Where to stream the best video game movies

The sequel to 2020’s surprise blockbuster follows the lore of the franchise, with Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and Dr. Returning Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and introducing Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and rival Bruiser Knuckles (Idris Elba).

Our own Brian Shea gave the film a mostly glowing review in February, saying: “Sonic the Hedgehog 2 retains everything that made the first film good while shedding much of its own weight. Despite those sequences and arcs that transcend their welcome, every time one of the main characters was on screen, I was hooked thanks to the high-flying action scenes or the humorous banter.”

You can watch Sonic the Hedgehog 2 now on Paramount+ at no additional cost when you subscribe to the service. Otherwise, it can be purchased on other digital platforms.

The catalyst for the resurgence of Sonic the Hedgehog can be traced back to the film of the same name. Sonic the Hedgehog. 2020 has been a strange time for the world, leaving 2020’s Sonic movie for many people as a personal little thing, the last movie they saw in theaters before the pandemic brought everything to a halt. At least they were treated to an adorable family movie, in which fishless Sonic (Ben Schwartz) befriended local sheriff Tom “Donut Lord” Wachowski (James Marsden) to make his way to San Francisco. Meanwhile, the bruise from Jim Carrey’s wild and eccentric portrayal of Dr. Chased Ivo Robotnik. It was fast-paced, funny, and heartwarming at times, but while it’s now surpassed in quality by its sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog is still a solid way to spend an evening.

You can stream Sonic the Hedgehog now if you have a Paramount+, Amazon Prime or Epix subscription.

By far the best film adaptation of a video game in the 90s remains the best of its kind. 1995 Mortal Kombat takes a PG-13 approach to Midway’s hyper-violent arcade game, making it a fun and accessible entry into the franchise. Thunder God Raiden recruits an unlikely group of warriors (Lui Kang, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage) from Earth to fight in the realm’s last chance in the Mortal Kombat tournament before it’s taken over by outside world forces, represented by Shang Tsung, Goro, Sub Zero and Scorpio.

Mortal Kombat (1995) is available to stream on HBOMax. If you really want to have a good time but don’t mind a terrible movie, laugh while watching Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, the sequel that kind of misses everything the original got right. It’s also available on HBOMax.

If you’re more interested in the bloodier side of Mortal Kombat, look no further than the highly R-rated Warner Bros. reboot. This installment follows a brand new character in the series, Cole Young (Lewis Tan), an MMA fighter who is thrust into the deadly Empire War between Earthrealm and Outworld. Though it’s not as fun as the 2021 original Mortal Kombat has more fights and more gore with truly gruesome deaths like you would see in Mortal Kombat 11. If anything, check it out for a good rendition of the mythos of Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada) and the scene-stealing antics of Josh Lawson’s Kano. Plus, Nitara of all people gets the live-action treatment! Who knew someone out there still cared about her?

Mortal Kombat is available to stream on HBOMax.

Nathan Drake’s PlayStation adventures always felt like a movie, so the transition to a feature film was always a matter of time. In the first live-action film, Tom Holland plays Nathan Drake with Mark Walbuhrg’s Sully, who shows him the ropes in a globe-spanning adventure to capture the riches of Magellan’s lost fortune. Mixing elements from all the games, the film creates an entertaining fusion that captures the spirit of the source material so closely that any disturbing differences quickly fade from memory.

Unexplored is not available on any subscription streaming service only but can be rented digitally for about $6 if you fancy an adventure.

Like the game of the same name from 2013, Tomb Raider reboots the film franchise and resembles a more realistic and gritty version of the timeless adventurer Lara Croft. Like the latest version of Tomb Raider, Alicia Vikander plays a younger version of the archaeologist who embarks on her first great adventure to locate her father’s last known location. Their journey is packed with harrowing action sequences and an air of mysticism, made even better by the performance of the incomparable Walton Goggins as rival archaeologist Mathias Vogel.

Tomb Raider is unfortunately not part of any major streaming subscription service but can be rented or bought through services like Amazon Prime Video and Apple.

Giving the Pokémon franchise its first live-action film paid off in this fun adventure. Ryan Reynolds portrays the eponymous electric rodent who teams up with aspiring trainer Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) to solve his father’s mysterious disappearance. The story is entertaining enough, with some decent laughs. The real treat for Pokémon fans, however, is seeing dozens of their favorite pocket monsters in real life for the first time. Somehow the film manages to keep their looks true to the games without making them look terrifying.

Detective Pikachu currently is not available on any streaming serviceYes you can Rent or buy it digitally from services like Amazon Prime Video.