Best/Worst Remakes and Ports

Senshi Mizaka

I added ports since sometimes there's added material. Which video game remake or ports did you like and dislike?

Best:

Metroid: Zero Mission: Metroid was one of the first video games I played. It made me feel really nostalgic. I liked playing it again on the GBA with improved graphics and story additions, even though the last part was really annoying.

Worst:

Final Fantasy III: Square-Enix didn't really add enough to improve the engine, so it really felt like I was playing an NES RPG, only in 3D. It's still okay, but it really felt like it was missing something.

Captain Kuro

I liked all the GBA Final Fantasy ports.

Oh, and I'm excited about the upcoming King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match. It seems pretty awesome so far.

I'll be thinking of some more in the meantime. I'm sure I'm forgetting some.

Geg

@Senshi:

it really felt like I was playing an NES RPG, only in 3D.

That's basically what the whole point was. If they'd completely overhauled the gameplay it wouldn't be FF3 anymore.

Senshi Mizaka

Another port I liked was the GBA version of Yoshi's Island. That was one of my favorite games for the SNES. The main reason was that Baby Mario's cry was changed so that it didn't make my ears bleed.

Tommy Swoes

I thought the GameCube ports of both Sonic Adventure titles were pretty decent, especially since I never played the Dreamcast versions. I thought the SA2 was the better one, though.

I also liked the port of Fur Fighters for PS2…or would that count as a remake?

supaluigi

Does MGS3: Subsistence count?

I loved the previous games, but the new camera angle made the whole experience much more immersive.

Besides, you gotta love the secret theater.

Captain Kuro

Oh yeah, GBA River City Ransom. Although I wish it had a two-player mode.

TakinawaTonfa

Off the top of my head…

Best Remake:

Resident Evil: Gamecube (Runner up: Super Mario All-Stars: SNES (Remakes of SMB1-3 + Lost Levels)

Best Port:
Final Fantasy V Advance (Runner up: Half-Life: PS2)

I'll have to think of ones for the "worst" category later…

Cap'n Carter

The best port I ever played was Super Mario Bros. Deluxe on GameBoy Color.

I don't think anything can top that.

Zeether

Best remake: Zero Mission.

Best ports:
-Gradius Deluxe Pack and Gradius III and IV. You can actually turn off the slowdown in Gradius III, plus it's the only perfect port of the arcade game (which is much harder than the SNES game we all know about)

-The Sega Ages games for Saturn. Only 3 of them made it to the US in a collection but the rest (which were released seperately in Japan) are great ports too.

Worst ports:
-After Burner II for Genesis. It couldn't handle the scaling that well and there were control issues. If you want to play this game either play it on MAME with a flight stick or gamepad or play the Saturn Sega Ages version. I think Shenmue II has it too.

-Tyrian on GBA/GBC. No rear weapons and only ONE FUCKING SIDEKICK SHIP. Laaaaaaame. I'm glad this never came out.

-All the KOF games on PSX.

-Giga Wing Generations. It only ran at 30fps, and no TATE (vertical orientation) mode like the arcade game. (The other 2 GW games were yoko, or horizontally oriented and had great ports on the DC)

Special K

I can't remember if it was a remake or a port, but Sonic Genesis takes the cake when it comes to worst game for either category.

gaara d. lucci

Haven't played many remakes, so I guess Super Mario All Stars, Resident Evil or Metroid ZM win by default.

Cap'n Carter

MGS: Twin Snakes was a pretty disappointing port

Captain Kuro

No wait, Snatcher for Sega CD is the best port.

Komrade Korobooshi

I remember getting bored with FR/LG pretty fast, which was weird since I played Emerald for months even after playing R/S for months.

Metalvirus

Worst-

King Calamari

Donkey Kong on the Game Boy is my favorite remake.

I really can't think of any bad ports or remakes I've played although for the longest time I thought that horrible Alien vs Predator game on the SNES was a port of the arcade game.

Captain Kuro

@King:

Donkey Kong on the Game Boy is my favorite remake.

Oh yeah, I can't believe I forgot that. It's awesome.

tony-kun

I liked the Sonic collections released on the cube and PS2.

and twin snakes was kinda funny if you played it with an open mind.

samurai

I actually liked Twin snakes alot for some reason.

Best remake: Metroid zero mission
Best port: DKC for the Game Boy color

gaara d. lucci

Never got to play the Twin Snakes. Is it really a bad game or just underwhelming?

Zeether

Forgot the worst port ever.

Pac-man for the 2600.

Captain Kuro

TakinawaTonfa

@gaara:

Never got to play the Twin Snakes. Is it really a bad game or just underwhelming?

More or less the latter. It's the same MGS1 from the Playstation, with slicker visuals and some added cutscenes.

Rented it from Blockbuster one time and completed the game within the week.

Cap'n Carter

Snake surfs on a missile and chugs down a Mountain Dew

tony-kun

@gaara:

Never got to play the Twin Snakes. Is it really a bad game or just underwhelming?

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-43-49-en-15-metal+gear-70-2jtb-43-99.html

I'd just get that instead.

ORDER THROUGH MY SIG?!?!

@Cap'n:

Snake surfs on a missile and chugs down a Mountain Dew

Exactly the mentality I played through the game with.

I laughed alot.

Fox…....

DIE!

gaara d. lucci

I would order from you tony-kun, but I got all the MGS games. But I'll def take you up on it when I import some PS3 games down the line.

I'll probably just download the MGS TS cutscenes on youtube or something instead.

Captain Kuro

@tony-kun:

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-43-49-en-15-metal+gear-70-2jtb-43-99.html

Hmm, I didn't know about that. I might get that, since I still haven't played any of the MGS games (besides the GBC one).

King Calamari

@Captain:

One of the best things about it is the border on the Super Game Boy.

tony-kun

@gaara:

I would order from you tony-kun, but I got all the MGS games. But I'll def take you up on it when I import some PS3 games down the line.

I'll probably just download the MGS TS cutscenes on youtube or something instead.

ah well. Couldn't miss a sales opportunity.

I pre-ordered it since I couldn't find MGS2 anywhere.

and it'll be cool to actually own a copy of MGS. Even if it's a reprint.

Mr. Evil

Super Mario Bros. DX for the GBC was great, as was the GB Donkey Kong. I liked the GBA Link to the Past port as well.

I have to give a mention to Sonic Mega Collection too.

Komrade Korobooshi

I never played it, but what was wrong with Sonic the Hedgehog for the GBA?

EDIT: For Zelda, Link's Awakening DX. I love that.

Special K

@Komrade:

I never played it, but what was wrong with Sonic the Hedgehog for the GBA?

It was literally a broken game. They somehow managed to make a simple port of Sonic 1 into a glitchy mess.

KaizokuFan22

Skies of Arcadia was a good Port from dreamcast to Gamecube.

horrible Port:Gex

Senshi Mizaka

Oh yeah, I forgot about the GC remake of Resident Evil! The improved graphics managed to make that game creepier than it already was.

Tommy Swoes

@KaizokuFan22:

Skies of Arcadia was a good Port from dreamcast to Gamecube.

AAAH, yeah!!
That game was awesome!

Can't find it though…

Taleran

Best:
MGS3: Substince - PS2
Link to the Past / 4 Swords - GBA
Links Awakening GBC

Worst:
All the SNES RPG's made into PSX compilations by Square for the sole fact of disc related loading times.

Tizoc

I've heard that the GC RE remakes are good as well.
BTW can I post about best versions? Cuz from what I hear the PSX SotN is better than the Saturn one, thought the PSP ver. probably tops them both.

Sandai Mera

@Freeman-12:

I've heard that the GC RE remakes are good as well.

It sucks that they remade only 1 & 0 and we're too lazy to do the same for 2 & 3.

Anyway

Best Remake

SMB All Stars : SMB,SMB2(US),SMB2(Jap.)SMB3

Resident Evil (Gamecube)

The first three Phoenix Wright games.

Worst Port

Donkey Kong (Nes)
Final Fight (Snes)
Mortal Kombat (Snes)
Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (Genesis)
Metal Slug Advance (GBA)

Tizoc

^Oh if anyone's looking for a good console port of SFII, I hear the DC ver. is the best port released.

Sandai Mera

The SNES version of SSFII NC was good even if it lacked somethings that the Genesis version had.

Tsukento

@Special:

I can't remember if it was a remake or a port, but Sonic Genesis takes the cake when it comes to worst game for either category.

@Metalvirus:

Worst-

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j96/DoctorEggman/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_Genesis-1.jpg

So fucking true.

In fact, according to Sega and on a technical level, this falls under Worst Port AND Remake.

This is no port at all. If this was, there wouldn't be so many glitches. We've seen hundreds of ports for StH and never had any of these glitches. They pretty much remade it for the GBA, as the collision detection, music, sound effects and framerate are far from the same as the Genesis version.

Hell, Sonic Pinball Party gave us perfect sounding remakes of the stages' BGM from StH. Spring Yard Zone sounded absolutely pathetic in StH:G, whereas it sounded dead on with the original (and sounding better due to the GBA's better audio compared to the Genesis).

Everything about this game is completely broken and a complete disgrace to be called a "port." You're better off just buying Sega Genesis Collection for the PSP if you want portable StH, along with the sequel and other Sega games.

Speaking of best port, I'll go with Sega Genesis Collection as one of the best. Only thing that doesn't make it the best is the lack of Streets of Rage trilogy.

Senshi Mizaka

Another port I didn't mention was the Megaman Aniversary Collection (Megaman 1-8). What I liked most about the ports is that it was alot easier to switch weapons. I've always thought that pausing to switch them was kind of annoying, so that was a welcome change.

Lazzie

Gradius Collection for the PSP was amazing. The only Gradius game I had played before was the original, but now Gradius II and Gradius Gaiden are my favorite games in the series. II > Gaiden > I > IV > III. I should get around to playing V.

Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles is a great remake of Rondo, but the retooled version of Symphony of the Night is a little meh.

The PS2 port of Tales of Symphonia is awesome. The addition of new ougis, new unison attacks, better battle menus, and the better controller were all welcome additions for fans.

On a similar note, the PS1 port of Tales of Phantasia is excellent. It basically improves upon everything in the original AND everything in the PS1 version of Tales of Destiny. The Pluto summon and playable Suzu are just icing on the cake. My one qualm is the nerfing of the Gremlin summon.

The PS2 port of Viewtiful Joe is a mixed bag. It's sad that they had to remove the cool Nintendo stuff flying around everywhere, but Dante might even be more fun to play as than Joe himself. The load times also seem a little longer.

Mega Man Maverick Hunter X and Mega Man Powered Up are both excellent. One goes the badass, plot-driven route and the other goes the chibi, kiddie route, but both new presentations completely fit their respective games. And the extras on both of them are WTF awesome.

The PS1 port of Mega Man X3 is pretty lame. The anime cutscenes do NOT improve over the original in-game cutscenes, and the new audio is universally inferior to that of the original.

Tommy Swoes

@Lazzie:

The PS1 port of Mega Man X3 is pretty lame. The anime cutscenes do NOT improve over the original in-game cutscenes, and the new audio is universally inferior to that of the original.

There was a PS1 port of X3? I just remember there being the SNES version.
That would explain why I didn't remember the anime cutscenes when I was playing it on X Collection.

But then again, I don't remember a lot of myself playing the SNES version.

Captain Kuro

@Freeman-12:

BTW can I post about best versions? Cuz from what I hear the PSX SotN is better than the Saturn one, thought the PSP ver. probably tops them both.

The Saturn version has some pretty cool extras in my opinion (some new items, you can play as older Maria, new music, etc.). Although people complain about things like missing transparencies.

Cap'n Carter

It's on the Saturn too that's a pretty big minus

Captain Kuro

@Cap'n:

It's on the Saturn too that's a pretty big minus

Tsukento

@Cap'n:

It's on the Saturn too that's a pretty big minus

A minus because it's on the JAPANESE Saturn and not American one. The blame rests on Bernie Stolar and his god awful policies at Sega during the time.

No 2D games!
No RPGs!
5-Star Games Only!
Final Desti–oh wait.

Dragon107

Best ports:

Sonic Mega Collection
Mega Man Anniversary Collection
Mega Man X Collection
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe

Best remakes:

Pokémon FR/LG
Super Mario All-Stars (Despite a minor control issue…)

Worst ports and/or remakes:

Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis
Tales of Phantasia (I think...it's been a while but I remember not liking the GBA version too much...at least compared to the SNES version.)