Denmarkian said:
You'd lose that bet, I can tell you that.
What I don't understand is that the impetus for "remaking", as you say, games that may or may not be classic seems to be nostalgia and nothing else. Why do I want to play Super Mario Bros, "new" or not, with three other people? I played it enough when I was six years old, I don't need to play it again.
Are you clamoring for a "New" Ocarina of Time? or a "New" Kid Icarus? I'm certainly not.
I have different opinions for both those games, because they're different cases. While Ocarina of Time is, to this day, one of my favourite games, I cannot imagine any meaningful upgrades to the game that would make me want a new version. I'd rather them leave the game as is than risk ruining the experience. I no more want that than I want a new version of the original Star Wars trilogy. As for Kid Icarus, it's a different story, since the only other version is a 2D version that would be too shallow for a modern gaming experience. The only way to make any use of that franchise is to give it a reimagining a la Metroid Prime, which, in capable hands, could be amazing. I'm not "clamoring" for it, but if it could be done well, why wouldn't I want to see a character with lots of potential become fully realized?
I understand and appreciate that these games have their place in history as milestones of videogame development, but they belong in the past. They do not need to be remade or "updated" or whatever spin people put on repackaging their old products that have sold well over time.
Tell that to every single gaming company. Have you heard of the games Conker's Bad Fur Day, Prince of Persia Classic, Resident Evil IV Wii, Prince of Persia: Rival Swords... Let's not even mention the biggest abuser of any gaming company: Square Enix. I'm currently playing Final Fantasy IV DS, which is a remake over FFIV Advance, which is a port of FFII, which is the fourth sequel in the swan song of a dying company. And now there's a Wii Ware port of the Cell Phone sequel. You know, maybe you don't like it, and maybe my next comment is besides the point, but there's clearly a huge market for remakes. And in some cases, the changes are worth the purchase. Which brings me to my next point.
I would say that I have outgrown the games that I played when I was younger. I have watched videogames develop as an interactive entertainment medium from it's rebirth in 1985 until now, and I am continually amazed at developers who push the envelope, who try new ways of telling their story through gameplay. I want FRESH gaming experiences, not rehashes of franchise premiere titles from when I was four.
Great. So, I'm assuming you're against Assassin's Creed 2, Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2 and Killzone 2 then? And you didn't go anywhere near Resident Evil 5, GTA 4, Halo 3, Fable 2, or the countless other sequels that are being made by plenty of other developers, right? Because, let's face the facts here, Super Mario Galaxy is debatably the best and most original 3D platformer in over a decade, so
not being excited about a sequel based on your desire for "freshness", effectively eliminates about 90% of major titles.
As for New Super Mario Bros., (I'm assuming the following based on Nintendo's track record) show me a deep 2D platformer wtih 4-players, original levels, solid game mechanics and intuitive controls, and I'll concede that NSMB is just a rehash.
The reality of the matter is, if the sprites in this game were changed, you'd be hard-pressed to find a criticism for it.
If I really, desperately wanted to play Super Mario Bros., I'd dig through my attic and find my NES. I don't need to buy another copy, unless my cart stops working, and then I'll just buy it on the Virtual Console for five dollars. I don't need to spend fifty dollars on an "updated" version of the New Super Mario Bros. It is not going to provide me the fresh gaming experience I look for in title that I am going to purchase at full-price.
I suppose that is the core reason I cry out "WHY??", because I don't see the value in retreading the same ground, even if it is in a shiny new pair of boots.[/quote]
Again, if this is your opinion, I have absolutely no idea how you can play the majority of video games. Final Fantasy XIII and Metal Gear Solid IV are no different than New Super Mario Bros - the only difference is the genre.
We're essentially talking about Nintendo coming out with two sequels here, after all. Not two remakes.