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Lucky Man

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I originally posted this list in Dauber's Movie Games Suck! thread, but I thought I'd create a new thread to get some feedback about it...

 

 

I started wondering about how many movie and TV based games were produced for the 2600. Here's what I came up with (including protos)...

 

Games Based on Movies

 

Adventures of TRON

Alien

The Alligator People

Dumbo's Flying Circus

Dune

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

The Entity

Fantastic Voyage

Firefox

Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters II

Gremlins

Halloween

Heart Like a Wheel

James Bond 007

King Kong

Krull

The Lord of the Rings: Journey to Rivendell

Mega Force

Planet of the Apes

Porky's

Pursuit of the Pink Panther

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Snow White

Sorcerer's Apprentice

Star Wars: Jedi Arena

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - Death Star Battle

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - Ewok Adventure

Star Wars: The Arcade Game

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Towering Inferno

TRON Deadly Discs

 

Games Based on Theatrically-Released Cartoon Shorts

 

Bugs Bunny

Donald Duck's Speedboat

Popeye

Road Runner

Taz

 

Games Based on TV Shows

 

The A-Team

Alpha Beam with Ernie

Big Bird's Egg Catch

Cookie Monster Munch

Dukes of Hazzard

Grover's Music Maker

M*A*S*H

Masters of the Universe: The Power of He-Man

Miss Piggy's Wedding

Monstercise (Sesame Street)

Oscar's Trash Race

Pigs in Space (The Muppet Show)

Rocky & Bullwinkle

Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator

 

Games Based on TV Commercials

 

Chase the Chuckwagon

Kool-Aid Man

 

Games Including Movie and TV Characters, But Not Based on Particular Movies or TV Shows

 

Asterix

Berenstain Bears

Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom

Cabbage Patch Kids: Adventures in the Park

Care Bears

Farmyard Fun (Pumuckl)

Frankenstein's Monster

G.I. Joe: Cobra Strike

Garfield

Ghost Manor (Dracula)

Good Luck, Charlie Brown

Keystone Kapers (Keystone Kops)

Keystone Kapers II (Keystone Kops)

Obelix

Robin Hood

Sir Lancelot

Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle

Smurfs Save the Day

Snoopy and the Red Baron

Spider-Man

Strawberry Shortcake: Musical Match-Ups

Superman

Zoo Fun (Pumuckl)

 

Games That Were Properly Licensed, But Not Actually Based on the Movie or TV Show They Were Licensed From

 

Crash Dive

The Earth Dies Screaming

Flash Gordon

The Last Starfighter

Spacemaster X-7

 

 

 

Did I miss anything? :ponder:

 

 

EDIT: Updated list with help from the fine fellows below. Thank you! :)

Edited by Lucky Man
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China Syndrome (Atari 2600; Spectravision; 12?/1982) – no official relation to the 1979 film of the same name, although the game, like film, deals with a core breach and possible meltdown scenario. The term "China Syndrome" refers to an extreme result of a nuclear meltdown in which the molten contents of the reactor core breach their barriers and flow downwards out of containment. The phrase arises from the exaggerated notion that molten reactor material would melt from the United States through the center of the earth and emerge in China. There is some speculation that Spectravision might have been trying to leech from the film's popularity, especially with the popularity of film-licensed games in 1982, but given the years between both products this would be minimal at best.

 

Frankenstein's Monster is not based on the Frankenstein property owned by Universal Studios.

 

King Kong (Atari 2600; Tigervision; 1982) – Licensed from Universal Studios. More evocative in cover art of the 1976 Paramount remake of the 1933 RKO film.

 

Superman – In 1978, Atari released Superman under license from DC Comics. The same year saw the release of the first Superman film, which was distributed in the US by Warner Bros. Pictures. Warner Communications not only owned Atari and DC Comics but also was the parent company for Warner Bros. Pictures in the 1970s and 80s; however, the Atari 2600 game is not expressly related to the film property.

 

You need to add Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes, Spacemaster X-7, Crash Dive, and The Earth Dies Screaming

 

Announced but unproduced

Six Pack

9 to 5

The Day the Earth Stood Still

Edited by Zwackery
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China Syndrome (Atari 2600; Spectravision; 12?/1982) – no official relation to the 1979 film of the same name, although the game, like film, deals with a core breach and possible meltdown scenario. The term "China Syndrome" refers to an extreme result of a nuclear meltdown in which the molten contents of the reactor core breach their barriers and flow downwards out of containment. The phrase arises from the exaggerated notion that molten reactor material would melt from the United States through the center of the earth and emerge in China. There is some speculation that Spectravision might have been trying to leech from the film's popularity, especially with the popularity of film-licensed games in 1982, but given the years between both products this would be minimal at best.

 

Frankenstein's Monster is not based on the Frankenstein property owned by Universal Studios.

Yes, I forgot that "China Syndrome" was was an accepted term before the movies' release. And I wasn't sure about adding Frankenstein's Monster to the list. Originally I had it under a separate movie characters list, but moved it to the movie list when I incorporated those into the other lists. I'll remove both of these from the list.

Superman – In 1978, Atari released Superman under license from DC Comics. The same year saw the release of the first Superman film, which was distributed in the US by Warner Bros. Pictures. Warner Communications not only owned Atari and DC Comics but also was the parent company for Warner Bros. Pictures in the 1970s and 80s; however, the Atari 2600 game is not expressly related to the film property.

Isn't it interesting that the characters and plot of this game follows the movies' so closely? I wonder if it's possible the game was released to promote the movie?

You need to add Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes, Spacemaster X-7, Crash Dive, and The Earth Dies Screaming

I don't think any of these titles have anything to do with the Fox games. I think Fox just used the title and the general premise of the movie as a starting point for the games. Although, Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes is obviously inspired by Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, but it doesn't look like that was even a Fox property which is probably why they didn't even use the name.

Edited by Lucky Man
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The Lord of the Rings: Journey to Rivendell's mock up box art would suggest the game was based upon the 1978 Ralph Bakshi animated film, so I think it fits in this category.

Perhaps you're right. Okay...back to the list it goes!

 

The Lord of the Rings: Journey to Rivendell (2600; Parker Bros.; 1983) - This game licensed both the film and the books; in the Parker Bros. catalog, credits go to Saul Zaentz (film rights) and Elan Merchandising (book rights). The font of the title on the splash screen of the game is identical to that of the 1978 Bakshi film. Prototype box features artwork from Bakshi film. Since the game has been found in completed form, the dispute with ownership rights may have played at significant part in it not being publically released.

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The Lord of the Rings: Journey to Rivendell's mock up box art would suggest the game was based upon the 1978 Ralph Bakshi animated film, so I think it fits in this category.

Perhaps you're right. Okay...back to the list it goes!

 

The Lord of the Rings: Journey to Rivendell (2600; Parker Bros.; 1983) - This game licensed both the film and the books; in the Parker Bros. catalog, credits go to Saul Zaentz (film rights) and Elan Merchandising (book rights). The font of the title on the splash screen of the game is identical to that of the 1978 Bakshi film. Prototype box features artwork from Bakshi film. Since the game has been found in completed form, the dispute with ownership rights may have played at significant part in it not being publically released.

 

google is your friend ;)

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The Lord of the Rings: Journey to Rivendell's mock up box art would suggest the game was based upon the 1978 Ralph Bakshi animated film, so I think it fits in this category.

Perhaps you're right. Okay...back to the list it goes!

 

The Lord of the Rings: Journey to Rivendell (2600; Parker Bros.; 1983) - This game licensed both the film and the books; in the Parker Bros. catalog, credits go to Saul Zaentz (film rights) and Elan Merchandising (book rights). The font of the title on the splash screen of the game is identical to that of the 1978 Bakshi film. Prototype box features artwork from Bakshi film. Since the game has been found in completed form, the dispute with ownership rights may have played at significant part in it not being publically released.

 

google is your friend ;)

 

To what are you referring? This game was not publically released by the company as an official product for sale. The release of the ROM by Mark Lesser to the gaming community 20 years later is not related to the ownership rights of the IP potentially preventing the original release of the game.

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The Buck Rogers: Planet Of Zoom game is based more on the old comic strips and 1930s serials than it is based on the late 1970s TV show.

 

And The Smurfs originated as a comic book feature in Europe before it became a cartoon series here in America.

Edited by Vic George 2K3
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Superman – In 1978, Atari released Superman under license from DC Comics. The same year saw the release of the first Superman film, which was distributed in the US by Warner Bros. Pictures. Warner Communications not only owned Atari and DC Comics but also was the parent company for Warner Bros. Pictures in the 1970s and 80s; however, the Atari 2600 game is not expressly related to the film property.

Isn't it interesting that the characters and plot of this game follows the movies' so closely? I wonder if it's possible the game was released to promote the movie?

 

I do not think that the game's plot and the movie's plot are really that closely related. Yes, you have Superman, Lois Lane, and Lex Luthor, and both have a helicopter, kryptonite, a subway section, and Superman must save the day, but repairing the destroyed Metropolis Memorial Bridge is quite different from preventing the missiles from striking Hackensack, NJ and the San Andreas Fault. How many times in the comic has Superman had to save Metropolis from peril? Too many to count (although I'm sure some fanboy knows the exact number). The game is just too generic of a typical Superman situation, and again, as far as I've been able to find out, beyond the corporate ownership situation, there has been nothing to expressly tie the game to the film - no memos, no contracts, nada. I do think, however, that the crossover appeal - and syngergistic franchise possibility - of releasing the game and the film in the same year should not be discounted, and being that this is the first step into a greater possibility of economic windfall and revenue streams, it is worthy of note.

 

As far as official, licensed tie-ins, SW:ESB is the first based on an established film property (involving contracts and money changing hands), quickly followed by TRON in the arcades. (I'm not talking about pinball machines here nor unlicensed, but clearly derivative, coin-op properties such as Atari's 1975 Shark JAWS or the Star Wars rebranded bootleg of Taito's 1979 Galaxy Wars.)

 

You need to add Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes, Spacemaster X-7, Crash Dive, and The Earth Dies Screaming

I don't think any of these titles have anything to do with the Fox games. I think Fox just used the title and the general premise of the movie as a starting point for the games. Although, Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes is obviously inspired by Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, but it doesn't look like that was even a Fox property which is probably why they didn't even use the name.

 

To-may-to, to-mah-to...you're right! I always get my 'maters mixed up - it's clearly a spoof, derivative property. With the other three titles, however, since Fox would sometimes just use Sirius Software and slap licenses on games that seemed similar to established film properties, the situation is a little less clear. These are "official" in the sense that the film property rights were transferred to the games, and the gameplay may be somewhat vague and rather disconnected from the film; for example, in films like Spacemaster X-7 and The Earth Dies Screaming, you have the generic alien invaders, which of course translates nicely to games at the time with all the "space invaders" running around. Crash Dive, the '43 movie, features a submarine, although it is not the flying variety like in the game. My contention for identifying these games and their "connection" to film properties is that this model - namely, taking a game and just slapping a film title on it for a kind of instant branding - has often been used by companies after 20th Century Fox to take an average, even lackluster, game and try to boost interest in it, even if the product really isn't what it is advertising (ex., Aquablast by Elite Systems International being repurposed by Domark in 1988 as Live and Let Die). I really, really, really wish I could get hold of more internal development documents - I find the corporate connections quite interesting.

 

I should add that Jaws was announced by Parker Bros. and Universal for the 2600, but never developed.

Edited by Zwackery
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google is your friend ;)

 

To what are you referring? This game was not publically released by the company as an official product for sale. The release of the ROM by Mark Lesser to the gaming community 20 years later is not related to the ownership rights of the IP potentially preventing the original release of the game.

 

Oops, my bad. I thought you where refering to not being able to find the rom.

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The Buck Rogers: Planet Of Zoom game is based more on the old comic strips and 1930s serials than it is based on the late 1970s TV show.

Yeah, I think you're right. Looking at the artwork for the game and especially the arcade game it was based on, it looks like they were going back to the original comics and serials for inspiration, although the game is so generic it could be anything. ;)

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google is your friend ;)

 

To what are you referring? This game was not publically released by the company as an official product for sale. The release of the ROM by Mark Lesser to the gaming community 20 years later is not related to the ownership rights of the IP potentially preventing the original release of the game.

 

Oops, my bad. I thought you where refering to not being able to find the rom.

 

 

No problemo - I'm all about dem ROMs! :twisted:

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*List update in first post!*

 

I decided to add a couple new categories...

 

Theatrical Shorts--It just didn't seem right to lump those old cartoons in with the TV shows since they were originally released at the theater.

 

Character Games--Part of the reason I made this list in the first place is I wanted to make a list of the 2600 games that included movie and TV characters, so I decided to make this category for the games that include those characters, but aren't based on a particular movie or show. I moved Spider-Man and Superman there as it doesn't appear these games were based on their Movies or TV shows.

 

Also, I moved Pigs In Space to TV Shows. I always figured this game was based on the Muppets In Space movie, but that film didn't come out until 1999. And I added Robin Hood to Movies. I think with all of the films made about this character, the game must be based somewhat on them.

Edited by Lucky Man
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The Pigs in Space game is based on the "Pigs in Space" sketches from The Muppet Show (1976-81).

 

Robin Hood is not based on any of the Robin Hood films - the legend of Robin Hood is so old that it is in the public domain. I would go so far as to say it wasn't even inspired by any films, but I can't prove that, and it would be interesting to talk with the programmer about how the game came to be. When you say based, you need to realize that you are talking about a legally recognized licensing of product.

 

The Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom game likewise has nothing to do with any of the film series or television serials. The cabinet art for the coin-op is evocative of the comic strip. Its only real connections to Buck Rogers are the use of the name and the generic outer space setting.

 

The Pink Panther is kind of an interesting situation in that he showed up in the movies by Blake Edwards, but also had an identity, and perhaps a wider audience, as a television property (1969-76). In this particular example, MGM/UA owned the distribution rights for both the films and the tv show.

 

I feel that the more divisions you're using are a better reflection of the origins and influences on the games, and while some of the properties are clearly licensed adaptations, the more distantly derivative works are often hard to conclusively prove that they were based on a particular property, or the influences become complicated. For example, with Snoopy & the Red Baron, while we did see that featured in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966), Snoopy fighting the Red Baron had been established long before in the comic strip, published by United Feature Syndicate, who CBS teamed up with to produce the show, although only UFS is credited on the game. So which is it in this case, comic strip or tv? Certainly you get a promotional synergy from both, but was one a true source compared to the other? It gets tough with a lot of these games - at this time, mainly because video games were in the early days of sorting out their working relationships with other media companies - tracing out their origins because the internal documents that would help to explain where the property was derived from are not available and sometimes only indirect possibilities are suggested.

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The Pigs in Space game is based on the "Pigs in Space" sketches from The Muppet Show (1976-81).

 

Robin Hood is not based on any of the Robin Hood films - the legend of Robin Hood is so old that it is in the public domain. I would go so far as to say it wasn't even inspired by any films, but I can't prove that, and it would be interesting to talk with the programmer about how the game came to be. When you say based, you need to realize that you are talking about a legally recognized licensing of product.

 

The Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom game likewise has nothing to do with any of the film series or television serials. The cabinet art for the coin-op is evocative of the comic strip. Its only real connections to Buck Rogers are the use of the name and the generic outer space setting.

 

The Pink Panther is kind of an interesting situation in that he showed up in the movies by Blake Edwards, but also had an identity, and perhaps a wider audience, as a television property (1969-76). In this particular example, MGM/UA owned the distribution rights for both the films and the tv show.

 

I feel that the more divisions you're using are a better reflection of the origins and influences on the games, and while some of the properties are clearly licensed adaptations, the more distantly derivative works are often hard to conclusively prove that they were based on a particular property, or the influences become complicated. For example, with Snoopy & the Red Baron, while we did see that featured in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966), Snoopy fighting the Red Baron had been established long before in the comic strip, published by United Feature Syndicate, who CBS teamed up with to produce the show, although only UFS is credited on the game. So which is it in this case, comic strip or tv? Certainly you get a promotional synergy from both, but was one a true source compared to the other? It gets tough with a lot of these games - at this time, mainly because video games were in the early days of sorting out their working relationships with other media companies - tracing out their origins because the internal documents that would help to explain where the property was derived from are not available and sometimes only indirect possibilities are suggested.

Yes. Trying to narrow some of these down is proving difficult, especially with the properties that started out as books or comics and then were released as movies or shows. It's very hard to pin down any particular influence on the game's design. I guess I should move Buck Rogers and Robin Hood to the Character List since it's not clear where the game designers got their inspiration for these games.

 

Thanks for your help! :)

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  • 1 month later...

more

 

Announced but Undeveloped (or abandoned or unreleased) Games Based on Films

 

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Twentieth Century Fox) – mentioned in May 1983 issue of Electronic Games

Deep Throat (Games People Play) - 1983

Dragonslayer (Sega) - 1983

Escape from Alcatraz (Sega)

The Fly (US Games)

Firefox (Atari) - according to an Atari internal memo, considered for porting to the 2600 (and 5200)

Flesh Gordon (Wizard Video)

Rocky Battles the Champ (Coleco) - a Coleco 1983 press kit announced this 2600 port of Rocky Super Action Boxing

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) (Sega)

 

Anybody have any more vaporware references?

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The Last Starfighter proto

Care Bears proto

 

Yes, I think The Last Starfighter proto is similar enough to the movie that it can be considered based on the film. I'll add it to the list.

 

The Care Bears cartoon didn't start until 1985 so the Atari game is just based on the toy line.

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Chuck Norris Superkicks is sorta movie related.

Yeah, I thought about that one, but it's more "movie star" related. Even though the game is similar to the plot of some of Chuck's movies, it's not directly based on any of them. And it uses his name, not one of his character's names.

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