Uncovering the Strangest Lord of the Rings Games You Never Knew Existed!

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Summary

  • Tolkien’s influence on gaming produced diverse, creative Lord of the Rings games.
  • Early adaptations featured odd naming choices like “The Crack of Doom.”
  • Games like “Return to Moria” and “Gollum” offered unique perspectives but received mixed reviews.

The influence of “The Lord of the Rings” is beyond comparison. It’s no wonder that J.R.R. Tolkien’s boundless imagination found expression in various areas, and video games were not an exception.

A multitude of games have been drawn from Tolkien’s rich imagination. The films themselves provided us with some of the finest video games based on movies ever made. We’ve seen everything, from games inspired by Final Fantasy to full-blown MMORPGs and the beloved LEGO adaptations. It’s unfortunate that Tolkien didn’t live long enough to try out these games himself. However, let’s imagine he would have grabbed a controller and given them a go with enthusiasm, perhaps even enjoying a can of Mountain Dew along the way, as he tackled the array of video games created in his honor.

As a gamer, I’ve got to say, my journey through this virtual Middle-earth has been quite the peculiar adventure. Some of these adaptations have been downright bizarre, making me wonder if even Tom Bombadil would tilt his hat in disbelief and close his door on them.

6. The Crack of Doom

Birthplace of the Ring

The historical significance of Beam Software’s initial ‘Lord of the Rings’ video games is truly captivating. Despite appearing somewhat dated today, these text-based adventures held considerable importance in the past. Yet, their choice of names… well, they certainly spark curiosity!

The title “The Fellowship of the Ring” is straightforward. “Lord of the Rings: Game One” works fine. “The Two Towers” got a bit more creative with “Shadows of Mordor: Lord of the Rings – Game Two”. It’s a bit wordy, but it works. The finale, however, took a playful approach: “The Crack of Doom”, which is amusing because some aspects of Tolkien’s legendarium can be quite humorous (like Shagrat, for instance).

It’s not surprising at all that Peter Jackson omitted that name from his movies. After all, why subject the epic finale to the risk of being turned into a punchline?

5. War in Middle Earth

I Spy With My Gigantic Eye

Swap places, dear Battle for Middle Earth, because another real-time strategy game has taken the spotlight. That game is 1988’s War in Middle Earth, a title that truly pushed boundaries with its innovative concept. In this game, players could either lead individual characters such as Frodo and his companions on their journey or command entire armies to confront Mordor’s legions.

However, what might astonish gamers is that all events within the game occur concurrently, as if a character like Sauron were overseeing everything from above and witnessing the entire trilogy unfold before his gaze. This concept, though decades old, remains strikingly innovative, hinting at a need for a modern reinterpretation. Could it be time to revisit this idea?

4. The Hobbit

“We Have Hobbits At Home”

In 2003, at the height of “Lord of the Rings” craze, Vivendi seized an opportunity to monetize their video game adaptation rights for the novels. Many children eagerly anticipated finding Sir Ian McKellen and Viggo Mortensen in digital form on Christmas morning, but instead found “The Hobbit” under the tree.

The game seems faithful to the storyline from the book, but its gameplay reminiscent of “The Legend of Zelda” and its cartoonish visuals don’t align well with the grittier, more cinematic feel that fans of the Lord of the Rings films have become familiar with.

3. The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age

The Turn-Based Age

In a creative blend, if Peter Jackson’s trilogy and Final Fantasy X were to have a child, we might affectionately name it “The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age.” This role-playing game would reinterpret Tolkien’s world with turn-based combats, where monsters like the Balrog and Nazgûl would exhibit a surprising etiquette by patiently waiting their turn to attack.

The most peculiar aspect? Surprisingly, it functions. However, let me correct that. What’s truly bizarre is the game’s extreme departures from both the films and books. One of the most striking examples? A climactic battle in which the party confronts Sauron’s Eye atop Barad-dûr. Why not, indeed?

2. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

A Tragic Moment in LOTR History

Ever since I heard about “The Lord of the Rings: Gollum“, I found myself puzzled as a gamer. Frankly, among all possible characters to base a game on, choosing Gollum was quite an… intriguing decision. Perhaps a Telltale-style narrative adventure could have delved into his heartrending descent in a captivating manner. However, the developers decided to go with a third-person action-adventure, where we as players sneak and climb through Mordor and beyond, living the life of this complex character.

1. The critics were harsh; the game was heavily criticized, and surprisingly, the whole development team responsible for it disbanded – a turn of events as heartbreaking as Gollum’s own tale. Remarkably, they found a way to make its narrative even more poignant.

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2. Critics were unforgiving; the game was ruthlessly criticized, and ironically, the entire development team behind it disbanded – an unexpected twist as melancholic as Gollum’s own story. Miraculously, they managed to make its tale even more poignant.

1. The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria

This Week on Fixer Upper

Many people are wondering what happened in Middle-earth after Aragorn’s rule ended, including Tolkien himself who started writing a sequel but only managed 13 pages before stopping. It was intriguing when Free Range Games decided to base their post-“Lord of the Rings” series entirely within Moria, focusing on Gimli and his team as they embarked on a home improvement project reminiscent of HGTV.

It came as quite a shock that they opted to transform “The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria” into a survival game. However, given the widespread appeal of this gaming genre, perhaps it wasn’t as unexpected a decision as it initially seemed.

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2025-03-21 16:39