The Shrek Video Games, Ranked

Shrek, the Dreamworks animated classic that inspired the world of animation, spawned popular sequels and unleashed a meme fever dream upon the world, is now 20 years old. It’s a grim thought that our childhoods are now so far, far away (sorry), but the film remains an impressive staple of cinema all these years later. And not only did it spawn Shrek 2, one of the greatest cinematic sequels ever made, it also brought about a huge array of tie-in video games. And as expected, most of them are atrocious. Here’s our ranking of the Shrek video game titles, from the absolute dregs to the surprisingly solid.

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10 | Shrek Swamp Kart Speedway

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One of the many Shrek kart racers (that exist for some reason), Shrek Swamp Kart Speedway is a complete mess of a game, that is Shrek in name alone. A GBA title that plays exactly as any Mario Kart ripoff would, except that’s so migraine-inducingly ugly and packed with some of the worst sound design on the handheld, you won’t be able to hang onto it for much longer than five minutes. If any game truly sullies the legacy of everyone’s favourite ogre, it’s this one.

 

9 | Shrek: Treasure Hunt

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Treasure Hunt is a title that didn’t get much attention from critics or players, but it’s with good reason. The peculiar collectathon sees Shrek collecting items for a picnic via a series of uninspired minigames and boring levels. The game is incredibly ugly and lacks any of the charm that Shrek brings to the big screen. An undeserving title for the Shrek name, and a clunky game in its own right.

 

8 | Shrek (Shrek Extra Large)

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The tie-in game for the original movie is one drenched in nostalgia for many, but we assure you, it’s probably not as good as you remember it is. Shrek (also known as Shrek Extra Large in its Gamecube port) is a peculiar title with an odd quest system defined by the player’s “good deeds”, leaving the game with a dull and repetitive structure. Definitely one worth missing.

 

7 | Shrek Super Party

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The party game that tries to bring the world of Far Far Away to your games night (“tries” being the keyword), Shrek Super Party is something of a flop. The minigames are uninspired, and quite frankly, don’t have much to do with the mythos of Shrek’s world. Disappointingly meagre bargain bin fodder, that just isn’t fun. Plus, the gigantic heads for the playable characters was a choice.

 

6 | Shrek The Third

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Another direct movie tie-in, Shrek The Third might be based on the worst of the Shrek films, but it’s still the start of an intense step up in quality for the ogre’s video game titles. Some moments can be lorded as forgettable and the controls are especially button-mashy, but it’s a good-looking game for its time, that’s at least a minor step towards a genuinely fun gaming experience starring everyone’s favourite ogre.

 

5 | Shrek Forever After

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Created perhaps too late after movie tie-in games lost their steam, Shrek Forever After remains a standard, but marginally fun gaming experience. It’s a muddy looking one with some severely wonky voice acting, but it’s one that’ll keep kids who are fans of the franchise entertained for at least half an hour, and one that boasts some particularly creative cutscenes. Another button-masher, but it’s still perfectly fine, and that’s all we can ask of a movie tie-in to Shrek Forever After, to be honest.

 

4 | Shrek Smash ‘n Crash Racing

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Shrek Smash ‘n Crash Racing might have a few odd character choices, but it’s a step in the right direction for the odd lineage of Shrek kart racers. Well, sort of. The game trades karts for strange animals that the characters ride through stages, which is certainly an odd touch, but one that’s engaging enough to carry you through the track at least. The game was intended to be a remake of Crash Team Racing before it was scrapped and plastered with some Shrek-green paint, so while the tracks can be uninspired, the controls are tight and the gameplay is almost exciting.

 

3 | DreamWorks Super Star Kartz

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A game that’s definitely past the due date for tie-in titles, an amalgam kart racer that brings together the characters of Shrek, Madagascar and How To Train Your Dragon amongst others. It’s hard to fathom who asked for this game, but it does a pretty solid job of being a competent kart racer with licenced characters and tracks inspired by their worlds. It’s goofy, fun, and you’ll care for at least a little bit. There’s a bit less Shrek in it than we’d like, mind, so don’t expect his involvement to be… ogre-whelming. Sorry.

 

2 | Shrek Super Slam

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Of all the tie-in titles we could have received off the back of an animated title for a children’s movie, a beat-em-up was not one commonly expected. But, to everyone’s surprise, Shrek Super Slam is actually alright. A clear clone of Super Smash Bros, the game defies all expectation by having some competent design and some creative stages, not to mention an odd yet intriguing cast of fighters. Some of the inputs are a little wonky, but for the most part, Shrek Super Slam is an actually good Shrek-themed fighting game, as unbelievable a concept that might be. Plus, there’s a shockingly lively competitive scene for the game. That’s not a joke.

 

1 | Shrek 2

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Joining Spider-Man 2 and Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue in the licensed game hall of fame, the game based on Shrek 2 is an absolute belter. Immaculate platforming and an engaging story (though that’s mostly a credit to the film) make the tie-in a beautiful credit to one of the 21st century’s best-animated flicks, and a game that for the most part stands the test of time. Though it’s worth noting it still only caps out at a score of 70 on Metacritic, it’s the best game on the PS2 in which you through chickens into soup. Probably.

That’s our ranking of the Shrek video games, and while many don’t live up to the immense reputation of everyone’s favourite ogre, some of them do a good job of turning far, far away into a workable digital locale. Fingers crossed that the upcoming Shrek 5 will bring a return to tie-in games, and a return to the swamp once again. And maybe if we’re lucky, it’ll be better than Swamp Kart Speedway. Shudder.

 

Images via Dreamworks Pictures | Silent Software Inc | The Code Monkeys | DICE | Mass Media Games | Amaze Entertainment | XPEC Entertainment | Torus Games | High Impact Games | Shaba Games | Luxoflux