Activision recently noted that Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy has done remarkably well for the company, surpassing all sales expectations and becoming a huge hit in the process. And that’s just on one console, as it’s likely we may see it pop up on Xbox One and PC down the road.
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But the company also noted that there’s room for other remasters down the road, bringing back older favorites to shine on again in a new format. We’ve already made our case for a Spyro the Dragon collection, which, hopefully, the publisher is considering, but there’s also a number of other games that would do well with a few touch-ups for the modern gaming age.
So we dug into Activision‘s vault of classics and came up with a few primary games that deserve a second chance on the market with a little bit of touching up. Add in some 1080p supported visuals, a few extra goodies, and, in some cases, multiplayer, and we don’t see why these games couldn’t find a second chance at success!
Activision Anthology
Originally released for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable quite some time ago, Activision Anthology is a terrific gathering of old-school 1980’s Atari 2600 games, including Pitfall!, Keystone Kapers, and even a few Imagic titles like Moonsweeper and Atlantis. There are also 80’s tunes thrown in for good measure, like Talk Talk’s “It’s My Life”…when’s the last time you heard that one? Considering that companies like Atari and Warner Bros. are getting into the classic spirit as of late, it wouldn’t hurt for Activision to bring this game back, complete with online leaderboards, a plethora of patches (that can double as Achievements and Trophies) and, best of all, a price that would make it worth the download. Do it for Twisted Sister, Activision!
Blur
Activision considered Blur to be a financial blunder, and, as a result, closed down the studio of Bizarre Creations as a result. But the fact of the matter is, it’s become a cult hit over the past few years, and continues to be highly enjoyed by a large audience. Now that the Bizarre studio has returned with Lucid Games, Activision needs to give this game a second chance with souped up visuals, more online modes, more cars and, best of all, more opportunities to take a first-place victory with a well-timed mine throw. We still love this on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, so it’s only fair new gamers get a shot at it as well.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Trilogy
This one may be a longshot, as Activision will more than likely sit on the Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3 HD re-releases until some new Call of Duty games roll around. Nevertheless, we’ll pitch it anyway, because a remastered Modern Warfare trilogy would make a whole lot of money. Modern Warfare Remastered is selling quite well on its own, after being tied in with Infinite Warfare as a bundled exclusive for several months. So that should indicate to Activision that fans still love these games, and re-releases – with updated map packs and other goodies to keep them happy – should be the first thing on their to-do list.
Crash Team Racing
Seeing as how Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy performed admirably enough for the company – and how Vicarious Visions even went out of its way to bring a long lost level back to life – then it’s time to make the next big move for this series. And that involves Crash Team Racing, remastered with great looking track designs and a number of other touch-ups. And then there’s the thing that would really make this game a big hit with fans – the chance to race online in full-blown multiplayer. We’re sure Vicarious Visions has something planned for the future, but we’re hoping CTR is somewhere on the docket.
Gun
The Western game genre didn’t really get its start with Red Dead Redemption, though that no doubt boosted it to new heights. Instead, one of its earliest contributors was none other than Neversoft, the same team that brought us the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games. Though it looks a bit old these days, Gun would benefit from some great visual touch-ups, as its gameplay is on the money, with its slo-mo system, its unbridled carnage and its great storyline, which covers a good portion of the Western horizon. On top of that, it’s a lot of fun to play, and a re-release would provide fitting tribute to the now long-lost company.
Ultimate Spider-Man
We already made a play for Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions when we talked about how great a game it is. So for this list, we’ll focus on another long-lost gem that deserves a second chance – Ultimate Spider-Man. Focusing more on a comic book style approach instead of the movie-licensed games that we’ve gotten over the past few years, Ultimate Spider-Man would look splendid with an HD transfer, pushing it above its current PlayStation 2/GameCube standards. On top of that, the ability to choose between Spider-Man and Venom would be an outright treat for comic book fans, especially after we, ahem, “eat” our first person with Venom. Plus we get to fight Wolverine again. Speaking of which…
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Last but certainly not least, we come to this God of War style adventure, which is still considered one of the best movie-licensed games ever made. In fact, it surpassed the film it was based upon with additional scenarios, like one hell of a fight against a Sentinel. There could be some arguments that getting the Wolverine rights again would be a nightmare – especially with Fox involved in the fray – but if Activision could do it, it would re-introduce fans to one of the best action games in years. And with the right level of visual touch-up, it could easily rival the likes of God of War III Remastered. Take that, Kratos!
