Futurama and 4 Other Animated Shows That Deserve Games in 2017

Rick and Morty

Everyone’s favorite space-exploring duo are due to return for the third season of the show sometime in 2017, and what better way to celebrate than with a standalone game. By that, we mean one that doesn’t necessarily have to tie into the storylines of the TV show. Something that can be enjoyed by both newcomers and seasoned fans alike.

Of course, the Rick and Morty formula doesn’t just fit into any kind of game. There was the Pokemon GO ripoff, Pocket Mortys that released last year, but fans crave something more substantial. An episodic series, with each episode acting as a feature-length episode, is probably the best bet for retaining the eccentricity and sporadic nature of the duo’s adventures. Players would embark on a space adventure, meet all kinds of weird and wonderful creatures, and navigate complex platforming worlds.

Of course, nothing ever goes entirely to plan, so you could expect all kinds of crazy mechanics to mix things up a little. There’s always the Telltale option, too, though Rick and Morty’s cast of characters don’t lend themselves to this formula as well as others.

Futurama

Despite being canceled by Comedy Central prior to its elongated Season 7, fans will forever be clamoring for more adventures with the Planet Express crew. The Simpsons and Futurama crossover episode was warmly welcomed, and only whetted fan appetites further. Of course, whether the crew returns to our TV screens or not will entirely depend on networks, unless it becomes a video game.

While a platforming Futurama game back in 2003 didn’t go over well, perhaps the adventure was simply in the wrong format. Much like Rick and Morty, Futurama’s adventures are sporadic and see them often tackling entirely different scenarios each episode. However, Futurama’s cast of characters lend themselves a little better to Telltale’s decision-based formula, thanks to their greater emotional depth.

A Futurama Telltale series would be filled with the franchise’s humor, differing sides to the same story (much like Rhys and Fiona in Tales from the Borderlands), and all be wrapped up in an epic adventure against, say, Mom’s friendly robot company. It may not be the return that every fan wants right now, but it’d certainly ease the pain.

Adventure Time

2016 brought some sad news to the world of animated series. Adventure Time would finally be concluding in 2018 with its ninth and final season. While fans will certainly be left with a void after 148 episodes, there’d be no better way to send off Jake, Finn and the rest of the gang than with a video game.

Tie-in games normally don’t work well, mainly because they’re rushed out so they can release alongside their respective movie and reap the hype rewards. However, as a send-off to the series, setting players out to relive some of the best moments from the show may actually be a pretty neat idea. Players could assume the role of Fionna and Cake, the gender-swapped Finn and Jake from season 3, before being thrust into a level reminiscent of the ‘Return to the Nightosphere’ episode, complete with the political rap.

With so many weird and wonderful episodes during its course on the air, Adventure Time has the source material for a great ‘Best of Adventure Time’ video game. As long as it gets the due diligence the series deserves, it could be a great way to say goodbye.

Star Vs the Forces of Evil

Star Vs. the Forces of Evil is a relatively new animated series that follows the adventure of Star Butterfly, a magical Princess sent to Earth as a foreign exchange student. After making friends with Marco, a guy who’s obsessed with karate and Dragon Ball Z, the two embark on inter-dimensional adventures together to defeat the forces of evil. Just as the title suggests. Oh, and it’s also worth noting that this inter-dimensional travel is all possible thanks to Star’s dimensional scissors that can open portals.

This may all sound pretty out there, but it’s also the perfect kind of setting for a vibrantly colored adventure platformer game. Not too dissimilar from Ratchet and Clank, the game would follow the stories of Star and Marco across dimensions, as they hope to defeat the ultimate villain, Ludo. With extravagant weapons, voice acting from the show’s cast, and plenty of monsters to defeat, this would be a great licensed game suitable for kids.

Psycho-Pass

While fans have already enjoyed Psycho-Pass in video game form thanks to Mandatory Happiness last year, it wasn’t your traditional video game experience. In fact, Mandatory Happiness was a visual novel, and while it acted as a great supplement to the rich lore of this universe, fans might have been clamoring for more of the violent action the series is renowned for.

Of course, getting into the seedy universe of Psycho-Pass is something best experienced on the front line, so how about joining the force? In the game, that is. Players would start on their very first day, meeting familiar faces from the anime and picking up their very first case. In this sense, a Pscyho-Pass game could actually work pretty well as a cross between an RPG and a detective puzzle game. You’d be able to freely roam the world, taking on side missions that could range from scanning a series of citizens’ psycho-passes, to investigating a recent crime. Upon reaching the crime scene, you’d have to use everything in your arsenal to scour your surroundings for clues, and slowly piece the entire case together.

With so many possibilities within the world, the game wouldn’t even have to tie into the anime’s storyline. As long as fans got to roll on an investigation with their favorite character, they’d be all over this. Perhaps 2017 could bring us this hidden treat?

Which animated series would you like to see get their own games in 2017? Let us know down in the comments below.