Who would’ve ever guessed that The Super Mario Bros. Movie would become a billion-dollar franchise? When the live-action video game adaptation came out in 1993, it was a disastrous film hated by fans and critics. More importantly, the $48 million film bombed at the box office. Despite its poor reception, the Nintendo brand itself remains a hot commodity for the video game company.
Video game adaptations are at an all-time high in the mainstream media. Shows like The Last of Us, Arcane, and The Witcher helped showcased that video game adaptations can. The Super Mario Bros Movie blew away expectations by becoming the first video game to movie adaptation to reach the billion-dollar club. So, with that much success, there are plenty of other Nintendo products that could translate well onto the big screen. Here are the five games that Nintendo should seriously consider adapting.
1. The Legend of Zelda
First things first, this one is a no-brainer. The Legend of Zelda is one huge franchise that’s yet to receive an adaptation despite the brand selling over $100 million worldwide. However, the reason it’s on this list has nothing to do with its sales. The franchise has spawned classic after classic and is the sort of adaptation that could translate well onto big screens.
The biggest drawback is that the protagonist, Link, never speaks the video games, though there are a few indications that he can indeed talk. However, it’s not impossible to write a silent protagonist, as films like The Artist or Traffic have showcased. Nevertheless, it certainly won’t be an easy task, as the writers need to ensure that Link comes off as a strong character.
Even then, the most important aspect is the source material. It’s hard to go wrong when games like Breath of The Wild exist. Looking at games like Resident Evil and Doom, it’s clear that great source material doesn’t always translate into excellent movies or television.
2. Star Fox
The complex themes and story of Star Fox aren’t even close to what’s seen in The Legend of Zelda games. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t good. Video games are meant to entertain, and the iconic Nintendo mascot certainly delivers in that department.
When Star Fox was introduced in 1993, the third-person shooter game received high praise from fans and critics. Sure, the series doesn’t have as huge a fanbase as some of the brands on the list. But it could easily be a strong summer blockbuster-type film.
The games focus on the Star Fox combat team that’s comprised of anthropomorphic animals, led by chief protagonist Fox McCloud. There are numerous ways this premise could be tackled that honor the original games while adding depth to the overall lore. Needless to say, Pixar would be perfect for the game to movie adaptation. An out-of-field pick would be Wes Anderson, who made the excellent Fantastic Mr. Fox back in 2009.
3. No More Heroes
This entry is cheating a bit as it’s not directly made by Nintendo. However, No More Heroes got its start as a Nintendo exclusive. The series follows Travis Touchdown, an otaku who becomes an elite assassin for the United Assassins Association.
Needless to say, the video games are far from perfect, but the art style is unique and captivating. First, the stories tend to be ridiculous (in a good way). Even more, the series has a touch of elements from Deadpool and Guardians of the Galaxy in it.
However, the appeal will be limited since the games are all rated mature. But the upside is that No More Heroes can easily be adapted in both animated or live-action forms. It would be a fun way to show that Nintendo’s games feature characters other than Mario, Pokemon, and Zelda.
4. Metroid Prime
Speaking of fun diversions, Metroid Prime is in the same class as The Legends of Zelda. Though the two aren’t on the same level in terms of sales, the storytelling is masterful and timeless. The recent release of Metroid Prime: Remastered proves that there’s still a hunger for this series since its debut in 2002.
The series allows players to control bounty hunter Samus Aran as she battles the likes of Space Pirates and aliens. While a live-action adaptation of Metroid Prime would be expensive, it would undoubtedly be extremely cool. The issues with Metroid Prime are mostly the same as it is with The Legend of Zelda. There’s a silent protagonist (though she’s said a few words throughout the series) and a story that’s better suited for video games. Bottom line, it could be easy to make mistakes with a Metroid Prime game to movie adaptation, but the film could be a masterpiece if done correctly.
5. Viewtiful Joe
Viewtiful Joe is a hidden gem that hasn’t seen much love because of a lack of content. Still, this colorful, stylistic, and fun video game was a breath of fresh air when it was first released in 2003. The animation is captivating, but the biggest highlight of the series is that the characters are hilarious and memorable. The storytelling was rather simplistic, but some movies are meant to be fun and diverse, and Viewtiful Joe easily fits in that sense.
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