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A video game remake is a
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
closely adapted from an earlier title, usually for the purpose of modernizing a game with updated graphics for newer hardware and gameplay for
contemporary Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from about 1945 to the present. In the social sciences, contemporary history is also continuous with, and related t ...
audiences. Typically, a
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...
of such game software shares essentially the same title, fundamental gameplay concepts, and core story elements of the original game, although some aspects of the original game may have been changed for the remake. Remakes are often made by the original developer or
copyright holder A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive legal right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, e ...
, and sometimes by the fan community. If created by the community, video game remakes are sometimes also called
fangame A fan game is a video game that is created by fans of a certain topic or IP. They are usually based on one, or in some cases several, video game entries or franchises. Many fan games attempt to clone or remake the original game's design, game ...
s and can be seen as part of the
retro gaming Retro gaming, also known as classic gaming and old school gaming, is the playing and collection of computer game, personal computers, video game console, consoles, and video games from earlier decades. Usually, retro gaming is based upon syste ...
phenomenon.


Definition

A remake offers a newer interpretation of an older work, characterized by updated or changed assets. For example, '' The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D'' and '' The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D'' for the
Nintendo 3DS The is a foldable dual-screen handheld game console produced by Nintendo. Announced in March 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS, the console was released originally on February 26, 2011 and went through various revisions in its lifetime, ...
are considered remakes of their original versions for the
Nintendo 64 The (N64) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, in North America on September 29, 1996, and in Europe and Australia on March 1, 1997. As the successor to the Super Nintendo E ...
, and not a
remaster A remaster is a change in the sound or image quality of previously created forms of media, whether Mastering (audio), audiophonic, Cinematography, cinematic, or Videography, videographic. The resulting product is said to be remastered. The term ...
or a
port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...
, since there are new character models and texture packs. '' The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD'' for
Wii U The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. The W ...
would be considered a remaster, since it retains the same, albeit updated upscaled aesthetics of the original. A remake typically maintains the same story, genre, and fundamental gameplay ideas of the original work. The intent of a remake is usually to take an older game that has become outdated and update it for a new platform and audience. A remake will not necessarily preserve the original gameplay especially if it is dated, instead remaking the gameplay to conform to the conventions of contemporary games or later titles in the same series in order to make a game marketable to a new audience. For example, for Sierra's 1991 remake of ''
Space Quest ''Space Quest'' is a series of six comic science fiction adventure games released between 1986 and 1995. The games follow the adventures of a hapless janitor named #Protagonist, Roger Wilco, who campaigns through the galaxy for "truth, justice, ...
'', the developers used the engine, point-and-click interface, and graphical style of '' Space Quest IV: Roger Wilco and The Time Rippers'', replacing the original graphics and
text parser {{Refimprove, date=August 2007 In adventure games, a text parser takes typed input (a command) from the player and simplifies it to something the game can understand. Usually, words with the same meaning are turned into the same word (e.g. "take" a ...
interface of the original. However, other elements, like the narrative, puzzles and sets, were largely preserved. Another example is '' Black Mesa'', a remake built entirely from the ground up in the Source Engine that remakes in-game textures, assets, models, and
facial animation Computer facial animation is primarily an area of computer graphics that encapsulates methods and techniques for generating and animating images or models of a character face. The character can be a human, a humanoid, an animal, a legendary creatu ...
s, while taking place in the events of the original ''
Half-Life Half-life is a mathematical and scientific description of exponential or gradual decay. Half-life, half life or halflife may also refer to: Film * Half-Life (film), ''Half-Life'' (film), a 2008 independent film by Jennifer Phang * ''Half Life: ...
'' game. ''Resident Evil 2'' (2019) is a remake of the 1998 game ''
Resident Evil 2 ''Resident Evil 2'' is a 1998 survival horror video game developed and published by Capcom for the PlayStation (console), PlayStation. The player controls rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield, who must escape Raccoon ...
''; while the original uses
tank controls Tank controls are a control system used in video games whereby players control movement relative to the position of the player character, rather than the perspective of the game camera. They have become less common over time and free-roaming cam ...
and fixed camera angles, the remake features "over-the-shoulder"
third-person shooter Third-person shooter (TPS) is a subgenre of 3D shooter games in which the gameplay consists primarily of shooting. It is closely related to first-person shooters, but with the player character visible on-screen during play. While 2D shoot 'em ...
gameplay similar to ''
Resident Evil 4 ''Resident Evil 4'' is a 2005 survival horror game developed and published by Capcom for the GameCube. Players control the special agent Leon S. Kennedy on a mission to rescue the US president's daughter, Ashley Graham (Resident Evil), Ashley ...
'' and more recent games in the series that allows players the option to move while using their weapons similar to ''
Resident Evil 6 ''Resident Evil 6'' is a 2012 third-person shooter video game developed and published by Capcom. A major installment in the ''Resident Evil'' series, ''Resident Evil 6'' was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in October 2012, and for ...
''.


History

In the early history of video games, remakes were generally regarded as " conversions" and seldom associated with nostalgia. Due to limited and often highly divergent hardware, games appearing on multiple platforms usually had to be entirely remade. These conversions often included considerable changes to the graphics and gameplay, and could be regarded retroactively as remakes, but are distinguished from later remakes largely by intent. A conversion is created with the primary goal of tailoring a game to a specific piece of hardware, usually contemporaneous or nearly contemporaneous with the original release. An early example was ''
Gun Fight ''Gun Fight'', known as in Japan and Europe, is a 1975 multidirectional shooter arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released by Taito in Japan and Europe and by Midway in North America. Based around two Old West cowboys ar ...
'', Midway's 1975 reprogrammed version of
Taito is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, Toy, toys, arcade cabinets, and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, Vending machine, vending machines, and Juk ...
's
arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily game of skill, games of skill and in ...
''Western Gun'', with the main difference being the use of a
microprocessor A microprocessor is a computer processor (computing), processor for which the data processing logic and control is included on a single integrated circuit (IC), or a small number of ICs. The microprocessor contains the arithmetic, logic, a ...
in the reprogrammed version, which allowed improved graphics and smoother animation than the
discrete logic A logic gate is a device that performs a Boolean function, a logical operation performed on one or more binary inputs that produces a single binary output. Depending on the context, the term may refer to an ideal logic gate, one that has, for i ...
of the original. In 1980,
Warren Robinett Joseph Warren Robinett Jr. (born December 25, 1951) In the A. Merrill interview, Robinett says he was 26 in November 1977. is an American video game designer. He is most notable as the developer of the Atari 2600's ''Adventure'' and as a founder ...
created ''
Adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...
'' for the
Atari 2600 The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS), it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridg ...
, a graphical version of the 1970s text adventure ''
Colossal Cave Adventure ''Colossal Cave Adventure'' (also known as ''Adventure'' or ''ADVENT'') is a text-based adventure game, released in 1976 by developer Will Crowther for the PDP-10 mainframe computer. It was expanded upon in 1977 by Don Woods. In the game, the ...
''. Also in 1980,
Atari Atari () is a brand name that has been owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by French holding company Atari SA (formerly Infogrames) and its focus is on "video games, consumer hardware, licensing and bl ...
released the first officially
license A license (American English) or licence (Commonwealth English) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another part ...
d home
console game A video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can typically be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location connec ...
conversion of an arcade title, Taito's 1978 hit ''
Space Invaders is a 1978 shoot 'em up video game developed and published by Taito for Arcade video game, arcades. It was released in Japan in April 1978, with the game being released by Midway Manufacturing overseas. ''Space Invaders'' was the first fixed s ...
'', for the
Atari 2600 The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS), it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridg ...
. The game became the first "
killer app A killer application (often shortened to killer app) is any software that is so necessary or desirable that it proves the core value of some larger technology, such as its host computer hardware, video game console, software platform, or operati ...
" for a
video game console A video game console is an electronic device that Input/output, outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can typically be played with a game controller. These may be home video game console, home consoles, which are generally ...
by quadrupling the system's sales. Since then, it became a common trend to
port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...
arcade games to home systems since the second console generation, though at the time they were often more limited than the original arcade games due to the technical limitations of home consoles. In 1985,
Sega is a Japanese video game company and subsidiary of Sega Sammy Holdings headquartered in Tokyo. It produces several List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises for arcade game, arcades and video game cons ...
released a pair of arcade remakes of older home video games. '' Pitfall II: Lost Caverns'' was effectively a remake of both the original ''
Pitfall! ''Pitfall!'' is a video game developed by David Crane for the Atari 2600 and released in September 1982 by Activision. The player controls Pitfall Harry, who has a time limit of 20 minutes to seek treasure in a jungle. The game world is popu ...
'' and its sequel '' Pitfall II: Lost Caverns'' with new level layouts and colorful, detailed graphics. That same year, Sega adapted the 1982
computer game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual feedback from a display device, mo ...
''
Choplifter ''Choplifter'' (stylized as ''Choplifter!'') is a military-themed scrolling shooter developed by Dan Gorlin for the Apple II and published by Broderbund in 1982. It was ported to the Atari 8-bit computers the same year, and also to the VIC-20, C ...
'' for the arcades, taking the fundamental gameplay of the original and greatly expanding it, adding new environments, enemies, and gameplay elements. This version was very successful, and later adapted to the
Master System The is an 8-bit Third generation of video game consoles, third-generation home video game console manufactured and developed by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series ...
and
Famicom The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...
. Both of these games were distinguished from most earlier conversions in that they took major liberties with the source material, attempting to modernize both the gameplay as well as the graphics. Some of the earliest remakes to be recognized as such were attempts to modernize games to the standards of later games in the series. Some were even on the same platforms as the original, for example '' Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness'', a 1986 remake of the original that appeared on multiple platforms, including the
Apple II Apple II ("apple Roman numerals, two", stylized as Apple ][) is a series of microcomputers manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1977 to 1993. The Apple II (original), original Apple II model, which gave the series its name, was designed ...
, the system the game originated on. Other early remakes of this type include Sierra Entertainment, Sierra's early-1990s releases of ''King's Quest'', ''Space Quest'' and ''Leisure Suit Larry''. These games used the technology and interface of the most recent games in Sierra's series, and original assets in a dramatically different style. The intent was not simply to bring the game to a new platform, but to modernize older games which had in various ways become dated. With the birth of the
retrogaming Retro gaming, also known as classic gaming and old school gaming, is the playing and collection of computer game, personal computers, video game console, consoles, and video games from earlier decades. Usually, retro gaming is based upon syste ...
phenomenon, remakes became a way for companies to revive nostalgic brands. '' Galaga '88'' and ''Super Space Invaders '91'' were both attempts to revitalize aging arcade franchises with modernized graphics and new gameplay elements, while preserving many signature aspects of the original games. The 16-bit generation of console games was marked by greatly enhanced graphics compared to the previous generation, but often relatively similar gameplay, which led to an increased interest in remakes of games from the previous generation. ''
Super Mario All-Stars ''Super Mario All-Stars'' is a 1993 compilation of platform games for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It contains remakes of Nintendo's four '' Super Mario'' games released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the ...
'' remade the entire NES ''Mario'' series, and was met with great commercial success. Remake compilations of the ''
Ninja Gaiden is a media franchise based on action video games by Tecmo featuring the ninja Ryu Hayabusa as its protagonist. The series was originally known as in Japan. The word " gaiden" in the North American ''Ninja Gaiden'' title means "side story" in J ...
'' and ''
Mega Man ''Mega Man'' (known as in Japan) is a video game franchise developed and published by Capcom, featuring the Mega Man (character), protagonist of the same name. The Mega Man (1987 video game), original game was released for the Nintendo Enter ...
'' series followed. As RPGs increased in popularity, ''
Dragon Quest previously published as ''Dragon Warrior'' in North America until 2005, is a series of role-playing video games created by Japanese game designer Yuji Horii (Armor Project), character designer Akira Toriyama (Bird Studio), and composer Koi ...
'', '' Ys'' and '' Kyūyaku Megami Tensei'' were also remade. In the mid-'90s, Atari released a series of remakes with the ''2000'' brand, including ''
Tempest 2000 is a 1994 tube shooter video game originally developed by Llamasoft and published by Atari Corporation for the Atari Jaguar. Part of Atari Corp.'s ''2000'' series, it is a Video game remake, remake of the 1981 arcade game ''Tempest (video game) ...
'', ''Battlezone 2000'', and '' Defender 2000''. After Atari's demise, Hasbro continued the tradition, with 3D remakes of ''
Pong ''Pong'' is a 1972 sports video game developed and published by Atari for arcades. It is one of the earliest arcade video games; it was created by Allan Alcorn as a training exercise assigned to him by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, but B ...
'', ''
Centipede Centipedes (from Neo-Latin , "hundred", and Latin , "foot") are predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda (Ancient Greek , ''kheilos'', "lip", and Neo-Latin suffix , "foot", describing the forcipules) of the subphylum Myriapoda, ...
'', and ''
Asteroids An asteroid is a minor planet—an object larger than a meteoroid that is neither a planet nor an identified comet—that orbits within the Solar System#Inner Solar System, inner Solar System or is co-orbital with Jupiter (Trojan asteroids). As ...
''. By 1994 the popularity of
CD-ROM A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains computer data storage, data computers can read, but not write or erase. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold b ...
led to many remakes with digitized voices and, sometimes, better graphics, although ''Computer Gaming World'' noted the "amateur acting" in many new and remade games on CD. Emulation also made perfect ports of older games possible, with compilations becoming a popular way for publishers to capitalize on older properties. Budget pricing gave publishers the opportunity to match their game's price with the perceived lower value proposition of an older game, opening the door for newer remakes. In 2003,
Sega is a Japanese video game company and subsidiary of Sega Sammy Holdings headquartered in Tokyo. It produces several List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises for arcade game, arcades and video game cons ...
launched the
Sega Ages is a series of video game Porting, ports, Video game remake, remakes, and compilations published by Sega. It consists of Sega arcade games and Home video game console, home console games, typically those for the Sega Genesis and Master System. Th ...
line for
PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...
, initially conceived as a series of modernized remakes of classic games, though the series later diversified to include
emulated In computing, an emulator is hardware or software that enables one computer system (called the ''host'') to behave like another computer system (called the ''guest''). An emulator typically enables the host system to run software or use perip ...
compilations. The series concluded with a release that combined the two approaches, and included a remake of '' Fantasy Zone II'' that ran, via emulation, on hardware dating to the time of the original release, one of the few attempts at an enhanced remake to make no attempts at modernization. The advent of downloadable game services like
Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade (or XBLA) was a video game Digital distribution in video games, digital distribution service that was available for the Xbox (console), Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles. It focused on smaller downloadable games from both major publisher ...
and
PlayStation Network PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
has further fueled the expanded market for remakes, as the platform allows companies to sell their games at a lower price, seen as more appropriate for the smaller size typical of retro games. Some XBLA and PSN remakes include ''
Bionic Commando Rearmed ''Bionic Commando Rearmed'' is an enhanced remake of the 1988 Nintendo Entertainment System version of ''Bionic Commando (1988 video game), Bionic Commando''. It was developed by Grin (company), Grin and published by Capcom for Microsoft Window ...
'', ''
Jetpac Refuelled ''Jetpac Refuelled'' is an arcade-style shooter video game developed by Rare and published by Microsoft Studios. It was released worldwide on the Xbox Live Arcade service on March 28, 2007. The game is the fourth instalment of the ''Jetman'' ...
'', ''
Wipeout HD ''Wipeout HD'' is a 2008 racing video game developed by Studio Liverpool and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the eighth instalment of the ''Wipeout'' series and the first on this platform. It was originall ...
'' (a remake not of the original ''Wipeout'' but of the two PSP games), ''
Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram is a 1998 arcade action game from Sega, a 3D fighting game where the player assumes control of a giant humanoid robot. It was developed initially on the Sega Model 3 arcade hardware (''M.S.B.S. Ver.5.2''). Updated versions (''Ver.5.4''/''5.45'') ...
'' and ''
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix ''Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix'' is a 2008 fighting game initially released on the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Arcade services. A physical copy of the game was later released as part of '' Capcom Digital Collection''. It is a remake ...
''. Some remakes may include the original game as a bonus feature. The 2009 remake of ''
The Secret of Monkey Island ''The Secret of Monkey Island'' is a 1990 point-and-click graphic adventure game developed and published by Lucasfilm Games. It takes place in a fictional version of the Caribbean during the age of piracy. The player assumes the role of Guyb ...
'' took this a step further by allowing players to switch between the original and remade versions on the fly with a single button press. This trend was continued in the sequel, and is also a feature in '' Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' and later in '' Halo 2 Anniversary'' as part of '' Halo: The Master Chief Collection''. Remasters and remakes on the
Nintendo DS The is a foldable handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens worki ...
include ''
Super Mario 64 DS ''Super Mario 64 DS'' is a 2004 platformer, platform game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch game for the Nintendo DS. ''Super Mario 64 DS'' is a video game remake, remake of the 1996 Nintendo 64 game ''Super Mario 64,'' with new gr ...
'', ''
Kirby Super Star Ultra ''Kirby Super Star Ultra'' is a 2008 anthology Action game, action-Platformer, platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. The game is an Video game remake, enhanced remake of ''Kirby Super Star'', ori ...
'', '' Diddy Kong Racing DS'', ''Pokémon HeartGold'' and ''SoulSilver'', '' Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon'', ''
Final Fantasy III is a 1990 role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Family Computer. The third installment in the ''Final Fantasy'' series, it is the first numbered ''Final Fantasy'' game to feature the job-change system. The story r ...
'' and '' IV'', ''
Dragon Quest IV ''Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen'', titled ''Dragon Warrior IV'' when initially localized to North America, is a 1990 role-playing video game, the fourth installment of the ''Dragon Quest'' video game series developed by Chunsoft and pub ...
'' through '' VI'', and '' Kingdom Hearts Re:coded''. The
Nintendo 3DS The is a foldable dual-screen handheld game console produced by Nintendo. Announced in March 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS, the console was released originally on February 26, 2011 and went through various revisions in its lifetime, ...
's lineup also had numerous remasters and remakes, including '' The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D'', ''
Star Fox 64 3D is a 3D rail shooter video game co-developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, Nintendo EAD and Q-Games and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. It is a Video game remake, remake of the 1997 video game ''Star Fox 64'' for ...
'', '' The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D'', ''Pokémon Omega Ruby'' and ''Alpha Sapphire'', '' Metroid: Samus Returns'', '' Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions'', ''
Luigi's Mansion is a 2001 action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo. The game was a launch title for the GameCube and was the first game in the ''Mario'' franchise to be released for the console; it was released in Japan on September 14, ...
'', and '' Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey''. Remasters on both the DS and 3DS include ''
Cave Story ''Cave Story'' is a 2004 Metroidvania game for Microsoft Windows. It was developed over five years by Japanese independent developer Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya in his free time. ''Cave Story'' features 2D platform mechanics and is reminiscent of the ...
'', ''
Myst ''Myst'' is a 1993 adventure video game developed by Cyan and published by Broderbund for Mac OS. In the game, the player travels via a special book to a mysterious island called Myst. The player interacts with objects and traverses the ...
'' and '' Rayman 2: The Great Escape''.


Variations


Fan remake

Games unsupported by the
rights Rights are law, legal, social, or ethics, ethical principles of freedom or Entitlement (fair division), entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people according to some legal sy ...
-holders often spark remakes created by hobbyists and game communities. An example is ''
OpenRA ''Command & Conquer: Red Alert'' is a real-time strategy video game in the Command & Conquer, ''Command & Conquer'' franchise, developed and published by Westwood Studios in 1996 in video gaming, 1996. The second game to bear the ''Command & Co ...
'', which is a modernized remake of the classic ''
Command & Conquer ''Command & Conquer'' (''C&C'') is a real-time strategy (RTS) video game franchise created and originally developed by Westwood Studios and currently owned by Electronic Arts. The first game was one of the earliest of the RTS genre, itself ba ...
'' real-time-strategy games. Beyond cross-platform support, it adds comfort functions and gameplay functionality inspired by successors of the original games. Another notable examples are '' Pioneers'', a remake and sequel in spirit to '' Frontier: Elite II''; ''CSBWin'', a remake of the
dungeon crawl A dungeon crawl is a type of scenario in fantasy role-playing games (RPGs) in which heroes navigate a labyrinth environment (a "dungeon"), battling various monsters, avoiding traps, solving puzzles, and looting any treasure they may find. Video g ...
er classic '' Dungeon Master''; and ''Privateer Gemini Gold'', a remake of '' Wing Commander: Privateer''. ''
Skywind ''Skywind'' is an upcoming non-commercial fan-made Video game modding, mod for ''The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim'' (2011), which aims to recreate the world of ''The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind'' (2002) in the Creation Engine. It features improved s ...
'' is a fan remake of ''
Morrowind ''The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind'' is a 2002 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the third installment in ''The Elder Scrolls'' series, following 1996's ''The Elder Scrolls I ...
'' (2002) running on Bethesda's
Creation Engine Creation Engine is a 3D video game engine created by Bethesda Game Studios based on the Gamebryo engine. The Creation Engine has been used to create role-playing video games such as '' The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim'', ''Fallout 4'', and ''Fallou ...
, utilising the source code, assets and gameplay mechanics of ''
Skyrim ''The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim'' is a 2011 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fifth main installment in ''The Elder Scrolls'' series, following ''The Elder Scrolls IV: Obli ...
'' (2011). The original game developers, Bethesda Softworks, have given project volunteers their approval. The remake team includes over 70 volunteers in artist, composer, designer, developer, and voice-actor roles. In November 2014, the team reported to have finished half of the remake's environment, over 10,000 new dialogue lines, and three hours of series-inspired soundtrack. The same open-development project is also working on ''Skyblivion'', a remake of '' Oblivion'' (the game between ''Morrowind'' and ''Skyrim'') in the ''Skyrim'' engine, and ''Morroblivion'', a remake of ''Morrowind'' in the ''Oblivion'' engine (which still has a significant userbase on older PCs).


Demake

The term ''demake'' may refer to games created deliberately with an artstyle inspired by older games of a previous video game generation. The action platformer ''
Mega Man 9 ''Mega Man 9'' is a 2008 action-platform game developed by Capcom and Inti Creates. It is the ninth numbered game in the original ''Mega Man'' series, and the first home console game in the series since '' Mega Man & Bass'' (1998). ''Mega Ma ...
'' is an example of such a game. Although remakes typically aim to adapt a game from a more limited platform to a more advanced one, a rising interest in older platforms has inspired some to do the opposite, remaking or adapting modern games to the technical standards of older platforms, usually going so far as to implement them on obsolete hardware platforms, hence the term "Demake". Such games are either physical or emulated. Modern demakes often change the 3D gameplay to a 2D one. Popular demakes include '' Quest: Brian's Journey'', an official Game Boy Color port of ''
Quest 64 ''Quest 64'' (''Holy Magic Century'' in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, in Japan) is a role-playing video game (RPG) developed by Imagineer for the Nintendo 64. It was released in North America in June 1998 by THQ, Europe in September 1998 ...
''; '' Super Smash Land'', an unofficial Game Boy-style demake of ''
Super Smash Bros. is a series of platform fighting video games published by Nintendo. Created by Masahiro Sakurai, the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series is a crossover featuring many characters from other video game series created by Nintendo and other develope ...
''; '' D-Pad Hero'', a NES-esque demake of ''
Guitar Hero ''Guitar Hero'' is a series of rhythm games first released in 2005, in which players use a guitar-shaped game controller to simulate playing primarily lead guitar, lead, bass guitar, bass, and rhythm guitar across numerous songs. Players match ...
''; ''Rockman 7 FC'' and ''Rockman 8 FC'', NES-styled demakes of ''
Mega Man 7 ''Mega Man 7'' (stylized as ''Mega Man VII'') is a 1995 action-platform game developed and published by Capcom for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the seventh game in the original ''Mega Man'' series. The game was released in Ja ...
'' and ''
Mega Man 8 ''Mega Man 8'' is a 1996 action-platform game developed and published by Capcom. It was directed by Hayato Kaji and produced by Keiji Inafune, both of whom had previously worked on the series as artists. It is the eighth installment in the or ...
'', respectively; '' Gang Garrison 2'', a pixelated demake of ''
Team Fortress 2 ''Team Fortress 2'' (''TF2'') is a Multiplayer video game, multiplayer first-person shooter game developed and published by Valve Corporation in 2007. It is the sequel to the 1996 ''Team Fortress'' Mod (video gaming), mod for ''Quake (video g ...
'';
Bloodborne PSX ''Bloodborne PSX'' is a 2022 action role-playing game published by LWMedia as a demake of FromSoftware's ''Bloodborne''. The game was developed by Lilith 'b0tster' Walther and Corwyn Prichard. The game uses a low poly artstyle heavily inspired ...
, a PS1 demake of
Bloodborne is a 2015 action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. The game follows a Hunter through the decrepit Gothic, Victorian-era–inspired city of Yharnam, whose inhabita ...
; and '' Halo 2600'', an
Atari 2600 The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS), it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridg ...
demake of Microsoft's ''Halo'' series. There are also
NES The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...
-style demakes of the ''
Touhou Project The , also known simply as , is a bullet hell shoot 'em up video game series created by Indie game, independent Japanese Doujin soft, soft developer Team Shanghai Alice. The team's sole member, ZUN (video game developer), Jun'ya "ZUN" Ōta, ha ...
'' games ''
Embodiment of Scarlet Devil is a 2002 bullet hell vertically scrolling shooter developed by Team Shanghai Alice. It is the sixth game in the ''Touhou Project'' series, and the first installment to be released for Microsoft Windows. The story follows either the ''miko'' Rei ...
'' and ''
Perfect Cherry Blossom is a 2003 vertically scrolling shooter bullet hell video game developed by Team Shanghai Alice. It is the seventh game in the ''Touhou Project'' series. Playable characters include returning protagonists Reimu Hakurei and Marisa Kirisame, with S ...
''. Some demakes are created to showcase and push the abilities of older generation systems such as the Atari 2600. An example of this is the 2013 game ''Princess Rescue'', which is a demake of the NES title ''
Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 Platformer, platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It is the successor to the 1983 arcade game ''Mario Bros.'' and the first game in the ''Super Mario'' series. It was origi ...
'' While most demakes are homebrew efforts from passionate fans, some are officially endorsed by the original creators such as ''
Pac-Man Championship Edition is a 2007 maze video game developed and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360. It has since been released on several other platforms, including iOS, Android (operating system), Android, and the PlayStation Portable as a PSP mini title ...
s
Famicom The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...
/
NES The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...
demake being printed onto Japanese physical editions of the '' Namcot Collection'' as an original bonus game. For much of the 1990s in
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
,
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
, and
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
,
black market A black market is a Secrecy, clandestine Market (economics), market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality, or is not compliant with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the set of goods and services who ...
developers created unauthorized adaptations of then-modern games such as ''
Street Fighter II is a 1991 fighting game developed and published by Capcom for arcade game, arcades. It is the second installment in the ''Street Fighter'' series and the sequel to 1987's ''Street Fighter (video game), Street Fighter''. Designed by Yoshiki O ...
'', ''
Mortal Kombat ''Mortal Kombat'' is an American media franchise centered on a series of fighting game, fighting video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992. The original ''Mortal Kombat (1992 video game), Mortal Kombat'' arcade game spawned Lis ...
'', '' Phantasy Star IV'', ''
Final Fantasy VII is a 1997 role-playing video game developed by Square for the PlayStation. The seventh main installment in the ''Final Fantasy'' series, it was released in Japan by Square and internationally by Sony Computer Entertainment, becoming the first ...
'' or ''
Tekken is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fighting games developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment (formerly Namco). The franchise also includes film and print adaptations. The main games in the series follow the events ...
'' for the NES, which enjoyed considerable popularity in the regions because of the availability of low-cost compatible systems.


Related terms


Port

A
port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...
is a conversion of a game to a new platform that relies heavily on existing work and assets. A port may include various enhancements like improved performance, resolution, and sometimes even additional content, but differs from a remake in that it still relies heavily on the original assets and engine of the source game. Sometimes, ports even remove content that was present in the original version. For example, the handheld console ports of ''
Mortal Kombat II ''Mortal Kombat II'' is a 1993 fighting game originally produced by Midway for arcades. It was ported to multiple home systems, including MS-DOS, Amiga, Game Boy, Game Gear, Sega Genesis, 32X, Sega Saturn, Super Nintendo Entertainment System ...
'' had fewer characters than the original arcade game and other console ports due to system storage limitations but otherwise were still faithful to the original in terms of gameplay. Compared to the intentional video game remake or remaster which is often done years or decades after the original came out, ports or conversions are typically released during the same generation as the original (the exception being
mobile gaming A mobile game is a video game that is typically played on a mobile phone. The term also refers to all games that are played on any portable device, including from mobile phone (feature phone or smartphone), tablet, PDA to handheld game conso ...
versions of PC games, such as ''
Grand Theft Auto III ''Grand Theft Auto III'' is a 2001 action-adventure game developed by DMA Design and published by Rockstar Games. It was the first 3D game in the ''Grand Theft Auto'' series. Set in Liberty City, loosely based on New York City, the story follo ...
'', since mobile gaming platforms did not exist until the 2010s going forward). Home console ports usually came out less than a year after the original arcade game, such as the distribution of ''Mortal Kombat'' for home consoles by Acclaim Entertainment. Since the 2000s as arcade releases are no longer the original launch platform for a video game, publishers tend to release the video game simultaneously on several consoles first and then port to the PC later.


Remaster

A conversion that contains a great deal of remade assets may sometimes be considered a ''remaster'' or a ''partial remake'', although video game publishers are not always clear on the distinction. '' DuckTales: Remastered'' for example uses the term "Remastered" to distinguish itself from the original NES game it was based on, even though it is a clean-slate remake with a different engine and assets. Compared to a port which is typically released in the same era as the original, a remaster is done years or decades after the original in order to take advantage of generation technological improvements (the latter which a port avoids doing). Unlike a remake which often changes the now-dated gameplay, a remaster is very faithful to the original in that aspect (in order to appeal to that nostalgic audience) while permitting only a limited number of gameplay tweaks for the sake of convenience.


Reboot

Games that use an existing brand but are conceptually very different from the original, such as ''
Wolfenstein 3D ''Wolfenstein 3D'' is a 1992 first-person shooter game developed by id Software and published by Apogee Software and FormGen for DOS. It was inspired by the 1981 Muse Software video game '' Castle Wolfenstein'', and is the third installment ...
'' (1992) and ''
Return to Castle Wolfenstein ''Return to Castle Wolfenstein'' is a 2001 first-person shooter, first-person shooter game developed by Gray Matter Studios and published by Activision. It was initially released for Microsoft Windows and subsequently for the PlayStation 2 (as '' ...
'' (2001) or ''
Tomb Raider ''Tomb Raider'', known as ''Lara Croft: Tomb Raider'' from 2001 to 2008, is a media franchise that originated with an Action-adventure game, action-adventure video game series created by British video game developer Core Design. The franchise i ...
'' (1996) and ''
Tomb Raider ''Tomb Raider'', known as ''Lara Croft: Tomb Raider'' from 2001 to 2008, is a media franchise that originated with an Action-adventure game, action-adventure video game series created by British video game developer Core Design. The franchise i ...
'' (2013) are usually regarded as reboots rather than remakes.


See also

*
List of video game remakes and remasters This is a list of video game remakes and remasters and includes remakes as well as remasters of video games. It does not include clones. List See also * High-definition remasters for PlayStation consoles Sony has released a number of prev ...
*
High-definition remasters for PlayStation consoles Sony has released a number of previously released PlayStation video games, remastered in high-definition (HD) for their newer consoles, a form of porting. A number of related programs exist, the most prominent two being "Classics HD" (also known a ...
*
Game engine recreation Game engine recreation is a type of video game engine remastering process whereby a new game engine is Code rewriting, rewritten from scratch as a Clone (computing), clone of the original with the ability to load the original game's data files suc ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Video Game Remake
Remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...
Remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...