TheMad Maxfranchise, which originated in 1979 with the film of the same name, is one of the most well-known action series out there. The films focus on a world that has fallen into lawlessness and ruin, and the gangs and vigilantes that call it home. Critics and fans alike enjoy the explosive action on display in these films, and it’s this very violence that makes the series such a good candidate for adaptation to the world of video games.
Surprisingly, there have been very few attempts to transpose the series' trademark mayhem into a more interactive format. Some of these attempts never even made it off the ground, resulting in a pretty small list ofMad Maxvideo games. Here isan overview of every singleMad Maxvideo game project, including the ones that were released and the ones that were left in the dust.
A Misguided VHS Game
The very first attempt to make an interactiveMad Maxadventure came in 1987, during the development of the ill-fated Control-Vision, otherwise known as Project Nemo. This unique console would have used VHS tapes instead of ROM cartridges, andMad Max: Autoramawould have taken advantage of thistechnology to incorporate FMV visuals. The result would have effectively been an on-rails shooter, with footage of real cars in the desert, seamlessly making branching turns at decision points.
Project lead Ken Melville wrote an original script for the game and even filmed some test footage with stunt driver John Ward. Unfortunately, much of the progress onMad Max: Autoramacame from a misunderstanding.Hasbro, which was fundingthe development of Project Nemo, had been under the impression thatMad Maxwas a family-friendly franchise. When Melville checked in with the company about the violence in the game, Hasbro immediately scrapped the project.
Despite the title, 1990’sMad Maxvideo game actually takes more inspiration from 1981’sMad Max 2, which is the first properly post-apocalyptic entry in the film series. It casts the player as the titular Mad Max, behind the wheel of his iconic Pursuit Special.Each level is a nonlinear battlefieldfull of enemy cars and bunkers that Max must destroy in order to eventually reach the Arena. This is a high-stakes demolition derby where cars attempt to shove each other into pits. The levels inMad Maxalso feature abandoned mines, which are subterranean zones that Max must explore on foot.
Reviews of 1990’sMad Maxranged from low to average, unfortunately. It suffered from lackluster controls and frustrating limitations on resources like ammo and gasoline. However, there were many fans of the films who enjoyed the chance to step into the shoes of Max Rockatansky. Today, the game is viewed as something of an underrated cult classic, albeit one that’s a little rough around the edges.
3Outlander
A Max By Any Other Name
Officially,Outlanderis not aMad Maxgame. However, it was initially developed by Mindscape, the publisher of the 1990Mad Maxtitle, as a sequel to that game. The game, originally titledRoad Warriorin reference toMad Max 2, was nearly complete when Mindscape lost the rights to the IP. In order to keep the project afloat, the company renamed itOutlanderand removed any and all direct references to the iconic film franchise.
Outlanderisa driving game playedin either first- or third-person, depending on the platform. In trueMad Maxfashion, the player must contend with raiders in trucks and bikers as they drive through the wasteland. The protagonist is regularly compelled to leave the car and enter an on-foot side-scrolling section in order to scavenge supplies and weapons. WhileOutlanderno longer has any place in theMad Maxcanon, it is still a significant episode in the franchise’s video game history.
A Struggle To Survive
In 1999, Melbourne House, recently acquired by Infogrames, leveraged its Australian roots andracing game historyto create a newMad Maxgame calledMad Max: Asylum. This game was set to take place years after the events ofMad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, picking up with the title character as a broken and lonely man forced to intervene to save the life of a small child. Like previous projects in the franchise,Asylumwould have had a mix of driving and on-foot gameplay, with one planned level tasking Max with climbing an oil rig in a dried-up ocean.
Unfortunately, the project was rejected byMad Maxco-creator George Miller. While some rough test footage of the game exists from its time in development,Mad Max: Asylumwas officially canned, and Melbourne House would eventually be absorbed by Krome Studios, another Australian software company.
Hitting the Open Road
When it comes toMad Maxvideo games, most modern fans of the franchise will likely think of the 2015 game before anything else. This title, which is allegedlycanon as of the 2024 spinoffFuriosa, picks up after the events ofMad Max: Fury Road, the critically acclaimed soft reboot of the film franchise. It centers on Max working on a new car for himself, which he calls the Magnum Opus, while at the same time contending with Scabrous Scrotus, son of film antagonist Immortan Joe.
While some critics found the combat generic, the 2015 game received high marks on the whole and is generally regarded as the most successful attempt to bring the world ofMad Maxinto video game form. Given the success of both the game and the movie it’s connected to,Mad Max(2015) will likely set the tonefor anyMad Maxgames to follow.
Mad Max
WHERE TO PLAY
Avalanche Studios and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment bring you an action-adventure game set in the universe of the Mad Max franchise created by George Miller.Become Mad Max, the lone warrior in a savage post-apocalyptic world where cars are the key to survival. In this action-packed, open world, third person action game, you must fight to stay alive in The Wasteland, using brutal on-ground and vehicular against vicious gangs of bandits.A reluctant hero with an instinct for survival, Max wants nothing more than to leave the madness behind and find solace in the storied “Plains of Silence.” Players are challenged with treacherous missions as they scavenge the dangerous landscape for supplies to build the ultimate combat vehicle.In this action-packed, open world, third person action game, you must fight to stay alive in The Wasteland, using brutal on-ground and vehicular against vicious gangs of bandits. Cars are the key to survival.
