Ethan is such an inspiring guy; after reading his list, I jotted down some thoughts on which games I’d love to see remade or rebooted and how I’d like them to come to life in a new generation. I couldn’t decide on a priority order, so I chickened out and went alphabetical.
If you haven’t read his list, do that first. I’ll wait.
Are you back? Awesome. Enjoy!
Disney’s Aladdin
Okay, hear me out—Disney’s Aladdin, but as a Metroidvania. Kinda dope, right? Having been neck-deep in Castlevania (hah, vampire joke), it’s probably on the brain, but I think Aladdin could be really cool expanded into this genre. I was a fan of the Super Nintendo version, but I think it would be a perfect opportunity to marry it with Sega, pulling the best parts of each.
Final Fantasy X
You know how they redid Final Fantasy VII? Yeah, do that here with FFX; it’s the better of the two anyway. Plus, you don’t even have to invent a side card game; you literally have Blitzball—recruit players, train stats, and make it a whole thing! If we’re getting really crazy, maybe smooth out X-2 and work some of those beats into the remake, too, for a more complete story and a happier ending.
Grandia II
Like the game above, I think this title needs the Final Fantasy VII remake treatment. The big difference here is the combat—ideally, a modernized take on the Initiative Point Battle System, rather than a real-time overhaul. More people need to experience this bonkers story.
Mass Effect
Such a precious property needs more than a simple remaster. I’d love to see this universe redone in first person—drawing on immersive games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II—I think there’s a lot you can do to make this series feel fresh and alive.
ModNation Racers
With as many hours in design mode as I did driving, I loved how the devs built a great racing-game foundation and handed the keys to the community. The idea of always having a new course to try was exhilarating and deserves to be experienced again. Unlike others on this list, I think the format was nearly perfect. I’d only update it by adding more tools and options, bigger parties, and easier discoverability and searching. Heck, I’d be just as happy with a sequel.
Pokémon Blue/Red
I get it. These games have been remade, like, twice. But… what if they were remade as a full-fledged RPG? More detailed than your average Pokémon game, I’d love to see what this would look like in high fidelity and maybe with higher realism. Maybe you don’t want to fight Pokémon; maybe you want to catalog or find a different path to follow. A guy can wish. Basically, there are too many Pokémon, and I miss the original 150.
Pokémon Pinball
The last Pokémon Pinball game was on the Game Boy Advance?! It absolutely needs a new, fresh entry. Maybe even include a mode where you can turn the Switch 2 screen on its side and play vertically? Or make it a side game in the awesome Pokémon Blue remake above.
Star Wars: Demolition
No one knows about this game. Seriously, I talk about it all the time, and I’m just met with blank stares. It’s a little sad if I’m being honest. Every recent Star Wars game has been excellent, and I think this one could be just as fun. I had other stuff written here, but I really loved the Twisted Metal idea, so maybe just read that below and then imagine Darth Vader instead of Sweet Tooth.
Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided
How is World of Warcraft being remade again before this game is brought back? As I mentioned above, we’re proving there’s still so much life left in Star Wars; let’s embrace it. We need an MMO that isn’t combat-centric. We need a game like this again… especially since Star Citizen is never coming out.
Twisted Metal
While the TV show is better than it has any right to be, it proves you can tell a story in this literally insane world. I’d love to see it expanded—where the characters are NPCs, and you meet them, learn the ropes, and customize your ride to your playstyle. Once you’re ready, you venture into a persistent online universe where real people form gangs and take and hold territories. Dang… this could actually be the coolest game idea on the list.
No, you inspired me my good sir!