Video game TV shows are a hot trend as of late, but not all of the games that deserve to be adapted are hitting the small screen. At that, more mature takes on video game TV shows could be the way things are headed.

With the announcement that the Sly Cooper movie is going to instead be a TV show, one can’t help but wonder what it would be like to see some other animated and live-action interpretations of the game series that we all have come to love over the years.

Most video game TV shows have been aimed at a younger viewership and have been a bit more comical, such as the Sonic the Hedgehog or Super Mario adaptations. The days of Saturday morning cartoons have translated into primetime network television, so perhaps it’s time for our video game TV shows to match the audience that grew up watching them.

‘Metroid’

The Metroid series has always been one of Nintendo’s most renowned video games. Unfortunately, it has also been a series that Nintendo has not given full attention to.

All of that can be fixed with a mature space-age drama adaptation of Metroid. The horror vibes and sci-fi tech would make for a great addition to The CW’s current lineup, and would for sure be an easy sell to the network’s target viewership.

Metroid: Other M was a bit of an embarrassment in the name of the series, but Metroid: Samus Returns brought it back to its very strong roots. Metroid Prime 4 has been announced, but the wait for it to release is already excruciating. In the meantime, wouldn’t a live-action Mertroid TV show be beyond incredible?

‘Kingdom Hearts’

This one is a real heartbreaker because plans for a Kingdom Hearts television show have surfaced in the past couple of years. The fact that the TV show never saw broadcast is quite a shame, because from the looks of it, the show was shaping up to be a faithful and interesting adaptation of the Kingdom Hearts games.

Disney franchises have proven their worth with mature audiences, as series such as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and even the DuckTales reboot draw in adult audience members. Kingdom Hearts, much like DuckTales, is a Disney series that defined a period of childhood for many, and is still a part of plenty of adults’ lives. With a complicated plot and some surprisingly intense action, the Kingdom Hearts series has earned its place in adult fans’ hearts.

As there are many manga and book tie-ins, the Kingdom Hearts series has a lot of canon fodder yet to be animated and voice acted. On top of that, there are 8 existing franchise titles, with Kingdom Hearts 3 on the near horizon. Now would be a great time to start a TV show based off the events of Kingdom Hearts 1, as it would only add greater hype to the release of the long-awaited third installment in the Kingdom Hearts series.

‘The Legend of Zelda’

The Legend of Zelda may have a Game of Thrones-like adaptation in the works, but it’s been a while since we’ve heard hide or tail of the television series.

The reason The Legend of Zelda would work as a video game TV show is because of the amount of mature content and drama that can be fully explored in a TV show. Video games are under slightly stricter restrictions as to what content they can include under similar parental guidance ratings that TV shows have.

Also, The Legend of Zelda features royalty, and who doesn’t love a good battle for the throne, Medieval style?

With the recent release of Breath of the Wild bringing the Zelda hype to an all-time high, there couldn’t be a better time to start a TV show adaptation.

‘Animal Crossing’

This one may seem out of place on this list, but it makes a lot of sense when you start to think about it. What is more of a relatable plot for Millenials than drowing in mountains of debt that you have no hopes of ever fully paying off?

Animal Crossing could work as either a younger or older viewership TV show. The older viewership version of this show would likely fall into the lines of South Park territory if taken too far. However, a balance between a kiddie show and an adult show can be found, such as Gravity Falls or Steven Universe.

While the babbly animal noises are cute, there would need to be fully voiced characters in the TV show adaptation. The Animal Crossing series has seen a boost in popularity recently from the mobile game Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, proving that this series is a viable entity for networks to pick up as a TV show.

‘The Last of Us’

AMC has to be looking to replace the waning The Walking Dead with a fresher take on the zombie apocalypse, and what better series to take on that role other than The Last of Us?

Gritty, raw, and oh so heartbreaking, The Last of Us was one of my favorite games for the PlayStation 3. The action was exciting and fast-paced, and the character development was on-par.

The show would easily fit into the different segments of the first game. As Ellie and Joel go from location to location, the game already starts to feel very cinematic and episodic.

The Last of Us 2 is going to likely be just as good if not better than the first title. With hype like this, why not make a TV show out of The Last of Us?