Enhanced remake - Definition and Overview

In the video game subculture, an enhanced remake (also called updated classics) is an updated version of a video or computer game that was originally developed for a less advanced system. They are also known as "Super Mario All-Stars format", because an early occurrence of the idea was Super Mario All-Stars. Remakes with resolution upgrades are called high-resolution remakes. The practice of updating old games began in the 16-bit era but was popularized during the 128-bit era.

The basic features of an enhanced remake are graphical and audio enhancements (or "facelifts"). The methods of graphical enhancement include re-touching, decompression, polygon upgrade, texturization or texture resolution upgrade, and two-dimensional to three-dimensional transformation (hence three-dimensional remakes, or the "Wild Arms: Alter Code F format"). Audio enhancements include new music, better sound quality, and remixes of the old music. Sometimes extra levels or other features are added, and the game engine may be improved. In most cases, however, the majority of gameplay itself is left unaltered.

Enhanced remakes occur mostly on video game consoles. They have occurred mostly during the 128-bit era. The system that the game is being enhanced from is called the source system, and the system it is been enhanced for is called the target system. The earliest enhanced remakes are 16-bit remakes of 8-bit games. Also, occasionally games that were originally released only in Japan are remade and re-released in the West, most notably Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels and Final Fantasy II of Final Fantasy Origins. (See also Fan translation.)

Some examples of enhanced remakes include Super Mario All-Stars (from NES to Super NES) and Final Fantasy Origins (from NES to WonderSwan Color to Sony PlayStation). The enhanced remakes of Dragon Warrior I-IV were Japan-only, but later unofficially translated into English.

Sometimes, a publisher makes an unauthorized copy of another publisher's game. This "remake" is called a "clone". Making and publishing a clone is legal if no copyright or patent covers any essential aspect of the game (for example, Tetris), as long as the clone is published under a name that is not confusingly similar. Most clones, however, do not fall under this rule and are illegal. Some are even pirated versions of the game they are supposedly remaking.

Controversy

Many gamers find that enhanced remakes achieve the same level of quality that the original versions did, but some others (mostly Final Fantasy fans) oppose the idea on grounds that games lose something in the transformation to newer technology. The most controversial form of the idea is the three-dimensional remake idea, as in Wild ARMs: Alter Code F. Some "old school" gamers believe that remaking a two-dimensional graphics video game into a three-dimensional graphics one ruins the entire experience of the game and detract from what they call the "charm" the game would formerly have. Others claim that enhanced remakes overshadow their original versions.

Contrariwise, some gamers believe that enhanced remakes gives games something vital, and place high value on large enhancements. Other gamers prefer the original version (usually out of nostalgia) but believe that the enhanced version lives up to its quality. In many cases, the remakes make old games more accessible to new players, who might not even be aware of the original. Most gamers, however, are neutral. Also, many new gamers, and gamers who take retrogaming so seriously, balk at emulated versions of very old, or ancient, video games, like Mega Man Anniversary Collection, Midway's Arcade Treasures, and Sonic Mega Collection on modern video game consoles, and may voice their opinion that they want enhanced remakes of the re-released old games, because they find it difficult to have the outdated graphics and audio on the current-era consoles. They call such re-releases as ageware.

Enhanced remakes and console emulation

Sometimes, the enhanced remake idea, with the inclusion of the original version with in the enhanced version, curbs the urge for console emulation. Original versions of the games that are enhanced-remade are usually not included with the original version. Nintendo decided that when they did an enhanced remake of the original Metroid, as Metroid: Zero Mission, they included the original version within the enhanced version as an unlockable.

See also

• cover version (music)
• fan translation
• film remake (motion pictures)

List of enhanced remakes

This list does not include reissues (or direct ports) of original games, nor does it include clones:

External links

http://www.remakes.org/ - A site dedicated to fan made remakes of classic games.