The Worst Video Game Movies Ever Made

Video game adaptations have long been a gamble in Hollywood. While some, like Detective Pikachu or Sonic the Hedgehog, manage to capture the essence of their source material, others fall spectacularly short—becoming infamous for their poor storytelling, baffling creative choices, and outright betrayal of beloved franchises. Here, we delve into some of the worst video game movies ever made, films so bad they’ve become legendary for all the wrong reasons.

Super Mario Bros. (1993)

Before The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) brought joy to fans worldwide, the 1993 live-action adaptation was a bizarre, dystopian nightmare. Starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as Mario and Luigi, the film abandoned the colorful, whimsical world of the games in favor of a grim cyberpunk aesthetic. The plot—involving interdimensional travel, a tyrannical dinosaur-human hybrid king, and an incoherent mess of sci-fi tropes—left audiences bewildered. Even the actors later admitted they had no idea what was happening during filming.

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009)

The Street Fighter franchise already had a rocky history with movies, but The Legend of Chun-Li took failure to new depths. Despite its focus on one of gaming’s most iconic heroines, the film was plagued by wooden acting, a nonsensical plot, and fight scenes that lacked the energy of the games. Even the presence of Neal McDonough as the villainous M. Bison couldn’t salvage this dull, forgettable mess. Fans of the series were left wondering: why did this movie even exist?

Alone in the Dark (2005)

Uwe Boll, the infamous director behind some of the worst game adaptations, struck again with Alone in the Dark. Starring Christian Slater and Tara Reid (whose casting as a brilliant archaeologist was… questionable), the film was a jumbled mess of horror clichés, incoherent editing, and laughable dialogue. The movie was so poorly received that it became a prime example of how not to adapt a survival horror game.

Postal (2007)

Another Uwe Boll disaster, Postal was based on the controversial game series known for its dark humor and satirical edge. Unfortunately, the film doubled down on offensive, unfunny jokes while failing to deliver anything resembling a coherent plot. Even fans of the game couldn’t defend this train wreck, which somehow managed to be both tasteless and boring.

Final Thoughts

While Hollywood continues to attempt video game adaptations, these films serve as cautionary tales. Whether due to misguided direction, terrible scripts, or sheer disrespect for the source material, they remain the lowest points in gaming cinema. The silver lining? They make us appreciate the good adaptations all the more.

What’s the worst video game movie you’ve ever seen? Share your thoughts—and your pain—in the comments!