Editorial: License to Entertain

Sadly, we have yet to get a racing game based on the IP with the vault as a playable stage.

Although in reality they are not a specific genre, licensed games have done their best throughout the years to separate themselves from other video games. This was usually done by being very bad, overpriced, and having approximately twenty to thirty minutes worth of content. However, sometimes gamers forget about the few good video games based off of television shows and movies, and that needs to be fixed.

First up is none other than Ducktales (Woo-oo!), which was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System and based off the hit children’s cartoon, “Ducktales.” The titled fared quite well from critics and fans alike, going as far as to get a remake in 2013 entitled Ducktales: Remastered developed by WayForward Technologies. At the time, it did much better than games such as Fester’s Quest and Mickey Mousecapade, and this still holds true today. This can be largely credited to its development team, which was primarily Capcom staff that had previously worked on Mega Man, such as Tokuro Fujiwara and Keiji Inafune. Its pogo-stick based platforming and spectacular soundtrack keep the game enjoyable to this day for old pros and newcomers alike.

Make no mistake, this game definitely had some love put into it before release.

Next is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, a downloadable title on the Playstation Network and Xbox Live Arcade, based off of a series of comics by the talented Bryan Lee O’Malley. The game lets players select between four of the main characters from the comics in a side-scrolling beat ’em up game similar to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time. Despite the game’s release to support the movie, it does a fantastic job at standing on its own two feet and is a great game on its own accord, movie/comics or not. Great pixel art coupled with a soundtrack by popular electronic band, Anamanaguchi, make this game perfect for playing with friends. Just like the comics and the movie, this title is full of retro video game references and a zany sense of humor fans continue to love.

Look at him, he is having fun!

To close up is the extremely popular Goldeneye 007 on the Nintendo 64. Based off of the 1995 James Bond movie, “GoldenEye,” this N64 title remains a fan favorite for its surprising depth and extremely popular multiplayer modes. It was critically acclaimed by many despite its relatively inexperienced team, and went on to become the third highest selling Nintendo 64 game of all time. Perfect Dark, another popular N64 shooter was considered as a spiritual successor due to its familiar elements and development team. The game also went on to receive critical acclaim and became a fan favorite, just like its spiritual predecessor.

Do you have a favorite licensed game, good or not, that you enjoy playing from time to time? Or do you just have a strong sense of nostalgia for others? Make sure to tell us in the comments below!