It's easy to grow cynical when confronted with the range of seemingly identical games being churned out these days, particularly when some of the classics were so innovative. What's wrong with reinventing them anyway? Developers, take note..
Lemmings
You live and lem.
Years before Rockstar North created the psychotic madness known as Grand Theft Auto, they had another life as DMA Design, and were responsible for unleashing the hugely addictive Lemmings on an unsuspecting public. It's easy to see the relation; both games are insane. They're both violent, frustrating, and easily capable of stealing your entire weekend out from underneath you.
What made Lemmings so unique when it was released in 1991 was its simplicity coupled with incredibly good level design, artwork, music, and sound effects, and there's no reason this classic title couldn't be re-engineered for the modern age. We're not talking about emulating the lame 3D version released in 1995 - no, we can do better than that. Why not a Lemmings MMO on a global scale? Side-scrolling maps that occupy kilometres of in-game land, with each participant required to solve a certain section in order for an unbroken path to stretch from one side to the other? You could pit your clan against another online, the winner being the first person to get a Lemming to the exit without throwing their controller through the TV.
Of course, it would require multiple people working together for several hours without a single one of them pressing the nuke button, which is quite possibly why it hasn't been made yet. Then there's the very real chance that if Rockstar did revisit their creation, you'd have to take your Lemmings bowling before they'd build a bridge for you.
Chance of remake: 2/10
Mutant League Football
Mutants and football, what could go wrong?
Mutant League Football was released in 1993. Set in outer-space, the teams were composed of the undead, aliens, robots and, of course, mutants.
Fundamentally an NFL game, Mutant League Football also featured extreme comic violence and ref bribing. The playing fields ranged from asteroids to ice and were pock marked with fire pits, holes and landmines. Players could also call Nasty Audibles, such as replacing the ball with dynamite and throwing it at an opposition player, or pulling off a murderous sacking the opposition quarterback. Third string quarterbacks were often making an appearance by the end of the second quarter.
Refs could also be bribed twice a game by each team. When they were, they'd penalise the opposition five yards for all sorts of unreasonable offenses. When this happened, special ref-centric Nasty Audibles could be put into effect by the penalised team.
At its heart, Mutant League Football was a highly entertaining alternative for players who could care less about the more dour-faced mainstream offering. True, it received an upgraded port to PlayStation Portable in 2006, but we’d like to see the game entirely reworked and released on the leading platforms.
Given that the original was based on the Madden ’93 engine, there’s no reason the same couldn’t be done again today. EA should get onto that. But since EA never “gets onto it” when we say they should...
Chance of remake: 4/10
Supercars II
Larry noticed the Police 10-7 cameras and couldn't help acting up.
We're not suggesting for a second that Supercars II is the best top-down car racing game in history, but it probably is.
The concept of equipping a street car with various missiles, armoured defence and even land mines isn't exactly a new one. We weren't there when Karl Benz' Motorwagen wheezed out of the factory in 1885, but we're fairly sure at least one bystander enquired if the luxury model came with machine guns. And let's face it, the easy access to extensive vehicular weapons would make road rage a thing of the past - you'd remember to indicate if homing missiles could be purchased from Repco.
A new version could include bigger tracks, controller support, updated graphics and better weapons - not to mention more of the cleverly constructed quizzes designed to throw you off guard in the middle of a championship. The final release could be ported to PSN, XBL and Steam, along with portable Java versions for the iPhone. If they can do it with the original, why shouldn't we be looking forward to a 20th Anniversary version next year? Break out the joysticks!
Chance of remake: Developers Magnetic Fields are long gone, so sadly 1/10
Ultima Online
"Let that be a lesson to the next demon who tries to steal my roof."
1997’s Ultima Online was the title that cleared the path for the glut of Massively Multiplayer Online RPG’s on the market today. Prior to Origin’s offering, massive online games – the likes of Neverwinter Nights and Meridian 59 – featured mere hundreds of gamers playing simultaneously.
It was also the first title to feature a recurring monthly subscription model, one that made many other developers sit up and take note.
In addition to virtual (but tangible) property ownership and the first highly-evolved player economy, Ultima Online featured free-for-all player vs. player combat and gave rise to the terms “player killing” and "ganking" – the former has fallen out of use in more recent titles that create more structured and consenting PvP conditions.
Initially it was thought that the murderer penalty system, other players’ ability to retaliate and a sense of community would mean the game’s user-base would police itself. As it turns out, people are belligerent arseholes online.
While Ultima Online has received myriad expansions and free content updates, and is still online today, we think it’s time to take the whole concept back to the drawing board. Could be nostalgia, but there’s something deeply appealing about a world without the kind of barriers to online gameplay such as were on display in Ultima Online’s original offering. Besides, we want to own houses in MMO’s again.
In spite of that the chance of a remake is very low ever since Ultima Online fell under the Mythic brand – a studio that was hit hard in last year’s recession.
Chance of remake: 3/10
Cannon Fodder
"Alright chaps, over this lake then home in time for tea and medals."
Sensible Software's darkly humorous tactical shooter Cannon Fodder burst on the scene back in 1993 for the legendary Amiga platform, and quickly scooped awards and accolades everywhere.
Part social commentary, part strategy, and entirely addictive, Cannon Fodder followed the increasingly difficult missions assigned to your hapless squad as they attempted to avoid the titular designation.
The initial members included Jools, Jops, Stoo and Rj, each of whom would make relatively high ranks before the inevitable splash damage from a rocket, or flying debris from an ill-executed hand-grenade attack would see their names entered into the roll of honour. When the game was made, random explosions killing real soldiers was of serious concern - what a joy it is that we no longer need to worry about such things in this enlightened modern age.
What made Cannon Fodder so remarkable was the variation thrown into each environment, and the necessity to really think carefully about how to fend off the hordes of enemies in order to achieve your objective. The "easy to play, hard to master" strategy combined with excellent controls paved the path for modern RTS titles, so it seems only fair that it should be remade if for no other reason but to rub it in just how awesome the Amiga really was.
Roll forward to 2010 and imagine a remake in glorious HD, with enhanced animations, larger levels, online leaderboards and PUG multiplayer, along with the incredibly annoying and addictive theme tune.
War may have "never been so much fun", but it can always be better.
Chance of remake: Original developer Jon Hare has gone on record by stating "Nothing would please me more than to see this project resurrected, it was very advanced in its structure and therefore would need little modernisation." 8/10.
Jonah Lomu Rugby
Lomu might be AFK, but that's no reason why we couldn't steal his name and use it to endorse a new version.
Codemasters’ 1997 rugby title developed for the original PlayStation, the PC and the Sega Saturn.
While the game included your standard fare of test matches, tournaments, cups and classic matches, it did so featuring especially intuitive controls and fluid gameplay.
Commentated by Bill McLaren and Bill Beaumont, it also happened to include some of the wittiest broadcast banter we’ve seen in a game to date: “Digging in like a demented mole, there.”
There’s no reason Codemasters can’t reprise their leftfield success with a sequel, and with the Rugby World Cup coming up next year, the iron is hot. Update the graphics, throw in online matchmaking and tournaments – job done.
We’re not even sure such a sequel would need a new ambassador: Jonah remains an iconic figure in world rugby even though it’s been eight years since he's donned the black jersey. Besides, reanimating Jonah would be of great comfort to us all.
Unfortunately, Bill McLaren passed earlier this year. We propose Ian Smith, who may go some small way to filling those very big boots.
As to whether such a sequel has crossed the minds of Codemasters in recent years is anyone’s guess, so we’re hedging our bets. But mercy me, such an announcement would put us in Ward Four.
Chance of remake: 5/10
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What games would you like to see remade, and how do you imagine them in 2010? Let us know in the comments section below.
by Gameplanet Staff, Gameplanet.co.nz