My Top Ten: TV Tie-ins

There aren’t many TV series that make the transition into video games. Lost and CSI being two obvious exceptions which didn’t work very well. I think I’ve come up with ten TV series which would make excellent transitions to the video game world and I’m very excited to see what suggestions pour out of the twisted minds of our readers.

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  • 24 – There can be loads of sequels so this is essentially a massive franchise. Jack Bauer is already indestructible; I think he has re-generating health. I think when he gets hurt his vision blurs a bit and goes black and white until he takes ten seconds and a deep breath then the colour comes back and he’s good to go again. There could be drug-taking and bomb-diffusing mini-games or it could be an RPG with moral choices and branching dialogue.
  • Heroes – Superhero games are en vogue at the minute. Surely the Heroes universe would make for a great MMO. Avoid the shadowy agents of evil and join forces with your fellow… freaks to uncover a sinister plot which is always just out of reach.
  • Bargain Hunt – I’m loving the resurgence of point-and-click adventure games and I think that being a member of the red team, hunting for that elusive piece of tat that will make me £4 profit at an auction room populated by extras from Mos Eisley Spaceport would be ace. David Dickinson could make a triumphant appearance as the final boss.
  • The Wire – I’m playing through Fahrenheit for the first time and it struck me that the “play as several different people” mechanic would be perfect for The Wire. I’d like to be Omar, The Bunk and Bubbles. Not in the game, I’d just like to be them.
  • Deadliest Warrior – This is a bit of a niche TV show but if you can find it (on Spike TV) it’s the most awesome concept ever. You know the famous “Bear Vs Shark” game where you say “who would win in a fight between…”? Well, this TV show pits real fighty folks against others. In one show they had Braveheart versus a Zulu. Who doesn’t want a 2D fighting game like that?
  • MythBusters – The special edition comes with safety glasses and a Bunsen burner. Use various parameters to exhaustively debunk famous myths and quick-time events to evade the ensuing explosion. With endless DLC of new missions this one could run and run.
  • The X-Factor – Imagine Singstar but at the conclusion of your tuneless warbling Simon Cowell appears on screen and completely destroys every ounce of self esteem you ever had. He’s especially mean to children. The game is PSEye compatible so it records you bursting into floods of bitter salty tears and automatically uploads it to YouTube, simultaneously emailing me a link so I can enjoy your demoralising breakdown.
  • QI – I make no apologies for the fact that I unashamedly love Stephen Fry. He was my favourite part of LittleBigPlanet. I imagine this to be like Buzz! but both funnier and more intelligent. With an infinitely more affable host (and I really like Jason Donovan as Buzz! too) The downside is that every answer you make is going to be wrong but at least we can all have a good laugh about it.
  • Changing Rooms – The game-buying public loves a bit of character customization so imagine how big it would be if they could customise the entire environment. The game starts out by giving you a rough council flat in Hackney that smells of chip fat and has nicotine stains but by the end of story mode you’re renovating mansions in Chester with crystal chandeliers.
  • The Ads – Some nights on TV I think these are the best bit. I envisage this as a min-game party collection. Including fun such as “Get the Scented Block Down the Toilet” and “Place a Sanitary Product and Still Enjoy Horse Riding”. The high score is based on how much cash you’re generating for “The Man”.