From crowded streets filled with water buffalo, tuk-tuks and a million honking cars to vast countrysides housing a multitude of secluded villages, India is a gigantic place with a varied surplus of locations all drastically different than the next. There have been plenty of books and movies taking advantage of this variety and the country's overall vibrancy as well as an endless list of Bollywood films set there. Just recently there was a showing held by ten Indian states to various filmmakers, so there's certainly interest on both sides when it comes to showcasing India in all of its glory. And that sentiment doesn't just apply to written and filmed media.
Video games have been putting the Taj Mahal's home on full display for more than two decades now, with all sorts of games ranging from adventure titles to fighting games. This list starts with a well-known game that often pits people from all over the world against each other, so it's not surprising to see India snag a spot on the roster.
Street Fighter series
One of the long-running fighters to consistently throw hands with some of the world's toughest is the yoga savant known as Dhalsim. While he might not be the most conventional contestant, blowing floating fireballs and teleporting across the stage, his signature trait is the extreme lengths his arms and legs can stretch to deliver a punch. Moving from his fighting style to his home turf, Dhalsim's stages in the series are all set in India and often have elephants in the background. In his Street Fighter 2 stage, the Hindu god Ganesh can be seen in the background on a mural.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Street Fighter isn't the only place this religious aesthetic can be seen. The most recent Uncharted game also shows off the elephant god in giant statues that stand stoically next to a majestic waterfall. Other gods and goddesses can be seen throughout the treasure hunt of a game, but unlike the locations shown for Dhalsim, The Lost Legacy gives us a taste of what the quiet wild looks like in India just as much as they do the populous cities. Much in the same vein as a game like Pearls of India available as part of a series of slots online, both games take advantage of the outdoors as well as religious icons to really make the setting pop. However, where the slot machine title gives players a static background where statues of idols stack on top of each other, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy allows players to explore their surroundings and solve puzzles set in the locations. It's also worth noting that fellow explorers Lara Croft and Indiana Jones also made stops in India, so we think it's safe to say the country has more than a few hidden treasures scattered about.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Although "Persia" is right in the title, India makes an appearance in two titles that revolve around the prince and his journeys through the country. These titles take place in 9th century AD, so what is shown is mostly India of the old and the stunning architecture that made it so noteworthy. Much of the same religious sights can be found in this game, but the sense of busyness and densely populated areas are far more toned down. While the 2010 Prince of Persia film did fail to stay true to the original storyline that brought the hero to India, it did manage to become the third-highest grossing movie adaptation of a video game only being beaten by World of Warcraft and The Angry Birds Movie.
With any luck, we could see another romp through India by 2019 if upcoming title Raji: An Ancient Epic receives enough support on its Kickstarter goal of $50,000. Until then, be sure to pick up a controller and try out the few games already out there to get a feel for how the digital world sees India.
