Summary
Within the last few years,classic games have been getting remakes. Developers have been giving gamers new chances to experience old favorites on modern consoles, and while some classics are great and simply need to be ported to newer generations, there have been examples likeFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirththat take remakes to a new level.
Some series out theredeserve some remakes, and some have gotten remakes that did not live up to expectations. These are some titles that could use some more attention, and possibly a revisitation that breathes new life into them.
What made the originalApe Escapeso great was its bizarre and quirky premise about using a number of weird gadgets to catch apes.On the Loosewas a remake that ported the game to the PSP, which limited players' use of gadgets, and the overall fluidity of the original gameplay suffered a bit as a result. Even though the original is great, and the remake is almost the same,Ape Escapedeserves another remake.
The last installment of this series came out in 2010, with a lackluster amount of content. A full recreation of the original game with an emphasis on more gadgets and intricacies could do wonders. The charm is still there, and newer consoles could revive the series with new multiplayer modes, challenges, and a new wacky story.
Star Fox’s main presence today is in theSuper Smash Bros.games, with no real recreations or successful spin-offs of what made the originalStar FoxandStar Fox 64games so great. While the 3DS remake ofStar Fox 64updated the graphics and sounds, it did little to expand on the game’s content or innovate on its mechanics.
An actual remake ofStar Fox 64could do the franchise wonders. Skipping pastStar Fox Zero, Fox and his wingmen could be seen in a longer campaign, not just with new graphics, but by bringing back split-screen multiplayer for co-op missions or PvP. Newer consoles could modernize the rail shooter thatStar Foxonce was and adapt it into something fresh.
Warcraft 3: Reforgedwas initially blasted for its many technical issues upon launch, missing promised features in multiplayer, and a lack of improvements over the original. This was most likely due to Blizzard’s layoffs at the time, and a tight schedule to push the game out the door.
Despite the mixed reception, the attention it brought should be a sign that gamers want more fromWarcraft. Instead of quickly remaking a game, perhaps the best path forWarcraftis to invest in a wholesale remake of one of the series' classic entries. This would also give room for the developers to expand perspectives on the new lore seen inThe War Within.
Secret of Mana HDis a high-definition remake of the 1993 SNES game,Secret of Mana. Although the game includes the same gameplay as the original, it still plays like a lower-budget game, complete with bugs and a mediocre art style. The addition of voice acting was a great touch, even if the character’s mouths don’t move.
The remake did achieve the same vibrant colors andstoryline of the original, but it could do with a stronger and more polished art direction. The real-time combat could also use a refresh to keep up with real-time RPG combat, asFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthdid.
GoldenEye 007received remakes for the DS and Wii, neither of which achieved the samelevel of success as the original, but still offered cool environments from the film. The DS version seemed to struggle with movement and graphical quality, and overall, the remakes didn’t feel up to date for their time.
Even thoughGoldenEye 007has a remaster included in the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, the game deserves a more modern recreation. The original game already plays seamlessly in terms of movement and shooting. A remake could keep what worked and adapt a new art style that doesn’t have to be 2010s stereotypical gritty.
While theRadical Dreamers Editionwas a great step forward in remaking the originalChrono Crossfor newer TVs,Chrono Crossdeserves a full recreation to reinvent its story and art style for the next generation.Chrono Crossis a timeless game despite its age, and is still worth playing, which is why a remake should reimagine the classic.
Players originally hoped for aChrono Trigger 2, butChrono Crosseventually won hearts over despite feeling somewhat unfinished. A full remake could deepen its connection with the series, expand upon the Dream Devourer/Time Devourer lore, or be a new installment in theChronoseries altogether.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthwas a great example of a passionate and fully recreated game, andFinal Fantasy 8could use the same kind of remake. TheFF8remaster felt like it was riding on the wave ofupdating older games to newer consoles, leaving in outdated animations and mechanics.
A full reimagining ofFinal Fantasy 8could incorporate the revamped combat system of theFF7remakes and include updated visuals as well. A remake could also possibly adapt the story into something new likeFF7 RemakeandRebirthdid by retelling its original story.
Pokemon Let’s Go!was one of the best-selling games for the Nintendo Switch, but felt like an extension of the mobile game,Pokemon Go. The game uses the same exact story and world asPokemon Yellow, retelling the original 1998 story in a fresh format, in the same way thatPokemon FireRed and LeafGreendid forPokemon BlueandRed.
The largest downside to thePokemon Goplaystyle is how easy the game is, with XP gained for all party Pokemon from catching wild Pokemon and battling. The originalPokemon Yellow, Red,andBluecould use a more challenging recreation, and possibly additional content similar to whatOmega RubyandAlpha Sapphiredid with the Delta Episode.
