I made a promise to myself many years back, when i bought the original Blade II for the PS2: never again will I buy another shoddy console version of a blockbuster film. Being the wise gamers that we are (well, some of us), we know to steer clear of Fantastic Four, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Golden Compass on our 360, PS3, DS, or whichever console has the misfortune to be associated with said game.

Granted, there are a few games that stick out as above average, such as LoTR games, King Kong, and Chronicles of Riddick, but these are the exception, and after having played games for more than ten years now, I cannot recall more than a handful of successful games based on a film.

This makes me wonder...how are game designers able to get away with hastily slapping a game together, stick the film logo on, get a few character voiceovers (usually fake) and release it to the general public? Not only that, but to have the game reach no.1 in the sales chart!

The answer, I believe...is the children.

Thats right, the children.

Think about it: a majority of films nowadays seek to appeal to the widest possible audience to get the most profit: first come the adults with films like Bourne Supremacy, and then the children.More and more films are seeking to appeal to kids' sense of wonder and fantasy by creating blockbuster films with a huge cast, impressive CGI effects, and a booting soundtrack which is as shallow as a very small puddle: The Chronicles of Narnia, The Golden Compass. Kids get swept up in the fantasy of genuinely decent films such as Shreck and Pirates of the Caribbean, and they want more. This is where the gaming market steps in.

Not only can a child watch their favourite film, cried the early film-game tie ins, but star in it too! These kids, after enjoying their McDonalds or BK Happy Meal and getting a toy of Jack Sparrow, Harry Potter, or Lyra, go on to convince their parents to buy the game that everyone else owns.

We, as adults, or at least mature teenagers, are for the most part not impressed with a completely messed up plot, questionable visuals, and more bloody button mashing. Its only through experience that kids begin to realise that the new Golden Compass game isn't as good as the film (which isn't saying much) and save their money to buy great, more appropriate titles like Mario Galaxy and Viva Pinata (it deserves a try, guys!)

Well there you have it. If you have a younger sibling who plans on paying X amount of their parent's hard earned £/$ or whatever...let them play your copy of Mario Galaxy.

(Sorry if I ranted a bit, and maybe I sound like an old moaner, but I'm only 20, honest. :D )