Top 20 Amazing Shows Based on Video Games

We love a good video game adaptation! Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 20 best shows based on video games. Beware of minor spoilers ahead. Our countdown includes shows “Castlevania”, “Kirby: Right Back at Ya!”, “Dragon's Dogma” and more! What’s your favorite video game adaptation on tv? Shout it out in the comments!
Check out these other video game themed videos:
Top 10 Video Games That Let You Do Almost Anything: • Top 10 Video Games Tha...
Top 10 Most Loved Video Game Franchises: • Top 10 Most Loved Vide...
20 Video Games That Are Basically A Movie: • 20 Video Games That Ar...
Become a channel member to get access to special perks:
/ @watchmojo
Don't forget to play our Live Trivia games at 3pm EST for a chance to win cash! The faster you answer, the more points you get!: www.watchmojo.com/play
Have your idea become a video!
wmojo.com/suggest
Subscribe for more great content!
wmojo.com/watchmojo-subscribe
Visit our shop for awesome merch!
shop.watchmojo.com/
Your trusted authority for Top 10 lists, reviews, tips and tricks, biographies, origins, and entertainment news
#videogames #tvshows #arcane #castlevania #fallout #dragonsdogma #cuphead

[@WatchMojo]

What’s your favorite video game adaptation on tv? Shout it out in the comments! For more content like this, click here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZvUn2OLnNNlmNU Don't forget to play our Live Trivia (www.watchmojo.com/play) games at 3pm EST for a chance to win cash! The faster you answer, the more points you get!

[@cameronmcewen7192]

We need Blizzard to give in to peer pressure.

[@adamhoward1408]

Top 10 video games that deserves its own tv series (if it's going to be any good that is) for example Perfect Dark

[@devingiles6597]

Sonic X, Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM), Pokemon, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, and Mega Man (Ruby-Spears).

[@seanpatrickcain2]

Arcane

[@SuperBoy-ps9dz]

Sonic Prime

[@gabrielacrismareanu4753]

The fact that both Arcane and Fallout have Ella Purnell it's insane

[@joeygibson6867]

They should add her in Season 3 of the last of us. That way she’ll be in all 3 of the greatest video game shows of all time

[@devingiles6597]

Honorable mentions: Sonic Prime BlazBlue: Alter Memory Danganronpa: The Animation Sonic X Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego? Dinosaur King Mega Man (Ruby-Spears) - Aired in first-run syndication from 1994 to 1996.

[@JuanGomez-ke5py]

If I did put dangarnopa v3 anime tired will probably put the sequel

[@soramembrino82]

PAC man and the ghostly adventures

[@v.dickson]

Ella Purnell really played Arcane's Jinx so well and seeing her in Fallout hit different too. Sis is busy getting those checks.

[@Animeguy300]

The Last of Us and Arcane are awesome

[@jamalvargas6146]

Shenmue The Animation (2022) Tekken Bloodline (2022) Street Fighter 2 V (1995-1996) Darkstalkers OVA (1997) King Of Fighters Destiny (2020) Sonic X (2003-2006) Viva Pinata (2006-2009) Mortal Kombat Legends Movies (2020-) Tomb Raider Revisioned (2018) Mega Man NT Warrior (2003-2005) Dragon Age Redemption (2011-2012) Digimon Digital Monsters (1999-) Castlevania (2017-2022)

[@jsnap1]

I'm so glad they announced a second season of Arcane that show hit so hard

[@cameronmcewen7192]

Blizzard needs to be like Riot.

[@AJ-xc4qe]

I wasn’t expecting the show to be as good as it was. I’ve been told that I don’t have to play the game to understand the show and it’s why I never watched either of these shows since I grew up a movie and tv guy more than a gamer

[@jsnap1]

@@AJ-xc4qe Yeah I've never touched the game myself. I was house sitting and was like "Ah heck I'll give this show a go" and the next thing I know I've watched half the series

[@georgeeastwood6930]

I’m so glad “Sonic SATAM” made it on this list, as it has the best take on Robotnik in general. In this take, he rules the planet Mobius as a “technocratic” dictatorship with an army of robots & Sonic & friends are freedom fighters looking to fight his industrial invasion to bring the green back to the forest (as pointed out by the Nostalgia Critic when he reviewed it). Considering how far technology has come since 1994, I think it would be a good blueprint for another rebooted “Sonic the Hedgehog” show or game!

[@robynwolph3836]

SATAM Robotnik is EXTREMELY intimidating and this is done beautifully by Jim Cummings

[@georgeeastwood6930]

@@robynwolph3836 it’s strange to imagine the voice of Winnie the Pooh as a monster.

[@trexadvent4726]

Can you do top 10 moments from the Sonic Prime Series?

[@anniebanzon1471]

i want to see that too!🤩

[@youngdae22]

Fallout games and show are banger

[@Reaperguy67]

​@@youngdae22 the fallout series had like 65 million views in 16 Days. Also I hope to see nuka world in a episode

[@spider-harbinger5985]

Honorable Mentions I really enjoyed: - Sonic X - Carmen Sandiego (The Netflix Series) - Wakfu - Tekken Bloodline - Sonic Prime - Dinosaur King - Persona 5: The Animation

[@mariazioga6103]

Sonic boom has the best jokes i have seen in a kids show

[@TwojaStaraIFrytki]

good enough for kids and adults, but without eye-rolling cringe

[@lucsanaraujo]

It also has a very good sense of self-awareness, even frequently nodding to Sonic's fan base overreacting.

[@pauliepizzo8633]

Agreed

[@FanaticMitchell1]

No, it was genuinely bad

[@silentclaw6439]

⁠@@FanaticMitchell1nah it’s peak

[@SPAnComCat]

SONIC BOOM WAS UNDERRATED!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 ...it was unfortunately cancelled due to poor sales on the video game...😔

[@ZeldaSam1]

I think it's OVERrated!!!

[@goujon3071]

Yes its so good it's so funny

[@orlandogarcia7084]

​@@ZeldaSam1no. That would be Pokemon, smart guy

[@ve1309hd]

Honorable mentoins Sonic X,Virtual Fighter Cuphead show,Wakfu

[@The_Legend47]

I WAS about 2 say the following: Sonic X: "What am I, chopped chilidogs!?" But I think u beat me 2 it....

[@legionaireb]

Cuphead was #20.

[@pauliepizzo8633]

Agreed

[@Vampiricspektor2]

okay Wakfu....omg...that show was NOT for kids....i dun give a shit who you are...that show was NOT for kids....or the game XD

[@adantelee5017]

There's also Sonic X

[@laraduff4949]

No mention of Sonic X?

[@Rocketlux]

That was a anime

[@olaniyiare101]

​@@RocketluxThere were literally anime shows mentioned in this list.

[@penteractgaming]

Castlevania was amazing

[@dominiquepowell3158]

Loved Castlevania 🔥

[@Gor85]

I like many. Twisted Metal,Earthworm Jim,Sonic,Adventures of Sonic,Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego,Castlevania,Fallout,Arcane,The Last of Us,looks pretty good. I watched Pokemon a lot 😀I believe how popular it is😊Really nice. I watched synchronized version here.Deserving number one. Great video😊

[@chrisbellon3739]

Sonic x was very good anime show based on video game

[@crossxfuse]

Mega Man NT Warrior was such an amazing show. It just sucks it never got fully dubbed.

[@louismanaga2471]

Pokemon being Top 1 makes me wanna finish the previous console eras. 💀

[@BlazerK1914]

Arcane and Tekken Bloodline are my Favorites.

[@TreyMcDonaldAnimator]

Dude Carmen Sandiego is such a good time. I loved this series as a kid. That and Legends of the Hidden Temple always stick with me.

[@missmanxee]

Great choices for this top 20 show based on video games my favorite’s are Sonic Boom and Pokémon 👍❤️💙🦔

[@m1ntykassitea7936]

I love Sonic Boom as well and my bff loves Pokémon 😊

[@missmanxee]

Nice 👍😊

[@robertbouley7697]

Arcane and Castlevania are next level.

[@zzz43344]

Agreed

[@BlenderStudy]

Thank you for the update, WatchMojo..!! I can never watch some of the new TV shows, because I have no subscriptions. :p I miss the old TV.

[@Ballistic-vn6em]

Castlevania is the best videogame adaptation to date.

[@louisnemzer6801]

Where in the world is Carmen sandiego is an amazing TV show based on a pretty okay video game

[@amberank2000]

Sonic Prime, Cuphead, Sonic Boom, Last of Us, and Arcane were truly the best. Also yes I do love the Persona 4 Animation, Persona 4 Golden Animation, and Persona 5 Animation

[@gfear24]

I grew up watching the "Super Mario Bros Super Show". That was where my crush with Nicole Eggert started before she started on Baywatch. And "Captain" Lou Albano as Mario was a stroke of genius casting.

[@Duelinator]

17:31 Damn Right! And we have to thank UFOTABLE’s Animation for that

[@Steven-pn8kd]

You can never go wrong with the DiC video game cartoons.

[@majindomttv3903]

Awesome video!! Now do a top worst ones so I can see my two favorite games halo and resident evil make the list 😂😂😅

[@MrDash03]

I’m glad Twisted Metal was listed. It really captured the craziness of the games. And Samoa Joe/Will Arnett were perfect as Sweet Tooth.

[@Sandlot1992]

Earthworm Jim is quite underatted!

[@PinkNinjanerd]

I didn't see the Carmen Sandiego game show, I saw both animated series, I have all the seasons of the first one on dvd and the Netflix show obviously

[@elwincarstens192]

I absolutely loved the Arcane series. The music, art style and story were all great!

[@pauliepizzo8633]

I'm so happy the megaman battle network anime was here is one of my first introductions to the extended megaman multieverse

[@pokestar2508]

Pokemon and Kirby: Right Back at Ya are my two favorite animes. They are too funny!

[@GamerFunOriginallyAarush]

These are great shows based on video games!

[@may-rl4ot]

Am Glad Pokémon Was #1 Not Only Is Classic.The First Episode Was Emotional Journey.& Don’t You Get Me Started Pokémon The 1Movie When Ash Sacrifice For Pikachu . ;) Good Job 👏🏻 Mojo !

[@SuperDatsyuk13]

I loved Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego, Sonic the Hedgehog, Fate/Stay Nights: Unlimited Blade Works, Persona 4: The Animation but my favourite was Ace Attorney but here are some honourable mentions that should have been on this list Sonic X & Persona 5: The Animation

[@jackraider1039]

TLOU and Fallout are both a masterpiece!

[@anniebanzon1471]

my honorable mention... is "Captain Laserhawk; a Blood-Dragon Remix", that show has a lot of characters & easter-eggs coming from every Ubisoft-game(which includes Rayman)!!

[@user-hz4bk3ii2w]

I like my favorite video game adaptation on TV on the PS3 or on the PS4 or on the phone or on Hulu like The Cuphead Show and Twisted Metal and The Super Mario Bros Super Show and Sonic The Hedgehog and Sonic Boom and Fallout and The Last of Us and Pokemon

[@jeremywilliams5141]

Honorable mentions: 1. Pac-Man (1982) 2. Saturday Supercade (1983). This show had Frogger, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Junior, Pitfall, Q*Bert, Kangaroo, and Space Ace 3. Captain N: The Game Master 4. Street Fighter (1995)

[@dreamguardian8320]

I remember watching the Super Mario Bros. Super Show lots of times as a kid, good times and memories. Too bad the Legend of Zelda was not so lucky at making as many episodes as Mario has.

[@CloneScavengerVulpin8389]

Maximus: "Everybody wants to save the world, they just disagree on how."

[@suzannedetty1617]

Really like Fallout. Never played the games but herd so much bout it from my brother. Oddly enough, I did enjoy Halo. I love the Halo games so I tried watching it and enjoyed it eventho it can b better. Knowing at the end of season 2 that they're going to bring in the flood for next season, I had a oh snap moment. Watching the show reminded me of what good times I had playing the games. Idc what ppl say bout it cuz I enjoy it

[@yorumasharu1296]

to answer your question from the end of the video, I wanna say Cuphead, Twisted Metal, Arcane, and Pokemon. but I can't say Twisted Metal and Arcane are one of them because I haven't watched the whole season yet but I really adore the stories within and their own personalities especially John Doe and Jinx. for Cuphead, I played the game. even though it's frustrating and it gives irritation every time I die xD, but I still find the game enjoyable. and watching the series adaptation, I love the flow, the easter eggs, the improvement form the game and everything, even their own personalities are very accurate too and I love it so much xD. Pokemon, it does make sense to be in that spot because it's everyone's childhood memory. I love their games especially Diamond and Pearl. I watched all the show, it's an emotional rollercoaster for me. sometimes it's frustrating, sometimes it's hilarious, sometimes it's depressing, overall, it's a very fun franchise to grow up with.

[@trigunlover11]

Between Kirby, Persona 4, Ace Attorney, The Last of Us, Pokémon of a few Anime series I grew up watching, Fallout, the game show of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego; & some from the 1990s are the best to me. 😊

[@soysaucetilapia2893]

was the slash pronounced also?

[@caetmoniza8907]

One of Netflix’s original Carmen Sandiego (2019~2021) is also one of the best shows based on Video Games

[@botortamas]

Twisted Metal was a blast and deserves top 5 status easy. The fact that these unheard animes all finish ahead just shows what a wokists world we live in.

[@zimloki9801]

I'm glad to see that "Sonic X" is not on this list. But what about Ruby-Spears' "Mega Man"?

[@sonicprime_2024]

Okay, so I was quickly looking for Sonic Prime and Knuckles, and NONE OF THEM ARE HERE?!

[@lukasvokurka9224]

Yey. Ace attorney mentioned. It's really sad, that they didn't mentioned how great the outtakes are though.

[@anjeru1996]

I was expecting dota dragon blood gonna appear

[@jimmymurphy898]

I can't wait for season 2 of Last of Us as someone who prefers Part II. The audience that doesn't know the games buckle up...

[@harryeasterbrook4593]

I’m not sure what people will think of this, but one video game I wouldn’t mind seeing turned into a show is ‘Emergency Heroes’. I know the game itself wasn’t much cop (pun intended), but I’m sure if they fleshed out the characters a bit more, they could create something good.

[@rodolfovargas7952]

Mario, Sonic, Persona, Castlevania, and Pokémon.

[@charlesschofield4018]

While The Last of Us, Arcane, Castlevania and Fallout should've been in the Top 4, Pokemon the Movie 2000, Pokemon 4-Ever and Pokemon Heroes are better than the TV series. Because they got the best villains who would give Team Rocket a run for their money.

[@brandongill2577]

I will admit that Street Fighter II V would be a Top 30 entry.

[@RedX101]

At least Halo wasn’t on here

[@dominiquepowell3158]

Oh thank God 😌

[@bursegsardaukar]

That bad, huh...

[@Jo65747]

LOL 😂

[@LukeTopSecret]

I was worried... glad it wasn't

[@lulukomadori9651]

It insane how much the writing team really don't like halo YET are the one in Control of the halo shows

[@gerardorodriguez7500]

I wish Sonic Boom wasn’t cancelled

[@SuperBoy-ps9dz]

Sonic Prime was my favorite, this beats Sonic Boom

[@anthony92399]

Mega Man (1994) is one of my all time favorites video game based shows. It's full of cheesey puns but has great animation (for the most part, there were a couple od bad ones) and voice acting while also telling some interesting stories. At one point during its airing it even topped the Neilsen ratings for syndicated kids shows.

[@donovan802]

I’m proud to be someone who doesn’t play League of Legends and thoroughly enjoys Arcane. I admire the stories and artstyle League goes for, so there’s something there for me.

[@KAHILIAULANI]

It really isn’t considered a “Show”, but “Final Fantasy:: The Spirit Within”, is probably one the greatest video game movies of all time.

[@chelseacanales8763]

Sonic the Hedgehog is still my favourite game and show ever

[@Underhownd]

Say what you will about streaming services, but they have provided a boom period for good-to-great vg adaptation series. We've come a long way from that 1982 Pac-Man series.

[@edwardgrimes7535]

Nothing against Pokémon but how the hell did it beat The Last of Us!?

[@CaptainCretaceous91]

Dinosaur King deserves a mention. It started as an arcade game, after all.

[@enzbroGD]

SONIC BOOM SWEEP 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@dnmz1885]

What about Dota Dragon's Blood?

[@rsaravia115]

Sonic X should’ve definitely make it in the list.

[@AustoLaVista]

Sonic X should be on here just for the theme song alone 😅

[@MrEmperorCJ]

Pokémon is my most favorite

[@lulukomadori9651]

The ace attorney games anime adaptation should of 100% been on here, made the case more impactful/emotional, especially making phoenix character so much more likable - where he went to all those places to help maya qas amazing, how he drenched as he want to save her -

[@mablem487]

Japan had a show based off PaRappa the Rapper on the PlayStation, and it's better than you'd think.

[@autumbreeze1129]

I still have the first 3 volumes of Megaman NT Warrior.

[@maddestmike5791]

Are you kidding? Sonic Boom was a trainwreck. -_-

[@orlandogarcia7084]

Cope

[@jacobhutchinson332]

Super Mario bros (2023), Sonic The hedgehog 1 and 2, Pokemon (for sure), Pokemon: Detective Pikachu (2019) and Mega Man: Fully Charged (still waiting for season 2)

[@Thelodis]

True story: I first watched Castlevania when the second season released, there are four episodes of the first season and eight in the second. When I was done with the fourth and final episode of the first season then I clicked on "Next episode" on Netflix, and somehow it glitched and continued on episode 5 of the second season. And I didn't notice a thing. There were a few new characters that had not been properly introduced yet but I thought that we would get to know them as the series moved along. But when I thought I was halfway through the season, Dracula was already dead. "How are they going to keep it going for four more episodes" I thought, but there were no more episodes. It was then that I realized that I had watched the second half of the season and not the first. I watched the first half after that but it says a lot of the story writing when you can skip the first half of a season and not notice it.

[@marvelboi3416]

So why The Witcher is not on this list since it's also based on the highly popular video game. You included Fate/Stay Night that was based on both light novel and game... I surprised Halo it's not on this list because I heard it's a very good series specially in season 2!!! I still don't know why Dragon Dogma is on this list when most of the fans didn't praise it. In my opinion I think Sonic X was just good and the recently new Netflix Sonic: Prime was truly an amazing phenomenal series.

[@RyZeRxWolfChannel]

Sonic Boom is to Sonic shows what Jared Leto is to Joker adaptations

[@jonbstudios7257]

I wish you mentioned Sonic Prime.

[@LTMaverick27894]

Fallout is GOATed

[@aiyanahmed6967]

What about Sonic Prime? I mean the action felt like it never stopped in that show

[@cameronjr8]

Now let’s do the opposite. Top 20 WORST shows based on Video Games.

[@RedX101]

Number 1: Halo

[@monsterjamfan100xtreme4]

Bubsy would possibly be on the list duh (even though it was 1 episode)

[@penteractgaming]

Thatd have A LOT of competition

[@zzz43344]

​@@penteractgaming No kidding

[@Baseds__Backup_Account_3]

The shows are neither inseparable from the great games tbh and that's just wonderful tbh, lol.

[@brucenatelee]

Okay, #3 and #2 confused me, because we already had Fallout and Castlevania.

[@brucenatelee]

Ahh... okay, that makes perfect sense for #1.

[@subwaymanYT]

There's also Megaman the Super Fighting Robot

[@atruecoinsmaster2530]

Last of us is my favorite but I highly enjoyed knuckles

[@ZeldaSam1]

13:42 Honestly, Night City is where good thing go to die...

[@Doom_Sayer]

cuphead reminds me of snowbros from the old NES game

[@traydevon]

Arcane should’ve been #1, Castlevania should’ve been #2.

[@ShadowFist13]

In my opinion it should have only been one entry per game series

[@Fluffyudders]

Wait, there's a Dragon's Dogma anime?! Since when?!!

[@nick_plays22]

Did anyone else notice how they are using audio from old videos