10 Underrated TV Shows Based On Video Games

Just like the reputation of movies based on them, television shows adapting video games tend to get a bad rap. While there have admittedly been weak adaptations like Netflix’s live-action “Resident Evil” series or “Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm,” there are a lot of great shows too. This time around, we’re looking at the television video game adaptations that deserve wider recognition than their more prominent counterparts. After all, not every show based on a video game has the benefit of airing on HBO like “The Last of Us.”

While some of the series that we’re mentioning here are among the best shows based on video games, they carry a more limited public profile. This list ranges from anime series that never quite broke big in North America to shows that have just largely gone overlooked. We’re giving those under-appreciated shows their roses here, beyond the more niche fanbases that they currently enjoy. Here are 10 underrated TV shows based on video games, each putting their own spin on the material.

The Legend of Zelda

Among the best TV shows based on Nintendo games is “The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!,” which followed its two brothers as they took on Bowser and the Koopalings. What’s less well-remembered or recognized is that the show included a recurring segment based on “The Legend of Zelda.” Airing in 1989, the cartoon features the adventures of Link (Jonathan Potts) and Princess Zelda (Cyndy Preston) in the medieval fantasy realm of Hyrule. Just like the games, the duo contend with the recurring villain Ganon (Len Carlson) and his constant scheming to conquer the kingdom and seize the Triforce.

In a decade where “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” and “ThunderCats” ruled adventure animation, “The Legend of Zelda” fits right in. Subsequent home video releases give this segment a standalone set rather than keeping them bundled with “The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!” That’s good enough to place the fantasy show as its own entry on this list, especially compared to the more well-known Mario Bros. cartoon. Evoking classic ’80s adventure, “The Legend of Zelda” is an early video game adaptation on television done right.

Kirby: Right Back at Ya!

Another Nintendo icon who received their own animated series was Kirby, starring in the 2001 anime show “Kirby: Right Back at Ya!.” The cheerfully buoyant balloon boy crash-lands on the planet Popstar at the start of the series when his ship detects the presence of monsters. This leads him to battle a host of colorful adversaries, including the tyrannical King Dedede and the fearsome Nightmare. Like in the games, Kirby can temporarily gain the ability of things and enemies that he consumes as he embraces his destiny to free the cosmos from Nightmare.

“Kirby: Right Back at Ya!” is just as cutesy as the early “Pokémon” episodes that it ran alongside 25 years ago. Kirby is very much positioned as an effortlessly adorable figure, something that the other characters comment on constantly. This is supported by a whole memorable supporting cast, including Chef Kawasaki, each adding to the family-friendly fun. Definitely the most wholesome entry on this list, “Kirby: Right Back at Ya!” keeps things light and breezy.

Bomberman Jetters

While there have been Bomberman games released in North America since the Nintendo Entertainment System era, it feels like the franchise never quite took off here. Comparatively, in Japan, the property got its own anime adaptation in 2002 with the explosively fun “Bomberman Jetters.” The Jetters are a peacekeeping force, with protagonist White Bomber joining the ensemble after his older brother’s disappearance. The show initially begins with a case-of-the-week setup before building to longer-form storytelling as it progresses across its 52-episode run while bringing in other Bombermen.

Like its source material, “Bomberman Jetters” is all over the place tonally, with some of its wackiest sights having to be seen to be believed. And even as ridiculous as its stories get, the tone oddly gets darker and more serious while still containing the bizarre elements that the franchise is known for. This is a show that somehow undercuts a big emotional moment in one scene by immediately chasing it by ripping off the “Seinfeld” theme. Easily the weirdest show on this list, “Bomberman Jetters” earns a spot precisely because of how uninhibited it truly is as it brings the long-running video game property to life.

F-Zero: GP Legend

One more anime series based on a Nintendo property to include here is the 2003 show “F-Zero: GP Legend.” While not as well-known here in the United States, the show ran for an impressive 51 episodes before coming to an end in 2004. The show follows police detective Ryu Suzaku who is revived from stasis in the 23rd century, with drivers involved in a high-stakes galactic race known as F-Zero. Ryu gets involved in the high-speed competition, facing the villainous Black Shadow and mysterious heroic figure Captain Falcon.

With its time-displaced protagonist, Ryu serves as our point-of-view character into the strange world of “F-Zero” in a way that the games could never provide. This gives the whole sci-fi premise a level of emotional investment that it never had before, while the show still brings the requisite high velocity thrills. And if that wasn’t enough to entice you, the series also features Captain Falcon Falcon-punching someone through a galaxy. That cosmic sequence alone makes “F-Zero: GP Legend” well worth the price of admission if you were on the fence about how awesome it is.

Castlevania

Konami’s “Castlevania” franchise has been a video game staple since 1986, chronicling the Belmont family’s eternal feud against Dracula. The game series was adapted into an anime-inspired Netflix original in 2017, combining elements from “Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse” and “Castlevania: Curse of Darkness.” Right from the very first episode, the show makes it clear that this is a mature-oriented horror story, opening with Dracula (Graham McTavish) pursuing bloody vengeance on humanity. This leads world-weary vampire hunter Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage) to take up his ancestral flail and combat Dracula’s monstrous armies.

Leaning heavily into its medieval setting and dark fantasy trappings, “Castlevania” is one of the best gothic horror shows. The story only grows more ambitious as it progresses while packing in plenty of Easter eggs for eagle-eyed fans of the video game series. The show has since spawned a sequel spin-off, “Castlevania: Nocturne,” focusing on a different generation of Belmonts battling vampires. With stunningly rendered action set pieces and a sweeping scope worthy of the source material, “Castlevania” is an underrated fantasy show that embraces its horrific possibilities.

Gangs of London

Most folks probably aren’t aware that AMC+’s gritty British crime drama “Gangs of London” is actually based on a 2006 video game of the same name. Premiering in 2020, the show initially stars Joe Cole as mobland heir Sean Wallace, whose father Finn (Colm Meaney) is one of the most powerful crime lords in London. After Finn is murdered, Sean is positioned as his replacement, delving deeply into the United Kingdom’s criminal underworld. This is complicated by plenty of rival gangs and crime syndicates looking to fill the void left by Finn’s untimely demise.

“Gangs of London” was originally planned as a movie franchise and it retains its cinematic quality on television. The action set pieces carry a real weight to them and there’s an underlying unpredictability that keeps audiences at the edge of their seat. This is elevated by a stylish sense of swagger worthy of a Guy Ritchie movie as the show explores the complex criminal dynamics in England. One of the more impressive crime shows to come from the United Kingdom in recent years, “Gangs of London” brings the slick mobster-led thrills.

Twisted Metal

The most explosive automotive game series for the original PlayStation was “Twisted Metal,” which revolved around colorful characters in madcap destruction derbies. The franchise was adapted into a live-action series by Peacock in 2023, set in a post-apocalyptic vision of the United States. The story follows amnesiac driver John Doe (Anthony Mackie) as he works as a courier across the North American wasteland before joining a high-octane tournament. This cutthroat car competition has him face the fiendishly lethal Sweet Tooth, physically played by Joe Seanoa and voiced by Will Arnett.

Two seasons in and “Twisted Metal” has become one of the best original TV shows streaming on Peacock. A lot of that appeal comes from a largely likable cast buying into the show’s more ludicrous set pieces, like John Doe placating Sweet Tooth by singing “The Thong Song.” Season 2 is an all-around improvement, with the addition of the tournament giving it a sharper narrative focus. With a third season on the way, “Twisted Metal” keeps things in high gear as it mixes dark humor with plenty of fiery spectacle.

Onimusha

Though Netflix’s animated series based on “Devil May Cry” may be the better known Capcom adaptation on the streaming service, it’s not the only one. Prolific Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike and Shinya Sugai directed an anime adaptation of Capcom’s samurai franchise “Onimusha,” released on Netflix in 2023. Set in feudal Japan, the show focuses on legendary samurai Musashi Miyamoto as he embarks on a quest to slay nefarious demons. Armed with the mythical Oni gauntlet, Musashi joins a group of fellow warriors, battling an army of monsters, several linked to Musashi’s violent past.

Taken on its own merits, “Onimusha” is an excellent, maturely rendered dark fantasy story set during feudal Japan. You don’t need to know anything about the video game series that it’s based on or the historical figures that appear throughout the show to appreciate its intense tale. The animation is superbly staged, with the fights often mirroring Musashi’s inner journey as he reconciles with his own bloody legacy. As much as we like “Devil May Cry,” “Onimusha” may be the better Netflix animated series based on a Capcom property.

Knuckles

Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+

One of the more pleasant video game movie surprises in the past several years have been the “Sonic the Hedgehog” films. In between the second and third movies, Paramount+ released the spin-off limited series “Knuckles” in 2024 centering on the eponymous anthropomorphic echidna. Setting up Idris Elba’s character for the next Sonic movie, the show has Knuckles trying to acclimate to life on Earth. Befriending local sheriff and bowling enthusiast Wade Whipple (Adam Pally), Knuckles learns the way of echidna while battling corrupt government agents.

Running at a tight six episodes, “Knuckles” never overstays its welcome and brings plenty of high-speed fun that fans have come to expect. But the show really is a buddy comedy between Wade and Knuckles that forms the show’s emotional core and source of its gags. These jokes embrace the wackiness of the premise, from the surprisingly high-stakes bowling competitions to noted crooner Michael Bolton providing Wade’s singing voice. As irreverently funny as the movies with a family-centric emotional arc, “Knuckles” maintains the Sega speedster’s winning streak in television and film.

Secret Level

With the Prime Video series “Secret Level,” you’re not just getting one story based on a video game, but a different tale per game per episode. The 2024 animated series is created by Tim Miller, taking several of the same sensibilities from his previous animated anthology show “Love, Death & Robots.” Every episode adapts a different video game property, from “Mega Man” and “Warhammer 40,000” to “Unreal Tournament” and “Pac-Man.” Like Miller’s preceding series, these tales vary in length and tone, from being unrelentingly grim to screwball comedy depending on the property.

“Secret Level” boasts some of the best animation for any television series around, regardless of source material. This is matched by Amazon bringing in Arnold Schwarzenegger and Keanu Reeves to its world of video games, filling out an all-star voice cast. But more than its impressive production values, the show really captures the essence of each of its properties, from hard-hitting martial arts actioners to sci-fi epics. With an episode for video game fans of all shapes and sizes, “Secret Level” deserves more attention than it got.