Poll: What Was The Best Animated Movie Based On A Video Game?

Welcome, one and all, to another poll! Last time around, I asked which horror icon would win in a fight to the death. Now, the results there were pretty interesting. Freddy Kreuger, Jason Vorhees, and Michael Myers all ended the poll in join bottom place, followed closely by a surprise run-in from The Leprechaun. The Candyman came in second, but the runaway winner was Pinhead.

This time around, I wanted to do something a little less violent. So, no fights to the death. Instead, I wanted to look at a specific type of video game movie. You see, live-action films based on video games are notoriously bad. Or, they have been until recent times, at least. There have always been a few popular animated ones though. So, today, I’m asking you to vote for… the best animated movie based on a video game.

These are your options:

Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie: This 1994 release was animated by Group TAC, a now-defunct studio that also worked on the Viewtiful Joe anime series. The film is much loved by fans, with the famous fight between Chun-Li and Vega still being talked about today. The film also had a long-lasting effect on the games themselves, with the design work – and the final fight – carrying over in the Street Fighter Alpha series.

Sonic The Hedgehog (OVA): In 1996, Pierrot – who worked on Yu Yu Hakusho and Bleach, among others – were tasked with creating an anime based on the blue blur. While a two-episode release in Japan, this was a direct-to-video movie in the West, hence it appearing here. It’s a weird mix of cool battles and odd imagery (like a teenage girl imagining breastfeeding Robotnik’s kids), but it still has its fans.

Pokemon The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back: This 1998 title, produced by OLM Inc, is an interesting one because how it’s viewed depends on the version you watch. The original Japanese release was well received and praised for its focus on ethical topics. Meanwhile, the dub was criticised by critics for cutting these themes, though still enjoyed by fans. For me, it has the nostalgic bonus of being the first VHS I ever imported from the USA.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children: Visual Works, the studio behind Square Enix’s cut scenes, released this movie in 2005. It serves as a direct sequel to the popular RPG and is the only CGI entry on this list. While sometimes referred to as confusing for those who haven’t played the game, there is no denying that the film is beautiful to look at.

Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge: This 2020 release was animated by the South Korean studio Mir, who worked on The Legend Of Korra and Voltron: Legendary Defender. The film did a great job of capturing the pure violence of Mortal Kombat, offering up bloodshed galore and a host of recognisable characters.

So, those are your choices. Vote for your favourite in the poll below, and let me know why you made you made your pick in the comments.