Would you play a retro game in updated graphics?

[RCBH928]

However, you really can't improve the looks of say, Super Metroid. The game is fine as it is and wouldn't improve because you added 3D graphics. Inf act, if history is anything to go by, most remakes of sprite-based games end up looking worse than the originals.

I guess Metroid looked too good even for its day. But I wonder if it had like high frames per second and HD graphics would it look even better?

Most games that could benefit highly from updated graphics are early 3D ones, some of them look surprisingly painful for the eye (ironically they were considered smashing graphics for their time) .

Great Topic!

The great games that got a remake are just fine to me, though I wish more would include the original emulated incarnation for the history to the newer generation of gamers.

You reminded me about Monkey Island. The original graphics were horrible and so did the control scheme. I played it on the iPad and the new graphics are so much better.

You could swipe with your fingers and the old graphics would show up, which is nice because it kind of got me to experience both simultaneously.

The one situation I'm always a sucker for this is when really old monochrome sprite games are deliberately turned into green-screen vectors to make retro look like slightly-better retro.

Can you give an example of this?

[TSTR]

Early 3D can definitely be super harsh and off-putting. That and the controls are the reasons I can never get into the first 3 Alone in the Dark joints, despite a handful of attempts.

[Tanooki]

I'd do it if the core gameplay of the game isn't an outdated hot mess they don't update as well.

I've bought remasters thanks to Nintendo as far back as Super Mario All-Stars, and I never regretted that one even if it handled very slightly differently as it gave me save capability plus 4 games (which one we never got) in one bundle for the normal price of 1 game.

Gameboy Advance was strongly guilty of shoveling up a few NES but mostly SNES games, usually ports, but at times you got some boosts, such as SMB2-> Super Mario Advance or the GB to GBC update of Link's Awakening DX which added dungeon, some gear, and repaired a game ending bug too. Wind Waker and in turn Twilight Princess are covered too already here.

Dreamcast to Gamecube conversions I suppose would be another with those Resident Evil and Sonic Adventure DX1 and 2 titles. Rez is a given bootlegged/imported for DC to then PS2 and now the newer iterations of the original. As long as the core mechanics are solid or repaired along side of any visuals boosts I'm good. If it still plays like a dog forget it.

[TSTR]

I could never get down with Super Mario All-Stars. It just didn't FEEL right to me.

#muhfeelz

[Xeogred]

I actually grew up on the NES games, then All Stars later and I kind of prefer All Stars in some areas. Not for SMB3 though, the blocky aesthetics for the NES are Mario art style perfection. But I really dig the upgraded looks and music for SMB1-2.

[Tanooki]

Fair argument there, and for me I always felt that SMB3 was a downgrade visually on the sprite side. You went from well rounded, very well drawn and colorful cartoon(like the TV cartoon at the time) graphics for SMB2. Then you go into SMB3 and it's bland, very blocky, Mario (face in particular) dumbed down to little black dots for beady eyes and a pencil moustsache like some 8bit creeper in furry costumes.

[Anapan]

The one situation I'm always a sucker for this is when really old monochrome sprite games are deliberately turned into green-screen vectors to make retro look like slightly-better retro.

Can you give an example of this?

Two of my favorites are Space Invaders 3D (From PS2's Space Invaders Anniversary) and the various Breakout 3D games that have been released here's one for Android
Oh, also glTron, - a remake of multiplayer snake.

I sometimes play 3D games on a green monochrome monitor, but I guess that's the exact opposite of this topic...

I recently found a way to trick dos games into doing this with a program.

[casterofdreams]

Anapan: the first image is Pac-Man right?

The mobile game Pac-Man 256 is played in that camera angle. Thought that was interesting.

[Anapan]

Correct, Pacifi3D is a Namco Pac-man emulator that replaces sprites with 3D models so you can rotate the game field with your mouse or play in 1st person perspective.

I love Pacman 256! My brother and I were passing the Nvidia controller back and forth a couple of days ago.

[casterofdreams]

1st person must be awesome!

Pac-man 256 is great. I'm close to getting enough coins for the Championship Edition skin I really want.