Turning a TV show into a mobile or video game makes financial sense for the developers. A program that has been successful is bound to attract players, although you may be surprised at some of the ones that have been given this treatment. This has also been done with films but one of the very first, which was based on E.T., was not successful at all.
Unlikely Shows Turned Into Games
Before we talk about some of the huge successes in this area, let’s take a quick look at some of the most unlikely shows that were turned into games.
Remember Tim Allen in Home Improvement? Nintendo tried turning that into a game, but it was not really much like the program at all; Tim never had to fight mummies or scorpions to find his tools that were missing. Perhaps the biggest quirk was that it had no instructions, just a blank booklet with a sticker saying’ Real Men Do Not Need Instructions’
The Adventures of Gilligan’s Island was not released until 23 years after the sitcom had been taken off the air. This meant that many of the game’s players did not even remember it as they were too young or not even born when it was on TV.
These are just a couple of examples of unlikely shows that were turned into games. There are others too that make you wonder how the developers expected them to be a success.
The Success Of TV Shows For Online Games
These days, the operators are much more choosy about which programs they turn into games. With such offerings as Games Of Thrones and The Walking Dead among the many hundreds of games online, it seems that the developers of today’s games are getting it right. The casino industry, in particular, has turned a number of popular franchises into slot games.
Many of the games that come from TV programs are aimed at children. What kids do not love characters such as SpongeBob Square Pants, and Bob The Builder? These sorts of games are forever popular with youngsters and are most likely going to remain so.
Games Turned Into TV Shows
Turning TV shows into games works the other way round as well with several games having been turned into TV shows. The Mario Brothers, Pokemon, Sonic, and Angry Birds have all had a TV show made based on them, with varying amounts of success. Street Fighter and Monster Rancher, along with Persona, have also been made into TV programs, although many of them are in cartoon form.
What Do You Think?
It is a matter of opinion whether these TV shows turned into games and vice versa have been a success. The developers will know if they worked financially, but it is the players and TV watchers who will make the final decision. If you have tried any of them, would you watch or play them again, or try any of the others?