In yesterday's edition of Bury the Shovelware, Kaes dug a shallow grave for Sensory Sweep's atrocious game adaptation of Jackass. Nobody here was surprised. Throughout pretty much all of gaming's history, licensed spinoffs of anything -- be they movies, TV shows, comics, or any other non-game property -- have turned out to be utter dreck.
There are exceptions to the rule however, and it's those we want to ask you about today. Which license-based games really struck a chord with you and defied your expectations of what a movie/TV show/comic tie-in could offer? We know the DS is short on these, so we'll let you choose titles from the GBA library if you so wish -- such as this, for example.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-24-2008 @ 9:26AM
nashley said...
I'd have to say Spider-Man on the gamecube. sorry, can't think of any on the ds or gba.
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7-24-2008 @ 9:34AM
Nigeria: SSBB: 0731-6347-2110 said...
I can't think of any for the DS. I brought Disney Friends for my cousin and she says it's ok. BUt I haven't played it myself, so...
I enjoyed Riddick on the 360, as well as Astro Boy on the GBA. The Lion King on the Mega Drive was awesome, but that's taking it well back.
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7-24-2008 @ 10:21AM
Gaucho said...
I'm going to say Spider-man 2 for the PS2, Batman for the NES and Batman Returns for the SNES. All three were great IMO.
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7-24-2008 @ 10:37AM
travis said...
TMNT for the GBA was an awesome side-scrolling fighter, maybe one of the best I ever played. Of course, the other console versions of the game were junk, but the GBA game stood out for me.
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7-24-2008 @ 11:16AM
Foodie_Monster said...
Any DS or GBA attempt at a licensed game sucks. There's no way around it.
I'll agree with my Argentinian friend above though, Spider-man 2 for the PS2 was definitely the best movie licensed game I've ever played.
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7-24-2008 @ 11:26AM
Brittany said...
I liked the 1st lego star wars, I liked (I think it was the 2nd) Ninja Turtles game for the NES....
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7-24-2008 @ 11:33AM
Gaucho said...
none of the ninja turtles games for the NES were based on the movies as far as I know, but Teenage mutant ninja turtles: Turtles in Time was the best turtles game of all.
7-24-2008 @ 11:43AM
Ryan Mc said...
Astro Boy: Omega Factor for the GBA.
It is exactly what you want in a side-scroller: fast action, crisp controls, interesting abilities, good graphics, amazing combat. You can also upgrade everything your character can do several times over. :)
It is exactly what you want in a license: faithful to the character, tons of cameos for long-time fans, and has a great story.
I love this game to death. It also uses its level select in a cool way that weaves into the plot. Worth tracking down.
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7-24-2008 @ 2:28PM
Onomah said...
I second that motion. I think that if they made a DS astroboy game with the care and attention that they put into this one it would sell buckets. Of course I think that the anime has since waned in popularity once more so it won't have the whiney little kid market to tap, but still as the old saying goes : if you make it well, they will buy it. unless there are more complicated issues which would have a contrary effect.
I concede that as sayings go it's a bit wishy washy.
7-24-2008 @ 11:49AM
Ng0zT said...
ClayFighter 63⅓ ftw!
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7-24-2008 @ 1:25PM
BlackDogAssault said...
Are you perhaps drunk? Clayfighter ain't no licensed game, bro'.
7-24-2008 @ 1:49PM
Ng0zT said...
oh i thought it was...since nintendo didn't make it
and no i've been clean for 16¾ years :P
7-24-2008 @ 11:57AM
MrTyzik said...
"Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" Ugh, that was really hard to type. My family seems to enjoy the DS game. I suppose any "game show" has a chance at be coming a "game show game".
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7-24-2008 @ 11:58AM
Roto13 said...
Defintely Astro Boy. Definitely. That was a fantastic game.
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7-24-2008 @ 12:23PM
Narcosynthesis said...
on the GBA I really enjoyed TMNT, slated on pretty much all the other platforms (DS included), but the GBA version was a completely different game - a simple side scrolling beat em up which is fantastic fun to play. This one is currently in my DS case alongside the usual DS games...
I know it isn't DS/GBA, but I still rank Goldeneye on the N64 s one of the finest games ever made. Naturally pretty dated now as far as the graphics and design go, yet still one of the best games to play with a few friends on multiplayer.
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7-24-2008 @ 12:42PM
Kai Wong said...
SPEED RACER!
You wouldn't expect it, given how the movie kinda tanked, but the game is like F-Zero with tricks and car-fu (though that's kinda lame). Multiplayer may not have made it, but it's still a really entertaining racing game that's good for a couple of hours.
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7-24-2008 @ 3:44PM
Almus said...
I have to agree, I have had alot of fun with this game.
7-24-2008 @ 12:45PM
Covarr said...
Pirates of the Caribbean 2 was not bad on either DS or GBA. I also liked Spidey 3 on DS.
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7-24-2008 @ 2:15PM
aj said...
All licensed games suck. It's the immutable law of the universe.
The only ones that did not were the ones that ripped off successful formula - Batman Returns for the SNES, and the Ninja Turtles games on the NES - because those were just your garden variety 2D beat-em-ups. There is no way in hell to make those not fun.
But these days, with your fancy graphics and technology, it's so easy to take an idea and just crap all over it.
Remember Superman 64? REMEMBER?
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7-24-2008 @ 2:31PM
Onomah said...
I try not to, every day I try not to.
sometimes I wake up at night gasping and drenched in sweat and I reach for a Gamecube controller to play spider-man 2. Just...don't mention that game again okay? please? can't believe I wasted my birthday money on that...
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