Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Hardware
  • Video
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Deals
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
View
Trending
  • Summer Game Fest
  • New games for 2025
  • Upcoming Switch 2 games
  • Switch 2 stock
Recommended reading
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Marvel Movies DC boss James Gunn says he made sure Marvel scripts featuring Rocket "always made sense" – as sometimes they "didn't match" what he felt about the character
Chris Pratt as Star Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 looking up
Marvel Movies Chris Pratt jokingly addresses his absence from Avengers: Doomsday casting announcement
Howard the duck
Third Person Shooters Marvel Rivals is allowed to use characters from the last "85 years" of comics, and fans want everyone from a literal wall to a mutant who poops ice cream in the game
Superman bloodied, being carried by his robot assistants
DC Movies Superman director James Gunn has revealed a secret cameo by the Guardians of the Galaxy in his big DC reboot movie
Will Poulter in Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Marvel Movies Guardians of the Galaxy 3 star recalls accidentally punching Dave Bautista in the face while filming the Marvel movie
Chris Pratt and Hemsworth in Thor 4
Marvel Movies James Gunn told Marvel he wouldn't put Thor in Guardians of the Galaxy 3: "I don't understand how to write that character"
Lewis Pullman as "Bob" in Thunderbolts*
Marvel Movies Thunderbolts actor wanted to change his character's name but was told no: "It's in the comics, you can't change that"
  1. Games
  2. Action

If game characters starred in Guardians of the Galaxy

Features
By Amanda Orneck published 7 August 2014

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Guardians of the Game Industry

Guardians of the Game Industry

As a gamer, when I see a blockbuster movie filled with a cast of interstellar misfits like Guardians of the Galaxy, I naturally start to imagine how the movie might look with gaming characters holding the lead roles. That's not weird, is it? I mean, we've all done it with one movie or another, right?

Think of it: a movie about a comic book that is cast with video game characters. I dont think you can get more fascinating than that. Its like geek-ception. Great, now I have the Inception song stuck in my head. While I deal with that issue, check out my take on this epic movie, gamified.

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Nathan Drake as Star-Lord

Nathan Drake as Star-Lord

A dashing tomb raider with a heart of gold? Check. Sentimental about family heirlooms? Check. Not only is Uncharteds thieving hero quick with a joke, hes also a ladies man who travels the world in search of fortune. Also, dont forget his burning desire to figure out the truth behind his ancestry.

Drake is no stranger to the mercenary life, and he would fit right in with the rest of the Guardians crew, as long as they dont mind him randomly climbing the interior of the Kyln. He may not have dealt with aliens specifically (yet), but Drake knows his way around ancient antiquities that could potentially destroy the world. And while hes definitely the sort to fight his way out of a scrap rather than talk his way out, I have a feeling he would do amazingly well in a dance-off.

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Garona Halforcen as Gamora

Garona Halforcen as Gamora

Garona may not have been built as a living weapon, but being bred as a half-orc half-draenei assassin is about as close as youre going to get in the Warcraft universe. In World of Warcraft, Garona has climbed the ranks of the rogues guild to become their leader, but she started out in much the same place as Gamora, a slave to the whims of her creator, forced to kill those she respected against her will. You know, the usual heartwarming stuff.

Garonas version of Gamora would no doubt include much less almost hand-holding with the Star-Lord, and instead deal much more avenging herself on her father. And instead of seeking unspecified adventure in galaxy, I expect Garona to head straight for Azeroth the first chance she got, to make sure she can take care of business back home now that she has some strong allies at her side.

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Kratos as Drax

Kratos as Drax

There have been few men in the gaming world who have less of a sense of humor than God of Wars Kratos. Not that he isnt justified in his dour outlook on life. Hes lost his wife and daughter (*cough* by his own hand *cough*) and has been enslaved to the gods for a decade. Vengeance, bloodshed and death are his hallmarks; he elevates violence to an artform. Really, there is simply no one better suited to take on the role of shirtless badass than this son of Sparta.

Kratos and Drax have a lot in common, but their motivations are very different. So when given the chance to befriend a ragtag band of misfits, Kratos would most likely decline, and would probably kill them for good measure. This leaves no one to save the galaxy from Ronan and his ilk, which I guess makes for a very short movie. Way more blood and gore though, so theres that.

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Daxter as Rocket

Daxter as Rocket

Daxter is an Ottsel, which is obviously a genetically created hybrid of an otter and a weasel (duh). Although he didnt start out as a rodent, Daxters personality and more weaselly traits really fit his new body. Yes its true that most of the time Daxter is out for himself, and is pretty cowardly, but when it comes time to rescue his ol pal Jak in his eponymous adventure, Daxter straps on his bug sprayer and heads into danger.

Dax would most likely have some tough times with the more technical parts of Rockets job, since hes not known for his smarts. He might learn a thing or two about tinkering from Tess though, which means he could come up with some crazy solutions to the Guardians problems. And since Daxters used to riding high on Jaks shoulders, Groot shouldnt been that big of a stretch (unless Groot is actually stretching, that is).

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Elderoot as Groot

Elderoot as Groot

Sentient trees dont get near the playtime they deserve these days. Why it used to be that you couldnt throw an ent without hitting a treant, but times have changed. Who has the raw power and sheer goodwill to stand tall as the paragon of all things leafy? WildStars Elderoot, thats who. Sure hes ancient, but this cyborg tree created by the Eldan hasnt lost his luster over the millennia. In fact hes got nary a silver leaf on his head.

What he does have is an irrepressible desire to help out the denizens of Everstar Grove, and that drive would serve him well through adventures aboard the Meridian. Sure he cant technically move like Groot can, but he has the power to be able to infuse life into others, thus ensuring his friends will always have the aid they need. Plus, theres always container gardening. Youd just need a really, really big pot.

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Saren as Ronan

Saren as Ronan

As far as Turians go, Saren from Mass Effect is a model citizen. Distinguished in military service, the youngest Turian ever to join the Spectres youd think this is a guy whos going places. Well he is, if Genocide Alley counts as a destination. Sarens hatred of humankind sets him on a distinctly corrupted path, and he can be firmly counted as a member of Overreacters Anonymous when he decides that all humans should die because they want entrance into the Citadel ahead of other species.

Sarens drive to annihilate another species fits in rather well with Ronans accusation of the Xandarian people. He also is quite fond of searching for artifacts that will wipe out entire peoples. Hes just thorough like that. The only issue I see here is that Saren would probably prefer surrendering to a higher power than taking out his boss directly, but who knows what sort of schemes will pass behind that zebra-striped faade when he gets his hands on the infinity gem.

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Vi as Nebula

Vi as Nebula

League of Legends Vi takes the idea of body augmentation to a whole new place. While shes not a cyborg per se, shes modified her hands into massive gauntlets even Thanos would be jealous of. One could say Vi certainly packs a punch. Now in the role of Nebula, you can be sure Vi will use all the experience gleaned from her time the Fields of Justice. Shes an assassin after all, so hand-to-gigantic-metal-hand combat is definitely up her alley.

And her constant bickering with Caitlyn isnt that far off from the I hated you least attitude Nebula portrays with Gamora. The role of Nebula isnt all that story intensive either, which gives Vi plenty of time to pull off a heist or two while shes waiting for Ronan to decide how best to destroy the universe.

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
Blackbeard as Yondu

Blackbeard as Yondu

When I say dastardly pirate, what comes to mind? If you said Assassins Creed, then you get a cookie. Black Flag has the dastardliest pirate of them all in the person of one Edward Thatch, AKA Blackbeard. Sure he hasnt set foot in space yet, but give him time. If the booty is lucrative enough, Thatchd go anywhere the Queen Annes Revenge can sail.

Visually these two might not be a match (this isnt Bluebeard were talking about), but Blackbeard is the only one I would trust in the role of untrustworthy pirate. He might even be persuaded to part with his signature beard if the price were high enough. Blackbeard isnt much of a whistler, but spending his days surrounded by sea shanties, my guess is hed be able to figure out how to wield a musically-controlled arrow in no time flat.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
"What a bunch of a-holes"

"What a bunch of a-holes"

So there you have it, my take on Guardians of the Galaxy recast with gaming characters. Now these certainly arent the only options out there. Blackbeard beat out Genie from Kingdom Hearts by a hair. After all, thats the brilliant thing about alternate universes: Everyones right. So heres your chance to be right. Let me know what choices you would make for these match-ups in the comments. Who knows? Maybe there is a fan artist out there just waiting for your inspiration.

If you thirst for more comic book knowledge, check out our a guide to all the upcoming comic book movies and our guide to the biggest non-games news from Comic-Con 2014.

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
CATEGORIES
Android iPad iPhone PC Gaming Wii-u Nintendo PlayStation PS4 Xbox Xbox One Platforms Mobile Gaming
PRODUCTS
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag God of War Collection Mass Effect 3
Amanda Orneck
I'm a lady gamer living it up in Huntsville, AL. My current obsession is Hearthstone.
See more PC Gaming Features
Read more
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
DC boss James Gunn says he made sure Marvel scripts featuring Rocket "always made sense" – as sometimes they "didn't match" what he felt about the character
Chris Pratt as Star Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 looking up
Chris Pratt jokingly addresses his absence from Avengers: Doomsday casting announcement
Howard the duck
Marvel Rivals is allowed to use characters from the last "85 years" of comics, and fans want everyone from a literal wall to a mutant who poops ice cream in the game
Superman bloodied, being carried by his robot assistants
Superman director James Gunn has revealed a secret cameo by the Guardians of the Galaxy in his big DC reboot movie
Will Poulter in Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Guardians of the Galaxy 3 star recalls accidentally punching Dave Bautista in the face while filming the Marvel movie
Chris Pratt and Hemsworth in Thor 4
James Gunn told Marvel he wouldn't put Thor in Guardians of the Galaxy 3: "I don't understand how to write that character"
Latest in Action
Link is in a barrel in The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker on Nintendo Switch 2
Twink Link is being freed: Nintendo apparently backtracks, says you are allowed to call yourself Twink Link as it works to unban a Switch 2 it "flagged by accident"
Protagonist Jordan in a screenshot from the reveal trailer for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Naughty Dog boss Neil Druckmann is leaving HBO's The Last of Us season 3 to turn his "complete focus" to Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and the studio's "future projects"
Death Stranding 2 PS5 screenshot
Death Stranding 2 has a "completely hidden mechanic" that lets you fire lethal rounds, meaning voidouts are now inevitable
a robot being shot with a gatling gun but still approaching menacingly
Rockstar remembers Red Dead Online exists and puts out a new update trailer for the first time in 4 years, leaving fans hopeful it's not dead after all: "Are we back?"
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Nintendo Switch 2 could revolutionize Zelda technology: Tears of the Kingdom tinkerers confirm lasers are way deadlier now – "We always knew 60 fps would be insane, but I didn't expect it to be this insane"
Death Stranding 2 Sam touching Lou and Fragile
Hideo Kojima says he "kind of hates" the AI assistant in his phone, which is why Death Stranding 2's message is that people shouldn't just rely on technology
Latest in Features
All-New Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #1
Spider-Gwen's new comic introduces her own personal symbiote villain, Tantrum: "Tantrum is the embodiment of everything Gwen was trying to leave behind"
A screenshot from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 showing Maelle fighting an enemy.
I accidentally became a god in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and it broke combat so badly that I had to nerf myself to keep things fun even on Expert mode
Multiple Jans discuss their situation in The Alters
My current GOTY contender sold itself to me with an out-of-nowhere musical number, and I can't praise that choice enough
Death Stranding
6 years too late, I bring lukewarm takes: Death Stranding rules, and we should all play more games outside of our comfort zone
María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer
James Gunn's Superman may be setting up The Authority movie with its enigmatic villain The Engineer
Sam sits in a bike looking across at a city in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
70 hours in, Death Stranding 2 is one of few open world games that justifies having such a huge map
  1. Sam fires at the ghost mech squid boss in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
    1
    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse"
  2. 2
    Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic"
  3. 3
    Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat"
  4. 4
    FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special"
  5. 5
    Dune: Awakening review: "Both extremely compelling and extraordinarily boring, sometimes at the same time – yet still a true Dune love letter"
  1. A T-rex in Jurassic World Rebirth
    1
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  2. 2
    M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion"
  3. 3
    28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
  4. 4
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  5. 5
    From the World of John Wick: Ballerina review: "Brilliant action, even if the plot gives you a sense of déjà vu"
  1. Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
    1
    Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever"
  2. 2
    Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era"
  3. 3
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...