The 16-bit era was a paradigm shift for video games. It meant that we were finally breaking new ground with better graphics, sound and more complex gameplay. It also gave rise to a new age of classic video games that stood head and shoulders over their 8-bit predecessors.
It's time we took a look back at the age of 16-bit gaming so that we may choose ten titles that deserve to be remade. These games have not only stood the test of time in their own right, but they're popular enough for a new generation to experience them, as well.
10 ALTERED BEAST
On its face, Altered Beast is a standard-issue pack-in game, and nothing more. It wasn't spectacular to begin with, but there's a definite attraction to the idea of being able to morph into a half-man, half-creature with devastating attacks to unleash.
The original Altered Beast centered around a hero resurrected by Zeus to battle an evil sorcerer and win back his daughter. Special power-ups turned the character from David Tennant to Arnold Schwarzenegger before finally triggering a fantastical transformation into various animal forms.
A remake of Altered Beast could adopt a Metroidvania style of play, allowing you to unlock various animal forms and switch between them if your magic meter is high enough. Toss in a good story and a ton of Greek mythological references, and Altered Beast could easily rise from its grave, yet again.
9 OGRE BATTLE
There aren't nearly enough good strategy games to go around, which makes an Ogre Battle remake quite an interesting prospect. The original game is lauded for its attention to detail, tactics, and skill. It was also quite easy to pick up and play.
A remake of Ogre Battle could expand on the creation of military units, with new types to choose from. By opening up the strategy mechanics a bit more, the game could adopt elements from subsequent strategy hits like Starcraft, without playing exactly alike. The reputation system also played an important part in the original title as well. Play like a warlord, and you could quickly lose favor with the populace. This could be taken a step further for the sake of both story, and character progression.
8 ETERNAL CHAMPIONS
In many ways, Eternal Champions was Sega's answer to both Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. It incorporated elements from both games, while attempting to weave a story based on the principle of time travel. It wasn't perfect, but it was one of the better fighting games of the time.
It's about time Eternal Champions got a second chance to step into the ring. Retain the same side-scrolling system as the original, and focus heavily on creating dynamic, breathtaking environments suitable for the characters of the time periods in question. It worked for Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, so there's no reason why it can't work again.
7 POCKY AND ROCKY
Pocky and Rocky was a barrel of fun when it debuted on the Super NES, and its sequel was equally as charming. Bring it back, keep the same anime cartoon style, and broaden out the size of the game by adding new levels, unlockable characters, and items.
We'd also love to see the inclusion of 4-player online co-op. Sure, 2-player was fine, but this is 2020, the more the merrier! The game's play mechanics still hold up today, and it's one of those games that seemingly never gets old.
6 MUTANT LEAGUE HOCKEY
Electronic Arts took a page from its own NHL series of hockey games in the 1990s and put a spin on the entire formula to create Mutant League Hockey. The result was one of the most hilarious and fun hockey games ever made. Its tongue-in-cheek black humor and cartoon violence were an instant hit among gamers - even those who preferred a more realistic hockey experience.
This is a series that should have gone on, but there's no reason why it can't be resuscitated. It's cheeky enough for all kinds of gamers, but at its core is a great hockey game waiting to be unleashed. Maintain all the standards of the game, while expanding on the idea of exploding pucks, chainsaws and ref bribery. Open it up to online play, allow for the creation of custom teams with a build-your-own-banner system, and let the fur fly.
5 CONTRA III: THE ALIEN WARS
We don't want to see this title remade or re-envisioned. We want a straight-up, no-holds-barred HD update to this classic shooter, without sacrificing the gameplay that made it so stellar in the first place. We want enhanced explosions going off against crazy action backdrops with dynamic camera functions that don't distract.
We also want more levels. Contra III was designed as a game you could finish in under a half-hour. That's fine, but adding in 4 or 5 never-before-seen levels could be the icing on the cake. We'll also take fully animated cut-scenes, thank you very much.
The groundwork was already laid in the original game. Just imagine what a 2020 update would look, sound, and feel like.
4 BUCK ROGERS: COUNTDOWN TO DOOMSDAY
The original Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday was first released on PC, before it was scaled down for the Sega Genesis. In truth, it's not a groundbreaking game. The music is repetitive, the environments are positively dull, and it relies a lot on implied text-based descriptions of items around you. Yet, there's something incredibly charming about the game, if you can make it past the initial learning curve.
This is a full-on RPG, in pure form. Everything from character creation to the application of skill points will determine how balanced and functional your team is. Toss in a ship-to-ship battle system that's surprisingly interesting (albeit ancient), and there's enough material to create a stellar remake. The game's biggest strength is its story-based content. It just needs to jettison the rough and tumble play mechanics in favor of something streamlined and accessible.
3 SUPER DOUBLE DRAGON
Super Double Dragon took the established Double Dragon formula and chucked it square in the trash. What it offered in return was a robust, highly addictive fighting system that made up for an otherwise so/so beat em' up title. One of the game's best features was the ability to intercept incoming attacks and trap the arm of an opponent, before delivering a series of satisfying counter-attacks.
This resulted in a far less arcade-style feel of play, and something leaning more closely to realism. Sure, it needs a bit of polish, but it's hard to find a fighting game with such a weighted and realistic style of play. The rest of the game needs a major overhaul. Too many similar enemies acting in too familiar a fashion can quickly drag the game out near the end, but there's something special about Super Double Dragon that keeps us coming back.
2 DEATH DUEL
We're not going to pretend that Death Duel was an amazing title. What it did offer was a far different battle system than anything we'd seen before. Each enemy foe was varied enough to stand on their own as a significant threat that required the player to identify weak points and exploit accordingly. There's a foundation there for a good remake, surely?
Death Duel was one of the gorier games of its time, but that wasn't what attracted players to it. The challenging nature of the game forced players to think up new ways of attacking each opponent in order to effect a win. We could imagine a remake abandoning the first-person view in favor of something that requires more interaction with the surrounding environment, complete with a cover system.
1 THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST
We admit that we aren't sure what form a remake of Link To The Past should take. It could adopt the same overly cartooned style as Link's Awakening on the Nintendo Switch, but we'd prefer something a bit more in the visual style of Battle Chasers: Nightwar, or the Secret of Mana remake, at the very least.
Either way, A Link To The Past is one of the most beloved of the Zelda titles, and we've gone far too long without a full-on, ground-up remake. Nintendo fans would eat it up in droves, and it might just push a few extra Switch sales, at the same time. Whatever happens, we're more than ready for another foray into the land of Hyrule, and its dark counterpart.