The Mario Movie is something I had looked forward to for a while, and I was glad to see when I watched it that it more than met my expectations. Faithful is the word that comes to mind, every time a new concept or character is introduced it matches up beautifully with the games. Charlie Day in particular shone as Luigi, hitting the cowardly vibes from the Luigi's Mansion games, though I hope any sequels give him more prominence in the story.
Brian Tyler also nailed the soundtrack, bringing to life a whole host of tunes from across the franchise. I just wished they used “Driving me Bananas”, a track which was replaced by Aha’s “Take on Me”.
George Brownless
As someone who went into Arcane with very little experience of the League of Legends franchise, I found it’s ability to transform such a vast and complicated world into a captivating story for both long-term fans and newcomers to the series very impressive. It’s art style is a beautiful meld of 2D and 3D animation, giving every location a one-of-a-kind look, from the bustling, hi-tech city of Piltover to the derelict district of Zaun that lies beneath it. I became quickly engrossed in the relationship between sisters Jinx and Vi, and their final encounter in the first season resulting in that bombastic cliffhanger of an ending has left me desperate more ever since.
Adam Lovegrove
In comparison to the other features in this list, Pixels incorporates a vast number of games from the golden age of arcade gaming, the 1980s. The film includes some of the most iconic characters of the generation, ranging from Centipede to Q*Bert and even Pac-Man as a villain, Pixels provides a satisfying nostalgia blended into the modernity of our world.
The character surmount an alien invasion of Earth and it is the job of gaming enthusiasts Sam (Adam Sandler), Will (Kevin James), Violet (Michelle Monaghan), Eddie (Peter Dinklage) and Ludlow (Josh Gad) to defend earth from their childhood heroes.
James Kellett
Arguably the most successful TV adaptation of a video game in recent years, the The Last of Us walked a refreshing line between retelling a beloved story and filling out the world of the game with new characters and storylines. Whether it be pre-apocalypse flashbacks, expansions upon the DLCs or a breath-taking fleshing out of a side character’s backstory, TLOU manages to tell the same story without re-treading old ground.
Actors from the games appear in cameos that make watching the show a joy for die hard fans and complete newcomers alike, in fact it might be the first video game adaptation that my dad watched without me having to suggest it to him. With more to come from the show with a whole sequel to explore, it will be interesting if it can avoid the controversy and decline that the second game suffered, but I have hope.
Mitchell Hall
