The latest video-game movie, Sonic, has managed to garner itself impressive reviews, seemingly following Detective Pikachu in breaking the curse of terrible movies based on video games. Hopefully, Mortal Kombat can do the same.
However, there's plenty of other characters that Sega could also give the film treatment, even if they don't have an arsenal quite as iconic as Nintendo's. Obscurity can work, as Guardians of the Galaxy proved, so here are ten other Sega characters who should be given a movie.
10 Shadow The Hedgehog
Starting off with Sonic's slightly edgier counterpart, Shadow the Hedgehog, a black, red and white alternative with an often teenager-like personality. He could quite easily helm an anti-hero flick, whilst also offering a mindless popcorn flick experience as Sonic did.
If Sega plans on having a sequel to Sonic, perhaps they could introduce Shadow before throwing him into his very own spin-off, expanding on their new cinematic world. I'm sure there's plenty of fans who wouldn't mind more Sonic on the big screen, and Shadow is a fan-favorite.
9 Wonder Boy
If you're not familiar with Wonder Boy, you may know the game by another title, Monster World. It's a fairly old series, starting out as an arcade game, but it blossomed with sequels for the Sega Genesis, along with some modern remakes.
The story is pretty bog-standard, not too dissimilar to Mario, as the protagonist hunts down a man by the name of King who kidnapped his girlfriend, Tina. However, Sega could easily play this up as a hilarious parody romp that pokes fun at the damsel-in-distress formula of old.
8 Death Adder
Death Adder, not to be confused with Black Adder, is the villain of the Golden Axe series. He's a big, strong and half-naked man with a cape and a whole lotta red along with a beefy axe that he stole from humanity.
He's a descendant of the giants, who managed to fight and survive against the gods themselves. His goal? Complete domination over the world. He may be a villain, but Joker and Venom proved that moviegoers don't mind a bad-guy in the hot-seat.
7 Ecco The Dolphin
Ecco is a strange character, but it was popular enough to somehow garner four games, with the latest release in 2000. He's a time-traveling savior of humanity, who even ventures into Atlantis, giving Aquaman a run for his money.
In his arduous journey against the evils that threaten to destroy mankind, Ecco gains super dolphin powers, and even ventures beyond the murky waters of Earth and into space. It's all a bit strange, which means that it would be a perfect wacky film.
6 Toe Jam & Earl
ToeJam and Earl are alien rappers who crash land on Earth. The aim of the game is to escape the planet by re-building their spaceship. It was a hit with critics and players alike, earning itself a sequel.
The two could either have themselves a horrifying debut in cinema as Mario got, or they could make for an incredibly fun, 80s-fueled extravaganza that rivals Sonic for its enjoyment-value. It would probably work best animated, as the two are already creepy enough without being brought into reality. Sega even managed to make Sonic a horrifying sight at first, so these two could be utterly nightmarish.
5 Nigel The Treasure Hunter
Landstalker is a classic Sega game that lets players put on the shoes of Nigel the treasure hunter, who wants to find the booty of King Nole. It's a fantasy romp with charming retro graphics.
The setting is somewhat generic but a comedic take on the fantasy genre, which would be fitting given that the protagonist is an Indiana Jones wannabe called Nigel, could make for a decent flick.
4 Alis Landale
Phantasy Star is an RPG that isn't set on Earth, but it is rich with fantasy elements. The first title centers around Alis Landale, who lost her brother to King Lassic. It's fairly simplistic, but the padding that goes into the world-building is where most of the meat atop the bones lies.
The narrative is one of bloodthirsty revenge, in which she joins a rebellion helmed by Myau, Odin and Noah. There are twists, there are turns, and there is a whole lot of exciting lore, which could make for a unique space fantasy.
3 Segata Sanshiro
Segata Sanshiro, played by Hiroshi Fujioka, was a fictional character created to advertise the Sega Saturn. He parodied Sugata Sanshirō, a judo fighter from Akira Kurosawa's Sanshiro Sugata.
He didn't appear in any games and so lifting him out of an advertisement might be somewhat strange, but he could make for the perfect lead in a parody of the samurai genre. Or, at the very least, Segata could make a brief cameo in each of the films, as Sega's very own Stan Lee. They might have missed their opportunity in Sonic, but the future is ripe with potential.
2 Kazuma Kiryu
Kazuma Kiryu is the protagonist of the Yakuza series, which is still being made and published to this day. They're ripe with brilliant stories about the Japanese mafia, and Kazuma himself climbed the ranks of the Tojo Clan until he eventually became the chairman.
Whilst Sonic was a family-friendly cinema experience, Yakuza could give Sega the perfect film for adults, with an R-rating and some John Wick action, toppled with a captivating story in a refreshing setting.
1 Blaze Fielding
Blaze is one of the many protagonists of the Streets of Rage games. She was one of the three police officers who quit the force due to the corruption that was rampant in the system, which led her to become the female brawler, a volunteer who would sacrifice it all to bring the Syndicate down.
Her vengeance is captivating, and she has a lot of quirks that would make for an engaging protagonist, especially in film.