International Children's Book Day 2022: 10 Children's Books Adapted to Video Games

International Children's Book Day 2022: 10 Children's Books Adapted to Video Games

Over the years, we’ve seen some pretty beloved childhood books and franchises adapted into some great games, making it an entirely captivating experience worth exploring. Books have always been a great medium for cultivating children’s imagination and mindsets, and it is great to see that video games are steering in that direction as well.

With that said, let’s explore some of the books that were turned into video games, shall we? Who knows, we might find a new game of interest, or an entirely new recreation of the fictional worlds that we have come to love as children!

1. Harry Potter

This one goes without saying, everyone is aware of the Harry Potter franchise and its influence worldwide. Harry Potter has been adapted into countless games since its release, but the most notable one would be the Hogwarts Legacy game speculated to be released on PlayStation this year. Sure, it may not be about Harry Potter, but it takes place in the same wizarding world.

If you really want a Harry Potter game, we would recommend one of the Lego versions of the Harry Potter universe, or the movie to video-game adaptation. There’s plenty to choose from, so you can go with whichever part of the story you wish to envision yourself in.

2. Lord of The Rings

An epic adventure of friendship and perseverance, you can experience the journey to Mordor and its many challenges yourself. Similar to the Harry Potter movie adaptations, there are several adaptations for Lord of The Rings as well. If you’re looking for a more unique experience, Lord of The Rings: Gollum is an upcoming game on the PlayStation that we are all looking forward to.

Lord of The Rings: Gollum will have us play the part of Gollum and his many secrets as he lurks in the shadows. It will definitely be an experience that will leave us looking for more. Who knows, perhaps in the future we could experience the Tolkien world as Gandalf or Thranduil.

3. Alice in Wonderland

A whimsical world of completely weird characters and uncommon creatures, Alice in Wonderland truly is one of the best books to be adapted into a video game. Mainly because you can see the ideas and characters come to life right before your eyes.?

As with most beloved books, Alice in Wonderland has multiple game adaptations you can explore based on your preferences - Alice: Madness Returns, American McGee’s Alice and the typical self-titled book-game adaptation by Disney available on Steam released in 2010. There is a returning troupe with all of these games aside from the one by Disney: they’re reintroduced as horror.

4. Nancy Drew

If you prefer mysteries and sleuthing around, Nancy Drew is the girl for you. There have been countless Nancy Drew games based on her very own bookish adventures. From finding Egyptian lost queens to uncovering ghost sightings, Nancy has done it all. This time, you can experience it with her!

Bring your thinking caps on this adventure and solve mysteries to save the day. So far, there are over 30 Nancy Drew games out there, so you can never really be bored of Nancy, can you? Midnight in Salem released in 2019 is one of her notable games that drew out mixed reviews, but it is definitely one of the more interesting ones to experience.

5. Goosebumps

In search of the things that go bump in the night? If you enjoy some frivolous fun and heart-pumping activities, the Goosebumps games might be for you. Watch as all the book’s horrors come to life and chase you around.

The Goosebumps franchise is a highly popular one for children to young adult horror fans and there have been about 7 games created on the franchise overall. Some of the more notable and recent releases include Goosebumps: Dead of Night (2020) and Goosebumps: Horror Town (2017).?

You can find Dead of Night on Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PlayStation consoles, while Horror Town is on mobile devices.

6. Romance of The Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms story is a classic that has branched further than its Asian roots and is now known throughout the world. This story itself has been adapted and reimagined countless times in all sorts of scenarios you can think of.?

The Three Kingdoms' historical story tends to captivate strategists and adventurers alike, it is a story that appeals to everyone. Notable adaptations and reimaginations of this story include - Total War: Three Kingdoms (2019) and Romance of The Three Kingdoms (2020). You can find Total War on Steam which makes it only playable on Windows and macOS. While you can find Romance of The Three Kingdoms on Windows, Nintendo Switch and the PS4.

7. Frankenstein

Another classical horror for the budding fans out there, Frankenstein has always been included in supernatural games and as a side piece in video games. We don’t hear much about the games that come up from Mary Shelly’s creation, but they exist in all their glory.

The most notable one would be The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature (2019) where you get to experience the world through the eyes of the innocent creature. You’re tasked with trying to make people change their perceptions of you while exploring the beautiful world. The game is available on Nintendo Switch, Windows, PS4, Xbox One, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS platforms.

8. Around The World in 80 Days

Fancy yourself an adventurer? Journeying throughout the world with Around The World in 80 Days is sure to satisfy your thirst for adventure. There is a direct book to video game adaptation for this novel, but if you’re looking for something different, we have 80 Days.

80 Days (2014) is a steampunk spin on the novel’s concept with the same characters and issues for you to solve as the original. This game is an interactive game, much like a novel, but the outcome is based on your choices. What would you do differently? You can try it out for yourself, as the game is available on all platforms except PlayStation and Xbox.

9. Spider-Man?

Although Spider-Man does come from a comic book, it's still classified as a book, so we’ll count this one in. Plus, it’s your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, so you really can’t say no to that. One of the latest Spider-Man additions to the video gaming world would be Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales (2020) designed for the PS5.

It’s a beautiful game and an interesting showcase of the capabilities of the hardware, that you are sure to be wanting more of. There’s also Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018) and the upcoming sequel which is currently in the works.?

10. Journey To The West

Another Chinese form of literature that is popularized and adapted well into the video gaming world, Journey To The West is the age-old story of the Monkey King and his friends along with their adventures. Unruly Heroes (2019) is a great and dynamic adaptation of that story, that you should experience for yourself.

There are four main characters in the game, as in legends. This time, they are on a journey to find the scattered remnants of the Sacred Scroll. You’ll be able to experience all sorts of beautiful environments and fight some interesting characters along the way. It’s definitely not a mundane experience, and you can find it on all platforms except for macOS.

You’ve reached the end! May this list be enlightening as it was entertaining for you to go through. Happy International Children’s Book Day, and may more books get adapted into video games so we could all have another way to stimulate and teach our younger ones.