NES Games Based on Pop Culture / Historic Icons

Comments

• jfreakofkorn

  March 2019

  nice list ....
• arch_8ngel

  March 2019

  I think it's odd that you list the TMNT games as based on the comics, but GI Joe as based on the toys.
  
  
  
  IMO both of those sets of games are based on their respective cartoon series, based on the specific in-game character depictions.
  
  
  
  
  
  And Batman: The Video Game is based on the Tim Burton movie, not the comics.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Is Attack of the Killer Tomatoes directly based on the movie?  Or is it derivative of the cartoon series that came later?
• PowerPlayers

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: arch_8ngel
  
  
  
  I think it's odd that you list the TMNT games as based on the comics, but GI Joe as based on the toys.
  
  
  
  IMO both of those sets of games are based on their respective cartoon series, based on the specific in-game character depictions.
  
  
  
  
  
  And Batman: The Video Game is based on the Tim Burton movie, not the comics.

  
  
  
  TMNT is definitely based more on the cartoons than the comics, so you're right.
  
  
  
  GI Joe though I don't know since I haven't dug too deep into it.
  
  
  
  Also, you're right about Batman so I'll add a note or move it, along with Batman: Returns
  
  
  
  Also, I forgot Bases Loaded 3, Town & Country Surf Designs, and Town & Country Surf Designs: Thrilla's Surfari. Gonna have to add those later.
  
  
  
  Also, Killer Tomatoes is DEFINITELY based on the cartoon! Fix incoming for that as well.
• arch_8ngel

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: PowerPlayers
  
   
  

  Originally posted by: arch_8ngel
  
  
  
  I think it's odd that you list the TMNT games as based on the comics, but GI Joe as based on the toys.
  
  
  
  IMO both of those sets of games are based on their respective cartoon series, based on the specific in-game character depictions.
  
  
  
  
  
  And Batman: The Video Game is based on the Tim Burton movie, not the comics.

  
  
  
  TMNT is definitely based more on the cartoons than the comics, so you're right.
  
  
  
  GI Joe though I don't know since I haven't dug too deep into it.
  
  
  
  Also, you're right about Batman so I'll add a note or move it, along with Batman: Returns

  
  So I did a quick search, and I was surprised to see how early the GI Joe animated movie (that sort of wrapped up the cartoon series) was compared to the NES game release.  (April 1987 vs Jan 1991)
  
  
  
  So it may well be that it is more directly based on the toys than the cartoon series.
  
  
  
  
  
  But with TMNT, while that all started as a comic, the toys and cartoon were tightly entwined (similar to GI Joe) and the game depiction is very definitely of that type (the cartoon) versus the grittier comics.  (though the BOX ART is from the comic book -- i.e. all red masks versus 4 different colored masks)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
• arch_8ngel

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: PowerPlayers
  
   
  

   

  
  Also, Killer Tomatoes is DEFINITELY based on the cartoon! Fix incoming for that as well.

  
  Yeah, that is one where I've never seen the movie, but heard the cartoon commercial EVERY DAMN DAY while it was on the air, and the NES game art and graphics are clearly from the cartoon.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
• arch_8ngel

  March 2019

  Also, if you're listing Xenophobe as an Alien rip-off, you should probably list Journey to Silius as a Terminator license-conversion. (i.e. started as Terminator, lost license and did a graphic hack to still make use of the game)
• PowerPlayers

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: arch_8ngel
  
  
  
  Also, if you're listing Xenophobe as an Alien rip-off, you should probably list Journey to Silius as a Terminator license-conversion. (i.e. started as Terminator, lost license and did a graphic hack to still make use of the game)

  
  
  
  Never knew that, or made that connection. Going to have to look into that one.
  
  
  
  I think for Xenophobe and Conan I'm literally just basing it off of two factors: The boxart, and the overall feel of the game.
  
   
• Red

  March 2019

  Ninja Kid is based on the manga/anime GeGeGe no Kitaro.
  
  
  
  I don't think M.U.L.E. is based on a movie.
• arch_8ngel

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: PowerPlayers
  
   
  

  Originally posted by: arch_8ngel
  
  
  
  Also, if you're listing Xenophobe as an Alien rip-off, you should probably list Journey to Silius as a Terminator license-conversion. (i.e. started as Terminator, lost license and did a graphic hack to still make use of the game)

  
  
  
  Never knew that, or made that connection. Going to have to look into that one.
  
  
  
  I think for Xenophobe and Conan I'm literally just basing it off of two factors: The boxart, and the overall feel of the game.
  
   

  
  
  
  
  
  Why do you have Conan listed as"based illegitimately" on a movie that came out 10 years before the game?
  
  
  
  It's not based on the movie, at all.  It is an adaptation of a different game called Myth: History in the Making.
  
  
  
  
  
  Did they not have legal license to the Conan name at the time, or something?
• PowerPlayers

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: arch_8ngel
  
  
  
  Why do you have Conan listed as"based illegitimately" on a movie that came out 10 years before the game?
  
  
  
  It's not based on the movie, at all.  It is an adaptation of a different game called Myth: History in the Making.
  
  
  
  
  
  Did they not have legal license to the Conan name at the time, or something?

  
  
  
  
  
  I always thought Conan was a much older show than that so I just assumed. Will look into that one as well.
• PowerPlayers

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: Red
  
  
  
  Ninja Kid is based on the manga/anime GeGeGe no Kitaro.
  
  
  
  I don't think M.U.L.E. is based on a movie.

  
  
  
  
  
  You're right, M.U.L.E. is not part of this list.
  
  
  
  The way I initially compiled this list is by looking at boxart, and somewhere down the line I confused "The Last Starfighter" and "MULE" the poses and graphical style are kinda similar.
  
  
  
  Also, Ninja Kid will be added
• arch_8ngel

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: PowerPlayers
  
   
  

  Originally posted by: arch_8ngel
  
  
  
  Why do you have Conan listed as"based illegitimately" on a movie that came out 10 years before the game?
  
  
  
  It's not based on the movie, at all.  It is an adaptation of a different game called Myth: History in the Making.
  
  
  
  
  
  Did they not have legal license to the Conan name at the time, or something?

  
  
  
  
  
  I always thought Conan was a much older show than that so I just assumed. Will look into that one as well.

  
  
  
  Conan the Barbarian -- 1982
  
  Conan the Destroyer -- 1984
  
  
  
  Conan (NES) -- 1991
  
  
  
  So not quite 10 years from The Barbarian, but pretty close.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fun fact:  He-Man IS a ripoff of Conan The Barbarian.  They made toys for the movie, then the movie debuted as a hard-R and the toy maker realized they couldn't really tie in with that anymore with kids toys, so He-Man was born and the cartoon existed for the sole purpose of marketing the toys.
  
  
  
  
  
  2nd Fun Fact (on the subject of action figures and movie tie-ins):  the early-90's line of Aliens action figures aren't tied in with the movie -- rather they were a precursor to a kids' cartoon on TV that was canceled after just the pilot episode!
  
  
  
   
• PowerPlayers

  March 2019

  Yeah, I'm adding Stanley: The Search for Dr. Livington to the list.
  
  
  
  It's (very) loosely based on the true story of the meeting of Henry Morton Stanley, and Dr. Livingstone after Dr. Livingstone disappeared for six years in Africa. This is probably the weirdest source for a game...maybe even in all of history. I'd say something like Journey to the West (a famicom game based on the story of the same name) is a little more far out, but that story also inspired many series including a super popular one we call Dragon Ball.
• Abelardo

  March 2019

  I don't know if it counts, but in California Games you pick your team among these:
  
  
• DefaultGen

  March 2019

  Rollergames is a TV show.
• DefaultGen

  March 2019

  I feel like you could add a book category for things like Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein, Dracula, etc. (For whichever ones aren't specifically based on movies). You could throw Where's Waldo and the bible in there.
  
  
  
  Also Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and if you want to stretch it, Puss 'n Boots is Around the World in 80 Days.
• PowerPlayers

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: DefaultGen
  
  
  
  I feel like you could add a book category for things like Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein, Dracula, etc. (For whichever ones aren't specifically based on movies). You could throw Where's Waldo and the bible in there.
  
  
  
  Also Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and if you want to stretch it, Puss 'n Boots is Around the World in 80 Days.

  
  
  
  Puss n Boots is also an anime for "The Wonderful World of Puss in Boots" and is a a mascot I think for Toei animation in japan.
  
  
  
  I'll add a book category though, and I think if I'm going to add historical events (Space Shuttle Project, Dr. Livingston) then I can probably add the Koei gemes....or I can remove them not to complicate things
  
  
  
   
• DefaultGen

  March 2019

  I'm just waiting to see if Bee 52 is considered based on a B-52 bomber   Edit: Ohh and MiG 29. And Cheetahmen II is based on the smash hit Cheetahmen comic book!
• TENGEN

  March 2019

  If you're counting Stanley you'll have to count North v South (Civil War) and Genghis Khan, Napoleon and some other Koei games.
• Abelardo

  March 2019

  Also Advanced Dungeons & Dragons games.
• Strikezone1

  March 2019

  Nice list you put together there, PowerPlayers!
  
  
  
  I'm pretty sure Yo! Noid was an advertisement for Domino's, not Pizza Hut.
• Abelardo

  March 2019

  Got another one, Caesar's Palace.
• Tulpa

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: PowerPlayers
  
  
  
  Also, you're right about Batman so I'll add a note or move it, along with Batman: Returns

  
  Batman: Return of the Joker is a weird one. It's Sunsoft's direct sequel to the first Batman game. So it's not really comic book based (I mean, the characters are, obviously, but that's true of any game with characters that started in the comics), and yet it's not based on the movie's sequel. I'd say it's based on the previous game.
• arch_8ngel

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: Strikezone1
  
  
  
  Nice list you put together there, PowerPlayers!
  
  
  
  I'm pretty sure Yo! Noid was an advertisement for Domino's, not Pizza Hut.

  
  Yeah, The Noid was Domino's character from the late-80's.
  
  
  
   
• Tulpa

  March 2019

  Also, you forgot Thunderbirds, based on the TV show Thunderbirds Are Go from the '60s.
• DefaultGen

  March 2019

  Ok I'm going through the list now:
  
  
  
  Based on AD&D RPG:
  
  Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: DragonStrike
  
  Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the Lance
  
  Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Hillsfar
  
  Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Pool of Radiance
  
  
  
  Fisher Price: Firehouse Rescue is based on Fisher Price Little People toys. I don't know if the other 2 games really count though.
  
  
  
  Magic of Scheherazade. Middle eastern literature. Honestly don't know enough about the game to know if it's truly based on it.
  
  
  
  Pin*Bot and High Speed are real world pinball machines.
  
  
  
  Pro Wrestling has some rip off characters. The Amazon is literally Creature from the Black Lagoon. Starman is based on Mil Mascaras but that's a tenuous link.
  
  
  
  Snake Rattle 'n' Roll is based on the 50s song Shake, Rattle, 'n Roll at least in name.
  
  
  
  Bandai Golf: Challenge Pebble Beach (Pebble Beach is a real place, I dunno if that goes into sports)
  
  
  
  Widget is a cartoon
  
  
  
  Not sure if real vehicles count
  
  F-117A Stealth Fighter
  
  F-15 Strike Eagle
  
  Ferrari Grand Prix Challenge
  
  
  
  Mario's Time Machine and Mario is Missing might have something of interest?
• Tulpa

  March 2019

  I think if the list is for Pop Culture Icons, you have to be able to point directly at the source material.
  
  
  
  I'm not sure if Stanley counts, although the story of he and Livingston is part of exploration lore.
  
  
  
  Scheherazade is the main character in the folk tale collection One Thousand and One Nights (sort of a Mother Goose analog), and is a character in the Magic of Scheherazade.
  

  Originally posted by: PowerPlayers
  
  
  
  P.P.S.: Chessmaster and Battlechess are board games...but is Archon, or is it just a strategy game?

  
  Archon is inspired by chess, but it's its own game. It doesn't really exist outside of video games. Same with Anticipation.
  
  
  
  If you're including chess, you'd have to include Othello as well.
• arch_8ngel

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: Tulpa
  
  
  
  Scheherazade is the main character in the folk tale collection One Thousand and One Nights (sort of a Mother Goose analog), and is a character in the Magic of Scheherazade.

  
  
  
  It's more like the Middle Eastern version of Grimm's Fairy Tales, and even that is selling it short of how adult the content can be.
  
   
• Tulpa

  March 2019

  Originally posted by: arch_8ngel
  
   
  

  Originally posted by: Tulpa
  
  
  
  Scheherazade is the main character in the folk tale collection One Thousand and One Nights (sort of a Mother Goose analog), and is a character in the Magic of Scheherazade.

  
  
  
  It's more like the Middle Eastern version of Grimm's Fairy Tales, and even that is selling it short of how adult the content can be.
  
   

  
  I was trying to think of a western analog of a fictional storyteller, since she's in the main story and tells the stories.
  
   
• Tulpa

  March 2019

  Also, if you want to get really bizarre, the end boss of Amagon is based on the Flatwoods Monster legend.