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Video game remake

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File:REmake screen2.jpg
The Nintendo GameCube remake of Resident Evil features enhancements in both graphics and gameplay.

In video games, an enhanced remake (also called updated classics) is an updated version of a game that was originally developed for a less advanced system. Remakes with resolution upgrades are called high-resolution remakes. A remake with revisions in the plot, gameplay, and overworld is called a reimagined remake. The practice of updating old games began in the 16-bit era but was popularized during the Sixth Generation Era.

The basic features of an enhanced remake are graphical and audio enhancements (or "facelifts"). The methods of graphical enhancement include re-touching, decompression, polygon upgrade, texturization or texture resolution upgrade, additional animations, and two-dimensional to three-dimensional transformation (hence three-dimensional remakes, or the "Wild Arms Alter Code: F format"). Audio enhancements include new music, better sound quality, and remixes of the old music. Sometimes extra levels or other features are added, and the game engine may be improved. In most cases, however, the majority of gameplay itself is left unaltered.

Enhanced remakes occur mostly on video game consoles. The system that the game is being enhanced from is called the source system, and the system it is been enhanced for is called the target system. The earliest enhanced remakes are 16-bit remakes of 8-bit games. Also, occasionally games that were originally released only in Japan are remade and re-released in the West, most notably Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Final Fantasy II of Final Fantasy Origins, and Final Fantasy III for the Nintendo DS. (See also Fan translation.)

Some examples of enhanced remakes include Super Mario All-Stars (from NES to Super NES) and Final Fantasy Origins (from NES to WonderSwan Color to Sony PlayStation). The enhanced remakes of Dragon Quest I-V were Japan-only, but some were unofficially translated into English, and Dragon Quest I-III remakes ported to Game Boy Color were officially translated into English but did not sell well outside Japan. The original version of Dragon Quest V was also Japan-only. The enhanced version still has a chance to be localized to North America.

Controversy

Often changes made in remakes are scrutinized, by the purist or traditionalist, as being unnecessary or frivolous, such as the addition, alteration, or removal of plot elements, characters, voice acting, or new features. With 2D to 3D remakes, such as Wild Arms Alter Code: F, some feel 3D doesn't effectively convey the same artistic style or feeling as 2D. Arcade games are thought of as arcade perfect if all effects are as they were in the original. Such are called direct ports.

Conversely, some gamers believe that these remakes give the games more vitality, and welcome new content. Purist gamers can perhaps believe that the enhanced version lives up to the original's quality, but typically do not accept it as canon, unless future games reference it as such. Although the original game is usually not included with their remakes, some enhanced remakes do include their respective original versions. For example, Metroid: Zero Mission for the Game Boy Advance includes the original Metroid for the NES as an unlockable.

List of enhanced remakes

This list does not include reissues (or direct ports) of original games, nor does it include clones (Japan = "Japan only"):

Game Title Original Platform(s) Remake Title(s) Remake Platform(s) & Notes
Animal Forest Nintendo 64 Japan Animal Crossing Nintendo GameCube
Bad Mojo PC Bad Mojo Redux PC
Bubble Bobble Arcade/Various Bubble Bobble Old and New Game Boy Advance
Castlevania NES Akumajō Dracula Sharp X68000 Japan
Castlevania Chronicles PlayStation
Super Castlevania IV Super NES
Vampire Killer MSX
Haunted Castle Arcade
Comic Party PC, Sega Dreamcast Comic Party DCE PC
Comic Party Portable PSP
Command & Conquer PC Sega Saturn (internationalization enhancement)
Playstation (internationalization plus an additional 5 exclusive missions. The Covert Operations expansion set is also included)
Command & Conquer 64 Nintendo 64 (utilises 3D rendered models. Includes The Covert Operations expansion set)
Command & Conquer: Gold PC (enhanced graphical engine for Windows 95)
Conker's Bad Fur Day Nintendo 64 Conker: Live & Reloaded Xbox
Counter-Strike PC Counter-Strike: Source Xbox, PC
Daikoukai Jidai IV: Porto Estado (Uncharted Waters IV) PlayStation Daikoukai Jidai IV: Rota Nova Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable
Dead or Alive 2 Playstation 2, Dreamcast Dead or Alive Ultimate Xbox (with enhanced graphics, extra costumes, an extra character and online play)
Deja Vu Macintosh, NES Déjà Vu I & II: The Casebooks of Ace Harding Game Boy Color, PC
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei NES Kyuuyaku Megami Tensei Super Nintendo
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei 2
Dinosaur Various popular Japanese computer systems (such as the NEC PC8801, PC-9801, and FM Towns) Dinosaur: Resurrection PC, for Windows
Doom PC Doom 3 PC, Xbox
Double Dragon Arcade/Various Double Dragon Advance Game Boy Advance
Xbox Live Arcade (includes enhanced HD graphics and sound as well as the original game)
Dr. Mario NES, Game Boy (part of) Nintendo Puzzle Collection Japan Super NES, Nintendo GameCube
(part of) Dr. Mario & Puzzle League Game Boy Advance
Dragon Quest (Dragon Warrior) MSX Japan, NES Super NES (released in Japan only, later fan-translated into English)
Game Boy Color (adapted from Super NES version)
Java ME Japan
Dragon Quest II (Dragon Warrior II) MSX Japan, NES Super NES (released in Japan only, later fan-translated into English)
Game Boy Color (adapted from Super NES version). Bundled with the precedent entry when remade.
Dragon Quest III (Dragon Warrior III) NES Super NES (released in Japan only, later fan-translated into English)
Game Boy Color (adapted from Super NES version)
Dragon Quest IV (Dragon Warrior IV) NES Sony PlayStation Japan. Enix America, Inc. wanted to release the remake in North America also, but was unable to complete localization due to the developer's exit from the industry.
Nintendo DS Japan.
Dragon Quest V Super NES Japan PlayStation 2 (Resolution upgrade due to the traditional resolution of the new platform. Remake has an orchestrated soundtrack, performed by NHK Symphony Orchestra.)
Dune 2: Battle For Arrakis PC Dune 2000 PC (This was a DOS-based RTS game made by Westwood before Command & Conquer. Westwood remade the game with improved graphics, more units and a deeper storyline).
Emperor: Battle for Dune PC (This could be considered a remake of the remake)
Earthworm Jim SNES, Sega Genesis Earthworm Jim PSP (working title) PlayStation Portable (2D/3D remake)
Final Fantasy NES, MSX WonderSwan Color
(part of) Final Fantasy Origins PlayStation (enhanced from WonderSwan Color version)
(part of) Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls Game Boy Advance
PlayStation Portable (20th anniversary edition)
Java ME
Final Fantasy II NES Japan WonderSwan Color
(part of) Final Fantasy Origins PlayStation (enhanced from WonderSwan Color version)
(part of) Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls) Game Boy Advance
PlayStation Portable (20th anniversary edition)
Final Fantasy III NES Japan Nintendo DS (Fully 3D remake)
Final Fantasy IV SNES Nintendo DS (recently announced 3D remake)
Final Fantasy Adventure (Seiken Densetsu) Game Boy Shinyaku Seiken Densetsu Japan
Sword of Mana United States Europe		 Game Boy Advance (All Final Fantasy elements have been removed)
Java ME (visual upgrade)
Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryuu to Hikari no Tsurugi NES Japan Fire Emblem: Monshou no Nazo Super NES (included as the first chapter)
Fire Emblem DS (tentative title) Nintendo DS Japan.
Various Game & Watch games Game & Watch Game & Watch Gallery series Game Boy, Game Boy Advance (includes the original & remake versions of the games)
Gradius 2 MSX Nemesis '90 Kai Sharp X68000
GripShift PlayStation Portable PlayStation 3 (as a downloadable content game)
Jade Empire Xbox PC Jade Empire Special Edition
Gyakuten Saiban Japan Game Boy Advance Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Nintendo DS
Gyakuten Saiban 2 Japan Game Boy Advance Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All Nintendo DS
Gyakuten Saiban 3 Japan Game Boy Advance Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations Nintendo DS
Head Over Heels MSX, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC Soon after the initial release a hi-res port was made for the Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64, and Atari XL/XE.
An enhanced remake was released in 2003 for Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, BeOS. This remake was voted the 2nd best remake ever by PC Zone maganize.
Hitman: Codename 47 PC Hitman: Contracts PC, PlayStation 2. While not a game remake in the strictest sense of the phrase, of the 13 missions in Contracts, 6 of them were graphical, aesthetic and structural remakes of missions which had appeared in Codename 47.
The Journeyman Project Macintosh, PC The Journeyman Project: Pegasus Prime Power Mac United States Canada, Apple Pippin and PlayStation Japan.
The King of Fighters '94 Neo-Geo The King of Fighters '94 Re-bout PlayStation 2, with 3D backgrounds and high-resolution sprites. Re-bout is the suffix for enhanced remakes of SNK fighting games.
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Game Boy Advance Kingdom Hearts: Re:Chain of Memories Japan PlayStation 2 (fully 3D remake)
King's Quest I Various Home Computer Systems The original animated adventure game, produced by Sierra On-Line in 1984, it was re-released in 1987 with enhanced graphics (EGA) and sound.
A fan re-remake was released by AGD Interactive in 2001.
King's Quest II PC King's Quest II: Romancing the Stones A fan re-remake was released by AGD Interactive in 2002.
Kirby's Adventure NES Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land Game Boy Advance
The Legend of Zelda NES BS Zelda no Densetsu Japan Super Famicom Satellaview
Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards Various Home Computer Systems The original was produced by Sierra On-Line in 1987 (itself a re-make of their previous text-only 'Softporn Adventure'), and was re-released in 1991 with enhanced VGA graphics and sound, and a point-and-click interface.
Lunar: The Silver Star Sega CD Lunar: Silver Star Story Sega Saturn, PC Japan
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete PlayStation
Lunar Legend Game Boy Advance
Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Sega CD Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete PlayStation
Lunar: Walking School Game Gear Magic School Lunar! Japan Sega Saturn
Makaitoushi SaGa (Final Fantasy Legend) Game Boy WonderSwan Color (original version also included, graphics made over from monochrome 8-bit to color 16-bit)
Mario Bros. Arcade Kaettekita Mario Bros. Famicom Disk System
Super Mario Advance Game Boy Advance (as a bonus game on both games)
Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga
MDK 2 PC Dreamcast, PlayStation 2
Mega Man Classic series NES Rockman Complete Works Japan PlayStation
Mega Man NES Mega Man Powered Up,
Rockman Rockman Japan 		PlayStation Portable
Mega Man X SNES Mega Man Maverick Hunter X,
Irregular Hunter X Japan 		PlayStation Portable
Metal Gear MSX2, NES (part of) Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence PlayStation 2 (the first English localization of the original MSX2 version)
Java ME
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake MSX2 (part of) Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence PlayStation 2 (also, the first English localization of the game)
Java ME
Metal Gear Solid PlayStation Direct port to PC with barely enhanced graphics.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Nintendo GameCube
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty PlayStation 2 Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance PlayStation 2,Xbox (additional gameplay features)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater PlayStation 2 Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence PlayStation 2 (additional gameplay features)
Metal Slug 2 Neo-Geo, PlayStation Metal Slug X
Metroid NES Metroid: Zero Mission Game Boy Advance (graphics, audio, and gameplay elements vastly improved to the standards of sequels Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion)
Myst PC, Macintosh Myst: Masterpiece Edition PC
RealMyst
Mythri Game Boy Color Game Boy Advance
Ninja Gaiden Xbox Ninja Gaiden Sigma PlayStation 3
Panel de Pon (Tetris Attack) Super NES (part of) Nintendo Puzzle Collection Nintendo GameCube
(part of) Dr. Mario & Puzzle League Game Boy Advance
Pengo Arcade/Various Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis (The original arcade game is included in this remake)
Phantasy Star Sega Master System Phantasy Star Generation 1 PlayStation 2
Phantasy Star II Sega Genesis Phantasy Star Generation 2 PlayStation 2
Phantasy Star IV Sega Genesis PlayStation 2
Pokémon Blue Game Boy Pokémon LeafGreen Game Boy Advance
Pokémon Red Game Boy Pokémon FireRed Game Boy Advance
Police Quest Various Home Computer Systems The original was produced by Sierra On-Line in 1987, and was re-released in 1991 with enhanced VGA graphics and sound, and a point-and-click interface.
Prince of Persia Apple II Prince of Persia Classic Xbox Live Arcade (Remade with 3D graphics)
Quake 3: Arena PC Dreamcast, PlayStation 2
Quest for Glory 1 (Hero's Quest 1) Amiga, Mac, PC (VGA) The original was produced by Sierra On-Line in 1989, and was re-released in 1991 with enhanced VGA graphics and sound, and a point-and-click interface.
Quest for Glory II PC A fan re-remake is currently in development by AGD Interactive.
Rayman 2 PC, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Sega Dreamcast Rayman 2 Revolution Sony PlayStation 2
Rayman DS Nintendo DS
Resident Evil Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn, PC Nintendo GameCube.
River City Ransom (Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari) NES River City Ransom EX United States
Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX Japan		 Game Boy Advance
Romancing SaGa SNES Japan Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song PlayStation 2
Shin Megami Tensei Japan Super NES PlayStation Japan, Game Boy Advance Japan
Shin Megami Tensei II Japan
Shin Megami Tensei: If... Japan Sony PlayStation Japan
Sid Meier's Pirates! Various Home Computer Systems PC for Windows, Xbox.
Snatcher NEC PC-88, MSX2 Snatcher CD-ROMantic PC Engine, Sega CD, PlayStation, Sega Saturn
Space Quest I Various Home Computer Systems The original was produced by Sierra On-Line in 1986, and was re-released in 1990 with enhanced VGA graphics and sound, and a point-and-click interface.
Star Ocean Super NES Star Ocean: The First Departure PlayStation Portable (with new graphics)
Star Ocean: The Second Story PlayStation Star Ocean: The Second Evolution PlayStation Portable (with extensive audio enhancements)
Super Mario 64 Nintendo 64 Super Mario 64 DS Nintendo DS
Super Mario Bros. NES (part of) Super Mario All-Stars Super NES
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe Game Boy Color
Super Mario Bros. 2 (Super Mario Bros. USA) NES (part of) Super Mario All-Stars Super NES
Super Mario Advance Game Boy Advance
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels NES Japan (original version released as a Disk Card) (part of) Super Mario All-Stars Super NES
(part of) Super Mario Bros. Deluxe Game Boy Color
Super Mario Bros. 3 NES (part of) Super Mario All-Stars Super NES
Super Mario Advance 4 Game Boy Advance
Super Mario World Super NES Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 Game Boy Advance
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Super NES Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 Game Boy Advance
Super Street Fighter II Turbo Arcade Super Street Fighter II Turbo Revival Game Boy Advance
Super Street Fighter II Turbo for Matching Service Japan Dreamcast (with added online play)
Hyper Street Fighter II: Anniversary Edition, (part of Street Fighter Anniversary Collection) PlayStation 2, Xbox
Tales of Phantasia Japan Super Famicom (has been fan-translated into English, and several other languages) PlayStation Japan, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation Portable Japan
Tales of Destiny Playstation Tales of Destiny PlayStation 2 Japan
Tales of Destiny Director's Cut PlayStation 2 Japan
Tengai Makyou II NEC TurboGrafx-16/PC-Engine PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS all Japan
To Heart PC, PlayStation To Heart PSE PC
ToHeart2 PlayStation 2 ToHeart2 X-Rated PC (Includes adult scenes not present in the original, two mini-games and a new character)
Tomb Raider Playstation, PC Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary PlayStation 2, PC, PlayStation Portable, Wii
Turrican C64, Amiga Hurrican PC A Freeware effort from the German group Poke53280.
Unreal Tournament PC Dreamcast, PlayStation 2
Warhawk Commodore 64 Remade for PlayStation[dubious – discuss][citation needed] and remade again for PlayStation 3 with updated graphics and tilt compatibility.
Wild Arms PlayStation Wild Arms: Alter Code F PlayStation 2. Remade as a 3D graphics game, a controversial remake idea.
WinBack Nintendo 64 PlayStation 2
Yoshi's Cookie NES, SNES, Game Boy (part of) Nintendo Puzzle Collection Nintendo GameCube
Ys NEC PC-88 NES, MSX
Ys Eternal PlayStation 2, Windows
Ys II NEC PC-88 NES, MSX
Ys II Eternal PlayStation 2, Windows
Ys III: Wanderers from Ys NEC PC-9801 NES, MSX, NEC TurboGrafx-16/PC-Engine, Sega Genesis, SNES
Ys: The Oath in Felghana PlayStation 2, PC
Ys IV: Mask of the Sun Super NES PlayStation 2
Ys V: Ushinawareta Sunano Miyako Kefin Super NES PlayStation 2

See also

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