Games Begging for a Remake

Here's a short list of games begging for remakes or sequels. Although I ain't really familiar with the most recent gaming trends and brands (read: Rock Band), I'm sure some of the kids out there would appreciate some of the earlier Nintendo classics such as Bionic Commando, but aged graphics and controls sometimes make it hard to get involved into a game, no matter how amazing the game originally seemed.

I'd really love it if more game companies did exact remakes of older games, but with enhanced graphics and sounds. In other words, the exact same controls, gameplay and physics but with the high definition experience - the way they did it with Bionic Commando: Rearmed.

Carmageddon


One of my favorite gaming brands, the Carmageddon games had a ton of character. From awarding the player extra points for slamming sideways into pedestrians, to pitting dune buggeys against mine sweeping tanks in multiplayer mode, to leaving trails of blood, Carmageddon was a no-holds-barred gaming experience and a definite influence on the Grand Theft Auto series, among others. It was even banned in certain countries, where pedestrians were replaced by mutants, zombies and aliens bleeding green.

If a remake was done, it would be a sick, demented cross between GTA4, Burnout Paradise and Death Race 2,000 where, in addition to being able to squash pedestrians and other lifeforms repetitively for extra bonus combo points, the whole thing would happen at blinding speeds and you'd be allowed to get out of your vehicle with a rocket launcher to blow up a building, which would collapse and crush your opponents' cars and innocent, harmless pedestrians.

Chrono Trigger


After almost 15 years, Chrono Trigger for the SNES is still remembered as one of the most innovative RPG's and one of the most respected and influential SquareSoft games. The storyline was out of this world and, similar to Final Fantasy 4, started as a relatively traditional RPG but went onto various sci-fi themes such as time travel, space aliens and a futuristic apocalypse. There was a sequel called Chrono Cross on the PlayStation.

With today's graphics, sound and online multiplayer possibilities, a remake of Chrono Trigger would be breath-taking. One could play the single-player storyline (the original on the SNES took at least 20 to 30 hours to complete) but could also go online with a customized avatar and play with other players in team vs. team combat where, similarly to the single-player gameplay, the key to winning matches would be by performing offensive or defensive combos with your teammates, combining melee and range combat with elemental magic spells.

Mutant League Hockey


A poorly known brand, Electronic Arts' Mutant League sports games used their Madden Football and NHL Hockey engines but replaced the players with various robots, zombies and monsters. The field or ice rink was also littered with chasms and booby traps, reminescent of Games Workshop's old Blood Bowl board game.

One can only imagine what kind of mayhem a game like Mutant League Hockey would bring to Xbox Live today. Imagine being able to design your own monstrous mutant hockey players, using a tool similar to the recently-released Spore Creature Creator. Add a tentacle here, a spiked tail there, give your player a spiked flail or a double-edged battle axe, create your own team jersey, colors and logo, then head online with your team of goons to play against other players.