enhanced remake

In the video game subculture, an enhanced remake (also called updated classics) is an updated version of a video or computer game that was originally developed for a less advanced system. They are also known as "Super Mario All-Stars format", because an early occurrence of the idea was Super Mario All-Stars. Remakes with resolution upgrades are called high-resolution remakes. The practice of updating old games began in the 16-bit era but was popularized during the 128-bit 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, 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. They have occurred mostly during the 128-bit era. 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 and Final Fantasy II of Final Fantasy Origins. (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 Warrior I-IV were Japan-only, but later unofficially translated into English. Sometimes, a publisher makes an unauthorized copy of another publisher's game. This "remake" is called a "clone". Making and publishing a clone is legal if no copyright or patent covers any essential aspect of the game (for example, Tetris), as long as the clone is published under a name that is not confusingly similar. Most clones, however, do not fall under this rule and are illegal. Some are even pirated versions of the game they are supposedly remaking.

Controversy

Many gamers find that enhanced remakes achieve the same level of quality that the original versions did, but some others (mostly Final Fantasy fans) oppose the idea on grounds that games lose something in the transformation to newer technology. The most controversial form of the idea is the three-dimensional remake idea, as in Wild ARMs: Alter Code F. Some "old school" gamers believe that remaking a two-dimensional graphics video game into a three-dimensional graphics one ruins the entire experience of the game and detract from what they call the "charm" the game would formerly have. Others claim that enhanced remakes overshadow their original versions. Contrariwise, some gamers believe that enhanced remakes gives games something vital, and place high value on large enhancements. Other gamers prefer the original version (usually out of nostalgia) but believe that the enhanced version lives up to its quality. In many cases, the remakes make old games more accessible to new players, who might not even be aware of the original. Most gamers, however, are neutral. Also, many new gamers, and gamers who take retrogaming so seriously, balk at emulated versions of very old, or ancient, video games, like Mega Man Anniversary Collection, Midway's Arcade Treasures, and Sonic Mega Collection on modern video game consoles, and may voice their opinion that they want enhanced remakes of the re-released old games, because they find it difficult to have the outdated graphics and audio on the current-era consoles. They call such re-releases as ageware.

Enhanced remakes and console emulation

Sometimes, the enhanced remake idea, with the inclusion of the original version with in the enhanced version, curbs the urge for console emulation. Original versions of the games that are enhanced-remade are usually not included with the original version. Nintendo decided that when they did an enhanced remake of the original Metroid, as Metroid: Zero Mission, they included the original version within the enhanced version as an unlockable.

List of enhanced remakes

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

Game Title!!Original Platform!!Remake Platforms and Notes
i>Bubble Bobble	Arcade/Various	Game Boy Advance (as Bubble Bobble Old and New)
i>Castlevania	NES	Sharp X68000 (Japan-only), Sony PlayStation, Super NES
i>Crystalis	NES	Game Boy Color
i>Dinosaur	Various popular Japanese computer systems (such as the PC-8801, PC-9801, and FM-TOWNS in 1990	PC in 2002, for Windows, as Dinosaur: Resurrection - It is a first-person "adventure RPG" with a presentation akin to Arcana/Cardmaster for the SNES/Super Famicom. No version of the game has ever been translated into English.
i>Double Dragon	Arcade/Various	Game Boy Advance (as Double Dragon Advance)
i>Dr. Mario	NES, Game Boy (Monochrome)	Super NES, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube
i>Dragon Warrior I	MSX, NES (MSX version Japan-only)	Super NES (translated into English through emulation), Game Boy Color (adapted from Super NES version), cellular phone (MSX and cellular phone versions Japan-only)
i>Dragon Warrior II	MSX, NES (MSX version Japan-only)	Super NES (translated into English through emulation), Game Boy Color (adapted from Super NES version). Bundled with the precedent entry when remade.
i>Dragon Warrior III	NES	Super NES (translated into English through emulation), Game Boy Color (adapted from Super NES version)
i>Dragon Warrior IV	NES	Sony PlayStation (Japan only)
i>Dragon Warrior V	Super NES (original version Japan-only)	PlayStation 2 (This version may get localized to North America. Resolution upgrade due to the traditional resolution of the new platform. Remake has an orchestrated soundtrack, performed by NHK Symphony Orchestra. Other Dragon Quest games up to Dragon Quest VII are likely to be remade in the same fashion due to an orchestral arrangement plan by composer Koichi Sugiyama.)
i>Final Fantasy I	NES	MSX, WonderSwan Color, Sony PlayStation (enhanced from WonderSwan Color version), cellular phone, Game Boy Advance (as part of Final Fantasy I&II: Dawn of Souls)
i>Final Fantasy II	NES (original version Japan-only)	WonderSwan Color, Sony PlayStation (PlayStation version enhanced from WonderSwan Color version and released in the United States as a component of Final Fantasy Origins), Game Boy Advance (as part of the Final Fantasy I&II: Dawn of Souls)
i>Final Fantasy III	NES (original version Japan-only)	Was in the works for the WonderSwan Color, recently announced for the Nintendo DS
i>Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ry to Hikari no Tsurugi	NES (original version Japan-only)	Super NES (included as a bonus in its sequel, Fire Emblem: Monsh no Nazo)
i>The King of Fighters '94	Neo-Geo	PlayStation 2, as The King of Fighters '94 Re-bout. 3D backgrounds and high-resolution sprites. "Re-bout" is the suffix for enhanced remakes of SNK fighting games.
i>King's Quest 1	Various (Home Computers)	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 Tierra Entertainment in 2001.
i>Kirby's Adventure	NES	Game Boy Advance (as )
\|Game Boy (Monochrome)\|\|Game Boy Color (as , made over from monochrome to color)
i>Leisure Suit Larry In the Land of the Lounge Lizards	Various (Home Computers)	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.
i>Makaitoushi SaGa (Final Fantasy Legend)	Game Boy (Monochrome)	WonderSwan Color (original version also included, graphics made over from monochrome 8-bit to color 16-bit)
i>Mario Bros.	Arcade	Game Boy Advance (as a bonus game on all of the Super Mario Advance games as well as )
i>Mega Man 1-6	NES	PlayStation (As Rockman Complete Works series, later bundled into the Mega Man Anniversary Collection for Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2)
i>Metal Gear Solid	PlayStation	Nintendo GameCube (as )
i>Metroid	NES	Game Boy Advance (as - graphics improved to Super Metroid quality, additional items added, new section after the original game)
i>Mythri	Game Boy Color	Game Boy Advance
i>Ninja Gaiden	NES	Super NES
i>Ninja Gaiden 2	NES	Super NES
i>Ninja Gaiden 3	NES	Super NES
i>Pac-Man	Arcade	Arcade (as a component of Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2)
i>Panel de Pon (Tetris Attack)	Super NES	Nintendo GameCube (as a component of Nintendo Puzzle Collection)
i>Phantasy Star	Sega Master System	Sony PlayStation 2 (as Phantasy Star Generation 1)
i>Pokmon Green	Game Boy (Monochrome) (Original version released in America as Pokmon Blue)	Game Boy Advance (as Pokmon Leaf Green). Mass removal of Pokmon entries led to the development of this remake.
i>Pokmon Red	Game Boy (Monochrome)	Game Boy Advance (as Pokmon Fire Red). Mass removal of Pokmon entries led to the development of this remake.
i>Police Quest 1	Various (Home Computers)	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.
i>Quest For Glory 1 (AKA Heroes Quest 1)	Amiga, Macintosh, 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.
i>Rayman 2	PC, Nintendo 64, Sony PlayStation, Sega Dreamcast	Sony PlayStation 2 (As Rayman 2 Revolution) and Nintendo DS (As Rayman DS)
i>Resident Evil	Sony PlayStation	Nintendo GameCube
i>River City Ransom (Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari)	NES	Game Boy Advance (as River City Ransom EX in the United States and as Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX in Japan)
i>Seiken Densetsu (Final Fantasy Adventure)	Game Boy (Monochrome)	Game Boy Advance (as Shinyaku Seiken Densetsu in Japan and as Sword of Mana in the United States. All Final Fantasy elements have been removed.)
i>Shin Megami Tensei	Various (Originated on Super NES)	Sony PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance - both original and enhanced versions are Japanese only
i>Shin Megami Tensei II	Super NES	Sony PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance - both original and enhanced versions are Japanese only
i>Shin Megami Tensei: If...	Super NES	Sony PlayStation 2 - both original and enhanced versions are Japanese only
i>Sid Meier's Pirates!	Various (Home Computers)	PC, for Windows
i>Skies of Arcadia (Japan: Eternal Arcadia)	Sega Dreamcast	Nintendo GameCube as Skies of Arcadia Legends
i>Snatcher	NEC PC-88/MSX2	PC Engine (as Snatcher CD-ROMantic), Sega CD, PlayStation, Sega Saturn
i>Space Quest 1	Various (Home Computers)	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.
i>Sonic Adventure	Sega Dreamcast	Nintendo GameCube and PC as Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut
i>Sonic Adventure 2	Sega Dreamcast	Nintendo GameCube as Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
i>Super Mario 64	Nintendo 64	Nintendo DS (as Super Mario 64 DS)
i>Super Mario Bros.	NES	Super NES (as part of Super Mario All-Stars), Game Boy Color (as Super Mario Bros. Deluxe)
i>Super Mario Bros. 2 (Super Mario Bros. USA)	NES	Super NES (as part of Super Mario All-Stars), Game Boy Advance
i>	NES (original version Japan-only)	Super NES (as part of Super Mario All-Stars)
i>Super Mario Bros. 3	NES	Super NES, (as part of Super Mario All-Stars), Game Boy Advance
i>Tales of Phantasia	Super NES (All versions Japan-only)	Sony PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance (All versions Japan-only)
i>Tengai Makyou II	NEC TurboGrafix 16/PC-Engine	Sony PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube
i>To Heart	PC, Sony PlayStation	PC (As To Heart PSE)
i>Wild ARMs	Sony PlayStation 2	Sony PlayStation 2 (as ). Remade as a 3D graphics game, a controversial remake idea.
i>WinBack	Nintendo 64	Sony PlayStation 2
i>Ys	NEC PC-88	NES, MSX, Windows, PlayStation 2 (as Ys Eternal)
i>Ys II	NEC PC-88	NES, MSX, Windows, PlayStation 2 (as Ys II Eternal)
i>	NEC PC-9801	NES, MSX, NEC TurboGrafix-16/PC-Engine, Sega Genesis, SNES, and PlayStation 2
i>	Super NES	Sony PlayStation 2
i>	Super NES	Sony PlayStation 2

External links

http://www.remakes.org/ - A site dedicated to fan made remakes of classic games.

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