Neglected Classic Games That Deserve Remakes? 191
Thanks to GameSpot for its feature discussing neglected videogames that nonetheless deserve remakes. The "games that may have been forgotten but were at least pretty well known in their day" include Roadwar 2000 ("[an] innovative adventure set in the ruins of American civilization"), Biomotor Unitron ("an exceptional game... [that] had the poor luck of being released on the profoundly underappreciated NeoGeo Pocket Color in 1999"), and Xenophobe ("a lighthearted and memorable arcade game... [that] takes itself less seriously than the average alien shoot-'em-up.")
Speedball 2 (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Speedball 2 (Score:4, Interesting)
The most worring thing, is that the Bitmap Brothers site [bitmap-brothers.co.uk] hasnt been updated since May 1st, 2003. However they mention "Speedball Arena" there as being in production.
After a quick look around, it looks like theyre converting the recent Namco title "Kill.Switch" for PC, so they dont appear to be totally dead... which is nice.
Looks like I wont be seeing Gods or Magic Pockets on GBA for a while... damn.
Re:Speedball 2 (Score:1)
Re:Speedball 2 (Score:2)
Or so I was told.
Penguin Adventure (Score:2)
Re:Penguin Adventure (Score:2, Insightful)
close enough
Re:Penguin Adventure (Score:2)
Unlike many older games this could be remade in glorious 3D without losing any of its charm or unique character. Frankly I am stumped why Konami has never bothered doing just that. And since we are talking about them anyway, the same is true for S.D. Snatcher.
Of course the their third great [terra.com.br]
The Marathon Trilogy (Score:4, Informative)
Lucky for us, that's already in the works. In fact, it's being simultaneously ported for Linux and Windows as well as OS X, AND it's an Open Source project. If I had any programming skills (alas, I don't), I'd be in on the project. As it stands, I'll have to wait until Pfhorge (pronounced "forge," for the uninitiated) comes out to make any contribution.
Anyhow, for those interested, the project is called Aleph One; the main site can be found here [bungie.org], and the SourceForge site can be found here [sourceforge.net].
~UP
Re:The Marathon Trilogy (Score:1)
I can't remember the name, but one of the mods for infinity is - to this day - the only game that made me jump. Forgot to check a stairway for badguys, turned around to go back and the prick was standing there behind me.
Suffice to say, I emptied all my ammo into his carcass.
Re:The Marathon Trilogy (Score:1, Informative)
Re:The Marathon Trilogy (Score:2)
What made Marathon so special? I mean, was it just a cool-for-it's-time FPS, or did it have awesome features/puzzles that would merit a remake? I mean, Doom2 was awesome for it's time, but I wouldn't want an updated-graphics version of it, since it isn't anything special compared to today's standards...
Re:The Marathon Trilogy (Score:2)
Do you mean that the graphics for Doom II weren't amazing? Personally I absolutely love the game, and would put it up there with any of today's modern FPSes (admittedly with the openGL graphics of the ports but hey why not have them!) because it was fun. Sure it was simple, had no plot, but playing the actual game was more fun to me than any FPS I've played
Re:The Marathon Trilogy (Score:2)
(and yes, Doom2 IS still fun to play)
Commander Keen (Score:5, Interesting)
didn't. Keen was a much better game than Nukem in almost every respect and
had a lot more vertical action, which would have made for a lot of interesting
possibilities in a 3D version -- platforms up above your head and all that
would make the game play like more than just another Doom clone, as you'd
have to be alert to things going on above (and below) you. Plus, the light,
cartooney spirit of Keen is something the FPS world could really use; I mean,
aren't you tired of seeing skulls and blood all the time? Wouldn't it be nice
to see some weird slugs and neon green slime for a change?
Plus, it would probably be the first FPS to include a pogo stick with
exaggerated bounce. Bonus points if you also get to fly the Beans-with-Bacon
rocketship.
I don't buy a lot of games, but I think I'd buy Keen3D, if it were done well.
Re:Commander Keen (Score:1)
Anybody remember the Keen level in Doom 2? That was disturbing.
Re:Commander Keen (Score:1)
Stunts, Death Rally, SWOTL (Score:2)
Secret Weapons Of The Luftwaffe was a lot of fun too - I actually hired the XBox remake called Secret Weapons Over Normandy the other day, and then we were blacked out all night by a huge electrical storm... I decided it must be an air raid and went to bed. :)
Q.
Qix (Score:2, Interesting)
I loved the championship boxing in the article. Does that bring back memories. Xenophobe [klov.com] is a great game. I lost a lot of quarters to that one.
Road Blaster [klov.com] should be on the list, too.
Re:Qix (Score:3, Interesting)
Qix was indeed a great game. However, I wouldn't really call it neglected. It had a pretty good following back in the day. Moreover, I can't imagine how they could remake it without totally destroying it. I'd imagine that one of the requirements would be that it's 3D, and this would probably end up making it looking way cheesy. With games like Qix and Tempest -- where their simplic
I'm still waiting (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I'm still waiting (Score:3, Funny)
It's been here since the early 1990s. They call it "Star Control".
It has its own set of sequels as well...
Paradroid (Score:2)
Re:Paradroid (Score:1)
Re:Paradroid (Score:2)
Syndicate! (Score:2)
Syndicate Wars
Fountain of Dreams
Bionic Commando
Elevator Action
The Colony (Score:1)
Cholo (Re:The Colony) (Score:1)
Innovations or Renovations? (Score:5, Interesting)
Thing with remakes, what we a really looking for is good gameplay back in the day it was far more important to have good gameplay than have great graphics. It was often the case that some games had great graphics but dire gameplay, other games had excellent gameplay but dodgy graphics. Those that got the balance just right were hits.
As far as remakes go though, a new Populous game would be much appreciated. And I also wish that David Braben would get the new Elite out the door. And has anyone ever done a Spy Vs Spy for the next generation ?
nicki..
Re:Innovations or Renovations? (Score:3, Interesting)
The best games are universal and immortal. Chess, Go, etc. They do not deserve to be tied to obsolete hardware, etc. The process of remakes and reinvention and preservation is essential and creative, as no great game ever sprung up fully formed. Hopefully we'll get one great game out of the first hund
Re:Innovations or Renovations? (Score:2, Interesting)
Coming out this year. I saw a couple screenshots in some magazine a couple months ago.
And it has the GREY spy.
Classic EA titles (Score:3, Informative)
Racing Destruction Set - The old ideas: Design cars and race courses with traps, terrain hazards, and so forth, then race. Add same updates as above for MOM. Also make sure you can build a course and then race against computer-controlled opponents of real intelligence.
Adventure Construction Set - Build a single-player RPG from the ground up, including graphics, items, scenery, and more. Update to modern standards for graphics, sound. Set up a site where users can upload their creations and then vote on them. Eventually, game buyers themselves become the real engine for driving more sales of the game.
Re:Classic EA titles (Score:2, Interesting)
M.U.L.E.
Seven Cities Of Gold
Heart Of Africa
Archon
Legacy Of The Ancients
Questron II
Pirates! (which I think was remade once and may be remade again)
Silent Service
I could go on for days.
I loved the old ACS. I still have the original for my Commodore 64 which is sitiing in storage......... WITH my commorode 64 until I find room in my house for everything
Re: remake update (Score:2)
You might want to contact Toys for Bob [toysforbob.com] for an update for Archon as well as the (mentioned below) Mail Order Monsters as Fred Ford and Paul Reiche III [att.ne.jp] may be able to help there. They were the ones who released their Star Control II to us as the somewhat updated Ur Quan Masters [sourceforge.net].
Covert Action (Score:2)
one of my fav's on the C64 (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:one of my fav's on the C64 (Score:2)
Sundog (Score:3, Interesting)
Synopsis - you are a slave, who's uncle was a free man. He died and left you his spaceship (good), and the obligation to forefill his contracts (bad), which could either free you or doom you and all your decendants to eternal slavery to pay off the forfiture clauses (ugly).
So you have to fly around the galaxy, finding cargo to haul to make enough money to by the items needed by the colony to whom you are contractually bound, all the while fighting off pirates in space, muggers on the ground, and trying to keep your junk-heap spacecraft flying and maybe even improve it.
I've always felt there needed to be a sequel, after you won your freedom, to try to incite revolt among the slaves and overthrow the system.
(And for all those of you who remember Dungeon Master - remember Zed, Duke of Banville? Guess what game he came from.)
Re:Sundog (Score:2)
The world needs more games like that.
-lw
Zak McCracken (Score:1)
I had it going on an Amiga emu a few years back, but it was too crash prone to play. This game got me interested in computers, so i owe it a lot. Plus hundreds of fun hours working out the strange things about that game.
Aliens taking over the telephone company, monorail on mars, two headed squirrels...sweet.
A few german boys are doing Zak 2 [zak2.org] as a fun project - very much looking forward to sinking myself into this game.
Things to Consider (Score:2, Interesting)
Custer's Revenge! (Score:4, Funny)
How about a spinoff/remake of Moon Patrol:
Mars Patrol: Avoid glitches! Grind rocks! Examine patches of mud!
Re: Moon Patrol updated (Score:2)
The game could degenerate into shooting martians and hopping over holes pretty quick and it would still be good.
Rocket Jockey. (Score:2, Insightful)
With the main controls being 'left grappling hook', 'right grappling hook', and 'drop the lines', today's controllers with shoulder buttons are perfect. And with quick online play, the game would be unbeatable. Hm. Speaking of which, anyone know if theres a good way to play Win95 games on XP? The
None of them? (Score:5, Insightful)
Nintendo is one of the main offenders here, shoe-horning a Mario-themed game into every possible genre without regard for the gameplay of the original Super Mario. Personally, I can't stand any 3D Mario platformer (not to mention any Mario sports and puzzle games). Super Mario 64 may be a decent game in its own right -- but it's not really Super Mario as far as I'm concerned.
I don't even think Super Mario World (considered by some to be the best Mario game) recaptured the awesomeness of the original Super Mario.
The key to many classic games is simplicity. Adding tons of slick graphics, new moves and power-ups, and worst of all, 3D perspective doesn't improve game play, it ruins the perfect balance achieved by the original.
On another note, a GTA 1/2/3 pack for the GBA would be super sweet (with GTA 3 made to play in the top-down 2D mode of the originals).
Re:None of them? (Score:1)
The original Mario was certainly a fine game, back in its day. But Super Mario World is much better. Not simply for looking better on a new machine, but because, for me, it is more fun - more polished, more complex, and less frustrating (gotta LOVE battery saving!).
Re:None of them? (Score:1)
Vash the SpaceCowboy
Kickle's Cubicle (Score:3, Interesting)
I would LOVE to see that game updated, especially with two player levels. The thought of a quasi-DM/CoOp game using the KC engine makes me laugh -- the thought of two people trying to complete a puzzle together while trying to kill each other at the same time is quite cool.
Oh, and if you haven't played Kickle's Cuble then GET IT. The first few world will mildly entertain you, but as you progress you'll be cussing like a sailor at this kiddie game and loving every second of it.
back in the days... (Score:1)
Paperboy, too! (Score:4, Interesting)
You're a delivery boy in a decent sized consistent city, delivering parcels from place to place while doing other mini-adventures along the way. You can't miss with this!
Jeffool.
Re:Paperboy, too! (Score:2)
You're a delivery boy in a decent sized consistent city, delivering parcels from place to place while doing other mini-adventures along the way. You can't miss with this!
Sounds like a good game, but a little familiar. Perhaps a more appropriate title would be "Grand Theft Bicycle".
M.U.L.E. (Score:3, Interesting)
World Of Mule Web Site (Score:1)
World Of Mule [worldofmule.net]
Done: Space HoRSE (Score:2)
Joust Joust Joust (Score:2, Interesting)
Also, what's with Zelda being on the remake list. Isn't that done once or twice with every Nintendo system that get's released. How can they remake it any more than th
StarTropics (Score:2)
Robotwars (Score:3, Interesting)
There was a game for the old Mac ... I think it was called Robotwars. It was turn-based. You had a small set of robots in a play field, and you'd play out a "script" for them: Go over there, hunker down, and scan that area for enemies (shoot if you see any). Last player with any robots standing wins.
It was a great game, but simple in concept. Graphics were's too great (isometric view) but not any worse than, say, any GBA game. Your opponnents were only visible if one of your robots could see them.
It would take some work to re-do Robotwars for anything other than a PC, but it would make for a great GBA game.
Re:Robotwars (Score:2)
Did some googling ... the game was actually called "Robosport", from Maxis.
Robosport [mobygames.com] - DOS and Win3x. There was also a port to Macintosh.
Re:Robotwars (Score:2)
Kid Icarus (Score:5, Insightful)
Not necessarily a remake... (Score:1)
I played through it with a friend on MAME-X, and all I could think about was how much better it was than Contra. It's a shame that I could never play through it in its original arcade form, but if they ever release another I would be incredibly happy.
Star Control of course! (Score:5, Insightful)
Star Control 2 was, at the time, the greatest game ever written. Gameplay, depth, graphics, sound, in every part, the game was so far ahead of the competition that there could be no realistic challenger. Indeed, the ending left so many strings for a sequel that quite literally from the month it came out, there was anticipation for Star Control III.
Then came Star Control III. Ugh. Accolade took the game to new developers and it was clumbsy, uninteresting and not fun to play. The sub-plots were meaningless and the story was unengaging. Gameplay took a step backwards.
You can help!
Sign the Petition [gamespy.com] Ask Accolade to re-make Star Control III with the original developers at Toys for Bob.
Alien Mind on the GS (Score:1)
http://www.inwards.com/~fairway/game_pages/alien_
That site is great for remembering life with a GS, by the way...
kick-ass games from back in the day (Score:1)
2. Archon
3. Omega Race (the Vic-20 version was awesome)
DOS favorites (Score:3)
Mainly, it could use an update to make it more compatible with modern expectations of Windows games, like multitasking and perhaps some directX goodness for the otherwise simple, tile-based animations. Its AI was actually pretty good for its day, but I'm sure that modern standards could be well-applied there, too. I don't think it would take much to get zoomable views and support for higher resolutions, either.
I still manage to play about 1 game a week. It's held up very well for a game that's eight years old.
Another game that could use some updating is "Scorched Earth". I've played countless 3D versions that attempt to capture the fun of the original. None have quite given me the same simple joy I have when I napalm just right through an opponent's shield. I'm not asking for gameplay changes, just something that'll run on a more modern platform. Wendell Hicken, are you listening?
Syndicate was fun and different when it was released. Its graphics STILL look good, but a rotatable view would be nice. I haven't been able to make it run on NTish Windows, but if it could, I would. Wishlist here would be for a mission designer, decent 3D (I've played Syndicate II...) and perhaps adding a level of play at the business management level (e.g. investments, media management). Syndicate would be fun in a persistent world setting, too, with multiple corps, maybe some indy media types, criminal elements, government crusaders... sigh.
There was nothing so fun as Persuadertron-ing an entire map of people to do your bidding, arming them, then destroying all your enemies with a horde of peons.
Re:DOS favorites (Score:2)
Re:DOS favorites (Score:2)
Re:DOS favorites (Score:2)
I agree totally. What I'd like to see from an updated MOM is, first, modern OS support. Also, borders to make it clear where AI players consider their territory to be (I can never manage to keep the AIs happy with me), and perhaps other better diplomacy options. Oh, and a good system for having cities build automatically. (I think Civ3's governor system works well)
There is a MOM remake project over at Age of Magic [ageofmagic.org], but the project seems to be stalled.
Re:DOS favorites (Score:2)
Oh, remember the Atlantic Accelerator mission from Syndicate? That one was great
Re:Master of Magic, working on it (Score:2)
And, uh, which OS on the PPC? I mean, I've got probably 2 dozen Motorola StarMax machines out in my garage, so if that's all I need...
Re:Master of Magic, working on it (Score:2)
Golgo 13 (Score:1)
I wanted XIII to be the new Golgo, but it just isn't as good as it could have been. A new Golgo could be really, really cool.
Why were these left out? (Score:2)
NiGHTS (Sega) - Ask anyone if this game should be remade and they'll either say "yes" or shrug and say they haven't heard of it. For being a "flying on rails" game that was timed, it gave you a very relaxing sense of freedom. Come on Sonic Team, release this as part of the new Sega Ages PS2 lineup.
Akumajo Dracula: Chi no Rondo (Konami) - This great gam
Re:Why were these left out? (Score:2)
Plus I hated the dump truck.
Then again, that flying one really, really made up for it...
(Note that it seems nobody's ever even made a ROM of this one....er...not that I would use a ROM of a game I don't own...
CarWars (Score:2)
Re:CarWars (Score:2)
Car Wars is the semi-RPG board game from Steve Jackson that the computer game was based on.
Netstorm (Score:2)
If they had been able to expand upon the guild structure that evolved, it could have been even better.
http://games.activision.com/games/netstorm/
Ah... (Score:2)
Wanna know what bugs me? This article suggested that everything be a '3d remake'. I must say, no, 3D does not make everything better. I just can't see Xenophobe being better for it. Part of the appeal of that game was
NO NO NO -- You Don't Want This (Score:2, Interesting)
What do these games have in common? They were once classic games, that were re-released in a format that had nothing to do with the gameplay of it's original. Unlike, for example, the super mario franchise, a franchise that has evolved game by game over the past 20 years, these games have been completely abandoned, then basically repackaged with new fangled technology, creating a brand new game (one that sucks). Instead of lett
GBA Famicom (Score:2)
Some ideas.. (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Some ideas.. (Score:3, Interesting)
The original is still one of my all time favorite games, and while there were a handful of sequels none of them were even close to as good. Tough as nails too, granted I was only like 10 when I got the game, but it took me off and on over a year to get good enough to beat it.
I fire it up on my emulator every once and awhile and its odd, but I still know the correct path through all of the stages, its imprinted that hard on my brain. That is the mark of a great game.
And I agree with your Str
Re:Some ideas.. (Score:2)
Frontier / Elite II (Score:2)
Key requirements to be considered a remake:
BallBlazer (Score:2, Interesting)
But I would kill for an Xbox-Live enabled version of BallBlazer, maybe even adding 3 or 4 player options.
Dr. Wu
If you want to win, you have to go for the 3 points over-the-horizon shot
I want my Space Paranoids! (Score:2)
Re:I want my Space Paranoids! (Score:2)
Also, girls don't jump all over you in arcades when you do well. I thought they would. That movie ruined my life.
A few Apple II classics... (Score:2)
I'd also love to see someone remake Ikari Warriors [klov.com] with the Crimsonland [reflexive.com] engine.
A website index of remakes (Score:4, Informative)
don't REMAKE, but RE-RELEASE (Score:2, Interesting)
Don't REMAKE the games, RE-RELEASE the original games.
Games like Asteroids and Pac-Man have a zen-like balance between controls and playability. The so-called "low tech" graphics actually reduce the game to its essential play-and-feel.
Has anyone seen those awful remakes of Pac-Man in 3D? Geez! Re-release the original and let people play.
Startropics (Score:2)
All about AutoDuel (Score:2)
On the Apple II and (I believe) Commodore, and probably others.
That game kicked ass; I think I actually cried in frustration (shut up, I was 6 or so) when I accidentally overwrote Side 2 of the floppy.
Lunatic Fringe (Score:2, Informative)
Bonk (Score:2)
on SNES: Super Bonk, Super Bonk 2 (aka Super Genjin 2, only released in Japan AFAIK)
Re:Poorly translated games (Score:2)
Re:Poorly translated games (Score:1)
Re:Poorly translated games (Score:3, Informative)
"Games like Final Fantasy 4 (2 US) had what I still think is a great plot, but it suffered due to the poor translation and "Americanization" that Japanese video game makers thought we needed."
They re-vamped the English translation when FF IV was re-released for PSX as 1/2 of Final Fantasy Chronicles. They still kept certain flubs for nostalgia's sake ("You spoony bard!"), but we now have a game where Cecil and Rosa aren't afraid to do anything more t
Re:Poorly translated games (Score:2)
Re:Poorly translated games (Score:2)
Re:Kid Chemeleon (Score:1)
Re:Bionic Commando! (Score:2)