Video games based on movies may not be as popular as they once were, but the 80s have inspired some truly memorable virtual experiences. The 1980s were the golden age of action movies. Terrific practical effects were everywhere, films were gorier than they had ever been, and the explosions were bigger than ever. What's more, the action was in service of well-crafted films with interesting premises.
These films coincided with the rise of video games and the gaming industry didn't hesitate to cash in on the iconic blockbusters of the time. Even to this day, many of these franchises are still receiving new video games, and sometimes the game devs strike virtual gold..
Terminator: Resistance (2019)
In 2019, The Terminator film franchise was trying to move in a new direction with Dark Fate erasing Skynet, John Connor, and the classic terminator look for Legion, Dani Ramos, and tentacled machines. Thankfully, Polish game developer Teyon knew what the fans wanted and delivered a new FPS story set in the original future war.
Players assume the role of original character Jacob Rivers, though they will occasionally encounter John Connor and Kyle Reese. Players start off with modern weapons like shotguns but can later find the iconic purple plasma gun. DLCs have been released on a yearly basis including Infiltrator mode featuring gameplay as a terminator.
RoboCop Arcade (1988)
Fans are often split on which is the best RoboCop game, with the terrific crossover game RoboCop Versus The Terminator featuring great gameplay and a clever story. However, 1988's RoboCop Arcade just edges that one out.
Players assume the role of Alex Murphy, aka RoboCop, as they battle through a slew of levels based on the RoboCop movie. The game merges tight beat-em-up and run-and-gun gameplay elements and is highly addictive due to its quick levels. The game also features the digitized voices of the actual actors and a first-person shooter minigame between levels.
Back to the Future The Game (2010)
Back to the Future: The Game was an absolute delight for fans of a franchise that had otherwise produced very little content outside of the films. A shortly-lived cartoon series and Back To The Future: The Ride, which closed in 2007, were all they ever got.
The graphic adventure by Telltale Games treated fans to an original story featuring Doc and Marty. The game takes place in 1876, 1931, and 1986 and had an open ending, but no sequel was ever made. Besides being one of the only non-film pieces of media available for the franchise, the game garnered fans for the narrative-effecting choices that the player could make throughout the experience.
Aliens Verses Predator 2 (2001)
Although 2020's Predator: Hunting Grounds saw the return of iconic characters and settings, the best Predator gaming experiences can still be found in the Alien Verses Predator Series. The crossover franchise began with a Dark Horse comic in 1989 and has since expanded to games and films.
The 2001 installment improved on its predecessors with upgraded graphics and a terrific, asymmetrical multiplayer mode. Like the other games of the series, Alien Versus Predator 2 offered diverse gameplay options; players could choose to be a Predator, an Alien, or a Colonial Marine fighting for supremacy.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game (2009)
While A third Ghostbusters film finally came out in 2021, 2009's Ghostbusters: The Video Game was the part three fans had always wanted to see. It features an original story with some unused concepts from the original film and the unmade Ghostbusters 3 script.
The original cast provided their voices and likenesses. It would be Harold Ramis' final outing as Egon. In 2022, Fans might finally get another good Ghostbusters game in Spirits Unleashed from the developers of Friday the 13th: The Game, and Predator: Hunting Grounds.
Rambo Arcade (2008)
Sylvester Stallone's violent Rambo sequels seem to have been made for video gaming. Like any movie-to-gaming franchise there have been a few stinkers over the years, but in 2008 SEGA delivered a satisfying light-shooter experience.
Like other light-shooters, the players move from scene to scene as they live out the best scenes from Rambo 2 and Rambo 3. Mini-bosses including the helicopter attack and one-on-one fights break up the gameplay with precise targeting and button-mashing objectives. It was the most immersive way to live out Rambo action fantasies.
Die Hard Trilogy (1996)
1988's Die Hard launched a whole sub-genre of its own. The one-man-vs-many-terrorists concept was absolutely perfect for a video game. The two films that followed each magnified the scope of the previous and set John McClane up with new challenges.
Probe Entertainment respected the uniqueness of each film with the immensely popular Die Hard Trilogy. It was three games in one: a third-person shooter for Die Hard, an on-rails FPS for Die Harder, and a driving game for With A Vengence. While the game's visuals and mechanics show their age today, this variety is still worth noting today.
Friday The 13th: The Game (2017)
This asymmetrical game gave players the chance to play as either Jason Voorhees or the camp counselors. The gameplay in Friday the 13th: The Game features several graphic kill options, and the musical score will be familiar to fans of the film franchise.
As the counselors, players had to escape by vehicle or by calling the police while being stalked by Jason. Alternatively, they could also go through the elaborate process of killing Jason. Unfortunately, the game was shut down in November 2020 due to licensing issues.
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (1992)
With the Indiana Jones movies seemingly wrapping up with 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, LucasArts would provide fans with terrific stories through the medium of gaming. To this day, many fans still consider Fate of Atlantis the real Indy 4.
Released in the heyday of LucasArt's golden era of point-and-click adventures, this one was a real gem of a game. A terrifically crafted story by Hal Barwood introduced iconic new characters and lore in a mystery that saw Indy scour the globe. While the point-and-click genre isn't as popular today as it once was, this game is still worth revisiting due to the interesting story and dialogue.
Alien Isolation (2014)
After the original Alien film was released in 1979, Ellen Ripley became the most iconic female hero of the 80s. This status was cemented with James Cameron's Aliens in 1986, which itself is arguably the greatest action film ever.
But Alien Isolation harkens more to sci-fi horror elements of Ridley Scott's original than most of the action-packed video games based on the franchise. Players assume the role of Ripley's daughter Amanda who finds herself trapped in the Sevastopol Station while being stalked by a terrifying Xenomorph. The alien uses a unique AI mechanic to intelligently stalk players, and unofficial VR mods allow the game to be enjoyed in interactive first-person.