The Most Successful TV Shows Based On Video Games

With the drama show 'The Last of Us' continuing to divide fans of the franchise online, it seems plenty have found themselves wondering about the other most successful TV shows based on video games. After all, it's something plenty have tried - and not something that has always paid off.

The blessing and curse that comes with turning a video game franchise into a TV show are that you already have a loyal fanbase. Sometimes, this means you already have millions of fans. Other times, it means that one thing that doesn't stick to the original story could be enough to see people up in arms. Thankfully, some made it look more than easy.

The Cuphead Show helps to bring 1930s animation back to life

The animated show 'The Cuphead Show' might be based on 'Cuphead,' but even the game was inspired by something else. That comes in the form of the classic animation style that dominated the 1930s and has been brought back to life in all the best ways. Being brought to life by hand-drawn animation was what helped to make the game stand out, with Netflix utilizing some computer-generated animation to help speed things up for the TV show adaptation. Still, none of the wonder and retro vibes have been lost along the way, helping to create one of the most successful TV shows based on video games of all time.

Dragon's Lair: The Series lets us fall in love with the characters from the famous arcade game

Did you spend hours trying to hit all the right buttons just to learn the story waiting at the end of 'Dragon's Lair'? You're not alone. Thankfully, that's where the 1984 short-lived animated show 'Dragon's Lair: The Series' came in, as it finally gave us the cohesive story of our dreams. It gave us time to appreciate the characters without blowing through our entire allowance as we dodged, swung our swords, and ducked all at the right time. All in all, 'Dragon's Lair: The Series' took the most expensive arcade game of 1983 and turned it into something we could appreciate at a much slower pace.

Pokémon now has over 1,100 episodes under its belt

It can be easy to forget that 'Pokémon' is even based on a video game, thanks to how far the various franchises have come throughout the years. What started as a video game quickly evolved into a trading card game and eventually a TV show, with plenty of fans thinking of the series as something in its own universe. With over 1,100 episodes to its name, it's safe to say that 'Pokémon' is easily one of the most successful TV shows based on video games, but is it fair? After all, 'Pokémon' has been a multi-media franchise from the beginning, but that doesn't make it any less impressive.

Castlevania sees a fully developed world come to life on the small screen

Netflix has done wonderful things throughout the years to bring video games to the small screen, with 'Castlevania' just one of the many it has to its name. The series is half of 'Metroidvania,' seeing players scroll side to side to complete the story. While the main story was very mission-focused, there were chances for players to head back to previous areas once they finally had all the gear they needed. Thankfully, the TV show - which focuses on the third 'Castlevania' in particular - gives us a chance to fully explore the world without the need to find everything along the way.

Arcane took incredibly fleshed-out characters and gave them even more substance

No one ever predicted just how big 'League of Legends' would get. With people earning millions in online tournaments and new characters coming with several updates, there is so much to the video game. Still, certain characters stand out more than others, and 'Arcane' gave them their chance to shine. Riot Games spent years telling their own story before the likes of Jinx, Caitlyn, Vi, and Jayce finally hit our screens. The best bit? Having top-tier actors like Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell on board meant 'Arcane' was always destined to be a hit.

The Witcher might be one of the best video game to TV adaptations of all time

It might take a moment for some to recover from just how good 'The Witcher' really is. Henry Cavill was ultimately the one to bring Geralt to life in 2018, with so many worried about what he would do as the character. Thankfully, everything fit oh-so-well. It took a moment to warm up from the first season as Netflix set the scene, but the second season is really where things come to life. 'The Witcher' has been a beloved video game for so many years, and seeing the characters come to life once more did nothing but add even more substance to an already incredible franchise.

When it comes to the most successful TV shows based on video games, there is no shortage of franchises that have been given new leases of life.