Fans of classic games love to see their favorites re-created on newer, more modern hardware. The "Pixel Remaster" series is the latest effort in this vein from Square Enix. It has many players excited, as it brings over the first six games in the Final Fantasy franchise to Steam, iOS, and Android devices.
An important consideration for many fans when older games come to new hardware is how faithful the new version is to the original release. Fans are often critical when too many changes are made to their beloved favorites, or when something feels off about the game compared to the one they remember. Many players simply want to re-create the fun memories and experiences they had in the past with their favorite games.
10 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Would Be A Radical Blast From The Past
The TMNT series has managed to stay fairly relevant over the years, but nothing could top the wild, runaway success it enjoyed in the 1990s. Modern games in the franchise do exist, and the series has seen many reboots over time. The classic entries remain elusive however and would be excellent to see as part of a collection.
While the original NES game is divisive among fans, the rest of Konami's classic lineup would be welcomed by many. There are some excellent handheld entries in the series, and the two classic arcade games are prime candidates as well. The upcoming Shredder's Revenge game is inspired by the original 1987 TV series and the old arcade games, so fans can look forward to that.
9 Castlevania Is Only Half Accounted For, Even With Its Anniversary Collection
Castlevania Anniversary Collection was released for PS4, Xbox One, and Switch in 2019 to celebrate Konami's 50th anniversary. Surprisingly this collection made it to Steam as well. It has about half of the earlier games in the Castlevania franchise. Mobile gamers received a port of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night in 2020, but unfortunately, the Anniversary Collection doesn't have mobile equivalents.
Even with all of that, players are still missing classic favorites like Rondo of Blood and Dracula X. Even Castlevania Legends was absent from the Anniversary Collection, despite the other Game Boy entries being present. There are also the three Game Boy Advance titles, and the three Nintendo DS titles to consider. PC players still don't have Symphony of the Night either.
8 Gradius's Missing Entries Could Finally Come To Western Audiences
As part of their Anniversary Collection celebration, Konami released Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and Steam. It had arcade versions of the first and second Gradius games, as well as Life Force, a spinoff also known as Salamander. The titles aren't available on mobile platforms, and since the collection wasn't solely focused on Gradius, the third, fourth, and fifth entries are absent.
There are many spinoff games in the series that have not been released worldwide. A "Pixel Remaster" could finally bring the numerous games from the Parodius and Otomedius spinoff series to western audiences. There are also other Gradius titles to consider, like Gradius Gaiden, Gradius Galaxies, Gradius NEO, and Gradius ReBirth.
7 Even New Fans Could Appreciate The Classic Batman Games
There is indeed no shortage of modern Batman games for fans to enjoy. And to some, the classic games won't compare to today's richer, more robust experiences. But it's also not necessary to be familiar with the Batman movies from the 1980s and 1990s to enjoy their related games.
Unfortunately, the classic Batman games are not available on modern hardware. They've not seen the light of day in decades now. With Batman being such an iconic figure all over the world, many would appreciate having the games they remember made available to experience again on PC and mobile devices.
6 Breath Of Fire Deserves To Have Its Flames Rekindled
The Breath of Fire franchise is a beloved classic RPG series from Capcom that lets players transform into dragons, but it hasn't been given much attention lately. The last entry most of the world saw was the fifth game Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter on the Playstation 2 almost two decades ago. Breath of Fire 6 did eventually come to exist as a free-to-play online PC and mobile game in Japan back in 2016. But by late 2017 its service had ended.
Players who have a Nintendo Switch Online membership can play Breath of Fire and Breath of Fire II on their Switch consoles. Still, that doesn't help Breath of Fire III or Breath of Fire IV fans. No games in the series are on Steam or mobile platforms outside of Japan either.
5 The Classic Games In The Ghosts 'N Goblins Franchise Could Use A Little More Love
Steam players have access to a port of the original Ghosts 'n Goblins arcade game. There's also the modern entry, Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection, which took inspiration from the earlier games. Mobile players on the other hand have nothing available to them from the franchise.
The Ghosts 'n Goblins games are notoriously difficult. Perhaps that's why there haven't been many Ghosts 'n Goblins franchise releases for PC or mobile. Though Nintendo Switch owners who are also subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online can access the NES version of Ghosts 'n Goblins, and Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts from the SNES through the service.
4 Harvest Moon Is A Prime Candidate, Especially For Mobile
Harvest Moon was a groundbreaking title, showing that games could be fun while also being about something else besides solving problems through conflict. If there was ever a fitting franchise for the casual gaming mobile space, Harvest Moon is definitely it. There are already some modern entries in mobile markets and on Steam for PC as well.
A Pixel Remaster would be enticing for those who wish to experience the series origins. The success of games like Stardew Valley, which was heavily inspired by Harvest Moon, proves that the franchise can thrive. Demand for wholesome games is on the rise in modern times too.
3 The Surprising Lack Of Scooby-Doo Games On Steam And Mobile Leaves Room For Older Titles
Scooby-Doo games are in short supply on Steam and mobile platforms. One thing that the series has going for it is staying power. Over the years the technology changes and some aspects of everyday life portrayed in the earlier shows are outdated, but by and large, the core Scooby-Doo experience remains enjoyable even today.
A Pixel Remaster would be an especially good fit for mobile. The casual nature of the gameplay in the early games would be easy to adapt to mobile devices. They may not be the best games ever made, but they have their own charm, and new fans could experience the history of Scooby video games.
2 The Bomberman Franchise Is Massive And Has Plenty To Choose From
The Bomberman franchise is extensive, with dozens of entries across historic and modern platforms alike. It comes as a bit of a surprise then that Steam has very few options for enjoying Bomberman, and mobile seemingly even less. Steam does have Super Bomberman R and the newer Super Bomberman R Online, but that's about it.
Mobile is rife with unofficial Bomberman clone games, a sure sign that there is demand for mobile Bomberman experiences, but neither iOS nor Android seems to offer the real thing. With as many games as there are in the franchise, a Pixel Remaster that included everything would be a huge undertaking. Perhaps a "Best Of" collection would suffice.
1 The Goemon/Mystical Ninja Series Offers Unique Experiences That Many Missed Out On
The sheer uniqueness of the Ganbare Goemon/Mystical Ninja franchise merits it getting the Pixel Remaster treatment. There's also the consideration that some of its entries never made it outside of Japan originally. It is considered niche, but more attention and exposure for the series could probably change that.
Nintendo Switch owners who have access to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online app can play The Legend of the Mystical Ninja. Other than that, there's nothing available anywhere. Owning the original games and their consoles is the only way to play the rest of the franchise.