Four TV shows Telltale needs to adapt

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Thursday, December 16, 2010
EDITOR'S NOTEfrom Jay Henningsen

I think Cosmo has a great idea here. I can think of dozens of television shows that would make great adventure games. I'd love to see them take a shot at the X-Files.

I missed out on all the great point-and-click adventure games of yore, like Day of the Tentacle and Maniac Mansion, so when Telltale Games began releasing new adventure games I gobbled them up.

Having unleashed the floodgates on the adventure-style game drought with episodic games like Sam and Max, Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, and Tales of Monkey Island, Telltale has now turned to a classic '80s movie for their next addition: Back to the Future: The Game.

Basing a game on a classic '80s film is gutsy. But I wondered what would happen if Telltale snatched up some television shows to turn into games. Here's a few that I want to see Telltale make happen.


The X-Files

Sure, there have been X-Files games before, but none of them did the series much justice. With Telltale's excellent staff of writers, solving conspiracies with Mulder and Scully would be like going to your in-laws house after years of excommunication: everyone is starting fresh, and no one remembers the time you made the joke about the penguins in the bathtub. 

 

The gingers are out there.

Plus, the X-Files wasn't afraid to throw-in some goofy episodes or two, ensuring Telltale could slap their signature wackiness into the package. Imagine: Mulder & Scully AND Sam & Max working together.

Gameplay Moment

You see three items in front of you, but one of them will make you sick. Choose wisely.


Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks is perfect game fodder. Everything about the television series lends itself to great adventure-style gaming. With characters such as the Log Lady and bizarro dreams about old-age and midgets, there's literally something for everyone. The cult success of Deadly Premonition even created Twin Peaks fans that don't yet know they're Twin Peaks fans.

Sugar. Cream.

The special edition comes with a trout-shaped coffee mug and a piece of cherry pie wrapped in a plastic bag.

Gameplay Moment

Get Audrey to stop dancing. FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING, IT'S CREEPING ME OUT!


The Simpsons

Exploring and interacting with a wide and varied cast of characters is what adventure games are all about, and The Simpsons has both in spades. The show is already in cartoon form, so it wouldn't be too difficult to accurately represent the exotic locales like Moe's Tavern and Flanders' house.

That's a big couch.

Plus, there are so many usable quotes the writers would be on easy street ... riding a moving sidewalk.

Gameplay Moment

Bart needs to play an April Fool's joke on Homer. Use beer, perhaps?


Arrested Development

Think about it: Telltale could develop the game to coincide with the inevitable (ha!) movie release. Rebuilding the Banana Stand would somehow make it into the game, and helping Tobias paint himself blue (don't get paint on the cut-offs) could be quite the puzzle. Buster might need help coping with a hook, and Gob's magic shows are always in need of assistance. So many gameplay possibilities present themselves.

They seem so innocent.

Gameplay Moment

You control Tobias, who is dressed as Mrs. Featherbottom, and you must win the love of your daughter, Maeby.


What television shows, movies, or other forms of entertainment would you love to see Telltale make into a game? Share your thoughts in the comments!

 
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Comments (7)
Alexemmy
December 15, 2010

By the time that movie comes out Michael Cera is going to be 40 and Jeffrey Tambor will have died. I'd love for Telltale to snatch up some of the old Disney and Nickelodeon cartoon license. A Rescue Rangers game would be perfect! Angry Beavers, Hey Arnold!, Darkwing Duck, Tale Spin, Duck Tales, Aaah! Real Monsters, Rocko's Modern Life, Doug. Hell, I'd even take Rugrats.

Assassin_shot_edited_small_cropped
December 15, 2010

I want a Pinky and the Brain adventure game.

Me04
December 16, 2010

I always thought that Telltale should've done the Doctor Who games. They'd have done the series justice.

Similarly, I'd like to see them get their hands on Futurama (I think that'd be much better than The Simpsons, personally) and Veronica Mars.

Jayhenningsen
December 16, 2010

How about Columbo? You have to find creative ways to annoy the perpetrator enough so that they confess.

Default_picture
December 16, 2010

Perfect Strangers. It'd be a prequel sheep-shaving game where you play as Balki.

Bithead
December 17, 2010

Give me a Brisco Country Jr. point-and-click adventure game, and you'll have made me a happy guy.

Or Firefly.  "Throw the guy into the propeller?  Yes or no."

Twitpic
December 17, 2010

Thanks for the edit, Jay! And great suggestions, guys! I would most definitely play any of the television shows listed. 

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