Summary
ThePlayStation 2has cemented a place for itself in videogame history. Whether you bought one to actually play games, or just as a DVD player, it cornered the market for most of its generation and remains the highest-selling console of all time. (That is, unless the Nintendo Switch passes it, which seems more likely by the day.)
Being a product of the mid-2000s, the PS2 arrived smack-dab in the middle of a curious trend: developing tie-in games for movies. Typically intended to promote the newest theatrical releases, these licensed games were often of mixed quality, and nowadays have a considerable stigma attached to them. Nevertheless, some genuine gems surfaced in this category, so we’ve decided to put together a list of the standouts.
It didn’t seem to matter, back in the day, what genre your movie belonged to. Animation, comedy, horror, action, fantasy – films of all shapes and sizes got the PS2 treatment.If you haven’t seen any of the flicks on our list, we advise caution as we’ll be cheekily dabbling in some spoilers.
10Shrek 2
Somebody Once Told Me… This Game Ain’t Half Bad
A lot of folks will see the name ‘Shrek’ in the title of any media and have their minds instantly diverted to ironic internet memes. But it’s important to remember that, long before such mockery took hold, the ogre was a juggernaut mascot for DreamWorks – and the PS2 adaptation of his sequel (i.e. the best film of the four) is great fun.
Swapping between Shrek himself, Princess Fiona, Donkey, and others, you’ll navigate what essentially boils down to a co-op puzzle-platformer, albeit with that anarchic Far Far Away humour peppered in. Bashing enemies with Gingy’s candy cane is a saccharine treat, as is using Shrek’s considerable bulk to launch his mates off seesaws and bludgeon assailants.
9Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis
They Spared No Expense
Everyone who watches Jurassic Park, and sees John Hammond’s naive mismanagement of his reserve teeming with bloodthirsty carnivores, assumes (perhaps misguidedly) “I could have a crack at that!” Well, Operation Genesis allows you to attempt that very thing; and while modern players are perhaps better off with the newerJurassic World: Evolutionpark sim, genre purists will still be entertained by the OG.
The daily running of Jurassic Park is placed at your quaking fingertips. Everything from where to place the toilets, to ensuring the herbivores aren’t fed poisonous plants, to maintaining a steady stream of (non-human) meat for the T-rexes must be delicately balanced. Of course, it’s inevitable that at some stage Jurassic Park tradition will be adhered to and a dino will bust out – so you’d better hope your tranq guns get to it before it decides a guest looks appetizing.
8Enter The Matrix
I Know Kung Fu
It would be difficult to name a more quintessential staple of early-2000s pop culture than The Matrix. For years, everyone and their mother were doing parodies of and references to this sci-fi action classic (and who are we kidding, they still are!) so a videogame tie-in was a dead cert.
Enter The Matrix employs the fact that Neo already has videogame-like abilities to great effect. you’re able to do slow-motion side flips that last about as long as your average commercial break; shoot bullets with pinpoint precision, and scale vast skyscrapers like it ain’t no thang. Sure, the hit detection’s ropey, and the actor likenesses appalling – but for the raw cool factor, it can’t be beaten.
7Kung Fu Panda
Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting
DreamWorks' Kung Fu Panda franchise is the definitive example of “see the title and laugh, only to realize it’s a total gem when you sit down to watch it,” and fellow alumni of this school include Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and The Lego Movie. Fittingly, then, Po’s PS2 debut is a far more solid outing than you’d expect.
Tapping into that tried-and-trueGod Of Waressence that has propelled many a mediocre brawler to success, you’ll be guiding the tubby panda through skirmish upon skirmish in his quest to become the Dragon Warrior. The odd puzzle sections add variety, and the sheer number of comical combos you’re able to pull off just elevates the cartoon antics.
6The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
Absorbent, And Yellow, And Polygonal Is He
SpongeBob is no stranger to the whole ‘licensed game’ deal; he had a stellar run on the sixth console gen, including Battle For Bikini Bottom, which became such a beloved cult hit that it was recently remade (er, rehydrated) from the ground up on modern systems. For our list, though, we can’t count it – so we’ll go for The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie.
Though not quite reaching the lofty heights of Battle For Bikini Bottom, this platformer still retains its core satisfying gameplay loop… which is perhaps to be expected since it’s running off the exact same engine. The town is yours to explore in the Patty Wagon, and a boss fight against a rabid Alaskan Bull Worm is a highlight. We’re feeling it now, Mr. Krabs.
5Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith
This Is Where The Fun Begins
Star Wars is yet another IP that’s had no shortage of gaming forays. But while contemporary players might be content to immerse themselves inCal Kestis' shiny, particle-effect-y PS5 adventures, there’ll always be a place for Revenge Of The Sith’s PS2 tie-in; a nostalgic favourite for many fans.
It delivers everything from that galaxy far, far away that a 2005 title could reasonably be expected to; there are lightsaber duels aplenty, dogfights in the orbit of Coruscant, and just enough exploratory segments to create the illusion of freedom. Toss in a hell of a multiplayer mode (and a hysterical, low-res recreation of the Mustafar duel), and you’ve got something worth checking out for Padawans everywhere.
4The Godfather
You Buy This Game, Unannounced, On The Day My Daughter Is To Be Married
Being that The Godfather is widely hailed as one of the greatest cinematic achievements in history, any videogame version was going to have shoes the size of Marlon Brando’s waistline to fill. For the task, EA Games were brought on board – and to the relief of cinéastes everywhere, not only did they pull it off, but they did so with flair.
The gritty, period-specific tone of the movie is perfectly encapsulated in the graphical style, which wisely plays to the PS2’s strengths as opposed to straining its poor processors. It introduces a new character, Aldo Trapani, who’s roped into the Corleone crime family and must navigate its savage internal politics; there are lashings of GTA in your ability to commandeer cars, and an intriguing moral compass system makes every playthrough unique.
3Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
They’re Taking The Framerate To Isengard
Many videogame tropes and series borrow so heavily from the fantasy mythology of Tolkien’s work (think Legend of Zelda, for instance) that you’d think a Lord of the Rings game would be a snap. Interestingly, however, it would take Peter Jackson’s big-budget movie adaptations for the dice to be properly rolled on such a project. All three chapters of the trilogy received PS2 titles, but The Two Towers is undoubtedly the best of the bunch.
Curiously, the game spends a decent chunk of its opening act recapping Fellowship Of The Ring, presumably so newbies can be all caught up before the meat of the action begins. And boy, does it begin; your PS2 buttons will be getting a workout from all the hacking and slashing of orcs that ensues. Aragorn is best for those who prefer mindlessly charging into battle, while Legolas and Gandalf offer ranged attacks and magic, respectively.
2The Lego Series
Making Magic, Brick By Brick
Sure, we might be cheating by including multiple games in a single entry – butthe Lego seriesis such a cornerstone of the licensed ‘genre’ that we couldn’t ignore it. For two decades, TT Games have been reliably cranking out brickified versions of our favourite movies per annum, and arguably some of the best offerings in the lineup were on PS2.
There’s Lego Star Wars 1 and 2, which laid the groundwork for the entire series with their tongue-in-cheek renditions of the prequels and the original trilogy, respectively. Indiana Jones, too, nabbed himself a plastic incarnation, complete with a polymer boulder to run from. And who could forget Lego Batman, with its gut-busting costume mechanic and moody soundtrack?
1Spider-Man 2
With Great Power, Comes A Great Game
Ask anyone who grew up with the PS2 to name the best movie games on offer, and odds are good Spider-Man 2 will be up there. Tremendously ahead of its time, it beat Insomniac Games to the punch of letting fans become the web-slinger himself, swinging through the city and busting criminals.
New York City is rendered in an astonishing amount of detail given the technical constraints of the era, and the sheer amount of tasks to engage in is staggering. You can intercept bank robbers, enjoy a slice of pizza from atop an office block, and even chuck vehicles about with your webbing.
