Remasters We Absolutely Need

By Oliver Giles

Remasters are a touchy subject in the video game community nowadays. While there are plenty of so-called remasters that are little more than barely-improved cash grabs, there are also plenty of remastered games that have been made with plenty of care and are genuine improvements upon the original versions of their respective titles. With that being said, there are still plenty of games that deserve modernized updates, with improved graphics and better frame rates, to say the least. Welcome to True Gaming United's official list of games that absolutely deserve remasters, in no particular order.

Skate Franchise

Publisher: Electronic Arts

It's safe to say that fans of one of EA's most beloved properties rejoiced the world over when it was confirmed in 2020 that a new Skate game would finally be in production in the near future, following almost a decade of requests from fans. And while we don't yet have a release date for Skate 4, now seems like the perfect time to release a remastered collection of the previous entries in the franchise.

Skate, Skate 2, and Skate 3 all offered diverse maps and terrain with unique gameplay mechanics and styles, whereas the spinoff title Skate It brought an increased focus on party-play and couch co-op to the series, along with several unique elements of its own and some pretty memorable maps as well.

Really there are only two main reasons EA wouldn't invest in a remastered collection for their fan-favorite series. The first reason, of course, is what they would have to do to make Skate It work with mainline consoles and PC.

Originally developed exclusively for the Nintendo Wii, before later getting a port to the Nintendo DS as well as iOS, Skate It was a somewhat trimmed down experience that featured a series of maps as opposed to the typical open-world elements found in the three mainline games in the series, primarily due to the Wii's lack of power. However, the issue arises when you realize that, due to never having a release on Xbox or PlayStation, the control scheme would have to be altered due to most of the trick-based input of the game coming from the Wii's motion controls (or Wii Fit Board if you absolutely hated functionality.) While adapting the basic control set to non-motion-controlled hardware is far from impossible (Activision made it work when bringing their Nintendo Wii remake of Goldeneye 007 to Xbox and PlayStation as Goldeneye 007 Reloaded), it would certainly take a bit of extra effort.

Another element standing in the way of a proper remastered Skate collection is licensing. All of the Skate games to date have featured not only a selection of licensed music but also clothing/skateboard manufacturers as well as professional skateboarders. While most remasters can get by with an altered soundtrack, part of a good skateboarding video game is that iconic skate-punk sound, meaning that licensing for the music alone would have to be a primary focus.

If these problems were addressed, however, there's no doubt that a remastered Skate collection could sell incredibly well, especially if EA's handling of 2021's Mass Effect Legendary Edition (easily one of the best remasters to date) as anything to go by.

Just Cause 2

Publisher: Square Enix

It's no big secret that Just Cause 4 didn't exactly provide the thrills and gameplay that longtime fans of the series were hoping for. While the explosions and high-flying action were all there, accompanied by some fun new mechanics involving the series-staple grappling hook, it all felt rather lackluster compared to what we'd come to expect from the series up to that point. And while Just Cause 5, along with a Just Cause mobile game, have been confirmed for the next few years, now may also be a good time for Square Enix to revisit what is arguably the most beloved game in the franchise.

From a gameplay perspective, the 2010 sequel to the original Just Cause game still holds up surprisingly well. While the controls haven't aged particularly well, the mission structure is generally reasonably consistent, and the explosions and combat still feel fresh and exciting. 

Keeping this in mind, a thoroughly remastered version of this iconic title would be beyond incredible. Updated graphics, 120 fps frame rate, reworked control options, the addition of JC3/4's wingsuit, and all of JC2's DLC would sell well and be a great way to ultimately give the series the shot in the arm it so desperately needs right now. Quite honestly, the fact that this hasn't been announced already is a fact that continues to surprise me.

Call of Duty Black Ops & Black Ops 2

Publisher: Activision

A surprise to absolutely nobody in the gaming world, the earlier entries in the Call of Duty Black Ops series remain incredibly popular to this day. However, while Black Ops 3 is still a fun game with a semi-active community of players, it never quite reached the same status as the first two titles.

The first Black Ops title laid the groundwork for what would become one of the greatest sequels in video game history while still standing out in its own right. The missions, characters, and story structure still remain memorable to this day, while several of the multiplayer maps have become some of the most iconic in the franchise's almost two-decade-long run.

Black Ops 2 became an innovator when it came to what we expect from AAA fps games in terms of multiplayer, with brilliantly paced action and maps that have stood the test of time. In a series that brings a new installment each year, it means a lot that, nearly a decade after its release, you can still load up BO2's multiplayer and find a match reasonably quickly.

It honestly seems like a no-brainer for Activision to release a remastered collection of the first two Black Ops titles, similar to what they did with Modern Warfare Remastered, and there's certainly a community for it. It could be the perfect way for older gamers to recapture some long-lost nostalgia while also introducing those new to the franchise to the games that defined a generation.

Trials HD/Trials Evolution

Publisher: Xbox Game Studios/Ubisoft

There is no doubt that Trials HD and Trials Evolution helped to cement the Xbox 360's legacy as a video game console. Incredibly fun and unique physics-based 2.5D bike racers, these games became instant Xbox Live Arcade classics, thanks to their die-hard fanbase and the efforts of YouTube channels such as Achievement Hunter to bring them into the spotlight. And while neither game has aged particularly poorly in terms of graphics, the idea of playing a more old-school Trials game with improved graphics in 120 fps is a prospect that would undoubtedly get me excited.

On top of that, a remaster of HD and Evolutions could be the perfect next step for the franchise following the mixed reception to Trials Rising in 2019, not to mention that, if released on all platforms, these remasters would give life-ling PlayStation and Nintendo users a chance to experience two incredible games for the first time, as both titles were Microsoft exclusives the first time around.

Worms Ultimate Mayhem

Publisher: Team 17

Out of all the games on this list so far, Worms Ultimate Mayhem is probably the one least likely to ever see any kind of remaster, despite the franchise's constant popularity and dedicated following. While there have been remasters and ports of several Worms titles in the past, such as when some of the earlier titles were re-released as Xbox Live Arcade games, Team 17 only really did this for their more popular titles, of which Ultimate Mayhem wasn't one.

Switching up the series' trademark 2D action for a 3D approach seemed to throw some fans off in 2011, despite the trademark turn-based combat still being at the center of the game. Of course, there's also the fact that the game itself was a re-release of Worms 4: Mayhem with Worms 3D's campaign added in for good measure.

Despite its differences from the main series, Ultimate Mayhem is still a fun game to this day over a decade later, with hilarious action and fun environments. And who knows, with arcade-style $10 - $15 games making a return to digital marketplaces in the past year or two, maybe a remaster of some of the more forgotten gems from this long-running series is in the works.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012)

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Not only is Criterion Software's 2012 re-imagining of Need for Speed: Most Wanted one of the greatest video game remakes of all time, but you could make the statement that it is one of if not the best game in the Need for Speed franchise without being completely laughed out of the room.

Following up the fan-favorite Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit would be no easy task for any developer, yet Criterion not only created a game on par with the previous entry in the franchise but even improved upon it in many aspects. With heart-pounding action, a wide selection of cars for the time, and a wonderfully-crafted open world, Most Wanted 2012 was more than just some half-baked remake. 

The game proved so popular with fans and critics alike that spawned Wii U version the following year (Need For Speed: Most Wanted U), which improved the gameplay utilizing the functionality of the console's touchscreen gamepad to allow players to swap their car on the fly, as well as disrupt the police mid-chase.

Despite the success of Most Wanted 2012, EA would hand the franchise's reins to Ghost Games for the upcoming Need for Speed: Rivals, a title so poorly received it led to a complete reboot of the franchise. While 2019's Need for Speed: Heat was the best game the franchise had seen in years, plenty of gamers still hold a place in their heart for 2012's beloved remake, and with Hot Pursuit getting a successful remaster of its own in a few years ago, there is certainly hope that gamers will be able to explore the city of Fairhaven once again in the near future.