The Best TV Shows That Are Now Games
We’re currently living in what most TV and movie fans consider to be the golden age of television, and if we’re honest, we think it all started with streaming. Netflix was one of the first, and though it’s evolved a lot since its days as a DVD subscription service (via good old snail mail) there’s little doubt it’s the service that kicked off all things streaming. As the quality of TV shows improved (thank you big budget studios!), more and more big-name actors started to see the value in making TV shows instead of just movies. The more big names and bigger talents move over to TV shows from the movies, the better TV becomes, and the cycle has continued to give us TV shows made by some of the most impressive names in the film industry.
These days, a TV show offers so much more than a standalone film, and there are a few of those shows that started just before the boom and have carried on long after it. These legendary shows have become so beloved that viewers have been asking for more and more ways to enjoy them— enter gaming studios. As one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world, the gaming industry has the budget to remake these iconic shows into games and do it WELL (and the other way around in a few cases!), so let’s check ‘em out!
The Walking Dead
TV Show Release: 31 October 2010
Game Released: 24 April, 2012
The Walking Dead was a hit the second that first episode aired. It’s been one of the most successful TV shows of all time, and the game didn’t do too badly either. While the TV show introduces the world to a brutal alternative reality in which the world had been overrun by a violent, all-consuming zombie plague, the game series pulled players into an emotional, episodic adventure that focused on storytelling and player choice. The brand even went so far as to collaborate with an NJ online casino to create a slot game that has gone on to become one of BetMGM and Borgata’s biggest hits!
The standout on the series is The Walking Dead, by Telltale Games. Instead of tailing Rick Grimes and the rest of the TV cast, the player can step into the shoes of Lee Everett, who ends up becoming a sort of guardian and protector for a young lady called Clementine. In this game, every single decision matters, and your choices influence your in-game relationships, the dialogue you hear, and key moments throughout the story. The characters inspire genuine care in players, which makes the challenging moral decisions that need to be made throughout the game that much harder to make.
If you’re a fan of the show, play the game to discover a fresh and unforgettable story that tugs at the heartstrings and keeps you coming back for more.
Family Feud
TV Show Release: 12 July, 1976
Game Released: 12 November, 2012
This is the show on our list that’s been around the longest…since the 70s, in fact! Most Americans grew up watching Family Feud or something like it, and the game made its way so deeply into popular culture that it’s still going strong! The nostalgia factor of the game is huge, so it’s no surprise that it translates so well to console.
You can play Family Feud on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo and recreate the excitement of the quiz-style game show for yourselves. Thanks to multiplayer mode, you can have your own Family Feud at home and include everyone from your toddler cousin to Grandma and Grandpa.
The Last Of Us
TV Show Release: 14 June, 2013
Game Release: 13 April, 2025
This is one of two games on our list that’s backwards: it was a game first and a TV show second! It’s ironic that one of the most important (and traumatising) events in the game not only made it into the show but cut viewership straight down the middle, taking the show into its second season with almost half the viewers it had until that pivotal moment. We won’t spoil it, in case there’s someone out there who hasn’t lived through it yet, but what we will say is: prepare yourselves!
The first Last of Us game puts players directly into the shoes of one of the protagonists, Joel. In the second installment, you can play as Ellie or Abby, giving you a full understanding of each character’s motivations and feelings through deeply emotional storytelling.
Breaking Bad
TV Show Release: 20 Jan, 2008
Game Released: 06 April, 2019
There are few people in the English-speaking world over the age of 30 who haven’t seen at least one episode of Breaking Bad. The show became one of the most critically acclaimed pieces of television in history, so it was hardly a surprise when the franchise expanded into gaming too. While there’s never been a Breaking Bad game for any major console, the mobile and strategy games released have followed Walter White’s journey from chemistry teacher to an incredibly suspect drug kingpin.
Breaking Bad: Criminal Elements brings players into the BB world by asking them to follow in Walter’s steps and build their own criminal empire. The game includes all the iconic characters you love (or hate), like Walter, Jesse, Saul, and the man himself, Gus Fring. Instead of rehashing the events of the show, the game requires players to focus on strategising, managing resources, and expanding your operation under the radar so you don’t get caught.
Fallout
TV Show Release: 10 April, 2024
Game Released: 10 Oct, 1997
Just like The Last of Us, Fallout was an incredibly successful game franchise for almost 2 decades before it came to TV screens. Unlike many game adaptations, the Fallout TV show tells an original story with original characters set in the post-apocalyptic Fallout universe. What this means for fans who found the content through the show is that they can jump into any of the games without having to replay the same events they just watched. The open worlds in this game are enormous, meaning that players have a lot to explore. Ghouls, radiation poisoning, and raiders await, as well as dark humor and the classically Fallout retro-futuristic vibe.
