Top 10 Best Nintendo Remakes
#10: “Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp” (2023)
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It is so nice to see Nintendo give some love to one of its often forgotten IPs. “Advance Wars” was one of the best games to play on the Game Boy Advance back in the day thanks to its intricate level design and fun simplification of turn-based strategy games. Developed by WayForward, “Re-Boot Camp” packages the first two games with brand new visuals, animation, voice acting, and more. What makes it even better is that the remake includes both local and online multiplayer, allowing you to wage war with your friends over the internet or on the couch. Let’s hope the sales were strong enough to warrant more remakes or even a brand new “Advance Wars” title soon!
#9: “Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions” (2017)
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“Superstar Saga” was already a brilliant RPG for the Game Boy Advance original. The basic timing-based mechanics of attacking and defending made it an excellent entry point for those new to RPGs. Additionally, the story was wonderfully written with hilarious dialogue and intriguing lore. This 3DS remake rebuilt “Superstar Saga” with the new artstyle and mechanics that developer AlphaDream was using for the series in 2017. However, they also threw in a side campaign, “Bowser’s Minions”, that fills in some plot holes of the main story while also giving a whole new game to play. There was a ton of value here and more fun to be had.
#8: “Kirby Super Star Ultra” (2008)
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The original “Kirby Super Star” was remarkable in how it crammed eight games into one meaty package. So, what was different about the remake made for Nintendo DS? For starters, each game mode had FMV cutscenes and utilized the spritework “Kirby” games were using at the time. But the most substantial additions were the new games: Revenge of the King, Meta Knightmare Ultra, Helper to Hero, and The True Arena. There was more fun to be had with Kirby and friends, and it was an excellent way to preserve the SNES original.
#7: “Super Mario All-Stars” (1993)
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How could anyone forget about “Super Mario All-Stars”? This was basically one of Nintendo’s first remakes ever! With the power of the Super NES, players could relive the original “Super Mario Bros.” as well as the second and third game. But what the biggest draw was the inclusion of “The Lost Levels”, the actual “Super Mario Bros. 2” that never saw a Western release due to Nintendo’s belief that the difficulty would deter fans. And all four games came with brand new sprites, animations, and music, breathing new life into their levels.
#6: “Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia” (2017)
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It’s hard for a tactical RPG from the NES to need a remake, but for “Shadows of Valentia”, it was more a case of why not remake it? “Fire Emblem Echoes” remade the 1992 title “Fire Emblem Gaiden” and was made by developers who worked on “Fire Emblem Awakening” as well as “Fates”. Basically, it was a Famicom classic being brought forward with the new tools and mechanics, new artwork and character models, the visual novel aspects, character relationships, the whole nine yards. Simply put, there was no reason for any “Fire Emblem” fan to skip out on this one.
#5: “Star Fox 64 3D” (2011)
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Yes, we know Nintendo knows we all love “Star Fox 64” too much, but it is honestly one of the best games to come from Nintendo 64. So, why not show how far we had come around the Nintendo 3DS’s launch? “Star Fox 64 3D” helped fully realize the original vision from 1997. New character models, visual effects, and even voice acting helped this game make us feel like we were playing the game for the first time ever. On top of that, the Battle Mode here was much more refined than the N64 version with its addition of power-ups and more intricate level design.
#4: “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D” (2011)
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We could go on and on about how the game looks incredible compared to the 1998 original, but that wasn’t the only reason why this remake stood out. Back then, the inventory system was a bit cumbersome to deal with as it constantly had to stop the game just so you could swap out weapons and items. The 3DS mitigated that by designating the bottom screen to your inventory, making your entire adventure more seamless. The addition of Visions were also a great way to help new players venture through Hyrule and see why so many loved the original. And lest we forget the inclusion of the “Master Quest” version that gave the game even more replay value.
#3: “Metroid: Samus Returns” (2017)
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Though you could play the Game Boy original “Metroid II: Return of Samus” on 3DS already, we were in desperate need of a tried and true “Metroid” game. And it had to be one that wasn’t tied to multiplayer so heavily. Why not remake “Metroid II” then? “Samus Returns” was excellent in how it displayed the 3DS’s true visual fidelity while incorporating modern mechanics of action games like parrying. The controls may have taken a bit of time getting used to, but when taken in appropriately lengthened play sessions, “Samus Returns” is thoroughly enjoyable.
#2: “Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver” (2009)
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The DS era of “Pokemon” games were truly remarkable in how they blended 2D sprites of characters with 3D environments. Of course, there was also the inclusion of small bits like the pedometer and the ability to have your Pokemon follow behind you like in “Pokemon Yellow”. But for many, this was the chance to live or relive the most popular entry in the entire franchise and see why so many cherish the “Gold/Silver” titles. Plus, you could switch between the new soundtrack and the original Game Boy songs!
#1: “Super Mario RPG” (2023)
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We had spent decades asking for a return to “Super Mario RPG”, so much so that many of us were asking for a simple port to the Switch Online SNES emulator. But a full-blown remake for Switch!? Admittedly, it is not the most life-altering remake out there, but it doesn’t need to be. “Super Mario RPG” on Switch retains every aspect we loved about the original while including a brand new score from original composer Yoko Shimomura. On top of that, you have new cutscenes, refined controls and mechanics, and the new Triple Move mechanic. ArtePiazza did a wonderful job recapturing the magic that was “Super Mario RPG”. Which Nintendo remake was your favorite? Did it make our list? Let us know down in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to WatchMojo for more great videos everyday!
