History Main / TheGameOfTheBook

* ''Earthbound 64'', which later became ''VideoGame/MOTHER3'', had characters inspired by [[TheBookOfLies The Notebook]]

* ''TheCatInTheHat'' had a game to go with the live action movie version. While the movie is not considered to be all that good, some versions of the game are actually pretty good.

* TomClancy is the TropeCodifier for this, with the ''RainbowSix'', ''VideoGame/GhostRecon'' and ''VideoGame/SplinterCell'' series. Tom Clancy examples go all the way back to the ''Red Storm Rising'' late-1980s sub sim.

Typically, this comes in one of two ways:
# The book is adapted into a game without any intervening films.
# The game is released alongside a film, but as its own separate adaptation from it.

!!!Type 1:
* TomClancy is the TropeCodifier for this, with the ''RainbowSix'', ''GhostRecon'' and ''SplinterCell'' series. Tom Clancy examples go all the way back to the ''Red Storm Rising'' late-1980s sub sim.

* {{Infocom}}'s adaptations of ''TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' and ''{{Shogun}}''

* ''Literature/{{I Have No Mouth|}}[[VideoGame/IHaveNoMouthAndIMustScream And I Must Scream]]''
* ''VideoGame/AmericanMcGeesGrimm'' and ''[[VideoGame/AmericanMcGeesAlice Alice]]'' games take liberties with the source material, but are essentially [[{{Grimmification}} Grimmified]] adaptations of books rather than any of the films based on the original written material.

** ''{{Asterix}}'' has been adapted into several games on several platforms.
** The ''{{Superman}}'' SNES and Genesis games adapting the "Death and Return" arc from the comics.

* The game ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei Megami Tensei]]'' was born from a novel series, ''Literature/DigitalDevilStory'', that would become a large series containing plenty of spin-offs, such as ''VideoGame/{{Persona}}'', and later games with the original name.

* One of [[VideoGame/{{Fallout}} Inter]][[TheBardsTaleTrilogy play's]] early games was an AdventureGame based on ''{{Neuromancer}}''.

* Earthbound 64, which later became VideoGame/{{Mother 3}}, had characters inspired by [[TheBookOfLies The Notebook]]
* {{Suikoden}} was based off of ''Literature/TheWaterMargin''.

* ''Literature/RendezvousWithRama'' was also adapted (by {{Sierra}}) into ''{{VideoGame/Rama}}''. [[DevelopmentHell There was going to be a movie...]]

!!!Type 2:
* ''[[VideoGame/ScottPilgrim Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game]]'' is based on [[ScottPilgrim the comics]] rather than [[Film/ScottPilgrim the movie]], but the game and comic book were released in tandem.
* Various ''HarryPotter'' [[VideoGame/HarryPotter games]].

!!!Both types:
* ''TheLordOfTheRings'' had both Type 1 and Type 2.

* ''TheCatInTheHat'' had a game to go with the movie version. While the movie is not considered to be all that good, some versions of the game are actually pretty good.

** ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'', which was supposed to be in-continuity with a current arc of the comic. [[ContinuityDrift It didn't quite work out.]]

** ''UltimateSpiderMan'', which was supposed to be in-continuity with a current arc of the comic. [[ContinuityDrift It didn't quite work out.]]

* The official website for the ''InheritanceCycle'' has an InteractiveFiction [[http://www.alagaesia.com/game/ game]], ''Alagaesia Adventure Game''. Considering that it's featured on the official site, it's probably at least a semi-official adaptation.

* ''IHaveNoMouthAndIMustScream''

* ''ParasiteEve'' was the sequel to a novel.

* The UrExample comes from Tellarium Games in [[TheEighties the early 1980s]]. They adapted several books into games with varying degrees of success from InNameOnly (''Swiss Family Robinson'') to canonical sequels to the author's original work. The most famous of these was their {{Canon}} sequel to the ''GreenSkyTrilogy'', which got the greenlight from Zilpha Keatley Snyder provided they use the game to [[AuthorsSavingThrow reverse a decision she regretted making in the final book]].

* The game ''MegamiTensei'' was born from a novel series, ''Literature/DigitalDevilStory'', that would become a large series containing plenty of spin-offs, such as ''{{Persona}}'', and later games with the original name.

* The official website for ''TheInheritanceTrilogy'' has an InteractiveFiction [[http://www.alagaesia.com/game/ game]], ''Alagaesia Adventure Game''. Considering that it's featured on the official site, it's probably at least a semi-official adaptation.

VideoGames are a medium that can easily be adapted from a book or comic series. Typically, to gain a mainstream audience [[TheFilmOfTheBook a book is adapted into a movie]]. A less common occurrence is when a book is adapted straight into a game. These were common in the late 1980s and early 1990s when graphical computer games were becoming popular.

!!Examples:

!!!Type 1:

* The {{Discworld}} books have had a few games based on them: a TextAdventure based on ''Discworld/TheColourOfMagic'', two Rincewind-centric games that took elements from multiple books, and ''DiscworldNoir'', which had an [[CanonForeigner original protagonist]] and storyline. ([[DevelopmentHell There still haven't been any big-screen films yet]], just [[MadeForTVMovie TV movies]].)

* Two for ''TheGreatGatsby'' (not entirely serious).

* ''VideoGame/AmericanMcGeesGrimm'' and ''[[VideoGame/AmericanMcGeesAlice Alice]]'' games take liberties with the source material, but are essentially [[{{Grimmification}} Grimmified]] adaptations of books rather than any of the films based on the original written material.
* A few comic-book games have adapted specific stories rather than general material or movie and TV versions of the characters or series:
** ''{{Asterix}}'' has been adapted into several games on several platforms.
** The ''{{Superman}}'' SNES and Genesis games adapting the "Death and Return" arc from the comics.
** ''UltimateSpiderMan'', which was supposed to be in-continuity with a current arc of the comic. [[ContinuityDrift It didn't quite work out.]]
** ''MarvelUltimateAlliance 2'' is a loose adaptation of the ''Civil War'' CrisisCrossover.
*** Years before that, ''CaptainAmerica and the Avengers'' was an even looser adaptation of the "Acts of Vengeance" crossover.
** The ''IronMan[=/=]X-O Man of War'' game adapts the intercompany crossover of the same title.
* ''[[IncredibleHulk Hulk: Destruction]]'' got a RecursiveAdaptation comics miniseries released simultaneously with the video game, creating an ambivalent example. Like the ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' example, it was supposed to be comic-book canon but didn't end up fitting properly.
* The UrExample comes from Tellarium Games in [[TheEighties the early 1980s]]. They adapted several books into games with varying degrees of success from InNameOnly (''Swiss Family Robinson'') to canonical sequels to the author's original work. The most famous of these was their {{Canon}} sequel to the ''GreenSkyTrilogy'', which got the greenlight from Zilpha Keatley Snyder provided they use the game to [[AuthorsSavingThrow reverse a decision she regretted making in the final book]].
** RayBradbury also helped write a Farenheit 451 gane for them that acts as a sequel to the book.
* In 2010, ''VideoGame/DantesInferno'' was produced as an action-adventure game. The ''weird'' part is that the [[RecursiveAdaptation tie-in novel]]... was [[Literature/TheDivineComedy the actual 700-year-old epic poem]], just with branding and art from the game.
* The game ''MegamiTensei'' was born from a novel series, ''Literature/DigitalDevilStory'', that would become a large series containing plenty of spin-offs, such as ''{{Persona}}'', and later games with the original name.

!!!Type 2:
* ''[[VideoGame/ScottPilgrim Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game]]'' is based on [[ScottPilgrim the comics]] rather than [[Film/ScottPilgrim the movie]], but the game and comic book were released in tandem.
* Various ''HarryPotter'' [[VideoGame/HarryPotter games]].
* ''TheTick'' game was primarily based on the AnimatedSeries, but also used several characters exclusive to the comics, such as the Running Man, the Red Scare and Clark Oppenheimer.

!!!Both types:

* One of [[{{Fallout}} Inter]][[TheBardsTaleTrilogy play's]] early games was an AdventureGame based on ''{{Neuromancer}}''.

* TheTick game was primarily based on the AnimatedSeries, but also used several characters exclusive to the comics, such as the Running Man, the Red Scare and Clark Oppenheimer.

* {{Suikoden}} was based off of TheWaterMargin.

* The {{Discworld}} books have had a few games based on them. ([[DevelopmentHell There still haven't been any big-screen films yet]], just [[MadeForTVMovie TV movies]].)

* Earthbound 64, which later became {{Mother 3}}, had characters inspired by [[TheBookOfLies The Notebook]]

* ''CallahansCrosstimeSaloon'' was also adapted (by {{Sierra}}) into an AdventureGame.

* ''AmericanMcGeesGrimm'' and ''[[AmericanMcGeesAlice Alice]]'' games take liberties with the source material, but are essentially [[{{Grimmification}} Grimmified]] adaptations of books rather than any of the films based on the original written material.

* In 2010, ''DantesInferno'' was produced as an action-adventure game. The ''weird'' part is that the [[RecursiveAdaptation tie-in novel]]... was the actual 700-year-old epic poem, just with branding and art from the game.

* The game ''MegamiTensei'' was born from a novel series, ''DigitalDevilStory'', that would become a large series containing plenty of spin-offs, such as ''{{Persona}}'', and later games with the original name.

* ''[[VideoGames/ScottPilgrim Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game]]'' is based on [[ScottPilgrim the comics]] rather than [[Film/ScottPilgrim the movie]], but the game and comic book were released in tandem.

* Various ''HarryPotter'' [[Game/HarryPotter games]].