The popularity of video games has seen film and TV seek to emulate that success on the big and small screens to varying degrees of acclaim. For every great video game film adaptation there are a handful destined to remain straight-to-video obscurities, derided by critics and forgotten by audiences.
But the transition between the gaming and TV/movie worlds is one that works both ways. Indeed, the entertainment we’ve sat through in the cinema or on our television screens might well become a familiar sight as you sift through the latest games for smartphones online.
Here we check out five that are worthy of your time:
Men in Black 3
A free-to-play Android game based on the audience-pleasing science-fiction comedy sequel, what Men In Black 3 lacks in graphics it makes up for in overall gameplay. In this strategy and management game, players are tasked to control the agency defending earth from alien threats.
You’ve got to grow the organisation by building and managing the agency’s infrastructure to allow the agents to carry out their missions successfully. It’s an entertaining game that challenges your thought processes.
Deal or No Deal
Can you beat the banker? If you’ve seen Deal or No Deal, and we’re sure you have, that’s the task of the player as you randomly open boxes in the hope of winning the big prize.
Styled into a bingo game for smartphone devices, this addictive game features all the classic moments of the show – the audiences gasps, the phone calls to the banker, the tension-building music – and you can even win a cash prize.
Gordon Ramsay Dash
Not directly inspired by a single Gordon Ramsay TV show but developed as a celebration of the celebrity chef’s body of work on the small screen, Dash makes you the star of a new reality series.
You have to manage your own restaurant, gradually looking to get bigger and better as you go. Make a mistake or get it wrong and Ramsay’s fury will come crashing down on you.
Grease
A popular movie and now a popular casino-based game available on Betfair, this five-reel 25-payline slot game, which is currently available with 25 free spins for new players, brings the excitement of the all-singing, all-dancing musical extravaganza to the smartphone screen.
You have to gather three Grease symbols to progress with four different jackpots potentially building your winnings and making Danny and Sandy’s romantic adventure an even more exciting one.
TMNT: Brothers Unite
A game for both iOS and Android users, Brothers Unite is based on the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies, allowing players to choose their turtle to do battle with the evil Foot Clan, bosses and other mutants.
Immersive gameplay puts you in control of combat moves as you jump, punch, spin and kick your way through the bad guys. The game is well-worth £2.79 on Google Play.
There you have it – five great smartphone games inspired by TV and film that offer entertainment, addictive gameplay and hours of fun. If you’re a fan of the shows and movies that helped make these games possible, you’re sure to find plenty more to enjoy by giving them a go.