7. LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (DS)
Jonesy's first foray in brick form (and on the DS) is a solid version of the console title with more than enough changes to warrant a look into it. You can tap the touch screen to crack Indy's whip or blow into the microphone to blow out torches, making this a really fun, interactive port, especially for the kids. And the new class system means gameplay requires that little extra thought. The only big drawback is the need for multiple copies to play co-op, meaning LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures will likely be a solo experience for many. We do love a Star Wars cameo, though. But for the changes it makes, and the fact that it manages to make all of the blocks fit on this tiny system, it's one to look out for.
6. Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings (Wii)
With clunky controls that would have worked great with a little more attention, sub-par graphics for the system, and unsatisfying puzzle solving that leaves you frustrated, Staff of Kings tries very hard to disappoint you with its overall lacklustreness.
However, the attempt to make a great Indiana Jones game that actually feels like playing through a movie is lying there somewhere under the surface and it's comfortably in the top half of all Indy games on Nintendo systems. No doubt some will be able to overlook the frustration factor and find the positives in what could have been a great game, but it's the unlockable bonus title included on this disc that is the real treasure you'll want to get your hands on.
5. LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues (Wii)
Not restricted by the hardware of the DS, LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues sees TT taking everything from the first game and building more and more bricks on top of it for a fun co-op adventure. There are now multiple little hubs for each of the films (Crystal Skull, understandably, getting three), and each one hides secrets, vehicles, and characters you can use to play through the levels. The level creator only adds to the joy, and you can even make tweaks to existing in-game levels to surprise your friends. Even if Kingdom of the Crystal Skull isn't your favourite Indiana Jones movie, the Lego version is without doubt one of the best ways to experience it, particularly on the Wii.
4. Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures (SNES)
Featuring pretty much every single action scene from the first three movies across 28 stages, this can be considered a must-play for IJ fans (people call him IJ, right?). Factor 5 developed this action-platforming compilation which takes you from the start of Raiders all the way through to the Last Crusade finale via some 3D minecart and biplane stages thrown in courtesy of SNES's famous Mode 7 effect.
Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures does pretty much everything you hope it will, with an added dusting of 16-bit nostalgia thrown in for crusty adventurers like ourselves.
3. Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine (N64)
Originally developed by LucasArts with Factor 5 coming in to co-develop this enhanced N64 port, Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine never got an official PAL release due to publisher issues, but it stands comfortably in the top tier of Indiana Jones video games.
That's not to say it's perfect, but with Fate of Atlantis veteran Hal Barwood leading development, decent Expansion-Pak-enhanced visuals, a dose of Zelda-esque action-adventure puzzling and combat, and Factor 5's audio wizardry delivering the Williams goods, this one captured the Indy spirit very well. A shame it never came to Europe, then.
2. LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (Wii)
LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures captures the spirit of the movies perfectly in brick-based form, and it makes you feel like a kid as you play through them. Lovingly and humorously-recreated scenes will delight and blocky chaos will ensue as you make your way through the classic trilogy with a friend. With a solid formula established in the Lego Star Wars games, Indy and TT have whipped it up and kept it feeling fresh and fun with few changes. It's a no-brainer for anyone with kids, anyone who loves Lego, and anyone who loves a good co-op adventure.
1. Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (Wii)
Okay, okay, this didn't technically get its own release on Wii, but was rather an unlockable in the Wii version of Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings.
However, this is one of LucasArts' finest point-and-clicks from the golden age of the genre, and it appears here with Wii pointer controls which make a playthrough on your TV an absolute dream.
Staff of Kings itself isn't bad, either, but the inclusion of this all-timer as an easy unlockable makes it an essential and eminently wise choice for any Wii or Wii U-owning adventure game fan. It's perhaps the best bonus game-within-a-game you're likely to find, and rightly belongs in your personal museum.
Surprised by the result? A foregone conclusion? While we're here, let's give a shoutout to Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure, too, available on Switch via Pinball FX3.
Feel free to let us know your personal favourite Indy adventure below.
About Gavin Lane
Gavin first wrote for Nintendo Life in 2018 before joining the site full-time the following year, rising through the ranks to become Editor. He can currently be found running from a Switch backlog the size of Normandy.
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Comments 31
Staff of Kings on wii is guilty pleasure for me, far from perfect, some of the motion controls are broken especially that last motorbike level, but it did feel like indy, graphics while lo res were great I thought for wii
Considering the IP that is a pretty unspectacular list of games tbh. Looking forward to what Bethesda can do with the IP. Maybe Tomb Raider 2014 or Arkham City style would be awesome.
I've been watching through the Indiana Jones films with my dad in preparation for The Dial of Destiny (only got Kingdom of the Crystal Skull left!) so this list couldn't have come at a perfect time for me. Can't say I've really heard of many of these outside the Lego crop but, as someone who got their old Wii up and running again, I'll definitely be taking a look at Staff of Kings/Fate of Atlantis!
Fate of Atlantis is such a treasure for its time. It’d be amazing if it saw a re-release on modern consoles and PC with or without an HD remaster.
@Speedo Indeed, I'm not going to try and convince anyone about Staff of Kings, but I really like it, because you do feel like Indy playing the game, and that's the most important thing for an Indy game. Graphics might not be spectacular, but I like them too.
And the fact Fate of Atlantis comes with makes it an essential Wii title for me.
I did think the Lego ones for the Wii would rate high. I played one of those and found it really fun at the time.
The movie was very good. I was little kid when I watched it. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Yess they are making sometimes the games from the movies and it looks the same to.
I've only played a handful of these, with the SNES title being my personal favorite (despite it being almost unfairly difficult).
The Fate of Atlantis has always been regarded as a must play, but I've never had the chance. Maybe some day I'll have that chance, or I'll just find a walkthrough on Youtube.
Infernal Machine on gbc should be higher, far from a great game but pretty ambitious, and better than bad.
I bought The Staff of Kings because it came with The Fate of Atlantis.
Indiana Jones as a concept appeals to me but I'm always disappointed by the movies and games. I only really enjoyed the first movie. I never played the LEGO one. Those games are always fun. When are any of these coming to Switch?
I was just downloading La Mulana 2. I always just considered him to be Indy.
Fate of Atlantis can be easily bought on Steam for $6 or less for both Mac and PC. The game's from the 1990s so it'll run on a potato. If you love Indiana Jones and haven't played that game, you owe it to yourself. It's the real Indy 4.
Fate of Atlantis was one of the best PnC games of the era. I'd forgotten about Infernal Machine. I need to return to that one. But, FoA was really good.
@wilforce Fate is on steam for less than $10 and so elite, but would also love a switch version
Staff of Kings was surprisingly enjoyable. And at the time I thought the graphics were rather good for a 3rd party Wii game.
AdventureGamers ranked Fate of Atlantis the #11 best adventure game of all-time.
Portal 2 was #10.
If you've ever liked any old point-and-click adventure games, it's a no-brainer. I got mine on GOG.
@dringosa I almost picked it up a few years ago, but I’ve drifted away from playing games on PC a while ago. While my rig is fine, my setup is not ideal so it takes a good 20 minutes to pull everything out for a PC gaming session.
Usually I don't leave angry comments but lego indiana jones 2 for the ds is better then the one on the wii and it is much better the lego indiana jones on the ds.
I‘m missing the Indy Jones Pinball table from Pinball FX3 (Switch) in this list. Would be my number two behind Fate Of Atlantis
Nah temple of doom for NES was way better than sole of the games you listed here. I call BS
You forgot Indiana Jones: The PInball Adventure once again. The table is considered a pinball classic by aficionados and the FX3 game, while not universally loved because of how they separated it from the rest of the package, is still a good translation that took forever to come to fruition.
I played both of the Lego Indiana jones on the wii when I was younger. Probably the best Lego games I’ve played
I'm a little surprised to see any of the Nes games on this list. As i recall none of them were good but my memory is a little fuzzy on those. I remember renting last crusade and not particularly enjoying it but i was also Like 10 or something. Was i wrong about it being as bad as i remember?
I used to have infernal machine on N64. That one was pretty awesome but a bit clunky and confusing like the early Tomb raider games. I Don't think it's aged exactly well.
@Cashews @sportvater
I wholeheartedly agree! When Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure hit the arcades in 1993 it was immense fun (literally immense, as it was a widebody pin and those things weighed a ton) and still is very fondly remembered - today it sits at number 5 on the Internet Pinball Machine Database's fan-rated top 10 list of solid-state pinball machines. I'd daresay it outshone any Indiana Jones videogame in the arcades or on home consoles at the time.
I was excited to see the pin digitized and added to Pinball FX3 a year or two ago. It's a licensed game with authentic art, music, and voicework, so the port cost more than a typical pinball sim, but it's well worth it if you enjoy video pinball sims and remember playing Indy in real life.
I think Zen's attention to detail and hard work rounding up the licenses needed to port this classic deserves more than a shout out here.
@dartmonkey Can't you please consider including it into this Best Indy List officially?
Edit: After all, Zen's Star Wars Pinball made NintendoLife's "Best Star Wars Games" list.
Granted, that was a full retail & eshop release, whilst Indy is just DLC for Pinball FX3. Hmm... I'll stop pestering now.
Oh that's easy, it's La-Mulana and its sequel La-Mulana 2, superb games both with some of the best video game music ever.
Didn't realise Indie had so many games! Loved the first Lego game a ton as a kid, my copy of the sequel was faulty
...I suppose that reflects on the quality of the Crystal Skull.
The original Temple of Doom arcade is great! I used to pump quarters in that thing at the mall. The NES port is unfortunately not as good.
The only Indiana Jones game I've ever played was a demo (?) of Indiana Jones and His Desktop Adventures on Windows wayyy back in the day (going back nearly 30 years, I think), which was kind of an RPG game.
I remember liking it a lot, but I think I would've gotten stuck quite early on and not knowing what to do or where to go next.
Why include 5 games that are rather bad on the list? Just leave the bad ones out and mention them in 10 best ones.
I wouldn't mind the better games representing this film series being remastered on the Switch tbh (any of the top 6 in your list here). I liked the older films from back in the day. Good fun.
I actually barely played any of these games.
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