Summary
- Deadfall Adventures: A game heavily inspired by Indiana Jones, but falls short in terms of gameplay and repetition.
- Strange Brigade: Cooperative gameplay that captures the sense of camaraderie found in Indiana Jones movies.
- Professor Layton: Although different in action, Layton's mystery-solving adventures offer a similar appeal to Indiana Jones fans.
Since Raiders of the Lost Ark premiered in 1981, Indiana Jones has become one of the most recognizable characters in pop culture. His cool demeanor, unique arsenal of weapons, and sense of adventure have inspired other movies, TV shows, and plenty of video games.
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PostsIndiana Jones spends most of his time exploring dangerous areas, confronting supernatural entities, and searching for treasure that belongs in a museum. Many video games have taken these staples and spun them into new interactive adventures for you to enjoy if you're a fan of the films or just want to step into the shoes of an average archeologist.
10 Deadfall Adventures
Developer
The Farm 51
Release Date
November 15th, 2013
Genre
First-Person Shooter
Number of Players
1
Deadfall Adventures follows Allan Quartermain as he searches for a sacred treasure - the Heart of Atlantis - while fighting deadly enemies and solving puzzles. Everything from the tone to the characters seems heavily inspired by Indiana Jones, but unfortunately, it feels more like Kingdom of the Crystal Skull than Last Crusade.
It's an ambitious game that tends to overreach in nearly every department. Seeing different parts of the world is fun, but it doesn't take long before the gameplay feels repetitive. Deadfall Adventures might scratch your treasure-hunting itch, but the reward might not be worth the journey.
9 Strange Brigade
Developer
Rebellion Developments
Release Date
August 28th, 2018
Genre
Third-Person Shooter
Number of Players
1-4
Even Indiana Jones knows it's dangerous to go alone to deadly destinations, so he usually travels with a sidekick like Short Round or Sallah to help him survive perilous situations. Strange Brigade embraces this sense of camaraderie by focusing on cooperative gameplay that requires players to work together to achieve their goals.
Up to four players can team up to explore tombs and defeat enemies by upgrading their characters or using environmental traps. Strange Brigade is still the best choice if you want to go on an Indiana Jones-esque adventure with a couple of friends.
8 Professor Layton
Developer
Level-5
Release Date (First Game)
February 10th, 2008
Genre
Puzzle, Adventure
Number of Players
1
Professor Layton might not spend much time fighting Nazis or running away from snakes, but the two characters still share a lot of common traits. They are both professors of archeology who travel with a companion to different parts of the world to solve mind-bending mysteries.
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PostsWhile Layton rarely fistfights his way out of situations, he is just as good at reading people and making deductions as Indiana Jones. If you like the mystery and puzzle elements of the Indiana Jones movies, you'll also enjoy joining Layton on one of his many adventures.
7 Spelunky
Developer
Mossmouth
Release Date (First Game)
December 21st, 2008
Genre
Platformer, Roguelike
Number of Players
1-4
There are plenty of third-person action games inspired by Indiana Jones, but Spelunky takes the thrill of treasure hunting and turns it into a 2D roguelike you can sink dozens of hours into. Both Spelunky and its sequel follow a variety of characters as they explore dangerous temples full of treasure, traps, and secrets.
Each time you boot up a run, a new area is procedurally generated, so you'll never feel like you're exploring the same caves repeatedly. There is a lot you can do in Spelunky, and the best part is, you can play it with up to three friends cooperatively or competitively.
6 Mortal Kombat 1
Developer
NetherRealm Studios
Release Date
September 19th, 2023
Genre
Fighting
Number of Players
1-2
Johnny Cage loves pop culture references, but it was pretty surprising to see almost an entire chapter of Mortal Kombat 1's story mode dedicated to being a parody of Raiders of the Lost Ark's infamous opening scene. The music during these scenes even sounds like the iconic themes composed by John Williams for the Indiana Jones movies.
This extended sequence includes a bunch of homages, like the hesitant sidekick, a hallway full of traps, and a mythological being protecting the sacred treasure. The scene doesn't impact the gameplay, but it does help establish Cage as a cocky young man with a big ego, reminiscent of other characters Harrison Ford has portrayed.
5 Crash Bandicoot
Developer
Naughty Dog
Release Date (First Game)
September 9th, 1996
Genre
Platformer
Number of Players
1
The Crash Bandicoot games might seem like another mascot-based platformer, but they are notoriously more difficult than most Super Mario Bros. games due to the amount of danger lurking around every corner. After playing one of them for a bit, you may notice some uncanny similarities to Indiana Jones.
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PostsFrom the diverse environments to the sense of exploration you feel as you search for hidden secrets, Crash Bandicoot is essentially just a fluffier, and more-often shirtless version of the iconic action hero. You'll really feel how similar they are when Crash is chased by a giant boulder in one of the first game's opening levels.
4 Rick Dangerous
Developer
Core Design
Release Date
1989
Genre
Platformer
Number of Players
1
If you look at the original box art for Rick Dangerous, you might think you're looking at an authentic Indiana Jones adventure. The game wears its inspiration on its sleeve and looks and feels just like an 8-bit version of Raiders of the Lost Ark or Temple of Doom.
Everything from the character design to the antagonists being Nazis feels derivative, but Rick Dangerous has some unique characteristics that help him stand out from other heroes. For instance, while Indiana Jones likes to use his whip, Dangerous uses a pogo stick to stun enemies and save the day.
3 Pitfall!
Developer
Activision
Release Date
April 20th, 1982
Genre
Platformer
Number of Players
1
Pitfall launched on the Atari 2600 during the same year as the officially licensed Raiders of the Lost Ark game, and despite all odds, the adventures of Pitfall Harry were a much bigger sensation. While Pitfall's environments were inspired by Indiana Jones, the gameplay felt much more dangerous and rewarding than most platformers at the time.
In the same way that the Indiana Jones films inspired countless movies, Pitfall was a major influence on all the platforming games that came after it. Pitfall helped establish many common principles used by modern games, but the original Pitfall is still a blast if you're looking for an old-school adventure.
2 Tomb Raider
Developer
Core Design
Release Date (First Game)
October 24th, 1996
Genre
Action-Adventure
Number of Players
1
The original Tomb Raider was one of the first 3D adventure games that made you feel like you were starring in an epic blockbuster. Featuring multiple locations, dangerous puzzles, and a very brave archeologist, these games are heavily inspired by Indiana Jones while making enough changes to the formula to stand out on its own.
The original hero was meant to be a man, but after worrying about how similar the game might be to Indiana Jones, the decision was made to make the playable character a woman. This excellent idea helped establish one of the best female protagonists in video games - Lara Croft.
1 Uncharted
Developer
Naughty Dog
Release Date (First Game)
November 19th, 2007
Genre
Action-Adventure
Number of Players
1
After sprinkling references to the movies throughout the Crash Bandicoot games, Naughty Dog eventually decided to make the closest thing to an Indiana Jones game with the creation of the Uncharted series. You follow Nathan Drake as he travels to exotic locations with his friends in search of lost treasure while defeating nefarious villains and their henchmen.
The first Uncharted feels like a lost Indiana Jones movie, but as the series progresses, it creates its own identity through sharp writing, excellent performances, and exciting set pieces. If you're on an expedition for an Indy-like experience, Uncharted is a treasure worth seeking.
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