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Turning 80s cartoons into next-gen video games

Posted Feb 07, 2007 at 09:30AM by Ian C. Listed in: Opinions & Analysis Tags: Wiimote, NES, Wikipedia, SIXAXIS, Episodic Content
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Next Gen make over... - Image 1Most 80s cartoons were made to help market toys and other franchise-related merchandise. We're wondering if that Saturday morning magic will work on this generation's electronic occupation.

Given, the huge buzz generated by the now in contention Ghostbusters' game (thank the gods Dan Akroyd confirmed it), it seems there are a lot of franchises from way back when that could get a great boost if it gets adapted for our gaming interests.

But how would these 80s cartoons translate into "generation now" video games? Which platforms would each game be for? How would each game play? This article will imagine what would happen if we turn 80s cartoon shows into "generation now" games.

We'll start with two 80s cartoons that share the same universe (yes 80's uber geeks, we know that Etheria and Eternia are different places, but the two series did cross multiple times) He-Man and She-Ra, and then we'll move from there.

Hallowed Castle Grayskull

Given that Etheria (She-Ra's world) is ruled by Hordak and his intergalactic Horde and that She-ra was originally from He-Man's relatively backwater world of Eternia, it's easy to conjure a multi-planetary sword/sorcery/sci-fi game setting. It also helps that we already have a vast corpus of spin-offs, remakes (He-Man got remade back in 2002), and comic book/movie versions of the Universe.

Castle Grayskull - Image 1


If you're a table-top RPG junkie, you're probably making up systems and factions in your heads right now. Imagine: multiple planets, the great religion of Grayskull, odd magic, factions, empires, and floating mages with yellow beads for eyes and big "O"s on their chests. That's a lot of material to play with and anyone planning to create a game out of this will likely have a field day.

So how would the a next-generation gen-now game for this beloved 80s cartoon look like? Given the presence of multiple worlds, and a religion of sorts (the power of Grayskull), we're thinking that a KOTOR-styled RPG story structure - meaning good dialogue, a non-linear story, and fair cutscenes - added with a dash of Kingdom Hearts II action-oriented gameplay (sans the bad camera) would be great for this. Given the bucket loads of power this might require, we're thinking that the PC would be a great platform for this game.

add a Master of the Universe flavor to this... - Image 1


Your lead character will be a "Hero of Grayskull" or some similar faction, and the non-linear story you're going to plow through will feature multiple cameos by beloved characters from both cartoons. Lots of action, lots of rock throwing, swords, sorcery, useless sci-fi vehicles, cool mounts, and amazing transformation sequences when you call upon the "Power of Grayskull".

Hippie communes and blue-skinned communists

We're bunching the Care Bears and the Smurfs together because both have had multiple videogames before, both have this happy feel good feel to it. We're also bunching them together because we think they'd make awesome handheld games.

A Care Bears platformer can really take advantage of the stylus. Imagine having to "pen-in" Care Bear Stare arcs to hit wandering baddies. Imagine having to blow into the DS' microphone to create cloud puffs for your bear to jump in. Imagine having to switch Care Bears because each has powers that are only helpful in certain situations. Cool, right?



As for the Smurfs - those lovable blue skinned communists - we're thinking that a nice 3D cell-shaded, Crash Bandicoot-styled platformer for the PSP would be a great Smurfs game. Riddle the game with multiple unlockable, Pop-cap styled casual games, and the re-playability would go through the roof.

Of course, to add a bittersweet, this-isn't-as-cutesy-as-you-think-it-is element to the game, we'd have to amp up the evil-ness of Satanic Sorcerer Gargamel and his now Smurf-eating cat Azrael. Come to think of it, Azrael would make a nice recurring mid boss, wouldn't he?

The Rockstar Life

Inter-Band rivalries and sabotage, secret identities, holographic technologies, and two person love-triangles. Jem and the Holograms was one insane 80's cartoon, and a generation-now game for it would have to be just as insane.

We're going to need a Wii for this one.

Imagine taking Guitar Hero rock and roll fantasy gameplay, and then mix it with some Wario Ware Smooth Moves-styled mini-game insanity. Some of us have always wanted to use the Wiimote as a guitar and we're thinking that it would be great with Guitar Hero-styled concerts, and we're thinking that a Jem and the Holograms game would be a nice place to showcase a Wiimote-air-guitar.

Jem and the Holograms - Image 1


What about the mini-games? Well, Jem and her band the Holograms go on tour regularly, and they constantly have to fight off sabotage attempts from rival bands The Misfits. The mini-games could stand in for conflicts like these. A bad performance in the mini-game would then mean that The Misfits sabotage attempt was more successful, and thus increase the difficulty level for the next concert.

Since the cartoon was full of semi-soap opera complications, multiple endings depending on concert performances would be nice. Will Jerrica Benton get together with band manger Rio Pacheco? Will Jerrica be disappointed because Rio acheco loves her alter-ego Jem more? Oh the drama!

Guitar Hero - Image 1


Futuristic Weaponry and Feral Instincts

The 80s definitely wasn't short on 12-year-old, bot-oriented action cartoons. And given that the 12-year-old kids of yesteryear are probably old enough now to spend 600 bucks, old-school action cartoons like M.A.S.K., Sky Commanders, and ThunderCats, would make great action games for the PS3.





Mask and Sky Commanders could adopt Grand Theft Auto's free roaming mission-based sandbox gameplay, only this time add in amazing physics provided by the Cell Processor.

Moreover, since both cartoons involve alternate weaponry and odd means of vehicular travel, SIXAXIS controls would be great. Imagine having to pilot one of those transforming vehicles using the SIXAXIS tilt-sense? Imagine having to jump Laser Cables and having to balance Laser Cable travel?

Replace the lady with a ThunderCat - Image 1


The ThunderCats setting would definitely make for a great Dynasty Warriors-styled game. Perhaps even a polished-up (less gameplay hijinks) Ninety Nine Nights-styled game, where you can select a ThunderCat and finish the game using that ThunderCat, then restart the game using a different Thundercat and get a different perspective on the story; hopefully this time (this is something that Ninety-Nine Nights failed to do), you get very different gameplay.

Rainbow Colors and Connecting Robots

What does Rainbow Brite, Mighty Orbots, and Voltron have in common? They're nice, bright, and colorful. Given that the Xbox 360 is often wrongfully accused of not having family-friendly content (ViVa Piñata people!), nice bright and colorful action involving Rainbow Brite, the Voltron Force, and those Mighty Orbots will definitely be welcome.





Some of you guys are probably saying that Voltron isn't as nice and happy as Rainbow Brite, but Rainbow Brite isn't that ditsy either. It's all a matter of presentation really. Just look at this short snippet we got from Wikipedia that talks about Rainbow Brite's backstory: "In the franchise's backstory, a little orphan girl named Wisp is taken by a Sphere of Light to a land without color." That sounds like the premise for any of the many "serious" fantasy novels out there.

Moreover, Voltron's been cut to death anyway, all the bloody violence, and murder, and whatnot have been cut out of the version that we saw on TV, so Voltron could be a relatively light G-rated action game.

Why the Xbox 360? Well we're just thinking that games featuring episodic content would be nice for these shows: Download the next mission for the Voltron Force next week! Only on Xbox Live.

The Big Names

Ultimate Evil - Image 1 What?! An 80's nostalgia piece and no mention of GI JOE and the Transformers? Fine, fine. We're going to think up games for them. We're a bit reluctant about thinking up games for both titles because each has had a number of console games before. But since we've got a job to do, here we go.

There have been games for either title before on previous gen consoles, but most of them were action games or platformers. We're thinking about taking the both franchises in new directions. We say, allow the fans to create their own Transformer or their own GI JOE.

Some of us at QJ have suggested that these games would make nice MMORPGs. Given that most character-creation engines in MMOs are attribute-based, and each Joe and Transformer seems to be a nice mix/match of attributes and skills, an MMORPG would be great for these shows. Also, each show features two major opposing factions. Cobra, the JOE's, Autobots, and Decepticons just scream Alliance and Horde to some of us.

Moreover, now that some MMOs like Hellgate: London and Tabula Rasa are starting to mix in some FPS elements, making MMOs for either show seems very do-able. After all, both shows involve a lot of blaster fire.

the ultimate showdown of ultimate destiny - Image 1


Okay, so that's at least one 80s game for each platform already. This article is just about done. But, before we go, we'll leave you with something that causes a lot of people to cover up in shame.

The 80s character that really, really needs a game.

Whatever happened to Captain N: The Game Master? Yeah, he came out in 1989 making him a borderline 80s character, but still. He trumps everyone in the product promotion category. Armed with a magical Light-gun (the Zapper), and a NES controller (the Power-Pad) filled with Nintendo Power, Kevin Keene and his painful-to-the-eyes yellow shirt, was the Ninty fanboy ideal.


He needs an upgrade. He needs a Wii make over. He also needs a new game. What? Why not? Nintendo characters regularly cross over in Smash Bros, why not in a Captain N game?

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34 Comments


Sort by:
   by wow (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » pretty cool
Would be interesting if they took 2d games like Metal Slug and made them 3-d shooters :)


   Re: Hugh G. Rection (Unregistered) - 2007-02-08
 » They are
There's supposed to be a 3D Metal Slug game coming out soon I think.
   by darkdreamr (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » what about?
Photon? Laser Tag? Gotcha? Hearty products of the 80s .. 2 of them seeing short lived cartoon series..

Captain N would still be an awsome revival.. we could see Gameboy get an upgrade.. (ds lite) we could see a newer and badder variation of megaman..

mabey a *****y and less stupid offspring of simon belmont

Mabey seeing kevin (captain N) returning but as a father rollmodel not knowing that his son/daughter disapeared to gameland.. bringing back memorys of his past.

mabey include samus in this one.. being she was in the comics but not in the cartoon.... sigh...oh well

oh.. and they need to bring back saturday supercade!!!

   by sean6866 (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » gosh damn
thundercats and he-man would totally kick ass... GAH i wish someone would do them

   by runab0ut (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » games and thoughts
Some properties that could have a life as a video game:

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light
RPG/MMORPG type... multiple powers and items (staffs/weapons and armor), magical/steampunk vehicles, siege and quests galore.

Centurions:
Multiple armor/weapon choices (mix and match) 3 main classes and multiple subclasses.


   Re: Jerico G. (QJ. NET Staff) - 2007-02-07
 » yeah
Loved those two cartoons. too bad they only lasted for a season.
   by Annony - 2007-02-07
 » What? No 'Dinosaucers' or 'Dino Riders'?
But seriously, thanks for the trip down Nostalgia Lane, it was fun.

I always wanted to see a Captain N video game, even since I was a kid... but then again, I wanted EVERY cartoon series to have a game =P It was an unhealthy obsession, really...

Why GI Joe and Transformers aren't next-gen games yet is beyond me, and MASK would make one hell of an awesome 'Vigilante 8'-like vehicle battle game.

I don't know about He-Man or ThunderCats... I can't picture it being like God of War or Devil May Cry. Maybe if they were more like 2-D side-scrollers it would work better, IMO.

Ghostbusters would still be the coolest game on earth, movie or cartoon based.

   by meh (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » ...
gi joe?why I don't remember that show XD
I remember playing with joe and cobra action figures though...oh well, my memory is not the same

   by Advertising -
   by AnyGuy (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » Rip off
That Mighty Orbots thing is a direct rip off of Rokushin Gattai God Mars man. Screw Orbots hope they get sued again.

   by DOH!_Boy (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » Let's summon Captain Planet!
EARTH!

   by po0 (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » With these powers combined....
Fire - Wind - Water - Heart - Go planet!

   by Mister Common Sense - 2007-02-07
 » forgot one
Where's GI Joe? I know that would make a great videogame. And knowing is half the battle. GO JOE

   by wtf (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » 80s cartoon?
Uh, ghostbusters was a successful film during the 80s that spawned a cartoon.

Anyway, yeah, the licensing rights for these types of games would be the biggest issue. Still, I'd love to see a bunch of old 80s shows become games, some 90s shows too.

Why not? Finally toons can become games instead of the other way around like with that pokemon garbage.

   by darkdreamr (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » .
correction.. :)

Ghost busters was a live action show back in the 1970s

which apparently must have slightly inspired the completely different 1984 movie

shortly there after 2 cartoon shows were made

one resembeling the original 1970s show.
(Filmmation's GhostBusters)

and one resembling the 1984 movie
Ghost busters.. later named the REAL Ghostbusters to avoid confusion between brands

those interested in reading about filmations ghostbusters can go here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filmation%27s_Ghostbusters

apparently there will be a dvd release of the episodes which im every excited for being i liked filmation's more then the real ghost busters..


   Re: wtf (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » Um... is this a joke post?
I'm aware of the histories of both ghostbusters franchises. What I pointed out here was that the article was wrong in implying that the ghostbusters game is based on the cartoon, which it obviously isn't.

It's not rocket science to figure out what I posted.

   Re: darkdreamr (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » .
how bout ya loosen the clamp in your ass.. i was merely giving info to the community not correcting you.
   by ddffdd (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » efffsdfgd
AGE OF CONAN, you guys forgot it. used to be a old cartoon too.

   by Advertising -
   by Liger (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » This is great news
Jen is outrageous


   Re: Liger (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » I mean
Jem, Jem is outrageous.

   Re: Trip down memory lane (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » D AND D!
I think they could make a campy videogame remake of the old school dungeons and dragons show, complete with the foxy bo-staff elongating ("heh...nothing wrong with that" in the voice of Scrubs' The Todd) black chick.

And the game would give you the option to stomp out Uni.
   by CHUCKINGROCKSATSPACESHIPS - 2007-02-07
 » Yeah Great Memories
My daughter is 6 and I showed her some of the old cartoons and she loves them. She now has a movie of Rainbow Bright and She-ra. She also has Carebears and I showed her some of The Thundercats, and The Transformers. Saturday morning cartoons and weekday cartoons are not like they used to be. I bet if they reintroduced alot of these great shows to the new generation of kids they would be big hits.

   by al (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » al
one word, Jesus the Videogame

   by GODzillaSDM - 2007-02-07
 » TMNT lives!
TMNT rules them all! ok.. co-rule with Transformers.

   by jason (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » love the idea
I love the idea of a MMORPG for Transformers. That would be hella sweet! There's so much potential there.

   by SuperVegeta - 2007-02-07
 » Captain N
Captain N ROCKED! I loved when he used his nintendo controller belt. He could pause time and shoot himself one direction or another and jump really high with it. He needs a dvd release.

   by Gryff33 - 2007-02-07
 » Nunchuk
I discovered Captain N very recently (I love the hilarity of the innacuracy and corniness), and I was just thinking a step up for him would be to replace his Zapper with a Wii Remote and Nunchuck as a real nunchuk.

   by Me (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » ?
this is when you know game desighners are running out of ideas


   Re: Advertising -


   Re: Annony - 2007-02-07
 » Too true
But there's another reason: Safe investment.

A pre-established fanbase can ALMOST guarantee that the game won't loose money (there are exceptions, of course...)

If there's a legion of Transformer, GI Joe, and Ghostbusters fans, then there's the likelihood that they'd buy into the games. It works for Star Wars, Dragonball Z, and TMNT.
   by a dude that has a psp (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » yep
well i'm sure theres gonna be alot of ahppy little kids out there

   by hammer (Unregistered) - 2007-02-07
 » do you remember
I think this cartoon was called Silverhawks.I loved that cartoon.

   by Kaassoufle (Unregistered) - 2007-02-08
 » He-,man
Actually there is a He-man game for the Playstation 2 and boy does that one suck. There is also a GBA version but that one isn't good either. :-(

   by B Law (Unregistered) - 2007-02-11
 » heman
the he-man game is based on the old cartoon and only came out here in the UK. Its not great but is alright for £10/$20 which is the rrp. it was surposed to come out in american but was canned.

   by shango46 (Unregistered) - 2007-03-02
 » We should petition for Captain N
I think that there is a large enough fan base for Captain N to justify a video game. If not for Captain N himself, then for the other characters on the show. I agree to some extent that maybe an "upgrade" would be in order, but don't tamper with it to much. The only thing that sucks is now megaman would not be in it unless Capcom said it was ok (which I highly doubt, but you never know!). Plus, it could be a great way to get more people interested in Nintendo. If they were to re release the cartoon and then a game shortly after, I could guarantee that they would have an unimaginable boost in sales (current users and new users).

   by Tictac1098 (Unregistered) - 2007-03-04
 » Swat Cats
Swat Cats, tottally. You could fly the jet and blow up the baddies while saving the city.



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