Waiting For Nintendo Switch 2? Watch These Video Game Movies Now

Updated on

Noelle Corbett

Noelle Corbett

JustWatch Editor

Nintendo is finally releasing a new console after eight years of the Nintendo Switch era. The Nintendo Switch 2 will be a more powerful piece of hardware that will make games from iconic franchises like Mario and Pokémon look and run better than ever before.

Whether you were lucky enough to secure a preorder or are waiting for the Switch 2 to be more widely available, there are plenty of movies that will help tide you over until you get your hands on those new Joy-Con. While there are only a couple of official Nintendo film adaptations—though more are on the way, including Super Mario World and The Legend Of Zelda—here are some video game movies that are perfect for Nintendo fans.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

The first thing most people think of when they hear Nintendo is Mario, so why not get hyped for Nintendo Switch 2 by watching The Super Mario Bros. Movie? The film is a love letter to the iconic plumber and the colorful Mushroom Kingdom that’s filled to the brim with Easter eggs and references that are sure to delight fans of Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day). In addition to the brothers, the movie includes a tough-as-nails take on Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), a Bowser (Jack Black) who’s both charming and menacing, and a trip to the world of Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen). The Super Mario Bros. Movie is simply a good, family-friendly time, making it the perfect way to prepare for the Nintendo Switch 2.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)

If you’ve ever wished you could step into the world of Pokémon, Detective Pikachu is perfect for you. Set in Ryme City, a place where humans and Pokémon co-exist, the movie follows Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) as he searches for the truth surrounding his father’s mysterious accident with the help of a Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds) that only he can understand. Pokémon fans will love seeing some of their favorites reimagined as more realistic creatures existing in a live-action world. There are even some deep cut ‘mon from across the first seven Generations, showing the level of detail and care that was put into bringing the Pokémon world to life.  

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is probably the most Nintendo movie to not actually be associated with Nintendo itself. The film is full of references to the company’s products and IP, from one character playing a Nintendo DS to a Legend of Zelda sound effect playing at the beginning. Scott (Michael Cera) even plays in a band called Sex Bob-Omb, a reference to the explosive enemies from the Mario games. Beyond these references, though, Scott Pilgrim is a cult hit, particularly among gaming and comic fans for the way it celebrates and pays homage to all kinds of nerdy media.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Sonic the Hedgehog has been around for over 30 years, but the blue blur’s big screen debut ushered in a new era for Sega’s iconic mascot. In Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), Sonic (Ben Schwartz) ends up on Earth and must team up with a human man (James Marsden) to avoid the evil Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey). Since release, the film has received two sequels and a spinoff series titled Knuckles, with a fourth film on the way. Considering that Sonic X Shadow Generations is one of the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch titles, now is a great time for Sonic fans waiting for the new console to revisit the film.

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

It might not be based off of an actual gaming IP, but Wreck-It Ralph is easily one of the best video game movies ever made. Set in an arcade, the movie tells the story of Ralph (John C. Reilly), a retro game villain who wants more from life than being literally thrown in the trash. It plays a lot on nostalgia, with appearances from real video game characters like Bowser, Ryu and Ken from Street Fighter, and Q*bert. Top that off with a genuinely sweet story about belonging and acceptance, and you have a beautiful movie that celebrates the entire gaming medium.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005)

Cloud and Sephiroth may not be Nintendo characters, but they are no stranger to Nintendo consoles. Not only is Final Fantasy VII available on Switch, but FFVII Remake Intergrade is getting a Nintendo Switch 2 release. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is a sequel set two years after the original game that follows Cloud Strife as he tries to rescue children with a mysterious disease from a trio trying to resurrect Sephiroth. The movie is divisive among FFVII fans, with many criticizing its confusing plot but praising its visuals, which are still pretty impressive 20 years later. If you haven’t played or finished Final Fantasy VII, you’ll probably want to skip it, but Advent Children is worth a watch for anyone who wants to see more from Cloud, Tifa, and the rest of the gang.

Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998)

Outside of Detective Pikachu, there are nearly two dozen more Pokémon movies based on the anime series. These vary greatly in quality, but if you really can’t go wrong with Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back. The premise is standard sci-fi fare: The evil Team Rocket has developed cloning technology to create a super soldier, only for Mewtwo (Masachika Ichimura/Jay Goede) to turn on them. From there, it’s up to Ash (Rica Matsumoto/Veronica Taylor), Pikachu (Ikue Ōtani), and friends to take on the powerful Psychic Pokémon. What really sets Mewtwo Strikes Back apart is the mature way it approaches the ethical questions surrounding the plot. Mewtwo’s speech at the end remains one of the franchise’s most moving moments, and the filmmakers definitely deserve praise for trusting their young audience to understand and be intrigued by the movie’s themes.

Free Guy (2021)

Free Guy may not be based on an existing video game, but it does take place in a fictional one. It stars Ryan Reynolds as Guy, a bank teller who learns he’s a non-player character (NPC) in a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) called Free City and works with a player (Jodie Comer) to prove the game was made using her stolen source code. Like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Wreck-It Ralph, Free Guy is a movie made with gamers and gaming culture in mind, with Free City sharing a lot in common with games like Grand Theft Auto and Fortnite.

Super Mario Bros. (1993)

Hear us out. Sure, this movie is the reason we’re only just now starting to get movies based on Nintendo IP. And, sure, it was a critical and commercial failure that frequently appears on lists of the worst movies ever made. But Super Mario Bros. (1993) is, for better or worse, an important piece of the Mario and Nintendo story—after all, we’re still talking about it 30 years later. Whether you want to embrace its status as a cult film or dissect what went wrong, the first Super Mario Bros. movie is worth at least one attempted watch for fans of the franchise.

Where To Watch Video Game Movies For Nintendo Fans Online

To discover more about TV shows and movies currently streaming in the US, check out the JustWatch streaming guide! You can filter your search by streaming service, genre, price, age rating, and score. Be sure to build your watchlist and receive helpful notifications on what to watch next based on your preferences!

Netflix
Disney Plus
Amazon Prime Video
Apple TV+
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Hulu
Crunchyroll
fuboTV
Max
Max Amazon Channel
MGM+ Amazon Channel
Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
Peacock Premium
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ with Showtime
Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel
Starz Apple TV Channel
AMC Plus Apple TV Channel
Britbox Apple TV Channel
Paramount+ Amazon Channel
Discovery+ Amazon Channel
AMC+ Amazon Channel
The Roku Channel
Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
Starz Roku Premium Channel
AMC+ Roku Premium Channel
AMC+
MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel
YouTube Premium
YouTube Free
The CW
Hoopla
Fandango At Home
Fandango at Home Free
Starz
Criterion Channel
PBS
FXNow
JustWatchTV
Tubi TV
Kanopy
FlixHouse
Microsoft Store
Sun Nxt
AMC
AMC Theatres
Fandor
Curiosity Stream
NBC
MGM Plus
Freeform
Philo
A&E
Lifetime
Shudder
Screambox
Acorn TV
Sundance Now
GuideDoc
BritBox
MUBI
Netflix Kids
ALLBLK
History Vault
MyOutdoorTV
WWE Network
Pure Flix
PBS Kids Amazon Channel
Lifetime Movie Club
Cinemax Amazon Channel
Hallmark+ Amazon Channel
PBS Masterpiece Amazon Channel
MZ Choice Amazon Channel
Pluto TV
BYUtv
HiDive
VIX
Night Flight Plus
Retrocrush
Dekkoo
Shout! Factory TV
OVID
Chai Flicks
Mhz Choice
Shudder Amazon Channel
Vice TV
MUBI Amazon Channel
BritBox Amazon Channel
AcornTV Amazon Channel
Fandor Amazon Channel
Screambox Amazon Channel
Sundance Now Amazon Channel
Adult Swim
USA Network
Fox
Bet+ Amazon Channel
FlixFling
Rakuten Viki
TCM
TNT
Bravo TV
Food Network
BBC America
IndieFlix
TLC
HGTV
Investigation Discovery
Science Channel
Animal Planet
Discovery
Travel Channel
Here TV
VH1
DreamWorksTV Amazon Channel
Flix Premiere
TBS
AsianCrush
Revry
DOCSVILLE
OXYGEN
Spectrum On Demand
Hi-YAH
tru TV
DisneyNOW
WeTV
ARROW
Plex
Plex Live TV
Plex Player
WOW Presents Plus
Magellan TV
BroadwayHD
The Oprah Winfrey Network
Cranked Up TV
Filmzie
MovieSaints
True Story
Martha Stewart TV
DocAlliance Films
OnDemandKorea
Darkroom
Hoichoi
iQIYI
Metrograph
Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads
Public Domain Movies
Eternal Family
Fawesome
Eventive
Cultpix
FilmBox+
aha
ShortsTV Amazon Channel
Bet+
Takflix
Klassiki
Starz Amazon Channel
Netflix Standard with Ads
Cohen Media Amazon Channel
Popflick
ViX Premium Amazon Channel
Runtime
Fandango
Telemundo
Discovery +
Reveel
Ovation TV
Angel Studios
Cineverse
AD tv
Midnight Pulp
FYI Network
Xumo Play
National Geographic
Atom Tickets
Shahid VIP
DistroTV
myfilmfriend
Cinemark
Outside Watch
Cinepolis Cinemas
Full Moon Amazon Channel
Univer Video
GlewedTV
Toon Goggles
A&E Crime Central Apple TV Channel
Acorn TV Apple TV
ALLBLK Apple TV channel
UP Faith & Family Apple TV Channel
Tastemade Apple TV Channel
Sundance Now Apple TV Channel
Shudder Apple TV Channel
ScreenPix Apple TV Channel
OUTtv Apple TV Channel
Lifetime Movie Club Apple TV Channel
Hallmark+ Apple TV Channel
Eros Now Select Apple TV Channel
CuriosityStream Apple TV Channel
Cinemax Apple TV Channel
BBC Select Apple Tv channel
BET+  Apple TV channel
Carnegie Hall+ Apple TV Channel
IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel
HISTORY Vault Apple TV Channel
HISTORY Vault Amazon Channel
Carnegie Hall+ Amazon Channel
Lifetime Movie Club Amazon Channel
Film Movement Plus
Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Troma NOW
Jolt Film
Regal Cinemas
Harkins Theatres
B&B Theatres
Marcus Theatres
Kino Film Collection
Tubi TV Live
Pluto TV Live
Cineverse LiveTV
Strand Releasing Amazon Channel
Peacock Premium Plus
ALLBLK Amazon channel
Apple TV Plus Amazon Channel
Motorvision TV Amazon Channel
Stingray Classica Amazon Channel
Stingray Djazz Amazon Channel
Stingray Karaoke Amazon Channel
RetroCrush Amazon Channel
Acaciatv Amazon Channel
Adultswim Amazon Channel
Alchemiya Amazon Channel
All warrior network Amazon Channel
Amebatv Amazon Channel
Animalplanet Amazon Channel
Aspire TV Amazon Channel
BeFit Amazon Channel
Best tv ever Amazon Channel
Best of British Tv Amazon Channel
Baeble Amazon Channel
Best Westerns Ever Amazon Channel
Broadway HD Amazon Channel
Brown Sugar Amazon Channel
BR Sports Amazon Channel
Cartoon Network Amazon Channel
BFI Player Amazon Channel
MTV Hits Amazon Channel
TLC Amazon Channel
Cinefest Amazon Channel
CNN Max Amazon Channel
The Coda Collection Amazon Channel
Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel
Daily Burn Amazon Channel
Daring Docs Amazon Channel
Dekkoo Amazon Channel
Discovery Max Amazon Channel
DocCom Amazon Channel
DocuramaFilms Amazon Channel
Dove Amazon Channel
Dox Amazon Channel
Dplus Discovery Amazon Channel
Discovery plus ID Amazon Channel
Discovery+ Originals Amazon Channel
Hidive Amazon Channel
Echoboom Amazon Channel
Cocina ON Amazon Channel
Fear Factory Amazon Channel
Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel
Fitfusion Amazon Channel
FlixLatino Amazon Channel
Food Matters Amazon Channel
Food network Amazon Channel
Fuse+ Amazon Channel
Grokker Yoga & Fitness Amazon Channel
Hi-YAH Amazon Channel
Indie Club Amazon Channel
IndieFlix Shorts Amazon Channel
Here TV  Amazon Channel
FilmBox Live Amazon Channel
Hopster Amazon Channel
Gaia Amazon Channel
France Channel Amazon Channel
IndiePix Unlimited Amazon Channel
Doki Amazon Channel
Kocowa Amazon Channel
Kartoon Channel Amazon Channel
Kidstream Amazon Channel
Kino Film Collection Amazon Channel
Mangolia Network Amazon Channel
Mangolia Selects Amazon Channel
Monsters and Nightmares Amazon Channel
Marquee TV Amazon Channel
MHz Choice Amazon Channel
MyOutdoor TV Amazon Channel
Outside TV Features Amzon Channel
OWN Amazon Channel
Panna Cooking Amazon Channel
Passionflix Amazon Channel
Pinoy Box Office Amazon Channel
PBS America Amazon Channel
PBS Documentaries Amazon Channel
PBS Living Amazon Channel
PixL Amazon Channel
Great American Pure Flix Amazon Channel
REELZ Amazon Channel
Revry Amazon Channel
Ryan and Friends Plus Amazon Channel
Science Amazon Channel
Sensical Amazon Channel
ZenLIFE by Stingray Amazon Channel
Sweatflix Amazon Channel
TCM Amazon Channel
Demand Africa Amazon Channel
The Surf Network Amazon Channel
Toku Amazon Channel
MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel
True Royalty Amazon Channel
FUEL TV+ Amazon Channel
AeroCinema Amazon Channel
BongFlix Amazon Channel
Destiny Image TV Amazon Channel
Dreamscape Kids Amazon Channel
FidoTV Channel Amazon Channel
Green Planet Stream Amazon Channel
Kundalini Yoga TV Amazon Channel
Learn How to Run Amzon Channel
Sleep Sounds & Meditation Amazon Channel
The Titanic Channel Amazon Channel
Watchit.Kid Amazon Channel
Wellness Plus by Psychetruth Amazon Channel
Yoga International Amazon Channel
Yoga and Fitness TV Amazon channel
Yoga Download Amazon Channel
Young Hollywood Amazon Channel
Vemox Cine Amazon Channel
Warriors and Gangsters Amazon Channel
Xive TV Documentaries Amazon Channel
XLTV Amazon Channel
Docsville Amazon Channel
Yipee Kids TV Amazon Channel
Yoga Anytime Amazon Channel
Planet Earth Amazon Channel
Paramount+ Originals Amazon Channel
Paramount+ MTV Amazon Channel
ITV Amazon Channel
Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
Pongalo Amazon Channel
TVCortos Amazon Channel
MTV Plus Amazon Channel
UP Faith & Family Amazon Channel
Tastemade Amazon Channel
The Great Courses Amazon Channel
Viaplay Amazon Channel
Qello Concerts by Stingray Amazon Channel
Noggin Amazon Channel
FOUND TV
Stupid Co
Gaiam TV Yoga & Fit
Kocowa
History
Max  Originals Amazon Channel
dAnime Amazon Channel
Filters
  1. The Super Mario Bros. Movie

    # 1

    While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers—and brothers—Mario and Luigi are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.

  2. Pokémon Detective Pikachu

    # 2

    In a world where people collect pocket-size monsters (Pokémon) to do battle, a boy comes across an intelligent monster who seeks to be a detective.

  3. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

    # 3

    As bass guitarist for a garage-rock band, Scott Pilgrim has never had trouble getting a girlfriend; usually, the problem is getting rid of them. But when Ramona Flowers skates into his heart, he finds she has the most troublesome baggage of all: an army of ex-boyfriends who will stop at nothing to eliminate him from her list of suitors.

  4. Sonic the Hedgehog

    Sonic the Hedgehog

    2020

    # 4

    Powered with incredible speed, Sonic The Hedgehog embraces his new home on Earth. That is, until Sonic sparks the attention of super-uncool evil genius Dr. Robotnik. Now it’s super-villain vs. super-sonic in an all-out race across the globe to stop Robotnik from using Sonic’s unique power for world domination.

  5. Wreck-It Ralph

    Wreck-It Ralph

    2012

    # 5

    Wreck-It Ralph is the 9-foot-tall, 643-pound villain of an arcade video game named Fix-It Felix Jr., in which the game's titular hero fixes buildings that Ralph destroys. Wanting to prove he can be a good guy and not just a villain, Ralph escapes his game and lands in Hero's Duty, a first-person shooter where he helps the game's hero battle against alien invaders. He later enters Sugar Rush, a kart racing game set on tracks made of candies, cookies and other sweets. There, Ralph meets Vanellope von Schweetz who has learned that her game is faced with a dire threat that could affect the entire arcade, and one that Ralph may have inadvertently started.

  6. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

    # 6

    Two years have passed since the final battle with Sephiroth. Though Midgar, city of mako, city of prosperity, has been reduced to ruins, its people slowly but steadily walk the road to reconstruction. However, a mysterious illness called Geostigma torments them. With no cure in sight, it brings death to the afflicted, one after another, robbing the people of their fledgling hope.

  7. Pokémon: The First Movie

    # 7

    Determined to prove its superiority, a bio-engineered Pokémon called Mewtwo lures Ash, Pikachu and others into a Pokemon match like none before.

  8. Free Guy

    Free Guy

    2021

    # 8

    A bank teller discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, and decides to become the hero of his own story. Now, in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way before it's too late.

  9. Super Mario Bros.

    Super Mario Bros.

    1993

    # 9

    Mario and Luigi, plumbers from Brooklyn, find themselves in an alternate universe where evolved dinosaurs live in hi-tech squalor. They're the only hope to save our universe from invasion by the dino dictator, Koopa.

    Super Mario Bros. is not available for streaming.
    Let us notify you when you can watch it.