It's become increasingly commonplace for developers to produce big-budget video game remakes. The concept of remaking or reimaging video games is far from new, as some of the earliest remakes were released over four decades ago. However, even games that aren't a decade old, such as the classic The Last of Us, have begun receiving the remake treatment.
One popular decade of gaming that has been seeing plenty of remakes is the 1990s. Between the shift to 3Ds, the rise of iconic franchises, and the growing popularity of multiplayer games, the 1990s are arguably the most important decade in gaming history. With so many influential games, it's no secret why many video game developers look toward the 1990s for inspiration for their next big video game remake.
10 Tomb Raider's Remake Was The Beginning Of The End For The Original Take On Tomb Raider
The original Tomb Raider quickly caught the eyes of many when it first launched in 1996 for its controversial sex appeal and Indiana Jones-like treasure hunting. Tomb Raider grew to become a successful franchise that spawned numerous follow-ups, movies, reboots, and even paved the way for the Uncharted series.
The original Tomb Raider was remade in 2007, titled Tomb Raider: Anniversary. Anniversary serves as the second entry, and prequel, to a trilogy that began with Tomb Raider: Legend and wrapped up with Tomb Raider: Underworld. Anniversary was well-received for how well it honored the original Tomb Raider.
9 Final Fantasy VII's Remake Took The Story In A Different Direction
Final Fantasy VII is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed RPGs ever made. After numerous teases, prequels, and sequels, Square Enix finally revealed Final Fantasy VII: Remake in 2015, which was later released in 2020.
What makes FFVIIR different from most remakes is that FFVIIR isn't the full game. It's only the first section of the game, taking place entirely in Midgar. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth will continue the story in Winter 2023, while a third game caps off the remake trilogy. On top of that, this remake trilogy breaks away from FFVII's traditional story, leaving fans who played the original wondering what will happen next.
8 MediEvil Actually Received Two Remakes
The comical MediEvil tells the tale of Sir Daniel Fortesque, who is mistakenly honored as the "Hero of Gallowmere" of legend that foiled the plot of evil sorcerer Zarok. In truth, Sir Daniel quickly fell in battle. When Zarok and his undead army returned, Sir Daniel was also raised from the dead.
MediEvil is a game of second chances as Sir Daniel now has his second chance to live up to his legend. True to that message, MediEvil itself received two remakes. One on the PlayStation Portable and one on the PlayStation 4. Both remakes received mixed reviews, which may sadly leave Sir Daniel dead for good this time.
7 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater's Recent Remake Was A Franchise Savior
The Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series perfectly epitomizes the late-1990s and early-2000s. From its music to the rise of street skateboarding culture, THPS was a phenomenon. While the THPS series mostly fizzled out after Tony Hawk's Underground, there have been numerous attempts at a revival.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater did see a remake of its levels through Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD, but it was Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2, remakes of the first two THPS games, that saw the most praise. THPS1+2 was one of the best-received games of 2021. The THPS series definitely needed a winner in THPS1+2, and it delivered. Hopefully, it finally leads to a Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 6.
6 Pokémon Remakes Have Become A Tradition
The Pokémon series hit the ground running faster than arguably any video game, or even multimedia, franchise ever. Anyone who was cognizant throughout the late-1990s can remember what it was like when Pokémon first left Japan.
While gamers have fond memories of the games, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green/Blue has since not aged all that well. With the advancements made in the Pokémon series, as well as the inability to transfer Pokémon to the Game Boy Advance, Game Freak was compelled to make remakes in Pokémon Fire Red and Pokémon Leaf Green in 2004, based on Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire. This kicked off the trend of each Pokémon generation through the fourth generation seeing a remake.
5 Super Mario 64 Added New Playable Characters In Its Remake
Few series have made a smoother transition to 3D like the Super Mario series. Super Mario 64 made a major splash when it was released in 1996. In SM64, Mario has an explorable hub world through Peach's Castle, with numerous levels accessed through paintings. Each level has tough 3D platforming and many Stars to collect.
SM64 received a remake as a launch title for the Nintendo DS in Super Mario 64 DS. The biggest thing that sets SM64DS apart from the original is the additional playable characters in Luigi, Wario, and Yoshi. Players initially begin by playing as Yoshi and subsequently unlock the remaining three characters. In addition to the characters, SM64DS also contains new levels, making the remake feel both familiar and new at the same time.
4 Ocarina Of Time Improved On The Infamous Water Temple
Not to be outdone, The Legend of Zelda series also made a smooth transition to 3D with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Ocarina of Time is frequently cited among the greatest video games ever made, so it's only natural it would receive some form of a remake.
That remake came for the Nintendo 3DS titled The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. Much of Ocarina of Time's structure and gameplay remained the same, but it features a visual upgrade and touch menu mechanics via the 3DS' second screen. Likewise, the Water Temple was also revamped, making the infamous dungeon easier to traverse.
3 Metal Gear Solid's Remake Was A Big Win For The GameCube
Metal Gear Solid's influence on the gaming industry is different than other influential games. While some games pushed visuals and gameplay, MGS pushed the boundaries of gaming as a storytelling medium by leaning into a cinematic style with long-winded cutscenes.
While not the first Metal Gear game, MGS was previously a console exclusive for the original PlayStation. MGS received a remake for the Nintendo GameCube in 2004 titled Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes and features many of the enhancements made in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Though this did cause an issue in the Revolver Ocelot boss fight as going into first-person viewing made that boss fight trivial.
2 Resident Evil's PlayStation Trilogy Have Each Seen Remakes
Similar to Pokémon, Resident Evil is no stranger to remakes. The first three Resident Evil games have all been remade, with the latter two shifting to a third-person over-the-shoulder perspective. Capcom is currently developing a remake of Resident Evil 4.
The remake of the first Resident Evil was originally released exclusively for the GameCube in 2002. The Resident Evil remake doesn't change a lot beyond the visual overhaul, which is still impressive today. The Resident Evil remake does add a few additional subplots, namely Lisa Trevor and the tragedy surrounding her family.
1 GoldenEye 007 Was Reimagined To Star Daniel Craig As James Bond
While GoldenEye 007 has a fully fleshed-out single-player mode, which covers the events of the James Bond movie of the same name, GoldenEye is better known as one of the most popular multiplayer games ever made. GoldenEye received a remake, or more specifically a reimaging, in 2010.
Despite keeping the same name, GoldenEye 007 (2010) was starkly different from its original counterpart. True to real-life, Pierce Brosnan is no longer James Bond, and Daniel Craig has now stepped into the iconic tuxedo. The new GoldenEye 007 was originally released for the Nintendo Wii before an enhanced port for other consoles as GoldenEye: Reloaded. The remake retells the story of GoldenEye while adding new story details and thrills. For many, this reimaging fell short of the high bar set by the original GoldenEye, especially for its multiplayer.