Generally speaking, licensed games spent most of video game history being downright terrible. Over the last decade or so, that has turned around. Don’t get it twisted, there are still more than a few duds, but great games like Marvel’s Spider-Man and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are starting to become the norm. That said, even in the heyday of bad licensed games, a few were able to break through the cracks. The best of those are still beloved by fans, but a few have gone largely forgotten. That’s a shame because these games deserve more love.
Here are seven great licensed games most players have forgotten.
7) Looney Tunes B-Ball
Is Looney Tunes B-Ball essentially a carbon copy of NBA Jam? Sure, but when the 2-on-2 basketball action is this fun, who cares? Look, developer Sculptured Software wasn’t breaking much new ground with Looney Tunes B-Ball, but it did give families a kid-friendly version of arcade basketball. Plus, the wacky power-ups injected some levity into the game. If only NBA Jam let me throw a pie in Karl Malone’s face. Oh, and I can’t forget that when the shot clock runs out, the ball turns into a dog and chases you around. What a video game.
6) Wanted: Weapon of Fate
The Wanted movie always felt like a video game trapped inside a film. The idea of curving bullets around cover seemed perfectly suited to adding a new layer of strategy to the cover shooter gameplay that was so popular at the time. Thankfully, Warner Bros. decided to dive into that world, letting players loose with combat that incorporates slow motion and bullet curving. There are a few annoying instances of QTEs, and the gunplay lacked much depth. That said, if you want a bombastic shooter campaign that’ll make you feel like a world-class assassin, you could do worse than Weapons of Fate.
5) The Simpsons Game
The Simpsons Game loses a lot of mind space to the much better Hit & Run game. That Grand Theft Auto-like take on the classic cartoon is one of the best games of its era, and easily earns a spot on the best licensed games ever. Still, The Simpsons Game is a solid take on Springfield. Each character has their special power, which you’ll need to use to solve platforming puzzles. It brings some great jokes and mediocre gameplay. That’s not exactly going to blow your doors off, but it’s still worth playing for fans of the TV series.
4) Jackie Chan: Stuntmaster
I’m not 100% sure if a game based on the exploits of a single man counts as a licensed game. It’s not like Stuntmaster is based on one of Chan’s excellent movies. In fact, you’re actually just saving Chan’s grandpa from kidnappers. I don’t think it’s Chan’s real grandpa, but that’s kind of beside the point. The reason Stuntmaster is on this list is that it’s an excellent beat-’em-up with platforming elements for the original PlayStation. Jackie Chan hopped into the mo-cap booth to make sure his digital version used the martial-arts moves fans know and love. It might not perfectly fit into this category, but it’s absolutely worth playing.
3) Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
Transformers has a few games that might qualify for this list. Devestation was a blast, but it has been taken off store shelves, making it almost impossible to find. Meanwhile, War of Cybertron is a great third-person shooter that leads into Fall of Cybertron. Truthfully, you could pick any of the three, and I wouldn’t fight you. For me, Fall of Cybertron is slightly better thanks to its tighter campaign and variety of characters you’ll take into battle.
2) Peter Jackson’s King Kong
Peter Jackson’s King Kong was a visual showcase for the Xbox 360. The 2005 action-adventure game does a few neat things with its lack of HUD, but it’s not breaking too much ground on the gameplay front. Still, the action sequences are phenomenally paced, and switching between protagonists keeps the action moving. That said, the visuals and presentation set a new bar for the fledgling console, which makes it easy to see King Kong as a game well ahead of its time.
1) Stranglehold
Stranglehold isn’t just an adaptation; it’s the canonical sequel to John Woo’s all-time classic Hard Boiled. You step into the shoes of Tequila Yen (once again played by the incomparable Chow Yun-fat) and dive into a story that sees Tequila taking on various gangs in Hong Kong. Stranglehold is a perfect sequel, delivering high-paced gun fights filled with opportunities to engage in Woo’s signature “gun ballet” aesthetic. You can slide down bannisters while shooting or switch into slo-mo for creative kills. It’s one of the most stylish shooters of all time, and an absolute must-play for fans of the genre.
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