been repurposed as in-game avatars. This led to an impressive appearance by theiron Giantunder references tothe shine. It's the film's meta-narrative that makes it such a great piece about gaming. The film is about people who wear their favorite games on their sleeves and band together to prevent what unites them from becoming too corporate.

NEXT:According to Ranker, the 10 best video game movies of all time

FAQs

What is the number 1 video game movie? ›

As of 2022, Warcraft is the highest-grossing film adaptation based on video games, while Pokémon is the highest-grossing film franchise based on video games.

What is the #1 best video game of all time? ›

Best Video Games of All Time
  1. The Last of Us Part II (2020) "The Last of Us Part II"
  2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" ...
  3. Super Mario World (1990) ...
  4. Tetris (1984) ...
  5. Minecraft (2011) ...
  6. Pokémon LeafGreen and Pokémon FireRed (2004) ...
  7. Wii Sports (2006) ...
  8. The Last of Us (2013) ...
Jan 15, 2023

What is the top 10 most popular video game? ›

The 10 Best-Selling Video Games of All Time
  • Overwatch – 50 million. ...
  • Red Dead Redemption 2 – 50 million+ ...
  • Mario Kart 8 + Deluxe – 60.46 million. ...
  • PUBG – 75 million. ...
  • Wii Sports – 82.9 million. ...
  • Grand Theft Auto V – 175 million+ ...
  • Minecraft – 238 million. ...
  • Tetris – 520 million.
Feb 7, 2023

Who is the most rated game in the world? ›

1. The Last of Us: Part I (2022 Video Game)

What is the biggest video game movie of all time? ›

Sonic the Hedgehog

What is the #1 game of the year? ›

D.I.C.E. Awards
YearGameGenre
2015Fallout 4Action role-playing
2016OverwatchFirst-person shooter
2017The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildAction-adventure
2018God of WarAction-adventure
21 more rows

What video game has the best graphics of all time? ›

So, here are the most realistic games to ever be released:
  1. Ghost of Tsushima. IGN. ...
  2. Red Dead Redemption II. Rockstar Games. ...
  3. Call of Duty Mobile. Call of Duty: Mobile. ...
  4. GTA V. ...
  5. Death Stranding. ...
  6. Control. ...
  7. Cyberpunk 2077. ...
  8. The Last of Us: Part Two.
Aug 3, 2022

What is the most popular game in USA? ›

Historically, the national sport has been baseball. However, in more recent decades, American football has been the most popular sport in terms of broadcast viewership audience.

What is the least popular game in the world? ›

What is the least sold game? Okami currently holds the record for "least commercially successful award for a game of the year." Despite its critical acclaim, Okami only managed to get 600,000 copies out.

What is the top 5 most popular video games? ›

filters
  • Super Mario Bros. 63%
  • 2 Sega50%
  • 3 Grand Theft Auto48%
  • 4 Mario Kart 847%
  • 5 Candy Crush Saga46%
  • 6 Minecraft45%
  • 7 Marvel's Spider-Man45%
  • 8 Spider-Man44%

What movie does a kid get stuck in a video game? ›

1. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) Four teenagers are sucked into a magical video game, and the only way they can escape is to work together to finish the game.

What Netflix show is based on a video game? ›

Netflix series based on League of Legends, The Witcher, Castlevania, and Cuphead have all connected with critics on the Tomatometer, while the most recent title, HBO's The Last of Us, starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, has lived up to the buzz.

What is the best video game adaptation? ›

The 6 Best Video Game Adaptations, Ranked
  • 6 The Witcher.
  • 5 Resident Evil.
  • 4 Sonic the Hedgehog.
  • 3 Shenmue: The Animation.
  • 2 Castlevania.
  • 1 Pokemon.
Jan 17, 2023

Who is the king of all games? ›

The game of chess is a game of kings and also the king of games.

Who made the greatest game ever played? ›

The Greatest Game Ever Played is a 2005 American biographical sports film based on the early life of amateur golf champion Francis Ouimet and his surprise winning of the 1913 U.S. Open. The film was directed by Bill Paxton, and was his last film as a director.

What game has made the most money? ›

The Top 50 Highest-Grossing Video Game Franchises Transcript
RankFranchiseRevenue
1Pokemon$90,000,000,000
2Mario$30,250,000,000
3Call of Duty$17,000,000,000
4Wii$14,808,000,000
46 more rows

What movie is based off a video game? ›

Live-action
TitleRelease dateOriginal game publisher
Assassin's CreedDecember 21, 2016Ubisoft
Resident Evil: The Final ChapterJanuary 27, 2017Capcom
Tomb RaiderMarch 16, 2018Square Enix
RampageApril 13, 2018WB Games
61 more rows

What is the movie that is like a video game? ›

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is perhaps the most a movie has felt like a video game without actually being directly based on a video game.

What Disney movie is based on a video game? ›

Wreck-It Ralph is a 2012 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.

What is the movie about a video game that kills you? ›

Get ready for supernatural chills and terrifying challenges in STAY ALIVE, the mind-bending thriller about a killer video game. The real world and the game world gruesomely collide when a group of friends play STAY ALIVE, a mysterious underground videogame that kills the gamer whose character dies in play.

Is there any games based on a true story? ›

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is one of the most historically accurate videogames to ever be created, and it's set in the medieval kingdom of Bohemia. The player incarnates one of the Skalitz's raids survivors during the war of 1403.

Is there a lost video game? ›

Lost: Via Domus (loosely "The Way Home" in Latin; marketed as Lost: The Video Game in Europe) is a video game based on the ABC television series Lost.

Will Netflix ever have games? ›

In November 2021, Netflix launched its gaming service. The games are available to Netflix subscribers on mobile devices at no additional cost. The games have no in-app purchases and no ads. There's really no downside to Netflix games, except the fact that they're blocked on school and work Wi-Fi networks.

Why did Disney stop making games? ›

On May 10, 2016, as a result of the discontinuation of its Disney Infinity series, Disney shut down Disney Interactive Studios, and exited the first-party home console game development business in order to focus on third-party development of home console video games through other developers such as Electronic Arts ( ...

Has Disney ever made a game? ›

There have been countless Disney video games produced through the years, so a look back shows a microcosm of game development as a whole. Though the House of Mouse's game output has slowed from its heyday during the 8- and 16-bit eras, there are still gems to be found, and more coming all the time.

Is Shrek a video game? ›

Shrek is a 2001 platform video game developed by Sandbox Studios and published by TDK Mediactive for the Xbox, based on the 2001 film Shrek.

What movies do kids fall asleep to? ›

5 Best Bedtime Movies For Kids
  • Beauty and the Beast. Credit: Walt Disney Studios. “I want adventure in the great wide somewhere! ...
  • Mulan. Credit: Walt Disney Studios. “You said you trust Ping. ...
  • Lilo and Stitch. Credit: Walt Disney Studios. ...
  • Tangled. Credit: Walt Disney Studios. ...
  • Moana. Credit: Walt Disney Studios.
Apr 4, 2019

What movies made you cry as a kid? ›

20 Scenes In Kids Movies That Made Us Cry Uncontrollably As...
  • Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993) Walt Disney Pictures. ...
  • Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) ...
  • Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) ...
  • My Girl (1991) ...
  • Curly Sue (1991) ...
  • Babe: Pig in the City (1998) ...
  • Hocus Pocus (1993) ...
  • Bridge to Terabithia (2007)
Dec 23, 2019

What is the longest kid movie? ›

10 Longest Animated Movies (That Aren't Anime)
  • 8 Zootopia. 108 Minutes. ...
  • 7 Ratatouille. 111 Minutes. ...
  • 6 Ralph Breaks The Internet. 112 Minutes. ...
  • 5 The Incredibles. 115 Minutes. ...
  • 4 Cars. 117 Minutes. ...
  • 3 Incredibles 2. 126 Minutes. Pixar. ...
  • 2 Fantasia. 126 minutes. Animation Compendia. ...
  • 1 The Lord Of The Rings. 132 Minutes. Warner Bros.
Jan 10, 2023

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