Cartoons have been used as the source material for video games for decades, going back to 1981’s Mickey Mouse for Nintendo’s Wide Screen Game & Watch. Games based on cartoons have evolved considerably since then, so we decided to take a look at some of the best examples and rank them. We’re excluding Anime-inspired and LEGO games, as they’re ranked in separate articles, and we’re only looking at titles based on television shows, so no Kingdom Hearts either. Each of the games was ranked based on contemporary critics’ reviews upon release, sales, and how popular they are among gamers.
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5) SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom is a 2003 platformer released on all available consoles at the time, though the handheld versions were 2D, while the console editions were 3D. Whichever version you played, it featured an original story, where the player fights to defend Bikini Bottom from evil robots sent by the villainous Plankton. The player controls SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy, and all of the voice actors reprised their roles, save for a handful. Battle for Bikini Bottom wasn’t a huge hit upon release. Still, it has since garnered a significant cult following for its innovative mechanics and controls that elevated platform games to new heights.
4) South Park: The Stick of Truth
As of writing, there have been ten games based on South Park, and Obsidian Entertainment’s South Park: The Stick of Truth is often considered to be the best. The game is an RPG, which follows a New Kid in South Park, where an epic fantasy war has broken out between humans, elves, and wizards for control of the Stick of Truth. Everything devolves quickly as the show’s core elements shine through in humorous and crude ways. It’s a fun adventure RPG, but it’s also extremely entertaining for South Park fans who continue to play it more than a decade after its release.
3) The Adventures of Batman and Robin
There are tons of exceptional DC Comics-based games, but there aren’t many based on cartoons. The Adventures of Batman and Robin is based on the eponymous series, and multiple companies developed several versions for a variety of platforms. Of the versions, two are considered the best. The Super Nintendo port is praised for its visual superiority and how well it follows the cartoon’s look and feel. The Sega Genesis version has great graphics, but features superior technical gameplay. Both versions are fantastic cartoon-based games, but more than that, they’re great platformers, run-and-gun games, and more.
2) The Simpsons: Hit & Run
Like South Park, The Simpsons has had plenty of video game adaptations. The original arcade beat-’em-up side-scroller is a lot of fun, and one of the best of the era, but The Simpsons: Hit & Run takes the lead for overall gameplay. The game follows the Simpsons and Abu as they band together to save the city from a variety of unusual occurrences and widespread insanity caused by Buzz Cola. Gameplay includes various missions, where it’s necessary to complete timed quests and races against enemies. It’s essentially a parody of Grand Theft Auto III but with a Simpsons take on the format, and it’s easily one of the most successful games based on the hit cartoon.
1) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
There have been some great Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games, including one of the most punishingly difficult on the NES. While TMNT started in the comics, the games are most often based on the hit cartoon that premiered in 1987, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time. The 1991 beat-’em-up is a sequel to the first TMNT arcade game, and it features the same side-scrolling mechanics. Turtles in Time was a fantastic success, and its story elevated it beyond a simple side-scroller that was common in arcades throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s.
What’s your all-time favorite video game based on a cartoon? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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