Video games based on pre-existing properties can be a tricky thing. Creators can be very protective of their property, and a game of poor quality can damage the image of a recognizable brand. If the product doesn't meet the holder's standards, or if there are differences in opinion on what the game should be, it's not unlikely for a license to fall through.
However, video games are an expensive industry. Rather than let all that work go to waste, many developers will proceed to rework their game into a brand new property. Whether it's due to failed negotiations, creative differences, or other factors, some games were intended to be adaptions of an existing property and had to be changed to something original.
10 Jungle Hunt Originally Starred The King Of The Jungle
Taito's Jungle King put players in control of a vine-swinging hero who took on hostile creatures and cannibals in an effort to save his lady companion. While no name was given to the protagonist, he was clearly modeled after Edger Rice Burroughs' Tarzan with his hair, loincloth, and signature yell.
However, when his estate threatened Taito with legal action, the developers were forced to make some changes. The title was changed to Jungle Hunt, the digitized yell was excised, and the Tarzan-inspired protagonist was replaced with a more generic safari explorer.
9 Mortal Kombat Was Supposed To Be A Bloodsport Game
The Mortal Kombat series wears its cinematic influences on its sleeve from the Big Trouble In Little China-esque thunder god Raiden and the Frank Dux-inspired hero Johnny Cage. However, Mortal Kombat didn't start out as a mere homage, but instead as a video game adaption of the Jean Claude Van Damme martial arts film Bloodsport.
Midway even went as far as to pitch the game to Van Damme himself. According to Ed Boon, the deal fell through once they learned that Van Damme had already made a deal with Sega for a game that was ultimately never released.
8 The US Super Mario Bros. 2 Is A Yume Kōjō Adaption In Japan
Most gamers know that the English version of Super Mario Bros 2 is actually just a re-skinned version of a game called Doki Doki Panic. However, fewer know that Doki Doki Panic is based on an already existing Japanese property known as Yume Kōjō or "Dream Factory" in English.
Yume Kōjō was a Fuji TV sponsored event that showcased brand new technology from different parts of the world. Imajin and his Arabian-themed family were the mascots of the 1987 Yume Kōjō, and as such, they became the stars of the video game adaption.
7 Perfect Dark Was Going To Be Tomorrow Never Dies
Shortly after the success of GoldenEye for the Nintendo 64, Rare was all set to develop a game based on the subsequent Brosnan Bond flick, Tomorrow Never Dies. Staff from Rare even went as far as to visit the set of the film to create material for the game.
Unfortunately, EON Productions decided not to renew their contract with Nintendo, as they were outbid by EA Games. Bond license or not, Rare decided to pursue their GoldenEye successor with a completely original setting and characters. The martini drinking secret agent was replaced with Joanna Dark, and the rest is history.
6 Journey To Sillius Was Supposed To Be A Terminator Game
Journey to Sillius (known as Raf-World in Japan and Europe) is a run and gun side-scroller released during the twilight years of the NES. The game was originally based on James Cameron's The Terminator and was even announced as such in gaming outlets such as Nintendo Power.
However, developer Sunsoft lost the rights and had to change everything in the game as a result. In spite of losing the Terminator license, some remnants of the property can be seen in the final game, such as the music in the intro cinematic and the final boss.
5 Cruis'n For The Wii Is Just A Re-Skinned Fast & Furious Title
The Cruis'n franchise was a strange collaboration between Midway Games and Nintendo. The first title, Cruis'n USA, was originally released in arcades in 1994, with a Nintendo 64 port released two years later.
After several follow-ups, the Cruis'n series went into hiatus, and creator Eugene Jarvis formed a new studio called Raw Thrills. One of the company's first arcade titles was a game based on The Fast & The Furious. This game would later see a release on the Nintendo Wii as Cruis'n — with all reverences to The Fast & The Furious completely removed.
4 Dynamite Cop Is A Sequel To A Die Hard Game
Die Hard Arcade was developed out of necessity due to Sega having the rights to the Die Hard license and an excess inventory of ST-V arcade boards. The game was renamed Dynamite Deka in Japan, and John McClane was replaced with an original character — Bruno Delinger.
It marked the final collaboration between Sega's Japanese staff and the soon to be dissolved Sega Technical Institute. For the sequel, Dynamite Deka 2, its Western release was renamed Dynamite Cop, with Bruno replacing J0hn and excising any references to the Die Hard property.
3 Kung Fu Was Supposed To Based On A Jackie Chan Film
Wheels On Meals was a martial arts comedy choreographed by and starring Jackie Chan. It received rave reviews and commercial success upon its initial 1984 release. When released in Japan, the film was called Spartan X and spawned an arcade side-scrolling beat 'em up adaption by Irem.
The game was renamed Kung Fu Master in American arcades, then shortened to Kung Fu for its port on the NES. Despite these changes, the damsel in distress is still named Sylvia, and the hero retains the name of Jackie Chan's character Thomas.
2 Doom Was Almost An Aliens Game
With the success of Wolfenstein 3D, ID Software was all set to make a follow-up title with John Carmack's new 3D engine. However, after working on Spear of Destiny, they had become bored with the Wolfenstein property and decided to shift their next 3D shooter to a different setting.
According to Carmack, ID was offered the Alien license from 20th Century Fox. Realizing that being shackled to an existing property would limit their creative freedom, the team decided instead to blow the Alien license in the airlock and pursue a more demonic take on interstellar horror.
1 Donkey Kong Was Almost A Popeye Game
With the failure of Radar Scope, Nintendo turned to a young upstart by the name of Shigeru Miyamoto. He conceived of a game that put players in the shoes of the spinach-eating sailor Popeye as he traversed Bluto's nefarious traps by running and jumping.
However, Kings Syndicate denied Nintendo the rights to the character, and Miyamoto was forced to create entirely new characters. The game and its villain ended up being called Donkey Kong, and the sailor was replaced with a carpenter named Jumpman. This carpenter would later change his profession to plumbing and his name to Mario, and the course of gaming history was changed forever.