We’re living in a period in gaming where a publisher can re-release the same exact game for multiple platforms for nearly a decade and nobody bats an eye. Don’t get us wrong, Skyrim and Grand Theft Auto V are great titles, but we’d love it if publishers dove a bit deeper into their catalogs and gave some older gems their time in the sun.
There are some excellent titles from yesteryear that were so great that we think they deserve to be introduced to a whole new generation. The Nintendo Switch is the perfect platform for remakes of classic games; it’s portable, every console comes with two controllers for co-op, and it has a massive player base. Here are just a few fantastic games that we think deserve to be remastered for the Nintendo Switch.
Bully, which was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2, played like a much more intimate, compact version of Grand Theft Auto. It follows serial bad boy, Jimmy “James” Hopkins, as he struggles to accustom himself to the rigid, uptight lifestyle of his new private school. The focused scope of Bully really lets the world-building talents of Rockstar Games shine through; rather than the excessive pop-culture satire of GTA, we got a tongue-in-cheek montage to all the best coming-of-age tales from the ’80s.
People have been begging for a proper sequel or remake for decades now, and the Switch just might be the perfect platform for one. The touchscreen and motion controls would be great for the various mini-games you’ll play as a student at Bullworth Academy.
Developed by Harmonix of Guitar Hero and Rock Band fame, Frequency and Amplitude are a duo of rhythm games with energetic electronic tracks and a unique gimmick: players could use its editor to create banging remixes of the game’s songs. Half the fun is listening to the weird creations of other players — the other half is making your own! We can imagine people slapping on a pair of headphones and jamming out to Frequency/Amplitude on a Switch while they’re on the bus or subway.
Fatal Frame is a horror game series that revolves around the use of a special camera with the ability to capture roaming spirits. Maiden of Black Water was originally released on the Wii U back in 2014 and leveraged the console’s unique hardware in a way that complemented the gimmick nicely. It used the Wii U gamepad’s motion controls and embedded touchscreen to simulate an actual camera, taking immersion to a whole new level.
Sadly, the Wii U’s failure meant that Maiden of Black Water would never get the attention it rightly deserved. We think it’s high time the world knows about this underrated gem, and the Nintendo Switch has the hardware and audience for the perfect remake.
Def Jam: Fight for New York took some of the biggest hip-hop artists of the mid-2000s and threw them into a ring to knock each other’s teeth out. It may not have been the most complex or balanced fighting game around, but the over-the-top style and insane library of high-flying wrestling moves made for an extravagant, balls-to-the-wall brawling experience that was crazy fun to play around with. With support for up to 4 players in a ring, a remake of Def Jam: Fight for New York would be a must-have Switch game for parties.
Legends was a bold title for its time, eschewing the traditional 2D platforming the Blue Bomber was known for in favor of third-person, run-and-gun gameplay. Gone were the Robot Masters and the series-defining “ability absorbing” mechanic. Instead, we got a story-driven adventure title infused with light RPG elements — and it was fantastic!
Mega Man Legends is a touchy subject for fans of the Blue Bomber. Capcom did their fans dirty with this franchise, leaving us with a massive cliffhanger and no promise of a satisfying conclusion. It’s been 20 years, Capcom; time for you to make things right.
Tenchu was the top hack-and-slash stealth series back in the early to mid-2000s. It combined excellent stealth mechanics, intelligent guard AI, and a deep arsenal of ninja toys to create an atmospheric and high-intensity experience. Wrath of Heaven was the culmination of all the developers had learned in their previous titles, with tight controls, a great, balanced selection of gear, and an excellent story inspired by Japanese folklore.
The robust stealth elements almost made Wrath of Heaven more of a puzzle game than an out-and-out action title, making it a perfect title for gamers on the go. It also had a pretty good co-op mode, so a friend can join in on the fun.
The Warriors is the 2005 open-world action-adventure title based on the 1979 movie of the same name. The Warriors, a New York street gang decked out in crop-top vests and bright red, leather chinos, are framed for the murder of a rival gang leader. Now every gang in the city is out for their blood, and The Warriors must make their way through the dangerous, gang-filled streets of New York to the safety of their Coney Island headquarters.
The Warriors game went above and beyond your average tie-in fare, exploring the different gangs and colorful characters of the film in much more detail than the movie ever did. The non-stop street fights and crowded clashes made for intense encounters and an enjoyable adventure. And with 2 player co-op already a big part of the game, we imagine it’d be a big hit on the Switch.
Shaolin Monks was a criminally underappreciated beat ’em up set in the ultra-violent Mortal Kombat universe that absolutely deserves the Switch makeover. Its high-tempo action paired with super satisfying (and gorey!) visuals made Kung Lao and Liu Kang’s adventure through the Outworld a camp-filled blast. Combat is simple but enjoyable, focusing on positioning and timing over frame-perfect inputs and complex button combos, which would make it lots of fun even with Joycons. The best part: Shaolin Monks has co-op, so you and a friend can bust heads together, following the footsteps of Kung Lao and Liu Kang!
The Nintendo Switch fills that niche between hypercasual and hardcore — a sort of middle ground between mobile and console — that makes it the perfect platform for reviving old classics. These were just a few of the games we thought were most deserving of a modern makeover. What games would make your list of games that should be remastered for Switch? Let us know in the comments below.
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