Video games, once considered a mere toy for children, and definitely marketed to young boys. As time passed, most people thought these were things used by the “geeks” and “nerds” of yesteryear. Well as it turns out today, it is almost impossible to find someone who doesn’t play a video game in one way or another. According to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) in their 2013 Sales, Demographic and Data Usage poll they took part in, over 58% of Americans are currently playing some type of video game. That is a pretty big step forward when just a few decades’ ago gamers were the minority. Today the average age of a gamer is 30 and 45% of gamers are female. In 2012, the gaming community spent over 20.77 billion dollars between content, hardware, and accessories. There is no denying that video games are an ever-growing industry with a vast community behind it in support, and with the Next-Gen age upon us with Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and the WiiU I believe we will see some amazing things in the near future.

Now this article is not met to educate you on the history of gaming but rather help you see the possibilities of what gaming has to offer us as moviegoers. Now as gamers, we play because something about the game interests and excites us. Whether its classics like Tetris and Centipede or big epics like Final Fantasy and Warcraft, clearly an audience would watch film adaptations of these great games. Now I know you are thinking, “Well there are already video game movies.” , and you’re right, we have seen successes like the Tomb Raider franchise and Prince of Persia and the not so successful films such as Doom and who can forget Mario and Luigi. What I am going to list is my top picks for what should be next and what I think could be great successes.
Fact of the matter is something like Skyrim or Final Fantasy clocks in at over 100 hours long. There’s no way to fit in all the substance of those games, plus add in the fan service to keep the wolves at bay. I believe to make the pictures you need to inhabit the same world as the game, touch on things important to the viewer while creating something resembling the source material. Now with that being said let’s get started…

The Legend of Zelda

This game franchise and these characters are probably the most iconic in the gaming world. If Mario and Luigi are the Coke then Link and Zelda are sure enough the Pepsi. The first game of the series was released in Japan on February 21st 1986. The series centers primarily on Link. Link is constantly rescuing Princess Zelda and saving Hyrule from Ganondorf, a Gerudo thief who is usually the primary antagonist of the series. There is also a relic known as the Triforce. The Triforce is a set of three golden triangles that were left behind by the three Golden Goddesses. The Triforce has the power to grant the wish of whoever touches it, and molds the Sacred Realm to reflect that person’s heart. If a person without an equal balance of power, wisdom, and courage makes a wish, the Triforce will split into three separate pieces and the piece that best personifies the wish-maker will be the only piece to remain in hand, whilst the other two will take residence in whosoever most personifies them. Reassembly is then required for such a person’s wish to be granted, but does not exclude another from making the attempt. Link is described in the series’ official website as humble, hardworking and brave, and therefore appropriate to bear the Triforce of Courage.

Now the beauty of taking a game like this and making it into a movie is that the game series alone consist of about 17 games on the consoles and handhelds and you usually play a different incarnation of Link. You could easily make Links next adventure something completely original and fit in one of the three timelines and not ruin the overall canon of the series. It’s simply a perfect candidate. Not only are the characters rich with story but Hyrule itself is absolutely gorgeous. Bright, lush forests’, dark castles and dungeons, huge mountains and plains, I mean Peter Jackson could have a field day with this project.

Now for you Youtubers out there a few years ago a fanmade trailer was made on April Fool’s day that was very well done and had the Zelda fans buzzing with hope, however this was never picked up. Here is that trailer:

Now there is also a rumor of a movie pitch to Nintendo that a fan(s) have made only this take on it is an animated version, here is the link to that as well

Metal Gear

Metal Gear is a series of action-adventure stealth video games, created by Hideo Kojima, developed, and published by Konami. The series has just around 25 titles yet the focus of the storyline is on eleven, spreading from console and handheld systems as well as mobile devices. The franchise has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, and is still ticking.

Now, if you have ever touched a Metal Gear game you are familiar that you will be playing some sort of version of a character named “Snake” who, for the most part must succeed at stopping various forms of Metal Gears. He must also stop some sort of anti-government/terrorist group usually being controlled or manipulated by a character named Ocelot. The other thing you may know is that the game has a very “jump around” type timeline between characters that may leave some players confused.

The games timeline takes place between 1964-2018 and to be short and sweet, without giving away games, you play between three characters; Big Boss, formerly known as Naked Snake and the leader of various groups including Outer Heaven, MSF, and the Diamond Dogs. Solid Snake, once a member of FOXHOUND and a genetic clone of the Big Boss whose “brothers” include Liquid Snake and Solidus Snake. And lastly Raiden, briefly referred to as Snake until his codenamed was changed. He was previously a child soldier under Solidus Snake, he was later selected by the Patriots to test the S3 Plan at the Big Shell, as a new recruit to the reformed FOXHOUND unit.

Now the beauty of making this into a movie, and easily sequels, is that you have three characters to choose from, and all of them are quite interesting. Also, since the game relies heavily on made up organizations, and altered events from the world as we know it, you could make any number of missions during any point in their timeline and have one of them go accomplish it. The potential with this story is amazing and there is a lot to do with it. The enemies in these games are also some of the best ever created and it would be interesting to see a pick for characters like Revolver Ocelot and Vulcan Raven. Now as far as picks go play “Snake”

Bioshock

Whether you are talking the depth defying underwater city of Rapture or the sky-high citadel of Columbia, there’s no denying that these games are in high demand for the transition to the silver screen. Now with the span of three games each character you play has a much different storyline than the other so I won’t go into each individual game but more of the overall kick ass style of game play.

In Bioshock 1 & 2 you play between characters, that in one way or another, find themselves in the Rapture, the underwater Utopia first realized by a man named Andrew Ryan and began its development in 1946. It was here that Science, Industry and Art would thrive undisturbed by intervention from governments, religious institutions or other social agencies. Now in the game you discover a substance known as ADAM that can manipulate your body and give the abilities to control fire, ice, insects, and control other beings if need be. The game is loaded with various powers you can choose from as well as plenty of weapons. Now to gain ADAM there are “little sisters” you can harvest or save but to do so you most battle their extremely tough “Big Daddies” and “Big Sisters”. The city contains many other twisted and deranged habitants all with their own goals and motives for Rapture.

Bioshock Infinite almost stands alone from its two predecessors seeing as how you don’t need to play the first two to understand it. It takes you in the shoes of Booker Dewitt who wakes up clueless of his whereabouts and mission and as the game progresses so does your understanding. You find yourself rescuing one of the coolest characters ever created, Elizabeth from a man named Comstock. Now without giving any more you NEED to play the game because it is one of the best games of 2013. Its action functions as the first two, you receive “powers” and are able to shoot everything under the sun with a decent selection of weapons. You also receive a skyline hook that lets you travel around cables connecting Columbia. Elizabeth also plays a role in constantly giving you ammo salts to refill your Vigor type powers (equivalent to ADAM)

Now what’s amazing about these games, and especially Bioshock Infinite, are the endings. You learn soon that besides multiple endings is that there are a vast majority of different timelines simply made on the smallest of choices. One of the coolest thing I read in an article as the every player that ever touched Bioshock is actually a separate timeline in it’s own right. So, whether you beat a certain enemy by blasting him with a rocket launcher or roasting him with fire, every choice is its own path. If this movie was adapted and they followed it as closely as they could they couldn’t be wrong with any story they chose because the “multi-verse” could allow it. Now after seeing the brutal pieces of X-men trying to fit together a timeline I think its safe to say this movie would excellent.

Bioshock’s initial two protagonists are somewhat faceless and meant for the player to decide his look, however Booker Dewitt had a face and if I had to back an actor playing him I think I could be comfortable with TV actor Jensen Ackles stepping up to the plate and showing us what he can do. Not only does he look the part, but also he did great voice work in Batman: Under the Red Hood. Now Elizabeth I think I’d like to see, and maybe I’m the one to see it, but Emma Watson. I think she could give the character enough life and bring out that likeability we all enjoyed.

Well that’s it for now guys post back what you think of the article and give us your top picks of what you would like to see made into a movie. View on and play on.

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