You might not realize it, but Nintendo has done plenty of remakes throughout its gaming catalog. Nearly every Nintendo franchise has one, and they’re often used for an interesting purpose. A lot of their remakes tend to launch on handheld consoles, almost as a way to show off the power of the small device.
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For a remake to count, it must be built from the ground up in some way, and it must feel like a remake or reimagining. One specific title might seem like just another entry for people unfamiliar with the series, but for people who are, it earns remake status.
10Super Mario 64 DS
One of the most critically acclaimedMariotitles has to beSuper Mario 64. It revolutionized 3D gaming, so it was a big deal for this title to come to the DS as a remake.
You control Mario and his friends with the D-pad, which is a letdown, but once you get past that, Mario 64 DS is fantastic. Several new levels and bosses are added, plus the three new characters are all fun to play with.
Goomboss fromPaper Marioappears as a boss fight, and that’s an awesome callback. Mario 64 DS is just a fun way to spice up the Mario 64 experience, and while not superior to the original, it’s still a wildly good time.
9Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
While most of these remakes are still stuck on old hardware, you can play this game right now as long as you have the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.
If you do, you must play this game, as it’s the best 2D Mario remake. Mario Advance 4 used the Nintendo e-Reader to add additional content, and these were great.
You can add in more levels, which were all quality, but the best inclusion was a special power-up. You could actually drop in the Cape Feather from Mario 3’s sequel,Super Mario World.
How awesome is that? Plus, it’s nice to see a heavy amount of voice lines from Charles Martinet here, as all the characters were mute in the original.
8Kirby Nightmare In Dream Land
A remake of the NES gameKirby’s Adventure, Kirby Nightmare In Dream Land for the GBA is essentially a 16-bit version of that classic title. All the graphics are redone in a SNES style, and it looks really nice.
In particular, the character designs themselves are more updated to how they looked at the time, which gives a stark contrast between the original and the remake.
The gameplay remains mostly the same, except they did make the boss fights harder. Every boss except the final one was pretty easy in the original, so this is a welcome change.
Nightmare In Dream Land isn’t a replacement for the original but perfectly complements it, and both are worth playing.
7Metroid: Zero Mission
The hands-down definitive version of the firstMetroidgame has to be Metroid: Zero Mission for the GBA. The graphics are far better, and the game’s more accessible to modern players with several quality-of-life improvements the NES version simply didn’t have.
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Plus, an entirely new section is added at the end where you control Samus in her Zero Suit. This section is quite important in terms of lore, and the new stealth gameplay is a nice change of pace.
It’s a shame Zero Mission hasn’t been released on Switch Online yet, as it’s a perfect way forbeginners to get into the Metroid series.
6Metroid: Samus Returns
Since the first Metroid title got remade, it only made sense for the sequel to get the same treatment. Metroid 2 for the original Game Boy won’t jive with a lot of modern players, and that’s where Samus Returns comes in.
Like Zero Mission, this game offers much better graphics, more quality-of-life improvements, and even new gameplay features like the counterattack move. It ain’t noMetroid Dread, but it is superior to the original and a better option for most today.
Samus Returns is still a 3DS exclusive, though, so you will need that older device.
5Donkey Kong (Game Boy)
Donkey Kongfor the original Game Boy feels like more of a reimagining of the classic arcade game. The opening moments are exactly like the arcade title but with Mario’s new movement options.
Once you’ve defeated Donkey Kong, you’re hit with a swerve as DK takes Pauline again, and the real game begins. Essentially the first title in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, you play in short levels where you simply grab the key and head to the door.
Despite its simplicity, the game’s a lot of fun and rather challenging. It’s also quite beefy in length for an old Game Boy title, so it’ll keep you occupied.
4Pokemon FireRed And LeafGreen
The originalPokemongames are some of the most important titles in all of Nintendo’s catalog. It really was a game changer, so it felt right for the classic titles to be remade in FireRed and LeafGreen.
The GBA era of Pokemon is often considered the golden age of the series, where the best games came out. FireRed and LeafGreen have plenty of those features present in other GBA Pokemon games, and along with the superior graphics, this makes it the best version to play.
Unfortunately, Pokemon games tend to get the shaft in terms of releases, and FireRed and LeafGreen are no different, as they are still stuck to the GBA.
3The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3D
Regarded as one of the best games ever made,Ocarina of Timewas the debut 3DZeldatitle, and like Mario 64 was a game changer. However, some things could have been improved, and Ocarina of Time 3D largely fixes these.
The infamous Water Temple had you constantly switching boots in the pause menu, and this is gone from the remake, as Iron Boots can simply be assigned to a button now.
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Other quality-of-life improvements were added, and even the Master Quest mode is superior, with enemies now dealing double damage, making the Master Quest one of thehardest Zelda experiences out there. Ocarina of Time 3D is hands-down the best way to play Ocarina today.
2The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Switch)
One of the more unique Zelda games had to beLink’s Awakening. It had so many wacky elements, and even the humor was completely different from the rest of the series.
When the remake for the Nintendo Switch launched, the developers remained incredibly faithful to the original.
All the wacky content and Easter eggs are still there, and even the art style has that same small toy-like feel. Most of these remakes at least update the art style to make it more modern.
This remake retains the original aesthetic making it especially stand out. Link’s Awakening on the Switch is a great way to play one of thebest handheld Zelda titles.
1Punch-Out!! (Wii)
The best project by Next Level Games and one of the best titles on the Wii is the 2009Punch-Out. You can tell that not only were Next Level Games fans of the series, but they practically breathed the series.
A remake of the 1987 NES classic, every boxer returns here. Even the Mike Tyson fight is essentially remade here with the second Mr. Sandman encounter.
What makes this game impressive is that even a lot of the tech is from the original. Soda Popinski still has a large weakness in his gut, and Don Flamenco still has an infinite loop you can do on him.
Put in an improved star system, added length and replayability, and tons of personality, and you’ve got a truly special Nintendo game.
