We’re seeing a lot more arguments about remasters being made the right way – like with the recently released Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy – but it’s kind of funny that we haven’t seen more from the NES era. That said, an artist by the name of Andres Moncayo has decided to do it on his own terms, grabbing screenshots from a handful of NES classics and rendering them in Photoshop to give them an incredible sheen.
The artist, whose home page can be found here, recently posted the images on his Facebook page, taking the likes of Konami’s Contra, Nintendo’s Duck Hunt and the hardcore classic Ninja Gaiden, amongst others, and giving them a polish that kind of want us seeing the games on a new platform, just to see them up and running in this new light. We’ve included the five examples in the attached gallery, with before and after shots that really give you an idea of the painstaking effort Moncayo has put into the gallery. The results are incredible – and something tells us Nintendo would be impressed, too.
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Contra
First, let’s take a look at the debut stage from the NES classic Contra. Moncayo has taken what looks like the usual rocky terrain and replaced it with something more clear, so that it looks far better. Not only that, but the water is more detailed than it was in the original game, and you can even see bursts of sunlight that are coming through the cracks, providing a brighter appearance than the original NES game could ever muster. The characters look about the same, but, hey, no reason to change those, right? It is Contra, after all, and you have to maintain that classic vibe.
Punch-Out!!
Next up is the classic boxing game Punch-Out!! from Nintendo, and while the changes are mostly cosmetic, they’re really something. You’ll notice better realized energy bars at the top of the screen, as well as a boxing insignia that actually shows off the mat, and flashes that are coming from the crowd, indicating that they’re more than just bobbing heads. For that matter, the boxers actually look a little better as well, with their pixels slightly redefined. Plus, check out Bald Bull letting out more realistic spittle, rather than just the small drop. He is getting punched in the face, you know.
Duck Hunt
Now, replacing the dog with a higher-based render in Duck Hunt would be sacrilege, since he’s such an important part of the game and all (yes, even when he’s laughing at you). So, instead, Moncayo changed the terrain around the dog and duck, with a brighter sky, better foliage on the tree, grass that seems to move about when the dog pops out of it, and more. It definitely looks like a much more realistic presentation here, and the score and bullet/duck count at the bottom has also been retouched a bit. Well done…but can the same be done for Hogan’s Alley at some point?
Double Dragon II: The Revenge
Double Dragon II wasn’t exactly the best-looking NES game on the market when it came out, but it pleased fans with its simple aesthetic. That said, Moncayo decided to up the ante, making the city look a little more realistic for our fine warrior as he kicks butt. The lighting is definitely more dynamic, and little things, like the more detailed crates and the graffiti and (almost) readable sign on the wall really add to the atmosphere. And we can’t help but think that Billy Lee’s hair has been touched up a little bit, too. Granted, we’re not so sure about the curl, but whatever.
Ninja Gaiden
Last but certainly not least, Ninja Gaiden got the Photoshop treatment, and it’s almost like night and day. For instance, the background is much moodier than before, going with a solid sky (and a mountain in the distance) instead of all the clouds. For that matter, Ryu Hayabusa has also been touched up a bit, along with the spark-laden enemy he’s facing off against. And check out the lighting – it’s really well done, right down to the shadowing that’s right behind Ryu. Granted, it’s not a real game, but Koei Tecmo should take notes – this is what we want in a Ninja Gaiden adventure!
