Rule 2:
Don't Change the Story
All movies change the story, even the meaning, when a new director, writer, and producer takes over, but this is never more apparent than when you throw a video game movie into the mix.

One of the key features that separated Mortal Kombat from the gangs of other fighting games on the market was it's unique, as well as sadistic story. Sure, the blood, gore, and death didn't hurt it any, but if it hadn't been all tied in so nicely with the story nobody would have cared (don't believe me? Showgirls had no story, all sex, however it did extremely poor ... think about that). However, when New Line Cinema chose to release Mortal street fighter Kombat, out went "most" of original story, in came conflicts, and don't even get me started about Mortal Kombat Annihilation).

The same hold true for Super Mario Bros., which is twisted so much that it's nearly impossible to compare it to the video game. And that's just the point, some games simply cannot be made into movies because they do not have enough of a story. Super Mario Bros never had a complex story, so why even attempt one?

Street Fighter would seem like a perfect fit, tons of characters, tons of stories, tons of fighting. But when you really get down to it, the game isn't really that well written. In a movie there would be no reason for these characters to see each other on their way to complete their own task. But that didn't street fighter stop then from making the movie. Perhaps somebody will be able to tell me why E Honda is a camera man, and why Blanka was a genetic clone. Though, I'm not sure I really want to know these burning questions!

Now, if you do have to change the story, go back and question why. In the case of Tomb Raider and Resident Evil it might be because the games themselves were wholly based on movies and other works of fiction. Metal Gear could work, but isn't the market already saturated with me-too action movies? Metal Gear stands out because it plays well, looks amazing, and has a great story ... in the theater Metal Gear would only have the great story.

And we still have one final rule. It's Rule Number Three