Over the years and decades, there has been a slew of properties that have crossed over between the realms of film, TV, and video games. These efforts have seen mixed results, though some tend to bring more success than others. Franchises like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings have translated well for the most part. It makes sense, as the rich, imaginative settings and fantasy premise mesh with the video game medium. It sets the found🧔ation for some memorable and immersive gaming experiences.
So without further ado, let's journey to Middle-Earth as we explore the best LOTR games ever, according to .
Keep in mind - this list will pool multiplatform releases together and showcase the highest or most common score among the multiple releases. If one version has a drastically higher score than other console versions, the entry header will sp🦄ecify which console has the better offering.
Updated on July 7, 2022, by Jeff Drake: When the Lord of the Rings movies released in the theaters it immediately became the trilogy of that generation; much like Star Wars was two decades before. Along with this critical acclaim came a mountain of games to try and cash-in on the franchise's reinvigorated fame. Some of these games were hailed as genre defining, others were instantly recognized as shovelware. In other words, 13 games isn't enough to fully cover the best of the Lord of the Rings games. This update has added four additional entries to make this list more comprehensive.
17 ﷽ The Lord Of The Rings: Tactics (64) 🦩
When one thinks of a "tactical RPG" based on the epic LOTR series, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Sony's first handheld gaming console doesn't exactly come to mind. Yet PSP's The Lord of the Rings: Tactics stands out as an underrated franchise spinoff. The game plays akin to a virtual game of fantasy chess, as players are tasked with strategically moving units arou🅰nd a grid. Battles are triggered when opposing forces are positioned next to each other.
This one has fallen under the radar for being somewhat slow-paced and rough 🔥around the edges. Still, many have regarded it for its rewarding tactical gamepla𝓀y and the neat ability to play as either the Fellowship or the minions of Sauron.
16 The Lord Ofᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ The Rings: Middle Earth Defense (iOS) (65)
Middle Earth Defense is a tower defensive type strategy game. First you place obstacles and heroes on the battlefield in strateg🦹ic locations. Then the onslaught begins, and you discover if your obstacle and hero placements were successful. Next, place reinforcements on the battlefield and wait for the next wave of enemy units.
The gameplay is super simplistic, yet many reviews state this is an enjoyable and fun game. However, there are also reviews stating this is possib🐓ly the worst Lord of the Rings game ever made.
15 ꦫ The Lord Of The Rings: War In The North (PC) (66)
By 2011, the fan buzz surrounding Tolkien's creations had largely shifted to the upcoming Hobbit film, which would release just a year later. Still, that didn't stop WB Interactive and Snowblind Studios from crafting this fun 12-hour action romp.
While the game isn't flawless, War in the North's appeal lies in its simple-yet-satisfying hack 'n' slash combat. With some enjoyable co-op, solid visual𝔉s - and the novelty of experiencing a brand new story set in Mꦅiddle-Earth, this lesser-known LOTR title is worth a look.
14 Lord Of The Ring𝓡s: War Of The Ring (67)
Anyone who's played Battle Realms and enjoyed it will probably enjoy this game. The reason for this is that War of the Ring is almost identical to those two games. In terms of graphics anyway. In the gameplay department Battle Realms is arguably superior.
War of the Ring is a fairly standard real-time strategy game from the early 2000s. This game, like Pokemon games, was available in two versions. There was a good version with an elf on the cover, and an evil🅺 version with an orc on the cover.
13 ♓ The Lord Of The Rings: The Third Age (GameBoy Advance) (67) 🎶
The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age is a strategy game along the lines of Fire Emblem and Shining Force. You move units around the battlefield trying to get a strategic advantage over the enemy. The critic rating is nine points lower than the PSP version; which is much different. The user score for this game is actuall𒁏y 0.2 points higher than the PSP version.
This game was held back by the pre-rendered graphics, and a horrendous color pallette of grays and browns. The actual gameplay is quite fun though. Manไy reviews also praise the game for following the source material.
12 The Lord Of The Rings: The Third Ag🐬e (Xbox) (75)
Middle-Earth-mania was still in full force by 2004, coming off the he🦋els of the epic conclusion in the film trilogy, The Return of the King.
While this game for PS2, Xbox, and GameCube doesn't quite measure up to those towering heights, it's a delightful RPG in its own right. The game more-or-less follows the beats of Peter Jackson's film trilogy - setting the stage for a thrilling adventure and captivating narrative. Yet the gameplay is similarly appealing, providing a linear role-playing experience 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:with turn-based combat a la 🍷Final Fantasy.
11 The Lord ꦓOf The Rings: Adventure Card Game (75)
Over the years, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Magic the Gathering has seen a slew of appealing gaming efforts. Fantasy Flight Interactive decorated this formula with a fun LOTR overlay.
This game takes place between the events of The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring. This gripping premise is enhanced with some colorful card pictures and mechanics that balance depth and accessibility. A deep campaign, engaging gameplay, co-op features, and various customizations give this romp staying power. Though it's been described as being a bit rough around the edges and bordering on repetition, this is a delightful card game that LOTR fans should enjoy.
10 ♉ Guardiaဣns Of Middle-Earth (PS3) (75)
Given the constant action and hordes of powerful fighters, a MOBA seems like a natural fit for a Lord of the Rings game. This 2012 effort largely proves this notion, with some satisfying battle mechanics and plenty of depth. Once players get acquainted with its tricky interface, Guard🐎ians of Middle-Earth makes for a feverishly engaging game, with a great presentation to boot.
Critics have noted that while there are better MOBA options on PC, this is one of the stronger efforts of the genre you'll find for consoles.
9 Lord Of The Ringꦇs: The Battle For Middle Earth 2 - The Rise Of The Witch-King 🙈(78)
Yes, this is an expansion to The Battle for Middle Earth 2. It is included on this list due to the amount of content this expansion introduces into the base game (which is also on this list). This has a user score of 8.6 on Metacritic; with a lot of ✤comments claiming this is the definitive version of The Battle for Middle Earth.
This expansion adds an entire new campaign, the ability to play on the evil side, a new faction, new units, and improved A.I. Any gamer who enjoys a well-crafted real-time strategy game should check out Battle for Middle Earth 2 - just make s🥀ure to get this expansion.
8 𓂃 🎃 Middle Earth: Shadows Of War (81)
The follow-up to the epic action-adventure, Shadow of Mordor, this game ups tꦕhe ante in terms of scope and complexity, rounding out an engaging journey. While it received some heat for being a bit buggy and loot b▨ox-heavy at first, the overall experience is a positive one.
New RPG elements, dynamic conditions, more enemy types, and added multiplayer beef up this already robust foundation. Players can even transfer their top Nemesis and most loyal follower from Shadow of Mordor to bridge these two titles.