The 10 BEST Indiana Jones Video Games
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VOICE OVER: Aaron Brown
WRITTEN BY: Aaron Brown
As we wait for MachineGames to unveil their Indiana Jones game, let's take a look at what past developers have given us. For this list, we'll be looking at the best video games to feature everyone's favorite fedora-wearing explorer. Our list includes “Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings” (2009), “Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis” (1992), “Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb” (2003), and more!
Script written by Aaron Brown
Welcome to MojoPlays and today we’re following the clues and exploring the 10 Best Indiana Jones Video Games. For this list, we’ll be looking at the best adventures of everyone’s favorite fedora-wearing archaeologist and diving deep into the tombs of his video game library to uncover only the best treasures in his historic catalog. What was your favorite Indiana Jones video game? What are you most hoping to see in Machine Games’ upcoming Indy adventure? Leave only the comments you feel should be in a museum down below.
Like most video games that came out in the late 80s and early 90s, there were multiple versions of the same title created by different developers for the many systems available at the time, and while Ubisoft also released a version of The Last Crusade for the NES, the Taito version was by far the superior one. The Taito version managed to recreate the scenarios from the iconic movie with stunning detail for the NES and even used bitmapped captures of the actors in the movies to convey the story. Taito went above and beyond and not only constantly switched up the playstyles between levels, but should Indy fail in a level, Henry’s diary could be stolen and a new level would be accessed allowing Indy to track it down to recover it.
The only arcade game on our list, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, although brief, managed to capture all the elements of what made the movie such a classic. Players could choose what order they wanted to complete the levels in and would have to temple run through the mines multiple times with each run adding more hazards and enemies. This was a quarter munching arcade game, after all. Thanks to the additional graphical power of the arcade cabinet, Indy was able to move freely throughout the 2.5D environments and recover the Sankara Stones before making his dramatic escape. The game even incorporated not only the iconic mine cart scene but also the dramatic escape on the rope bridge and the final confrontation with Mola Ram. Kali MA!!!!
Although carrying the same name as another entry later on our list, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis: The Action Game leans more into its subtitle rather than the point and click effort we’ll get to in a bit. While both titles follow the same plot, this version focuses on the “punch first, ask questions later” side of Indy’s adventures. Using an isometric perspective, the Action Game edition lets players more freely explore their environment and even allows players to take a stealthier approach and avoid some combat encounters should they choose. Even with a more action centric approach to the storyline, the game still allowed players to partake in various side activities such as gambling at the casino or playing a round of darts.
Until Machine Games’ upcoming Indiana Jones globe-trotting endeavor, this was Indy’s last whip cracking adventure in gaming. In the Staff of Kings, Indy attempts to recover Moses' staff that famously parted the Red Sea before the relic-obsessed Nazis can get their hands on it. Originally planned for the PS3 and Xbox 360, development instead shifted to the PS2 and the Wii with the latter making use of the Wii-Mote’s motion controls to whip up some trouble and even team up with Henry Jones Sr. in a console exclusive co-op mode. Unfortunately, even despite the best of intentions, the Wii-Mote motion controls held back the experience on Nintendo’s most popular console making the PS2 version with its superior graphics and interactive environments the best way to take down the Nazis in Indy’s last video game adventure.
As we stated earlier, there were usually more than one version of an adaptation released back in the day, and while both versions of The Last Crusade are worthy of a spot on the list, The Graphic Adventure manages to be an even more faithful adaptation of Indy’s last great outing. Featuring all of the normal trapping of a point and click game, The Graphic Adventure managed to balance puzzle solving while also recreating some of the film's famous action sequences. Players were given multiple solutions to puzzles as well as the ability to talk their way out of some encounters altogether that could lead to one of three different endings. Those with physical copies of the game got a replica of the in-game diary that could help them solve numerous puzzles.
By the time Indiana Jones began his quest for the Infernal Machine, he’d had no shortage of video game outings, but his search for an ancient Babylonian power source was his first foray into the 3D realm. In another break from tradition, Indy went up against the Soviet Union while also teaming up with the CIA to track down the missing pieces that could open the gateway to another world. All the trademarks of a great Indiana Jones adventure were present here and the developers rightfully took cues from the Tomb Raider franchise that was obviously inspired by the famed relic hunter himself. Indy was able to solve puzzles, engage in fisticuffs, shootouts, use his trademark whip to engage in combat and puzzles and even take control of numerous vehicles during chase sequences. Everything that made the Indiana Jones films fan favorites was here all at the player’s fingertips.
The original trilogy of Indiana Jones movies are some of the most beloved movies of all time and while there had been countless adaptations of their individual stories, it was Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures on the SNES that managed to perfectly encapsulate the entire trilogy. Following in the steps of the Super Star Wars games, minus the atrociously unfair difficulty, developer Factor 5 managed to faithfully recreate all the best moments of Indy’s many adventures into a playable 2D experience of Indy’s greatest hits while also giving players boss fights against notorious villains not seen in the films. Until Dr. Jones’ future 3D outings, this was the closest gamers got to living out their relic hunting adventures with the whip toting archaeologist.
The best Indy adventures pay homage to the original source material while also building on them, and that’s exactly what the Emperor’s Tomb does by placing itself squarely at the start of adult Indiana Jones’ adventures, taking place before even the Temple of Doom. Unlike many of Indy’s other video games, the Emperor’s Tomb focused more on action rather than puzzle solving as Indy searches for the tomb of China’s first Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Along the way, Indy crosses paths with familiar characters and the events of the Emperor’s Tomb tie directly into the start of the Temple of Doom. The Emperor’s Tomb might not have reinvented the action-adventure formula that not only inspired other gaming treasure hunters, but Indy’s use of improvised weapons helped keep combat engaging and the story’s canonical importance gave longtime fans a deeper look into the famed archaeologist's early adventures.
Although Indiana Jones is more known for destroying priceless relics and temples, Lego Indiana Jones gave him the chance to rebuild those artifacts and finally put them in a museum where they belong. Chronicling the original trilogy of classic Indiana Jones films, The Original Adventures was a love letter to longtime fans, and while it used much of the tried-and-true Traveler’s Tales formula, the attention to detail and over 80 playable characters made reliving the best of Indy’s adventures feel new and exciting, like seeing them for the first time all over again. Even without a single spoken word of dialogue, like many Lego games at the time, Traveler’s Tales managed to adapt even some of the more graphic parts of Indy’s many adventures into something kids and parents could enjoy together and remains one of the best Lego adaptations the developer has ever done.
The best Indiana Jones story never put to screen, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis is arguably one of the greatest adventures the famed archaeologist has ever undertaken. Although players can technically choose 3 different modes in which to play the game, focusing on either wits, fists, or team ups, this point and click adventure primarily focuses on Indy’s investigative and puzzle solving abilities as well as navigating branching dialogue paths that affect the outcome of the entire story as Indy searches for the legendary lost city of Atlantis. Not only is this regarded as one of the best Indiana Jones stories ever told, including movies, it’s also one of the best adventure games ever made from the developers of Monkey Island at the height of their craft, and out of all the entries on our list, is the one more deserving of being preserved in a museum.
Welcome to MojoPlays and today we’re following the clues and exploring the 10 Best Indiana Jones Video Games. For this list, we’ll be looking at the best adventures of everyone’s favorite fedora-wearing archaeologist and diving deep into the tombs of his video game library to uncover only the best treasures in his historic catalog. What was your favorite Indiana Jones video game? What are you most hoping to see in Machine Games’ upcoming Indy adventure? Leave only the comments you feel should be in a museum down below.
“Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1991)
Like most video games that came out in the late 80s and early 90s, there were multiple versions of the same title created by different developers for the many systems available at the time, and while Ubisoft also released a version of The Last Crusade for the NES, the Taito version was by far the superior one. The Taito version managed to recreate the scenarios from the iconic movie with stunning detail for the NES and even used bitmapped captures of the actors in the movies to convey the story. Taito went above and beyond and not only constantly switched up the playstyles between levels, but should Indy fail in a level, Henry’s diary could be stolen and a new level would be accessed allowing Indy to track it down to recover it.
“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1985)
The only arcade game on our list, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, although brief, managed to capture all the elements of what made the movie such a classic. Players could choose what order they wanted to complete the levels in and would have to temple run through the mines multiple times with each run adding more hazards and enemies. This was a quarter munching arcade game, after all. Thanks to the additional graphical power of the arcade cabinet, Indy was able to move freely throughout the 2.5D environments and recover the Sankara Stones before making his dramatic escape. The game even incorporated not only the iconic mine cart scene but also the dramatic escape on the rope bridge and the final confrontation with Mola Ram. Kali MA!!!!
“Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis: The Action Game” (1992)
Although carrying the same name as another entry later on our list, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis: The Action Game leans more into its subtitle rather than the point and click effort we’ll get to in a bit. While both titles follow the same plot, this version focuses on the “punch first, ask questions later” side of Indy’s adventures. Using an isometric perspective, the Action Game edition lets players more freely explore their environment and even allows players to take a stealthier approach and avoid some combat encounters should they choose. Even with a more action centric approach to the storyline, the game still allowed players to partake in various side activities such as gambling at the casino or playing a round of darts.
“Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings” (2009)
Until Machine Games’ upcoming Indiana Jones globe-trotting endeavor, this was Indy’s last whip cracking adventure in gaming. In the Staff of Kings, Indy attempts to recover Moses' staff that famously parted the Red Sea before the relic-obsessed Nazis can get their hands on it. Originally planned for the PS3 and Xbox 360, development instead shifted to the PS2 and the Wii with the latter making use of the Wii-Mote’s motion controls to whip up some trouble and even team up with Henry Jones Sr. in a console exclusive co-op mode. Unfortunately, even despite the best of intentions, the Wii-Mote motion controls held back the experience on Nintendo’s most popular console making the PS2 version with its superior graphics and interactive environments the best way to take down the Nazis in Indy’s last video game adventure.
“Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure” (1990)
As we stated earlier, there were usually more than one version of an adaptation released back in the day, and while both versions of The Last Crusade are worthy of a spot on the list, The Graphic Adventure manages to be an even more faithful adaptation of Indy’s last great outing. Featuring all of the normal trapping of a point and click game, The Graphic Adventure managed to balance puzzle solving while also recreating some of the film's famous action sequences. Players were given multiple solutions to puzzles as well as the ability to talk their way out of some encounters altogether that could lead to one of three different endings. Those with physical copies of the game got a replica of the in-game diary that could help them solve numerous puzzles.
“Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine” (2000)
By the time Indiana Jones began his quest for the Infernal Machine, he’d had no shortage of video game outings, but his search for an ancient Babylonian power source was his first foray into the 3D realm. In another break from tradition, Indy went up against the Soviet Union while also teaming up with the CIA to track down the missing pieces that could open the gateway to another world. All the trademarks of a great Indiana Jones adventure were present here and the developers rightfully took cues from the Tomb Raider franchise that was obviously inspired by the famed relic hunter himself. Indy was able to solve puzzles, engage in fisticuffs, shootouts, use his trademark whip to engage in combat and puzzles and even take control of numerous vehicles during chase sequences. Everything that made the Indiana Jones films fan favorites was here all at the player’s fingertips.
“Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures” (1994)
The original trilogy of Indiana Jones movies are some of the most beloved movies of all time and while there had been countless adaptations of their individual stories, it was Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures on the SNES that managed to perfectly encapsulate the entire trilogy. Following in the steps of the Super Star Wars games, minus the atrociously unfair difficulty, developer Factor 5 managed to faithfully recreate all the best moments of Indy’s many adventures into a playable 2D experience of Indy’s greatest hits while also giving players boss fights against notorious villains not seen in the films. Until Dr. Jones’ future 3D outings, this was the closest gamers got to living out their relic hunting adventures with the whip toting archaeologist.
“Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb” (2003)
The best Indy adventures pay homage to the original source material while also building on them, and that’s exactly what the Emperor’s Tomb does by placing itself squarely at the start of adult Indiana Jones’ adventures, taking place before even the Temple of Doom. Unlike many of Indy’s other video games, the Emperor’s Tomb focused more on action rather than puzzle solving as Indy searches for the tomb of China’s first Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Along the way, Indy crosses paths with familiar characters and the events of the Emperor’s Tomb tie directly into the start of the Temple of Doom. The Emperor’s Tomb might not have reinvented the action-adventure formula that not only inspired other gaming treasure hunters, but Indy’s use of improvised weapons helped keep combat engaging and the story’s canonical importance gave longtime fans a deeper look into the famed archaeologist's early adventures.
“Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures” (2008)
Although Indiana Jones is more known for destroying priceless relics and temples, Lego Indiana Jones gave him the chance to rebuild those artifacts and finally put them in a museum where they belong. Chronicling the original trilogy of classic Indiana Jones films, The Original Adventures was a love letter to longtime fans, and while it used much of the tried-and-true Traveler’s Tales formula, the attention to detail and over 80 playable characters made reliving the best of Indy’s adventures feel new and exciting, like seeing them for the first time all over again. Even without a single spoken word of dialogue, like many Lego games at the time, Traveler’s Tales managed to adapt even some of the more graphic parts of Indy’s many adventures into something kids and parents could enjoy together and remains one of the best Lego adaptations the developer has ever done.
“Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis” (1992)
The best Indiana Jones story never put to screen, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis is arguably one of the greatest adventures the famed archaeologist has ever undertaken. Although players can technically choose 3 different modes in which to play the game, focusing on either wits, fists, or team ups, this point and click adventure primarily focuses on Indy’s investigative and puzzle solving abilities as well as navigating branching dialogue paths that affect the outcome of the entire story as Indy searches for the legendary lost city of Atlantis. Not only is this regarded as one of the best Indiana Jones stories ever told, including movies, it’s also one of the best adventure games ever made from the developers of Monkey Island at the height of their craft, and out of all the entries on our list, is the one more deserving of being preserved in a museum.
