Five Cartoons that Need to be Games

by Mike

Let’s face it – games based on cartoons aren’t normally the most critically acclaimed.  Sure, there are a few gems here and there, but for the most part, they’re half-hearted and rushed to retail in order to make some quick cash.  However, when put into the right hands, cartoon-based games can prove to be quite enjoyable.  Take, for example, the upcoming DS/3DS game Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal OurGarbage?!.  WayForward, developers of Adventure Time (as well as Aliens: Infestation, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and Bloodrayne Betrayal) has proven themselves to be a very competent developer.  By that token, I have no doubt that Adventure Time will not disappoint.  South Park and Family Guy are two other cartoon-based games that are releasing in the near future.  With this in mind, I wondered what other cartoon games could be amazing, if handled correctly.   

Here’s five of my personal picks:

5. The Aquabats Super Show

OK, I know this one isn’t technically a cartoon, but the show does feature an Aquabats cartoon, which qualifies it in my book.  The wit and humor of the show, in addition to the Aquabats’ powers and memorable enemies, would make for a fantastic game.  If you haven’t seen the show on The Hub, it’s a hilarious mix of the old 60’s Batman live action show, Scooby-Doo, and the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.  The Aquabats - a real life band - travel cross-country in their RV looking for gigs, and end up fighting bizarre monsters(a giant cobra man with cobras for hands that also shoots cobras out of his cobra hands, for example).  Plus, the guys from Mega64 work on the show!  Let's hope an Aquabats game is more of a matter of "when" than "if."

4. Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes

Yes, it is sad to hear that after only two seasons, Earth's Mightiest Heroes will not return (although we are getting a different Avengers show).  The writing on this show was fantastic, and it had a lot of cameos by characters from all over the Marvel Universe.  I am aware of the upcoming Avengers fighting game, but I think there's so much more that can be done with the license.  I could see this working well as a Metroidvania type game, where each of the Avengers' powers would be required to access different areas of one huge map.  Make it happen!


3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The cartoon reboot is about to start, a new line of toys just hit stores, and there’s a movie in development which, quite frankly, Michael Bay will most likely ruin.  But that doesn’t mean we couldn’t get a good game out of it.  Remember earlier in the year when rumor got out that Rocksteady was working on a Ninja Turtles game?  Despite being highly ironic, it was unfortunately too good to be true.  However, for a brief moment, gamers everywhere rejoiced, thinking that this was possible.  With Nickelodeon now owning the rights to the property, I’m sure we will see a game sooner rather than later.  Let’s just hope they put someone in charge that will do the heroes in a half shell some justice.

2. Masters of the Universe

Why on Eternia has this not been done yet?  We can get countless Transformers games, but no MOTU?  I know there was a PlayStation 2 game based on the franchise, but just one in the past seven years?  That’s just not right.  The average gamers are in their late twenties and early thirties – the perfect demographic for this game.  If a developer like SCE Santa Monica or Vigil Games were to get their hands on this IP, the results could be astounding.  I can only imagine a how amazing a God of War-style hack-n-slash, where He-Man lays waste to hordes of Skeletor’s minions, would play.  Come on, Mattel, you’re sitting on a gold mine here – get the ball rolling!  I will gladly put down my preorder cash immediately – especially if it meant getting Dolph Lundgren as a DLC skin…

1. Regular Show

If there is any cartoon that is just begging to be made into a video game, it’s Regular Show.  After watching just a few episodes, it’s painfully obvious that show creator JG Quintel is a huge fan of gaming (8-bit games seem to hold a special place in his heart).  The Sega Master System is Mordecai and Rigby’s system of choice, and although made up, the games they play leave you wishing they were real.   Entire episodes revolve around earning respect through high scores, finding the final boss’ weak spot, and fighting over who gets to be player 1. There’s even an episode that perfectly parodies the Nintendo Power Glove.  If a Regular Show game were to be made in a beat-em-up style, akin to Castle Crashers or Scott Pilgrim vs the World, I would be one very happy gamer.  And you know who else would be a happy gamer? MY MOM!

Did we miss any?  Sound off in the comments and let us know your picks!