The topic of whether games need to be remade can be somewhat controversial. Some see the practice as a creatively-bankrupt cash-grab that prevents us from getting more products that are actually new, and would rather the original versions of games be preserved and made accessible on modern platforms. Others enjoy replaying classic games with a fresh twist or coat of paint and appreciate having shiny new, easily accessible versions to introduce new generations of fans to. Whether you love them or hate them, video game remakes, re-releases, and remasters don’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Knowing what to identify and classify these products can get a bit muddy, with much of the lingo being inconsistent across various publishers and media outlets. My aim here is to try to put more consistency into the discussion and help us all to know what to expect from a product. Games are among the most complex forms of media to create and preserve, so there will always be nuance and there will always be exceptions that don’t fit neatly into any one category. But with this article, I hope to create a semi-definitive guide to help you determine what kind of game you’re looking at as more and more remakes pour in. None of the lists of examples are exhaustive, but hopefully comprehensive enough to give you an idea of how to identify the different options available.

Port / Re-Release / Compilation

These are typically as straightforward as they come. It’s the exact same game with some basic work done to make it run on newer or different hardware. If they are not converted to code native to the target hardware (a port), they may have some sort of compatibility layer that recreates a virtual environment of the original console or allows the game’s original code to translate into something usable by the hardware it’s running on (this is essentially what emulation is). Many times, companies with a large catalog of older games will release compilations of their back catalog on each new generation of consoles. The goal isn’t to update them or make them look modern. It’s just to make an old game playable on your current devices, pretty much exactly how you remember. Emulators may have some external features, like being able to rewind the game state, but the game itself is the exact same as its original form.

Games in this category are about as straightforward of a release as it can come. It’s the exact same game, but running on modern hardware using one of several options. A Port of a game is recompiled to target a system of roughly equivalent specs as the lead platform. Multi-platform games are typically developed with a lead platform in mind, with ports to other consoles based on the work of the lead version. Depending on how different the architecture or specs of the consoles are, there may be noticeable differences in how each version performs, but the core game is generally the exact same (barring any content that the console manufacturer may have paid to make exclusive). Modern console architecture is generally standardized enough to make it relatively easy to port to multiple consoles, especially when using engines designed with flexible publishing abilities like Unreal or Unity. In some cases, a period of timed exclusivity might mean one console sees a game released months or years before the competitors’ consoles. In others, particularly with smaller developers who focus on PC development, the console ports may be outsourced to other studios with expertise in porting (or vice-versa when porting console-first releases to PC). Ports are too numerous and ubiquitous to list. Suffice to say, if a game has a multi-platform release, it’s safe to assume some kind of porting happened.

A Re-Release might be the exact same game for the exact same system, but a new physical print run with new packaging at a reduced price. In some cases, particularly in the days before patching a game over the internet was an option, re-released games might have included minor tweaks and bug fixes.

  • Super Mario 64 “Shindō” version
  • Playstation Greatest Hits
  • Xbox Platinum Hits
  • Nintendo Selects / Player’s Choice

Compilations are bundles of games, where you buy multiple games in one package. Some early compilations were simply currently available games bundled together on one cartridge or disc for the same console they were originally made for. Basically just a good deal to get a few older games. But as console generations progressed, companies with a large catalog of older games also tend to release compilations of their back catalog on each new generation. With a straight compilation, the goal isn't necessarily to update them or make them look modern; the idea is simply to make an old game playable on your current devices - pretty much exactly how they’ve always been - in one neat little collection. When bringing games from consoles up to the PS1/N64 era and prior to newer hardware, they typically use some form of emulation. The emulator itself may have some baked-in features that can manipulate the game state, like being able to rewind, but the game itself is the exact same as its original form. Some extra bonuses, like a fancy new menu to launch the games from and view concept art or music, might also be thrown in to make the package more appealing. A straight compilation doesn’t generally have significant updates to the included games, but full remasters or remakes might themselves be compiled into bundled packages.

  • The endless variants of Namco Museum (1995-The Heat Death of the Universe)
  • Atari Anniversary Edition (2001)
  • Sonic Mega Collection / Sonic Mega Collection Plus / Sonic Gems Collection (2002-2005)
  • Midway Arcade Treasures 1-3 (2003-2005)
  • Sega Genesis / Mega Drive Classics (2010)
  • Kirby’s Dream Collection (2012)
  • Rare Replay (2015)
  • Mega Man / Mega Man X Legacy Collections (2015-2018)
  • Disney Afternoon Collection (2017)
  • Nintendo Switch Online’s catalog of included classic games (2018-Present)
  • Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King (2019)
  • Jurassic Park: Classic Games Collection (2023)

Enhanced Port

Generally a more-or-less lateral move technically where the fidelity remains more or less the same, but it’s on a new platform with a few new bells and whistles, which may range from a few extra characters or maps to entirely new side-games. Some include very minor performance upgrades, like bug fixes, faster load times, slightly more stable frame rates, or higher resolutions, which might blur the line ever so slightly with remasters. However, the technical enhancements are generally much less comprehensive than a true remaster. Nintendo has been the biggest purveyor of enhanced ports, since several of their generations were not that dramatic of a technical leap from the capabilities of the previous one (GameCube to Wii, Wii U to Switch). Nintendo in particular likes to throw in some new content additions to sweeten the deal and entice previous owners to double-dip, but the technical upgrades are more incidental to the porting process than they are the main appeal.

If a game is ported to a contemporary console after a period of platform exclusivity, that version might be labeled as a definitive edition that includes a few new features or compilations of previous DLC. In such a case, the version on the original platform may or may not also see a title update and/or a re-release of the enhanced package.

  • Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee (Xbox version was released a year after the GameCube original with improved graphics and additional maps and characters - 2003)
  • The “New Play Control” series on Wii, alongside the Metroid Prime Trilogy (2008–2011, depending on region)
  • Alone in the Dark: Inferno (2008)
  • Batman: Arkham City - Armored Edition (2012)
  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017)
  • Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (2018)
  • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Switch - 2018)
  • New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019)
  • Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury (2021)

Remaster

The main thing that classifies a Remaster is that it’s still working directly from or building upon the original game’s codebase. Visual and audio assets are likely to be touched up or upscaled, and a few projects outright replace many assets with newer versions, but the stuff running under the hood may have relatively few changes other than being compiled to run natively on the new target platforms at higher resolutions. They may also support wider screens and higher frame rates than their original versions. There can be great variance in how extensive the enhancements are. Some may have updated controls or new quality of life features, but generally look and play like a crisp version of how you remember them. Remasters may or may not also be packaged as a compilation, with multiple enhanced games included in one product.

  • The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection (Compilation - 2011)
  • Resident Evil 4 HD (2011)
  • The Last of Us Remastered (2014)
  • Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection (Compilation - 2015)
  • Most of Aspyr’s output (Various, including Star Wars and Tomb Raider)
  • Most of Nightdive Studios’ output (Sans System Shock remake, ranging from Turok (2015) to Quake II Enhanced (2023))
  • Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Compilation - 2014)
  • Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Compilation - 2020)
  • Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (Compilation - 2021)
  • Sonic Origins (Compilation - 2022)
  • Metroid Prime Remastered (2023)
  • Luigi's Mansion 2 HD (2024)
  • Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (Switch - 2025)

Reboot

A Reboot is a franchise entry that may share a title verbatim with an older game, but is entirely different in its execution. It’s not a remake of any one particular title, and is instead an entirely new game that might be inspired by elements from all over the franchise to create its own story and gameplay. In many cases, it’s handled by a new development team. It’s basically intending to be a brand new game that acts as a fresh new starting point for the franchise. A true reboot builds an entirely new canon, ignoring all previous games' events and starting the story continuity anew.

If the game retains the same narrative continuity as previous entries but radically changes the gameplay style (or, conversely, resurrects a long-dormant gameplay style), you might have a Soft-Reboot on your hands. The events of the previous entries are still considered canonical, but are not considered “required reading” for new players to enjoy the new title; new players can jump in completely ignorant to the previous entries and still enjoy the game. If narrative was never a strong focus of the franchise, the game may still be considered a kind of soft reboot if It’s still intended as a new jump-off point or a major refresh to the gameplay that doesn’t explicitly throw out any previously established narrative points.

Full Reboot

  • Ninja Gaiden (2004)
  • Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
  • Turok (2008)
  • Prince of Persia (2008)
  • Alone in the Dark (2008)
  • Bionic Commando (2009)
  • XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2012)
  • DmC: Devil May Cry (2013)
  • Tomb Raider (2013)
  • Star Wars: Battlefront (2015)
  • Doom (2016)
  • Prey (2017)
  • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
  • Kao the Kangaroo (2022)

Soft-Reboot

  • Metroid Prime (2002)
  • Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003)
  • New Super Mario Bros. (2006)
  • Hitman (2016)
  • Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017)
  • Assassin’s Creed: Origins (2017)
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)
  • God of War (2018)

Remake

There are different types of remakes, but the most straightforward version is usually just referred to as a straight Remake. In general, these are games that are using all new code and assets with the aim of faithfully recreating the original product using shiny modern tools and hardware. The main thing that differentiates a remake from a remaster is that the code running under the hood is entirely new; no tech was carried over from the original game, and it’s likely built using an entirely different engine. There might be some minor design changes or modern quality of life and accessibility improvements, but the core design and structure stays pretty much the same as the original. The art style may change considerably (generally becoming more detailed and literal), and a new dimension may even be added when a 2D sprite-based game is remade with 3D graphics, though the gameplay remains extremely faithful. Dialogue and music may be carried over, or it may be entirely re-recorded, sometimes with a new voice cast. As with other types, remakes may also compile multiple titles into one package. The main appeal is, in general, playing the same game with a completely modern look, but some remakes may have modest or negligible visual improvements if they are targeting a handheld. In such a case, much of the novelty comes from having what was originally a state-of-the-art console experience on a handheld device.

  • Super Mario All-Stars (1993 - Contained full remakes of Super Mario Bros 1-3, along with minor tweaks to Super Mario World)
  • Super Mario 64 DS (2004)
  • Conker: Live & Reloaded (2005)
  • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (2011)
  • Star Fox 64 3D (2011)
  • DuckTales: Remastered (2013 - Don’t be fooled by the name! This is a full remake)
  • The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (2015)
  • Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (2017)
  • Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (2017)
  • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions (2017)
  • Shadow of the Colossus (2018)
  • Spyro Reignited Trilogy (2018)
  • MediEvil (2019)
  • SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated (2020)
  • Destroy All Humans! (2020)
  • Demon’s Souls (2020)
  • Pac-Man World: Re-Pac (2022)
  • The Last of Us: Part 1 (2022)
  • Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp (2023)
  • Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe (2023)
  • System Shock (2023)
  • Dead Space (2023)
  • Persona 3 Reload (2024)
  • Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2024)
  • Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2024)
  • Super Mario RPG (2024)
  • Epic Mickey Rebrushed (2024)

Reimagining

When a game is intended as a direct remake of a particular game, but approaches it from a squarely modern design philosophy and isn’t coy about reworking large parts of its design and/or story, your remake might also be a Reimagining. A reimagining is a type of remake, but not all remakes are reimaginings. In general, they maintain the name, spirit, and broad story beats of one specific older game, but may have entirely new or different gameplay systems, vastly different level design, and an altered or expanded story. The threshold as to when a remake truly crosses over into reimagining territory is nebulous, but you generally know it when you see it. If there are significant, sweeping deviations from the original game in story and/or gameplay, you may be playing a reimagining.

  • Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (2004)
  • Metroid: Zero Mission (2004)
  • Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)
  • GoldenEye 007 (Wii - 2010) / GoldenEye Reloaded (2011)
  • Ratchet & Clank (2016)
  • Metroid: Samus Returns (2017)
  • Resident Evil 2 (2019), Resident Evil 3 (2020), Resident Evil 4 (2023)
  • Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020) / Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (2024) - What even are these?! A trilogy of multiverse sequels to the original?
  • Black Mesa (2020)
  • Alone in the Dark (2024)
  • Silent Hill II (2024)

Downgraded Port

Some games are built for more powerful hardware, and then scaled down to run on weaker hardware some time after the original release. A Downgraded Port generally refers to ports that required significant cutbacks to graphical detail, performance, resolution, and effects to run on a less powerful device it was not originally targeting, such as significantly less powerful handheld devices, the previous generation of consoles, or a contemporary console with notably lower specs. I’m defining this category as games released some time after the initial launch window, and where work on this platform’s version was not part of the original version’s work scope. I am therefore excluding games that had concurrent releases across different generations or devices as part of their original launch, such as Sonic Frontiers. In many cases, the process is not handled by the original team, and is instead outsourced to studios specializing in porting, such as Panic Button or Saber Interactive.

  • Many PSP or PS Vita ports of PS2 or PS3 games, respectively (Various Years)
  • Xenoblade Chronicles 3D (2015)
  • Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (3DS - 2018)
  • Doom (Switch - 2017)
  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Switch - 2019)
  • Alan Wake Remastered (Switch - 2022) - How does this look so much worse than the original Xbox 360 version?!
  • Star Wars: Jedi Survivor (PS4, Xbox One - Announced 2024)
  • Batman: Arkham Knight (Switch - 2024)

Alternate Version

The seventh generation was an odd one, as it came at a time when the higher-end consoles and PCs were pushing tech forward, but consoles with last-gen capabilities were still extremely popular. The Xbox 360 and PS3 were the first widely-available high definition consoles, but the PS2 was still going strong and the Wii had captured a huge new market. Publishers generally wanted their games on as many platforms as possible, but the disparity in console capabilities created a trend of just having multiple developers make bespoke versions for the different generations instead of trying to strip down the flagship version to run on last-gen hardware. This was also a trend when the power of handheld consoles wasn’t even in the ballpark of their console counterparts. These games might have the exact same title and release windows, and often the same broad story beats, but might end up with completely different takes on gameplay and structure tailored around capabilities of the target platforms.

  • Spider-Man 3 (Xbox 360/PS3 vs. Wii/PS2/PSP - 2007)
  • Sonic Unleashed (Xbox 360/PS3 vs. Wii/PS2 - 2008)
  • Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (Xbox 360/PS3 vs. Wii - 2010)
  • Splinter Cell: Double Agent (6th Gen and Wii vs. 7th Gen - 2006)
  • Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Xbox 360/PS3 vs. Wii/PS2/PSP - 2008) and its sequel (2010)
  • Many handheld versions of games like Spider-Man and Harry Potter entries (GBA and DS - Various years)
  • Sonic Games on DS and 3DS (Various years)

Something In-Between

  • Sonic x Shadow Generations is both a remaster of the original Sonic Generations (with some altered voice lines and animation) and a vehicle for what’s basically a brand new game in Shadow Generations. Kind of like Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, but with a significant remastering of Sonic Generations as well.
  • Rare Replay is a compilation of Rare’s back catalog that contains a mix of remastered and emulated games. Older games, such as those originally released on ZX Spectrum, tend to be directly emulated. Games that were previously remastered for Xbox 360, such as Perfect Dark and Banjo Kazooie, are included in their updated forms.
  • The Anniversary editions of Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, both of which are available in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, play like straightforward remasters in their classic graphics modes, even though both are apparently running on a new engine with 1:1 translations of the physics and gameplay of the originals. However, both games also have an enhanced mode that can be swapped to at any time where every single model and texture is swapped out for an alternate, completely original high-detail version. Major cutscenes in Halo 2 Anniversary are also entirely new pre-rendered sequences produced by animation house Blur Studio. These versions seem to fall somewhere in between remake and remaster, with what is basically an entirely new visual system built over the top of the original games.
  • 3DS versions of older games are generally very odd ducks.
  • Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D was, for the years prior to the Switch edition, the most featured-packed version, sporting new levels, options, and content over the original Wii release. However, it was visually paired down and ran at 30fps. Content-wise, it was the definitive version available at the time, but significantly less visually detailed.
  • Luigi’s Mansion on 3DS is apparently a ground-up remake of the original game; most of the assets appear to be completely new, and it’s unknown what percentage of assets or animations were carried over or modified from the original. Some elements are noticeably higher-resolution and/or more atmospheric on 3DS, but certain elements of the GameCube original are stronger, such as specific texture details, higher frame rates in certain areas, and faster load times. Many of the differences come down to different technical approaches and stylistic decisions, others are to accommodate the limitations of the hardware. The 3DS version also added co-op support with the addition of a time-traveling Gooigi, Luigi’s gelatinous doppelganger. Both versions have their pros and cons, and the remake can’t really be called a straight upgrade.
  • Silent Hill HD Collection was intended to be a fairly straightforward remaster, but the development team only had access to incomplete versions of Silent Hill 2 and 3, since the source codes for the games were not properly preserved. This meant that they had to rebuild large portions of the games from scratch. The inconsistent and sometimes slapdash results led to a lot of complaints from fans familiar with the originals.