We’re back with more games from beloved films and TV shows that we just wish we could get our hands on and play.
So far, we’ve seen the likes of Free City, Dash Dingo, and Jumanji. Once again, we will be lovingly admiring these works of fiction, whilst taking our best guestimate at their specs and what Overclockers UK hardware is best for the job.
SAO from Sword Art Online
First on today’s list is Sword Art Online from the popular manga and anime of the same name. SAO is a VRMMORPG, where players level their way up through a variety of dungeons. With the sinister addition that if they die in game, they die IRL. That pesky detail aside, SAO is a beautifully formed game with a variety of classes and MMO features, such as guilds and quests.
True there are a plethora of games based on this anime series, but none are the full-dive game we see in the manga and show. It would be incredible to experience SAO first-hand and battle through Aincrad, though perhaps with the sensation settings turned down somewhat. Honestly, I just want to try the S-Class food Asuna cooks – why does anime food look so delicious?!
SAO Specs
Fun fact, according to the Sword Art Online timeline, the game would have actually dropped in 2022! The opening dialogue of the first episode states that the game officially started on November 6th, 2022, 1pm JST. Therefore, we can postulate that the required specs would align with VR titles released around the same time. RPGs made for VR, rather than existing games getting VR mods, have been populating Steam for some time now.
One such game is Legendary Tales, an ARPG where you crawl dungeons, collect loot, and level up your character. You can even play in groups of up to four. Just like a traditional MMORPG, just in VR. Released for Early Access in September 2021, we can make the intelligent assumption that SAO would use similar specs. Especially as it went through extensive Alpha testing before its 2022 release.
| Component | Minimum Specs | Recommended Specs |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 | Windows 10 |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-6700K | Intel Core i7-10700K AMD Ryzen 3800X |
| Memory | 16GB RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 1070 Ti | NVIDIA GTX 2080 AMD RX 6700XT |
| Network | Broadband internet connection | Broadband internet connection |
SAO Recs
Of course, Sword Art Online is actually played on a dedicated VR console, NerveGear. As such a thing does not exist in our reality (thank goodness!), we can use a VR headset and gaming computer combo instead. No microwaved brains when you fail a dungeon. For the headset, we like the HTC VIVE Cosmos Elite.
HTC VIVE Cosmos Elite VR Headset
- VR headset
- High-resolution LC-Displays at 1440 x 1700 pixels
- 110-degree field of vision
- 90Hz refresh rate to reduce motion sickness
- Wireless compatible
To serve as the console portion of the NerveGear, the Refract Indigo is more than up to the job. Whilst the Refract Pre-Built Gaming PC range supports VR, we think the Indigo has what it takes to see you through all 100 levels.
Refract Indigo Pre-Built Gaming PC
- Designed for 1440p and 4K gaming
- VR ready and primed to stream games
- AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D processor
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Super GPU
- Three years parts and labour warranty
Grand Theft Walrus from The Simpsons
The titans of parody are back, with Grand Theft Walrus. Making its first appearance in The Simpsons Movie, GTW is an arcade version of Grand Theft Auto. Whilst we only get to see a brief amount of gameplay, it is enough to leave us wanting more. Who doesn’t want to drive around a city committing crimes as a walrus?! It’s just one of those “out there” concepts that needs to be brought to life.
The only change from the original game needed is for it to be a fully-fledged PC game, rather than limited to an arcade machine. It may be great spotting the sequel machine, Grand Theft Walrus II, in the Kwik-E-Mart from time to time, this game needs ray-tracing, 4K graphics, the works!
Grand Theft Walrus Specs
If going canonically, The Simpsons Movie was released in 2007, meaning that the Grand Theft Auto they are likely parodying is either San Andreas or Vice Stories, being the most current games at the time. However, this would still be on an arcade machine, a 2D game with specs similar to GTA 2.
If it were to be a PC game, then we could hope for specifications more akin to GTA V. Especially if we were hoping for a criminal walrus in glorious 4K.
| Component | Minimum Specs | Recommended Specs |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8 / 7 64-bit | Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8 / 7 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 2.40GHz AMD Phenom 9850 Quad-Core @ 2.5GHz | Intel Core i5 3470 @ 3.2GHz AMD X8 FX-8350 @ 4GHz |
| Memory | 4GB RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA 980 GT 1GB AMD HD 4870 1GB | NVIDIA GTX 660 2GB AMD HD 7870 2GB |
| Storage | 72GB available | 72GB available |
| Sound Card | DirectX 10 compatible | DirectX 10 compatible |
Grand Theft Walrus Recs
Whether GTW is more like its arcade roots or the modernised version, either version can be expertly handled by the Spectra Jade. This pre-built gaming PC was designed to play Grand Theft Auto V, after all.
Refract Jade Pre-Built Gaming PC
- Designed for 1080p and 1440p gaming
- Plays GTA V at 155+ frames per second (1080p)
- AMD Ryzen 7 7700 processor
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti GPU
- Three years parts and labour warranty
Hero’s Duty From Wreck it Ralph
Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph is a treasure trove of video games. There’s Fix-It Felix, Jr, and Sugar Rush Speedway, designed especially for the film; along with a number of games you’d find in real arcades, such as Tapper. While we could talk about any one of these fictional arcade games, it’s the first-person shooter, Hero’s Duty, that caught our eye. Just like Ralph, we are drawn to this game like moths to a flame.
According to its in-film bio, Hero’s Duty is the most advanced first-person shooter game ever created. With accolades like that, why wouldn’t we want to play it? The premise is simple, get to the top of the tower and defeat all the Cy-Bug hatchlings. Fulfil your duty and get a shiny gold medal carved with the word “hero”. Plus, you get to fight alongside a stellar cast – Sergeant Calhoun is a babe.
Hero’s Duty Specs
However, with the release of games like Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium and Arcade Paradise, or even the arcade port Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Wrath of Mutants, there’s nothing stopping us from wishing that Hero’s Duty could have a home on PC.
| Component | Minimum Specs |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 32-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i3 AMD equivalent |
| Memory | 2GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 AMD Radeon HD 6770 |
| DirectX | Version 11 |
| Sound Card | DirectX compatible |
| Additional Notes | Recommend Xbox controller for Windows |
These are the specs for Arcade Paradise.
Hero’s Duty Recs
Based on the above specs, Hero’s Duty would not require all that much from your gaming PC. Or perhaps even gaming laptop? We think the stunning FHD 165Hz display of the MSI 15 Pulse is the perfect way to immerse yourself into battle with Cy-Bugs.
MSI 15 Pulse Gaming Laptop
- 15.6″ QHD display with 165Hz refresh rate
- Intel Core i9-13900H CPU
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU
- 1TB NVMe SSD and 16GB DDR5 RAM
- Cooler Boost 5 thermal solution
Roy: A Life Well Lived from Rick and Morty
Since this zany sci-fi show from Adult Swim first aired, Rick and Morty has shown us a dazzling world of insane tech and aliens. There are a number of gadgets from Earth C137 that we’d love to get our hands on, from portal guns to inter-dimensional cable. What really stands out for us, though, is the game Roy: A Life Well Lived from the episode Mortynight Run.
The Rick and Morty franchise may have spawned a number of games, but it’s this one from the Blips and Chitz planet that we really want to play.
A VR arcade game, you play as the titular character Roy Parsons, guiding him through life whilst other gamers can seemingly view on. We know that actions within the game have consequences, shaping Roy’s life to be different with every session. Most would probably play this game akin to Morty, a standard run-of-the-mill life. However, thanks to Rick and his inherent need for chaos, we know that you can play Roy’s life to the extreme – taking him off the grid and more.
Can you just imagine all the ways you could play this game? If gameplay is a spectrum from Morty to Rick, then there’s no telling what hi-jinks you could get up to!
Roy: A Life Well Lived Specs
Being an arcade game, ordinarily we would expect the specifications for Roy to be fairly modest. That said, this episode is set in the Replacement Dimension on the Blips and Chitz planet – so who knows what crazy tech they have you hook up to! Morty’s blank expression when the helmet is lowered suggests that there may even be some neural interface.
So, your guess is as good as ours! Make up your own alien gaming tech in the comments below.
Roy: A Life Well Lived Recs
Whilst we may not be in an alternative dimension on an alien planet, we do have some pretty out-of-this-world tech that could play an Earth version of Roy. Whilst nowhere near neural implants, the HTC Vive PRO VR headset could serve as an interface for the game.
HTC VIVE PRO Full Kit
- Includes VR headset, two controllers, and 2.0 base stations
- High-resolution LC-Displays at 1440 x 1600 pixels
- 110-degree field of vision
- 90Hz refresh rate to reduce motion sickness
- 3D spatial audio
For the console, only the latest and greatest will suffice. It’s a good job we have plenty of 8Pack extreme gaming PCs, like the updated Comet MK2.
8Pack Comet MK2 Extreme Overclocked PC
- Micro-ATX overclocked gaming PC by 8Pack
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 overclocked GPU
- Custom made case, available in three materials
- Dual-loop water cooling with bespoke 8Pack distro plates
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU
Cones of Dunshire from Parks and Rec
The last game on today’s list is technically a board game, Cones of Dunshire from Parks and Rec, but there is definitely some overlap when it comes to loving the different facets of gaming. How great would it be to rock up at EPIC.LAN with Cones of Dunshire for their tabletop gaming session?
Created by the character Ben Wyatt, Cones of Dunshire is tabletop game with complicated and convoluted rules that would seemingly make it unpopular. Despite this, it becomes a fully-fledged game with somewhat of a cult following. In the flash forward episode, it is revealed that Ben even designs a sequel for it.
What makes us want to play it so bad? It’s the combination of fantasy, strategic gameplay, luck, and a healthy dose of whimsy. They are cones after all. The premise of the game is seemingly simple: accumulate cones. First player to get four cones wins. To get the cones, however, players must build civilisations, bringing much meatier gameplay.
Fun fact: the professionally-produced version was made by Mayfair, who produce the IRL game Catan.
Cones of Dunshire Specs
A real-life version of this game was actually produced and made playable for attendees of GenCon 2014, lucky so-and-sos. Sadly, it was not mass-produced. In another twist, though, some very clever modders have figured out the rules and recreated Cones of Dunshire on Tabletop Simulator. So, in effect, we do have a means to play this weirdly convoluted game. Still, it would be nice to wear the Ledgerman’s hat.
| Component | Minimum Specs |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 7 SP1+ |
| Processor | SSE2 instruction set support |
| Memory | 4GB RAM |
| Graphics | Graphics card with DX10 (shader model 4.0) |
| DirectX | Version 10 |
| Network | Broadband internet connection |
| Storage | 3GB available space |
Please Note: From experience, we recommend at least 8GB RAM for loading up the bigger and more expansive games – which Cones of Dunshire is sure to be!
Cones of Dunshire Recs
If Cones of Dunshire was to become a physical, mass-produced game, then you’re not going to need a PC or laptop to play it. On the other hand, this game features mini-figures, dice, cones, a board, and so many extra pieces – having a smooth surface to keep it all on will be helpful. This is where the OcUK 3XL Mega Mat comes in.
OcUK Mega Mat 3XL Elite Tactical Gaming Surface
- 3XL gaming mat measuring 1180mm x 600mm
- Stitched edges for enhanced durability
- Rubber base for optimised grip
- Woven fibre technology
- Extreme compatibility with the OcUK Elite Gaming Mug
Of course, as we do actually have a virtual means of playing Cones of Dunshire, I’d be remiss to not recommend a gaming PC from our range that fits the bill. Introducing the Refract Gaming Azure Pre-Built PC.
Refract Gaming Azure Gaming PC
- Pre-built gaming PC with cherry picked hardware
- AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GPU
- 1TB M.2 SSD
- 32GB DDR5 RAM
More Amazing Games We Wish We Could Play
In total, we’ve looked at fifteen fiction games that we just wish we could play. Check out volumes one and three below!
Which Fictional Game Do You Want to Play?
What fictional gem are we missing from our list so far? Let us know in the comments below!
PC specs are subject to change.
- 12 min read
Emily Haylock
Author
Emily is a board and cosy gamer, keyboard obsessive, and content copywriter for Overclockers UK. She has been with Overclockers UK since 2020, writing about everything from noblechairs to 8Pack PCs. She writes from within her desk nest with a foster pup at her feet. (What, a desk duvet is a totally normal thing!) In her downtime, she likes to play board games, farming sims, and old-school Final Fantasy. IX to be specific. It is the best, and that is a hill she will die on.
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