The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Comic Books

15. X-Men Arcade (1992)

Some games are simply great games, and others are so great that they become moments in time. Konami’s X-Men arcade game is a vivid, electrifying snapshot of ‘90s X-Men hype. Stepping in front of the gigantic, obnoxiously loud arcade cabinet in the ‘90s, choosing from one of six X-Men on the roster (Colossus, Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler and, delightfully, Dazzler) and button mashing through stages filled with classic X-villains and oddly human-sized sentinel grunts alongside five strangers was a sensory overload experience for the ages.

Nailing the visuals in a comic book game is crucial, and Konami certainly does that here with the cartoonish, crude yet stylish designs and environments. But maybe more so than any other game on this list, X-Men delivers in the sound department on a whole other level. The theme song still rocks, the stage themes are unapologetically retro, and the sound effects and voice samples are hilariously over-the-top (Colossus’ “OOOOAAAAHHH!!!” is never not funny).

14. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Sometimes, a licensed game is announced that leaves fans scratching their heads, wondering who asked for a re-skinned rip-off of whatever video game is trending at the moment. And then there are games like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, which make all the sense in the world. The 2D beat-’em-up sidescroller was released within days of the Michael Cera-starring film adaptation of the beloved Brian Lee O’Malley graphic novels in 2010. But unlike the live-action film, the game assumes the look of the comics but filtered through a 16/32-bit lens. It captures the angsty comedy of the books and fits snugly into O’Malley’s world.

As a beat-’em-up, the game is deeper than most, with a progressions system and sharp, addictive combat that makes the grind feel less grind-y. When the game really shines, though, is when four players join forces. There’s a special sauce to the four-player mode in this game that for some reason makes it twice as fun to play as a group. The screen devolving into chaos as your crew blazes through waves of enemies is unbelievably fun and easily earns this spunky adaptation a spot on our list.

13. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

While much of the gaming world waits with bated breath for Insomniac’s forthcoming Marvel’s Wolverine, it’s important to remember that Raven Software already made a terrific Wolverine action game in the form of 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine. A gory, God of War-like game with blistering combat, gritty visuals, and riveting cinematics, it’s something of a unicorn in that it’s much, much, much better than the film on which it’s based.

The game’s combat can become repetitive after hours of play, but what gives the game legs are the visuals and the insanely high gore level, which is more than appropriate considering Logan’s, well, nature. Hugh Jackman reprised his role for the game, which adds a ton of value, especially in a world where Deadpool & Wolverine exists.