Gazing at the opening scene of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild instantly transports me to Ireland. It may not be influenced by the rolling hills of the Irish countryside, but I can’t help but daydream when my partner plays that game. I know a major reason we are planning to visit Japan is because of Persona 5. So I wanted to make a list of other video games that are perfect replicas of cities you can visit and inspire travel based on the scenery.
If you like Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, visit Rome.
While the first two games in the franchise took you through fun locations in Europe and the Middle East, this was the first game that let you explore a single city and make changes to it’s real-life buildings and attractions like the Colosseum.
Cliche as they are, you should definitely visit Foro Romano, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, and Via Sacra while you’re there.
The other games in the franchise could also inspire a trip: Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate to London, Assassin’s Creed: Origins to Egypt, and Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey to Greece.
If you like Persona 5 Royal, visit Tokyo.
This is probably the closest you’ll ever get to being a teenager in Tokyo if you didn’t grow up there. Persona 5 is a beautiful love letter to living in Japan, specifically Tokyo. You ride the subway to and from school, cook and eat Japanese curry and explore iconic locations like Shibuya Crossing, Akihabara, and Shinjuku.
Besides those three, you might also enjoy the Robot Restaurant, Godzilla head, Capcom Bar, Final Fantasy Eorzea Cafe, and the Ghibli Museum.
If you like Watch Dogs 2, visit San Francisco.
While Watch Dogs 2 wasn’t the first to recreate a city in a video game, it was the first to do so in an incredibly accurate way. Since the game’s publisher, Ubisoft, is located in SF I imagine it was a fun passion project for that team to develop an almost Google-Street-View-like version of their hometown.
The Sonic Adventure 2 City Escape level is also an ode to San Francisco, after the Sonic Team moved to the U.S. Many games embody the cities near and dear to their developers’ hearts. So much so that it’s even become a trope to explode the Golden Gate Bridge like in the Avengers game or in Star Trek: Into Darkness.
If you like Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, visit Scotland.
The latest entries in the Pokémon franchise feature the Galar region which is reminiscent of The United Kingdom, particularly Scotland. The rolling hills, localized slang, and gym battles treated like major soccer games may be subtle, but the female player character can’t be anywhere else in the world but Scotland. There are even a few new Pokémon like Scorbunny (a soccer star), Wooloo (a sheep), and Weezing (a Dickens-inspired Galarian version of the original) that give off British vibes.
Looking for ideas in Scotland? Check out Glenfinnan Viaduct, The Kelpies, Circus Lane, and my whole post on Glasgow.
If you like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, visit San Diego.
While the game has locations all over California and Canada, the titular skateboarder lives in San Diego and there is a major skating culture in Southern California.
You have to do Coronado Island and Balboa Park or even make a day trip out to Joshua Tree National Park and Palm Springs. But the food scene is amazing in So-Cal so spending any time just gorging yourself isn’t a waste.
If you like Life Is Strange, visit the Pacific Northwest.
Arcadia Bay is a fake town, but the flannel and forested mountains make me want to lace up my hiking boots and grab my reusable coffee mug.
My favorite spots in Oregon are Multnomah Falls, Thor’s Well, Butte Creek Falls, Bagby Hot Springs, Blue Star Donuts, Stumptown Coffee, and Ground Kontrol Arcade. Washington demands you explore Bellingham, the three national parks (North Cascades, Mount Rainier, and Olympic), Pike Place Market, and Woodinville Whiskey Co.
If you like Spiderman (PS4), visit New York City.
This particular iteration isn’t the only game of the franchise to recreate New York City, but it’s the best one that details the iconic neighborhoods like Hell’s Kitchen, Tribeca, and Greenwich Village. You can even wander around to visit some landmark’s from Marvel’s New York like the law firm where Matt Murdoch practices and Avengers Tower.
As for the real life New York, I can’t possibly share all of my recommendations in one sentence so please do reach out if you are looking for unique ways to explore the most populous city in the United States.
There are so many other games that can inspire travel. A few friends listed Hydro Thunder and Venice, Overwatch and Grand Theft Auto for a variety of cities, and even Red Dead Redemption and Bodie, California.
The reverse is always true as well. If you love a particular place but can’t get back right away, picking up the controller and playing one of these games may feel like you are back.
Note: This post was written with much assistance from my partner Andrew Henderson, co-host of Debate This, a nerdy podcast about video games and comics.