It seems that more so than ever before, video game remakes and remasters are a dime a dozen nowadays. In theory, these re-released products offer the benefits of new hardware while maintaining the personality of the original game, but we all know that’s not always the case. While remakes are a complete overhaul from the ground up, remasters are essentially the same game with a new coat of paint and slight fixings, but both can be well worth the purchase if done right. The best video game remakes and remasters can be a great way for newcomers to experience iconic games for the first time or let longtime fans get a pleasant dose of nostalgia, but the worst can leave a lasting stain. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some retro video game remakes and remasters that either nail the entire package, fumble the execution, or just downright miss the mark entirely.
All-Time Great Remakes and Remasters
When everything goes to plan, a good video game remake or remaster can remind us why we loved the game so much in the first place, bolstering an already fantastic experience into something truly top-tier. Thankfully, there are several examples of this, including a few remakes that have simply outshone their source material. From SNES classics to a highly controversial shooter, look no further than these amazing retro game remakes and remasters.
1. Super Mario All-Stars (1993, Super Nintendo)
It might be weird to think about, but Super Mario All-Stars is one of the best examples of a retro video game remake done well. Decidedly different from the original games, due to the new art style, slightly different physics, and fresh save system, Super Mario All-Stars offers four of the best platforming games ever made in one perfect package. Updated with fancy 16-bit visuals, All-Stars gives you instant access to all of the NES/Famicom Super Mario games, including the new-at-the-time Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986, NES), which was previously exclusive to Japan. Though simple in comparison to most modern remakes, Super Mario All-Stars is a timeless standout that set the bar early on and showed just how good a remake could be.
2. Resident Evil (2002, GameCube)
The 2002 remake of Resident Evil is an easy frontrunner for the best video game remake ever made, which is surprising when you consider just how influential the original was. This GameCube-exclusive title took the survival-horror classic and reworked it in numerous ways, with better puzzles, extra rooms, and the addition of a particularly cool villain. Though the bonus content is abundant and enjoyable, it’s the art design that really stands out. Incredibly realistic and infectiously atmospheric, Resident Evil (2002) has some of the best visuals of any horror game, ever. Even now, over 20 years later, this is still a complete masterpiece that improves on the original in almost every conceivable way.
3. Doom + Doom II (2024, PC)
Ever since the game debuted in 1993, DOOM has been the most iconic first-person shooter of them all, leading to countless remastered versions. It’s incredibly surprising then, that the most recent remaster by Nightdive Studios is the best of them all. Utilizing the fancy new KEX engine, Doom + Doom II is a remastered compilation that features the first two titles in the franchise at their absolute best. Every official map pack and expansion can be easily accessed in this collection, along with a new episode called “Legacy of Rust”, offering new official Doom levels for the first time in years. Outfitted with online multiplayer as well, this multi-platform remaster goes above and beyond all expectations.
The Bad and the Ugly
Unfortunately, while most remakes and remasters are serviceable, there are quite a few bad apples in the bunch. Poorly made video game remakes and remasters have a habit of feeling like hollow versions of the originals, and at worst, can tarnish existing legacies. Whether due to cash-grab greed, limited development, or just plain old bad design, the following remakes and remasters have undeniably earned their bad reputations.
1. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition (2021, PlayStation 5)
All too often, remasters that call themselves “The Definitive Edition” are far from perfect, and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy is a stunning example of that. On the surface, this is a seemingly perfect package; all three PS2-era Grand Theft Auto games, updated with modern visuals and better controls. Unfortunately, it’s all one big trick. Not only are the visuals remarkably worse across all three games, but they look cartoon-like in comparison to the originals, with awkward character models, no mood lightning, and horrendous weather effects. Every game is packed with glitches and bugs too, resulting in an unfinished, terrible representation of these iconic games.
2. Silent Hill HD Collection (2012, Xbox 360)
While not as bad as Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy, Silent Hill HD Collection also commits the cardinal sin of being a remaster with worse graphics and audio than the original. The Silent Hill franchise is all about manufacturing psychological horror with impeccable audio and art design, but in the Silent Hill HD Collection, everything is a complete downgrade. In some games, voice-acting has been completely reworked for the worse, while blurry textures make everything look muddy. The Xbox 360 version in particular is also prone to significant frame rate drops and other glitches, making an already bad remaster even more painful to play.
3. Warcraft III: Reforged (2020, PC)
Warcraft is one of the most beloved real-time strategy series ever made, so it’s exceptionally embarrassing to see the original developer flub a remaster as poorly as Blizzard did with Warcraft III: Reforged. With how much content was removed or altered for the worse, this remaster is a slap in the face to every fan, with more issues than you feasibly count. Not only are the graphical updates poor, but this remaster strips away things like win/loss records, ranked multiplayer, and a bevy of other options and modes. Worst of all, the remastered version of the game actively patches the original game client, making it near-impossible to run the original game. By all accounts, Warcraft III: Reforged is a textbook example of how NOT to make a successful remaster, especially for a game that deserved so much more.
The post The Best and Worst Retro Video Game Remakes and Remasters appeared first on Old School Gamer Magazine.
