The Mad Max franchise, 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.
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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 of Mad Max video games. Here is an overview of every single Mad Max video game project, including the ones that were released and the ones that were left in the dust.
5 Mad Max: Autorama
A Misguided VHS Game
- Released: N/A (Canceled)
- Platform: Control-Vision
- Developer: ISIX
The very first attempt to make an interactive Mad Max adventure 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, and Mad Max: Autorama would have taken advantage of this technology 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 on Mad Max: Autorama came from a misunderstanding. Hasbro, which was funding the development of Project Nemo, had been under the impression that Mad Max was a family-friendly franchise. When Melville checked in with the company about the violence in the game, Hasbro immediately scrapped the project.
4 Mad Max (1990)
Road Rage on NES
- Released: 1990
- Platform: NES
- Developer: Gray Matter
Despite the title, 1990's Mad Max video game actually takes more inspiration from 1981's Mad 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 battlefield full 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 in Mad Max also feature abandoned mines, which are subterranean zones that Max must explore on foot.
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Reviews of 1990's Mad Max ranged 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.
3 Outlander
A Max By Any Other Name
- Released: 1992
- Platform: Genesis, Super NES
- Developer: Mindscape
Officially, Outlander is not a Mad Max game. However, it was initially developed by Mindscape, the publisher of the 1990 Mad Max title, as a sequel to that game. The game, originally titled Road Warrior in reference to Mad Max 2, was nearly complete when Mindscape lost the rights to the IP. In order to keep the project afloat, the company renamed it Outlander and removed any and all direct references to the iconic film franchise.
Outlander is a driving game played in either first- or third-person, depending on the platform. In true Mad Max fashion, 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. While Outlander no longer has any place in the Mad Max canon, it is still a significant episode in the franchise's video game history.
2 Mad Max: Asylum
A Struggle To Survive
- Released: N/A (Canceled)
- Platform: PlayStation 2
- Developer: Melbourne House
In 1999, Melbourne House, recently acquired by Infogrames, leveraged its Australian roots and racing game history to create a new Mad Max game called Mad Max: Asylum. This game was set to take place years after the events of Mad 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, Asylum would 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.
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Unfortunately, the project was rejected by Mad Max co-creator George Miller. While some rough test footage of the game exists from its time in development, Mad Max: Asylum was officially canned, and Melbourne House would eventually be absorbed by Krome Studios, another Australian software company.
1 Mad Max (2015)
Hitting the Open Road
- Released: 2015
- Platform: PS4, PC, Xbox One
- Developer: Avalance Studios
When it comes to Mad Max video games, most modern fans of the franchise will likely think of the 2015 game before anything else. This title, which is allegedly canon as of the 2024 spinoff Furiosa, picks up after the events of Mad 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 of Mad Max into video game form. Given the success of both the game and the movie it's connected to, Mad Max (2015) will likely set the tone for any Mad Max games to follow.
