When DreamWorks released Shrek in 2001, it couldn't possibly have known that the face of cinema would be changed forever. A simple tale based on a children's book, Shrek takes the Disney fairytale and distorts it, injecting some adult humor and themes into an otherwise child-friendly movie about an ogre, donkey, princess, and class struggles.
In all seriousness, Shrek's satirical take on the fairytale genre was a breath of fresh air, and the voice acting, great animation, and stellar soundtrack has cemented it as a modern-day classic. Though its sequels and spin-offs haven't received the same critical reception, they've still got some avid fans, and thanks to some undying Shrek memes, the franchise lives on 20 years later. It's just a shame the ogre's video game offerings haven't attributed to his success.
A-Tier
- Shrek: Hassle at the Castle (2002): It may just be a simple side-scrolling Game Boy Advance beat-em-up, but Shrek: Hassle at the Castle is one of the best Shrek games around, which really isn't saying much. For a GBA game, Hassle at the Castle looks surprisingly good, with a distinctive art style that gives each character an absurdly huge head. Environments are vibrant, and the controls are satisfying.
- Shrek 2 (2004): Shrek 2 isn't the best 3D platformer of its generation - it's not even the best movie tie-in of its generation - but it is an absolutely fine game that delivers heaps of nostalgia for those who played it years ago. Aside from nostalgia, Shrek 2 captures the essence of its source material extremely well. From Shrek's Swamp to the Kingdom of Far Far Away, everything looks as cartoon-y and bright as it should. Multiple playable characters with unique animations and movesets as well as a variety of mini games keep Shrek 2 fun for its entire runtime.
- Shrek SuperSlam (2005): Essentially a 3D Super Smash Bros., albeit with a lot more jank, Shrek SuperSlam is a wild ride from start to finish. With 10 playable characters to unlock, stretching across the entire Shrek saga, SuperSlam gives players a variety of ways to pummel their opponents. Shrek SuperSlam is a flawed but very fun fighting game that's caked in an engrossing layer of absurdity.
- Puss in Boots (2011): Based on the spin-off of the same name, Puss in Boots is a simple, short action-adventure game, with some unexpectedly intuitive motion controls. Good games for the Kinect are hard to come by, and somehow Puss in Boots is actually one of them, with some astonishingly responsive motion-based swordplay.
B-Tier
- Shrek: Reekin' Havoc (2003): Based on the Shrek 4-D Universal ride, Shrek: Reekin' Havoc is a direct follow-up to Hassle at the Castle, using the same art style, and similar environments. Reekin' Havoc is a fine GBA title, but its similarities to the first make it feel a bit like a cash grab as opposed to a fully-fledged sequel.
- Shrek Smash n' Crash Racing (2006): A pretty basic cart racer, Shrek Smash n' Crash Racing offers enough variation amongst its racers to be worth a few laps. Each playable character in Smash n' Crash has their own distinct method of transportation, ranging from Donkey riding on Dragon, to Puss in Boots riding a bull. There's enough charm in Smash n' Crash's racers and tracks to make it a worthwhile Shrek experience.
- Shrek the Third (2007): The third direct Shrek movie tie-in, Shrek the Third is far from the worst in the series, but it's also far from being the best. The addition of 4-player co-op makes its dull stages stand out a bit more, and some competitive multiplayer mini-games help to break up the monotony, but as an overall experience, Shrek the Third does little to hold the player's attention.
- Shrek-N-Roll (2007): An Xbox Arcade exclusive, Shrek-N-Roll is a simple puzzle game that should provide an hour or two of entertainment. However, after the first few stages are completed, players will soon realize that the game's solid presentation isn't enough to stave away its lack of evolving gameplay.
- Shrek: Ogres and Dronkeys (2007): One of the more unique and bizarre entries on this list, Shrek: Ogres and Dronkeys is a Nintendo DS game that cashes in on the popularity of other virtual life simulations like Nintendogs and Sims 2: Pets. In this game, the player is tasked with looking after Shrek and Fiona's ogre babies, along with Dragon and Donkey's hybrid creations. Players can bathe the infants, dress them up, and make them learn musical instruments. It's a truly odd game, but its mechanics and presentation are fine for what they are.
- Shrek Forever After (2010): The final game based directly on one of the Shrek movies, Shrek Forever After is at its most fun when played in co-op, but its repetitive combat and barebones puzzles do little to keep players invested. Shrek Forever After is certainly geared towards younger gamers, but even then, there are other options out there.
C-Tier
- Shrek: Fairy Tale Freakdown (2001): Starting the C-Tier off with an ugly, extremely basic 2D fighting game for the Game Boy Color, Shrek: Fairy Tale Freakdown is a sign of things to come for this list. There may be a total of nine playable characters, but each one feels more unbalanced than the last. Unresponsive and unsatisfying controls are the cherry atop this green cake.
- Shrek Super Party (2002): Heavily inspired by Mario Party, Shrek Super Party is a pretty poor party game. Although it boasts having 30 mini-games, each one offers the thinnest amount of gameplay possible, often boiling down to just a single button mash. The only thing putting Super Party above some other games on this tier list is its decent graphics.
- Shrek 2: Beg for Mercy (2004): Essentially just a watered down sequel to the GBA version of Shrek 2, Beg for Mercy is a side-scrolling action platformer that looks okay, but does not play well. Platforming is confusing due to the poor camera angle, and slashing away with Puss in Boots' sword just doesn't feel good.
D-Tier
- Shrek (2001): The first Shrek tie-in game ever released, Shrek is a 3D action-platformer based on the first movie, but fails to deliver any of the source material's charm or any gameplay that isn't the basic form of its genre. With some exceedingly frustrating camera controls, bland level design, and downright awful sound effects, Shrek is simply not worth playing.
- Shrek Swamp Kart Speedway (2002): Though Shrek Swamp Kart Speedway looks surprisingly good for a faux-3D GBA cart racer, its controls are a whole other story. Each cart feels sluggish to control, and the game's hit detection is wildly unfair, leading to some frustrating losses.
- Shrek: Treasure Hunt (2002): Everything a fan needs to know about Shrek: Treasure Hunt is that it came out on the original PlayStation in 2002, a year after the first Shrek game was present on the original Xbox. Gameplay boils down to walking into a certain number of pieces of "treasure," and playing a boring mini-game. Everything about Shrek: Treasure Hunt is bad, from its audio design to its visual presentation to its controls and gameplay.
- Shrek's Carnival Craze (2008): A Shrek mini-game compilation in which the mini-games are exceptionally dull, Shrek's Carnival Craze has very little to offer in terms of replayability or general fun. When compared to the slew of other DS mini-game compilations out there, Carnival Craze pales in comparison to even the worst ones.