10 HARDEST Movie Tie-in Games

10 Hardest Movie Tie-In Video Games

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re counting down our picks for the ten hardest movie tie-in video games that require you to ‘get good’ if you want to beat them.

“Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (1988)

Some games are hard because they require skill and precision, others are hard because of mind-bending puzzles, and others, like “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” are hard because they are just downright confusing to understand. Even after recording this very footage you are seeing, I still have no idea what’s actually going on here since nothing seems to ever make sense in this game. Most of this comes down to the game’s complete lack of guidance in tandem with cryptic objectives as you explore Toon Town. One moment you will be finding the correct punchline to a joke, another moment sees you finding clues and pertinent items, other moments see you pummeling goons in the face. Simply put, “Who Frame Roger Rabbit” is just one of those old-school video games that intends for you to find the right path forward but never gives you any solid way to actually do that apart from loads of trial-and-error.

“The Terminator” (1991)

At first glance you’d be easily forgiven for thinking you have stumbled across a knockoff “Contra” game. “The Terminator’s” run-and-gun action is essentially a carbon copy of older “Contra” titles, albeit quite a bit less polished or responsive. Still, for fans of the movie, it provides plenty of fun and challenge. This is just one of those games that feels like an arcade title, where precision with your shots and pinpoint accuracy with your jumps is required if you hope to make it through the dreary movie-inspired stages. Plus, each level is so dark that it’s often just hard to figure out how to get from point A to point B.

“Ghostbusters” (1988)

Apart from looking like the Ghostbusters themselves in this game just wandered off the set of “Saving Private Ryan,” it’s surprising just how challenging this NES game is. Sort of like “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” in a previous entry, “Ghostbusters” is confusing at the best of times and downright impossible to understand at the worst of times. Quickly swapping between a pseudo-strategy experience on a grid-layout city map to in-vehicle transition sections to hoovering up ghosts with a plethora of purchasable ghost equipment, “Ghostbusters” is just all over the place, never quite feeling cohesive. This, in turn, makes it an uber-challenging game to contend with, all culminating in a final showdown that truly takes the ectoplasmic cake.

“True Lies” (1994)

Arnie is back at it in the “True Lies” Genesis video game adaptation, a surprisingly gruesome game that isn’t for the faint of heart both in terms of content and sheer difficulty. The best word to sum up this game as a whole would be frenetic. The frenetic action in this game is relentless, with death always just around the next corner. Bullets fly everywhere with enemies creeping just beyond what you can see in any given level. Arnie does indeed have plenty of firepower at his disposal but good luck trying to aim successfully with the game’s super stiff and cumbersome controls even with it being a twin-stick game. Sure, you can get the hang of it, but it never quite feels natural. Throw in friendly fire when allies are present, maze-like stage layouts, and brutal boss fights and it’s clear “True Lies” isn’t going to take it easy on you.

“Cliffhanger” (1993)

I guess it should come as no surprise that a Sylvester Stallone, action-heavy film like “Cliffhanger” would have a video game adaptation. Playing out like a clone of “Final Fight” or “Streets of Rage,” albeit less engaging and responsive, “Cliffhanger” punches well above its weight when it comes to overall game difficulty. Seriously, despite being a really short game, it’s a doozy to contend with. It’s a wildly inconsistent game with random platforming sections, climbing segments that infuse combat, and more. It’s a game where enemies just spam you, as Gabe, over and over again, never relenting. Sure, you do have plenty of power, but it never feels like enough given the unfair and unforgiving arcade tendencies of this game.

“Enter the Matrix” (2003)

It was a toss up between this game and “Path of Neo” for which one is considered to be harder overall. We opted on “Enter the Matrix” since it just inches out in terms of its challenging gameplay, especially when it comes to two different character campaigns, relentless enemy AI, labyrinthian level layouts that often have you running in circles, and some wonky vehicle sections that aren’t easy to control. Now, don’t get us wrong, it’s a fun game to play, especially if you are a fan of the “Matrix” movies, but you’ll be up to your ears in hectic firefights, tricky platforming, and unwieldy slo-mo focus time moments.

“Aladdin” (1993)

Now, we are specifically talking about the Game Boy version of “Aladdin” for this list. While the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis versions do have some difficult areas; there’s no two ways about it that the Game Boy counterpart is easily the harder one overall. Did some of these levels have to go this hard? Levels like the Cave of Wonders (especially the magic carpet escape sections), inside the Genie’s lamp, and more prove that “Aladdin” doesn’t hold back punches when it comes to its pixel perfect precision platforming. Heck, even some of the opening parts in Agrabah can make you pull your hair out in frustration. A lot of this comes down to the smaller screen space, limited visibility, and less responsive controls when compared to its console counterparts. It all just takes a bit more finesse if you hope to beat this handheld Disney gem.

“Back to the Future Part II & III” (1990)

I don’t think anyone back in 1990 would have thought that a platforming game based on the “Back to the Future” movies would be all that tough. However, “Part II & III” proved fans of the films wrong because this game is downright brutal. Most of the challenge in this game comes from aimlessly wandering around the sprawling levels, which do recycle quite often which leads to confusion and tedium as you never quite know where to go next. It’s not just a simple ‘left-to-right’ case here. You are meant to replay areas over and over in order to find specific points of interest, items, and objectives…but again, it’s never clear on why you are doing it and where you should go. Add in some cheap deaths, tricky enemy placement, and awkward controls, and you have a recipe for a game that’s better left in the past.

“Batman Forever” (1995)

Is it just me or did anyone else forget how goofy the “Batman Forever” movie tie-in game truly is? Tough-as-nails? Heck yes. But undeniably goofy to witness? Without a doubt. There’s just this uncaniness with the Caped Crusader’s walking animation like he’s doing the first part of an epic dance battle. Then, there’s the fact that you can spam the ground kick over and over on certain enemies. And then…well…there’s the goofy enemies themselves. What a ragtag bunch, am I right? But, we aren’t here to talk about goofiness (even though that’s all I’ve done so far); “Batman Forever” is truly one of the toughest movie tie-in games around, mostly down to stiff and wonky controls for Batman, awkward gliding and platforming sections, and combat encounters where enemies just pile on the pain without much reprieve.

“The Lion King” (1994)

Hakuna Matata this is not! Now, we have featured “The Lion King” on oodles upon oodles of ‘hard games’ lists on MojoPlays because yes, it’s just that hard. It was designed, created, and developed to be truly punishing for anyone that played it. Levels like “Can’t Wait to be King” and “Be Prepared,” amongst many others prove this very point. For every two steps forward as Simba, it feels like you go 55 steps backwards. Trial-and-error doesn’t even begin to describe this game’s design philosophies. Even to this very day, even after the deluge of brutal Soulslikes games, punishing roguelikes, and more, “The Lion King” still manages to be one of the most challenging games around, let alone movie tie-ins. Good luck indeed!

So, what did you think of our picks for this list? What are some truly challenging movie tie-in games that you have played? Let us know in the comments.