10 Iconic Video Games You Didn't Realise Also Have TV Shows

By Michael Park / September 3, 2015

Although it's a relatively uncommon occurrence these days, there was a time where every successful video game got added to a never-ending queue of television show adaptations. Animated iterations were all the rage, and every other saturday morning cartoon was some ropey (or brilliant) tie-in over anything totally original. Both sides of the early-90s console war between Sega and Nintendo were well represented, too. Sonic the Hedgehog had his own very well received show and the Super Mario Bros. had about nine of them, including a combination of styles that featured a horrifying live-action segment starring ex-professional wrestler Lou "The Captain" Albano as Mario. Alongside the woeful 1993 movie, it makes you wonder just what it was about the 90s that made people try some of the worst ideas possible for such a straightforward character. Before and since, video games continue to be seen as a potential goldmine for easy audience figures. After all, what better way to develop your upcoming toy line, movie adaptation or the title itself than to put it on TV?

10. Mega Man

First released in 1987, Mega Man has gone on to become one of the most iconic video game characters in Capcom's library. To date he's appeared on more than 50 video game titles and his games have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.

The principle of the original Mega Man is a pretty straightforward six side-scroller with a 'Robot Master' boss at the end. Once the player has defeated said boss, they take on their special attack for the rest of the game. Simple, but effective.

This first iteration was so wildly popular that it even managed to spawn its own TV show in 1994. Given a more westernised animation style due to a lack of acceptance in regards to traditional Anime design tropes (this was before Pokemon and Dragon Ball Z had made themselves known in the west), Mega Man spends the episodes thwarting Doctor Wily's various schemes, in a way which will remind many of the Super Friends. The show ran for two seasons and performed well despite tight budgets and pressure from toy manufacturer Bandai.

It wasn't the first time Mega Man had appeared on screen though. That was Captain N: The Game Master between 1989 and 1991, but sadly he wasn't even close to being the star of that particular show.