Tolkien’s Center-earth has captured the creativeness of fantasy followers worldwide ever since The Hobbit was printed in 1937. And though Peter Jackson is the movie director who efficiently introduced the books to life on the massive display, you could be stunned to be taught Center-earth additionally has a wealthy online game historical past that goes again a long time.
The earliest online game adaptation was created in 1982 by Beam Software program, which developed a text-adventure recreation primarily based on The Hobbit. The recreation was an enormous hit and went on to promote over 500,000 items in Europe, regardless of middling critiques from critics. Such is the energy of Tolkien’s works.
In whole, there are over 50 video video games primarily based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien that span quite a few genres, like action-adventure, RPG, technique, and extra. As we put together for an additional new Tolkien recreation simply on the horizon, we’ve gone by means of this lengthy historical past and chosen the 11 finest Lord of the Rings video games ever made.
11. The Lord of the Rings: Conflict in the North
The authorized rights to adapt The Lord of the Rings into video video games are nearly as sophisticated as Center-earth’s lore itself. In the early 2000s, Tolkien’s literary works and Peter Jackson’s movie variations have been handled individually, with Vivendi and Tolkien Enterprises proudly owning the rights to adapt the books for video games, whereas EA owned the rights to adapt Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings films. In 2009, Warner Bros. was capable of carry collectively each film and guide rights and, in the end, develop video games that integrated story parts from each the literary and cinematic worlds of Tolkien.
The Lord of the Rings: Conflict in the North is the first Center-earth recreation to characteristic story and design parts from each books and movies. This hack-and-slash RPG stars a trio of unique characters: The Ranger Eradan, the Dwarf Farin, and the Elf Andriel, every with their distinctive playstyle. The trio goes on a journey parallel to the occasions of the movie trilogy after they’re enlisted by Aragorn to assist the Fellowship, all whereas Frodo makes his method to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring. Whereas the fight is usually thought-about fulfilling, albeit typical of its time, the actual draw is that Lord of the Rings followers get to role-play as self-insert pals of Aragorn throughout the iconic occasions of the Peter Jackson films.
10. The Lord of the Rings On-line
Since 2007, hundreds of gamers have ventured into the many areas of Center-earth itself due to the intensive digital world of The Lord of the Rings On-line. Whereas actually not as widespread as different MMORPGs like World of Warcraft or Remaining Fantasy 14, Lord of the Rings On-line has cultivated a devoted participant base due to the manner it brings the world of Tolkien to life, permitting gamers to discover the far corners of Eriador, Rhovanion, Gondor, and Mordor. A go to to The Lord of the Rings: On-line may even be thought-about important for any Lord of the Rings fan.
Create a singular character and journey round Center-earth throughout the occasions of The Conflict of the Ring and undertake quests and raids crafted after occasions from the novels. What’s extra, the recreation continues to be going robust after 18 years, with the most up-to-date enlargement, Legacy of Morgoth, launched in late 2024. It additionally stays the solely Lord of the Rings MMORPG, and can stay so for the foreseeable, particularly after Amazon canceled its personal deliberate Lord of the Rings MMORPG in 2021.
9. Lego The Hobbit
TT Games, previously Traveller’s Tales, has remodeled beloved franchises into wildly widespread, comedic journey Lego video games for years. Lego The Hobbit follows the similar components that made the studio’s Star Wars and Harry Potter video games such beloved hits.
A zany re-telling of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit films constructed of plastic bricks, gamers can journey by means of the occasions of the trilogy’s first two movies, An Sudden Journey and The Desolation of Smaug (the third movie, The Hobbit: The Battle of the 5 Armies, had not but hit theaters.) You’ll be able to unlock and play as dozens of completely different Hobbit film characters on this humorous journey, which splices lots of nice skits and sight gags into an in any other case fairly trustworthy (if closely condensed) recreation of the films. Count on to battle goblins, journey barrels, and steal from a colossal dragon. However as fulfilling as this all is, simply know there’s a higher Tolkien film trilogy with a greater Lego adaptation barely additional down this checklist.
8. The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Center-earth
EA Los Angeles launched a sequence of real-time technique video games primarily based on Center-earth in 2004, throughout the top of the style’s reputation. The Battle for Center-earth is rooted in the tried-and-tested Command & Conquer components: you are taking command of both the forces of Gondor or Mordor, set up a base by constructing distinctive constructions and items, after which ship out a military that can combat a conflict to find out the destiny of Center-earth.
Battle for Center-Earth was a essential and industrial success when it was launched, due to its satisfying single-player story mode that included separate, full campaigns for each Gondor and Mordor. Many praised the manner it completely translated the world of Center-earth to the RTS style, and EA LA would go on to one-up their achievements with a far superior sequel that you just’ll additionally discover on this checklist.
7. The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
The Lord of the Rings is the sort of property that permits for every kind of variations. RTS? Certain! MMORPG? Completely. How a few Remaining Fantasy-esque turn-based RPG? Surprisingly, additionally sure – you’ve discovered your method to The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age.
Criticized for being possibly too impressed by Remaining Fantasy 10, proper all the way down to having the same battle menu, The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age however combines a well-recognized, turn-based fight system and class-based social gathering system with the world of The Lord of the Rings. The result’s a satisfying RPG that has turn into a permanent fan-favorite. The Third Age, like Conflict in the North, is about parallel to the occasions of the Peter Jackson movies, with gamers taking over the function of characters who’re sizzling on the path of the Fellowship. Alongside the manner, you go to many of the similar areas that seem in the movie trilogy, and battle acquainted foes like the Balrog. There are even moments the place you may briefly workforce up with members of the Fellowship itself in battle.
It’s not the most unique recreation on this checklist, however The Third Age is an effective way to really feel like an element of The Lord of the Rings films with out merely taking part in as Aragorn, Gandalf, or Frodo.
6. The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Center-earth 2
EA LA adopted up their Tolkien RTS with a superior sequel, The Battle for Center-earth 2. Like the first recreation, you may select between a Good or Evil single-player marketing campaign. The former’s story is centered on the Elf Glorfindel, who allies himself with the Dwarves to defend Rivendell from Sauron. In the meantime, in the Evil marketing campaign, Sauron sends his commander, the Mouth of Sauron, and the Nazguls to invade the North.
Just like the first recreation, gamers increase armies consisting of infantry, bowmen, pikemen, cavalry, and siege machines and command them utilizing characters from The Lord of the Rings. The sequel additionally provides much more factions, together with Goblins, Dwarves, and Elves, for a complete of six factions. It’s the higher recreation of the two Battle for Center-earths by far, however sadly, neither is that can be purchased immediately due to EA dropping the Lord of the Rings licence, and even homeowners of the outdated bodily editions can not battle on-line as on-line servers have been shuttered in 2010.
5. Lego The Lord of the Rings
Like the Hobbit recreation we’ve beforehand spoken about, Lego The Lord of the Rings is TT’s brickified adaptation of the unique trilogy of films directed by Peter Jackson. And in the event you’re solely going to play one of them, that is the one you need to play. You’ll be able to play as any of the 80+ accessible characters in Lego type, from Frodo and Aragorn to Lurtz and Tom Bombadil, all whereas working, leaping, and constructing your manner by means of the occasions of the superior Tolkien movie trilogy.
The Lego video games often dwell or die relying on which widespread franchise they’re adapting, and TT had an ideal basis in the huge, various world of The Lord of the Rings. There’s one thing notably charming about seeing Center-earth dropped at life in Lego type, which makes it simple to advocate to any fan. Do you want The Lord of the Rings? Do you want Legos? Do you want enjoyable platformers? Increase, one of the finest Lord of the Rings video games ever.
4. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Again throughout the period of official film tie-ins in the early 2000s, , EA printed a pair of hack-and-slash video games primarily based on The Lord of the Rings movies the place you took management of members of the Fellowship and made your manner by means of the key occasions, leaving a pile of orc corpses in your wake.
The Gauntlet-like gameplay suited the fantasy swords-and-sorcery battles of The Lord of the Rings nicely, however The Return of the King was particularly notable for its inclusion of native co-op, permitting you to type your personal mini-Fellowship and undergo the journey collectively. Utilizing precise scenes from the Peter Jackson film to function cutscenes (a profit unlocked due to the PS2’s DVD drive) and gameplay that captured the scale of the movies’ battles, Return of the King was head and shoulders above many official tie-in video games launched right now. Nevertheless it didn’t fairly beat its personal predecessor…
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Return of the King are very related video games constructed on the similar hack-and-slash foundations, and so your favourite of the two is essentially as much as private choice. Which scene from the films do you most wish to expertise? For our cash, the Helm’s Deep stage in The Two Towers is amongst the easiest moments in any Lord of the Rings online game.
Like in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, you’ll discover many of The Two Towers’ key moments re-created right here (in addition to a couple of from The Fellowship of the Ring, too.) However the actual pleasure is present in taking management of one of the members of the Fellowship themselves. Whether or not it’s the hack-and-slash sword fight of Aragorn, the speedy ranged bow assaults of Legolas, or the heavy axe swings of Gimli, The Two Towers’ combo-heavy fight felt pretty much as good as any motion recreation launched in the early 2000s. Throw in superb visuals taken straight from the films, and The Two Towers is a standard-bearer for official film tie-in video games.
2. Center-earth: Shadow of Conflict
As beforehand talked about, issues round the rights to The Lord of the Rings have led to a range of restrictions. The Center-earth: Shadow video games, although, have been developed throughout a time when Warner Bros. had the rights to each Tolkien’s works and Peter Jackson’s films, which meant developer Monolith Productions was capable of take inspiration from the wider universe detailed in the legendarium, the lore bible that The Lord of the Rings is constructed on.
Shadow of Conflict, the second recreation in the sequence, goes to some uncommon locations as a result of of that freedom. It includes figures like Shelob (right here depicted as a girl, moderately than a spider, as a result of of lore causes) and the never-before-seen Entwives, and ties protagonist Talion’s destiny straight into the story of the Ringwraiths. Shadow of Conflict’s overly sophisticated story, with its convoluted makes an attempt to tie its world to the films, is the purpose why many have the sequel ranked beneath its predecessor relating to Monolith’s two Center-earth video games.
However story isn’t all the pieces. Shadow of Conflict encompasses a a lot bigger, extra various world than its scorched brown predecessor, permitting you to discover extra of Center-earth. The similar unbelievable fight and, of course, the Nemesis system, all return from the first recreation, however they’re bolstered by a fortress siege system that captures the epic scale of iconic battles corresponding to Helm’s Deep (albeit you’re combating alongside an amassed military of brainwashed orcs, moderately than males and elves.) All this helps skyrocket Shadow of Conflict in the direction of the prime of our rankings, overwhelmed solely by its unbelievable predecessor.
1. Center-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Set between the occasions of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Center-earth: Shadow of Mordor sees the Gondorian Ranger Talion bond with the wraith of Celebrimbor, the elf who unwittingly aided Sauron forge the Rings of Energy. Collectively, they go on a journey by means of the depths of Mordor to get revenge on Sauron’s generals who murdered Talion’s household. With fewer ties to the films than in the sequel, Shadow of Conflict, Shadow of Mordor tells a extra cohesive story of revenge in Center-earth.
However the true star of Shadow of Mordor is Monolith’s patented Nemesis system. Each Orc in Shadow of Mordor is exclusive to your playthrough, every given a random design, traits, and identify. However past simply procedurally producing a military of distinctive foes so that you can kill, the Nemesis System shifts and adjustments every Uruk’s relationship with each you and their friends relying on the way you work together with them. If one kills you in fight, for instance, they may get promoted for his or her valiant deed and can carry up their victory the subsequent time you encounter them.
This method, mixed with the satisfying, Batman Arkham-style fight and a narrative that isn’t only a retread of Peter Jackson’s films, simply makes Shadow of Mordor our favourite Lord of the Rings recreation of all time. Sadly, Monolith Productions was shut down in 2025, and so we’ll probably by no means see one other Shadow recreation, nor the Nemesis System once more. And so the two Center-earth video games function a proud legacy for this departed studio.
With a brand new line of The Lord of the Rings films on their manner, in addition to the ongoing Rings of Energy TV present on Prime Video, there’ll probably be much more Tolkien video games coming in the future. Subsequent up is the cozy recreation Tales of the Shire from Fictions and Weta Workshop, which is able to ship a wholly completely different online game tackle Tolkien’s world.
Matt Kim is IGN’s Senior Options Editor.