Remakes & Remasterpieces: An Ongoing Look at the Best in the Biz

Much like the realm of movies, video games are no strangers to remakes and returns to the classics that are fondly remembered. While with Hollywood, many times the modern version of a classic isn't at all necessary, with video games, we see entries that may have sufficed decades ago that may not exactly live up to our nostalgia or rose-tinted glasses today.

That's where remakes and remasters come in. Some might call them cynical money-grabs, but I'd prefer to call them modernizing and--at least with these examples on this inaugural edition of this new article series--improving the gameplay and visuals for old fans and new generations to enjoy. Bonus points if they add new content in as well!

This first edition of Remakes & Remasterpieces mainly features some classic mascots given both an updated and upgraded look. I say "mainly" because there's also Wipeout, which while not mascot-driven whatsoever, is so cool of a franchise that it's on this inaugural installment regardless.

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (PS4, XB1, NSW)

Crash Bandicoot once again proved to the gaming world that he's just as relevant as ever. Hitting #2 on NPD's best-selling games of June, Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled brought with it intense technical racing where a the ratio between skill and luck is much more pronounced than something like Mario Kart. The folks at Beenox didn't just take the original CTR, a great kart racer all on its own, pretty it up, and then call it a day. Instead, they gave every track such a face lift and unique visual identity that if you didn't know the track design itself, you might not even recognize the remade versions from the original circuits.

Not one to rest on its laurels either, Beenox not only remade all of the tracks from Crash Team Racing, but also all 13 tracks from Crash Nitro Kart. That's not even including the free, completely new tracks, karts, characters, and content coming via the ongoing Grand Prix mode. While this games as a service offering does contain quite a bit of grinding, it keeps players engaged with the game. Beenox went beyond the call of duty to make one of the most content-rich, satisfying remakes out there, and the budget price of $40 with currently free DLC makes Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled a fantastic package.

Spyro: Reignited Trilogy (PS4, XB1, NSW, PC)

Another PlayStation 1 classic, the original Spyro the Dragon trilogy comprised of Spyro the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!, and Spyro: Year of the Dragon was given the remake treatment by Activision, and the overall completed product introduced a whole new generation to the precocious purple dragon protagonist. Each game was lovingly recreated with gorgeous detail. This was thanks to the collaboration between the developer of the remade trilogy, Toys for Bob, and the developer of the original trilogy, Insomniac Games.

Thus, three classic titles from the PS1 era had new life breathed into them, and the end result of the Spyro: Reignited Trilogy revealed what many longtime fans of Spyro already knew--these games were great back in '90s and have only become better thanks to the efforts of Toys for Bob. As an aside, Nintendo Switch and PC players will soon get that their chance to check out this terrific trilogy of games when Spyro: Reignited Trilogy launches on both platforms this September.

Ratchet & Clank (PS4)

Speaking of Insomniac Games, let's move on to the series that was post-Spyro the Dragon for the developer. Coinciding with the release of the film of the same name, Ratchet & Clank's 2016 reboot/remake/re-whatever you want to call it didn't exactly stay totally true to the original source material, the 2002 PlayStation 2 game that started the unlikely pairing of a lombax with an intelligent, little robot companion. For instance, the plot mirrored the movie, and thus the originally rocky partnership between the two--particularly Ratchet's animosity towards Clank for most of the game--was completely absent. Some planets were completely axed from the 2016 remake as well.

However, to me, Ratchet & Clank's 2016 outing did more than satisfy. Obviously the visuals wowed and still do to this day, looking almost Pixar movie-like, but the quality of life improvements and some of the cut levels made for a more streamlined, enjoyable, and well paced game that didn't overstay its welcome by any stretch of the imagination. The highlights of the original Ratchet & Clank were still present, but they were joined by an exhaustive list of updates and upgrades making for a game that I couldn't help but love.

Wipeout Omega Collection (PS4)

Running extraordinarily well with blistering fast speeds and a silky smooth frame-rate, Wipeout Omega Collection was a technical showcase of the PlayStation 4, and moreover, just an impeccably solid racer. The collection contained two games: Wipeout HD, complete with its Fury expansion, as well as Wipeout 2048, which was a PlayStation Vita launch title. Between the two games in the collection, 26 circuits were able to be raced on, and a selection of nearly 50 different vehicles were able to be used.

A recent update to Wipeout Omega Collection allows every race to be played via PlayStation VR, making an intense racer all the more thrilling and exciting. Now, you're IN the cockpit, jockeying for position and having your vehicle hover and bounce around the tracks as you speed towards the finish line. Even without the PSVR update, just with the game on a TV is an amazing experience, and one that will get your palms sweating and your pulse pounding as you aim for the checkered flag.

Mega Man: Powered Up (PSP)

Mega Man remains one of my favorite franchises, and the pure action-platforming goodness that walks a fine line between accessible and challenging is one of the reasons why. Mega Man: Powered Up was a game that arrived early on in the PSP's lifetime, and it was when Capcom bet hard on the system. Unfortunately, that didn't quite play out too well for most series other than Monster Hunter, but that was more than enough to reward Capcom regardless!

Mega Man: Powered Up was a remake of the original Mega Man with a cutesy chibi art style, a full fledged story mode with voice acting, two original Robot Masters making for a total of eight--and the ability to play as said eight Robot Masters--a brand-new challenge mode, and finally, the ability to create and share your own Mega Man levels using an abundance of tools from unlockable kits, tucked away in the game's levels. Powered Up was an awesomely ambitious remake, but sadly, it sold as well as spikes to the Blue Bomber--that is to say poorly--cutting short Capcom's plan of remaking more of the games in the series for the PSP.

SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards - Top Five Remakes & Remasters

Let's kick off the penultimate day of awards in the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards with a wholly new category! Yes, this category has never before been seen on the SuperPhillip Central "Best of" Awards in the ten-year history of this annual event. It's a look at the Top Five Remakes & Remasters of 2017. You can include ports in here, too! These updated games on this list had enough additions to be worthwhile, were remastered to utter beauty, ported to the impossible, or a combination of other factors. From racing to ripping and tearing, these best video games remakes and remasters (and ports) were the best of the best for 2017!

5) WipEout Omega Collection (PS4)

This past summer saw the return of the WipEout series, a weaponized rival to franchises like F-Zero and X-Treme G. It seemed with the shuttering of Sony's Liverpool studio, the creators of the WipEout series, that PlayStation's futuristic racing franchise would not be seen again for quite a while. Though it's not a brand-new entry in the WipEout series, it's the next best thing, a collection of three of the most modern games on the series: WipEout HD, WipEout Fury, and WipEout 2048. Able to played in glorious 4K via PS4 Pro or similarly impressive on just a vanilla PS4, WipEout Omega Collection is a stunning racer that makes the WipEout series look better than ever before. With 26 total tracks, 46 ships, and nine unique modes, this WipEout collection is a futuristic racing fans' dream come true.

4) DOOM (NSW)

If in 2016 someone said to you, "You know this super amazing looking game on PS4, Xbox One, and PC? Well, it's going to come to a Nintendo platform in the future," would you have believed them? Furthermore, would you even believe Bethesda would support a Nintendo system after all of this time? DOOM on the Nintendo Switch did, in fact, happen, and somehow the port made by Panic Button brought DOOM's 2016 entry to the Switch in a big and impressive way. While obviously certain graphical aspects had to be toned down from a game made for a high-end console and PC to fit onto less powerful hardware, Panic Button did a highly serviceable and way impressive job (less so in undocked mode, but still amazing that it somehow runs well even in that mode). Containing the whole single-player campaign, the full multiplayer with its 6.66 update including all of the 16 maps and reconfigured rewards, and stellar online, DOOM on Switch seemed like an impossibility, but Bethesda and Panic Button proved to people that things aren't always what they seem.

3) Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS)

While there has already been a remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus created by a fan, there has yet to be an official one by Nintendo. That was until last fall where Metroid: Samus Returns for the Nintendo 3DS released and Samus went on an updated mission with some story and gameplay-related twists and turns. For one, Samus could now aim more precisely and by varying degrees instead of strictly left, right, down, and some diagonals. A new counterattack meant enemies who got too close for comfort for Samus could be stunned or destroyed in an instant. The environments boasted lots of variety, especially in the second half of the game, and story-wise, the inclusion of new bosses and story beats added more lore to the Metroid series in general. Both Nintendo and MercurySteam crafted a long awaited and satisfying return of the Metroid series, and it makes me quite hopeful for the future of the franchise, something I couldn't quite say after Metroid Prime: Federation Force, despite enjoying that game for what it was.

2) Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy (PS4)

Samus may have had a long awaited return, but the wait was nothing compared to PlayStation fans and one of the characters synonymous with the brand, Crash Bandicoot. Activision and Vicarious Visions teamed up to create what fans had been clamoring for ages for, a remake of the original Crash Bandicoot trilogy, a trio of games released way back on the original PlayStation. With the PS4 remakes all in one neat and tidy packed, Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy brought several added conveniences to the old games while making them look absolutely jaw-dropping in their gorgeous brilliance. The new animations, the detailed worlds, the advanced lighting, and the tremendous effects on display meant that Crash had finally entered onto the PlayStation 4 in top form. And the wait was worth it, as all three games were brought to their best (yes, even the original Crash Bandicoot, which I still think is not particularly a great game). Fans were thirsty for more Crash Bandicoot, and sales charts in the West have shown this on a routine basis.

1) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NSW)

At first glance, Mario Kart 8 on the Nintendo Switch didn't seem like such a big deal, but looks can be deceiving. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe not only jazzed up its presentation, but it had all the purchased DLC from the Wii U game already available in the Switch port, new characters like King Boo and Bowser Jr. to race as, a completely overhauled and better-than-ever-before Battle Mode with eight unique arenas, and multiple modes to keep the races running wild all throughout the year. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe remains a mainstay at parties with friends and a game in the rotation for when I play the Switch with my older brother. This is after already playing the Wii U original for 80+ hours! With being placed on a new, much more popular piece of hardware, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is on its way to easily outselling its Wii U predecessor, and whether it's at home in docked form, on the go with handheld mode, or gathered around a patio table in kickstand form, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe can be played and ultimately enjoyed whenever and wherever with whoever you want, making it SuperPhillip Central's pick for the best port of 2017!