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Just Add Water reveals screenshot of abandoned Paradroid remake
The Oddworld franchise isn't the only series developer Just Add Water had its sights on for a reboot -- the company recently tweeted a concept image of an abandoned remake of the Commodore 64 classic Paradroid. (That's Spanish for "for Droid," you know.)
Modders work their HD magic on Resident Evil 4, no remake required
Though Capcom has big plans to release an HD relaunch of its frequently relaunched survival horror title, Resident Evil 4, the PC modding community has beaten the company to the punch. Check out the video below to see how a cadre of plug-ins can give the title a (totally free) high-def overhaul.
Capcom releasing HD remakes of Resident Evil 4, Code Veronica on PS3 and Xbox 360
Capcom is celebrating the 15th anniversary of Resident Evil by upgrading a couple of the games to high definition. Resident Evil Code: Veronica X and Resident Evil 4 will be available on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live this fall, as seen above in all their HD remastered glory. Our friends at Joystiq have a few more hi-res snaps in their gallery, given the slew of remade games in HD, and even 3D, how excited are you to play yesterday's games with a new coat of paint slapped on? Around here, we're more than ready to give Shadow of the Colossus another runthrough in a new format.
Original Halo: CE to see a full HD (& 3D) remake on Xbox 360?
So far Microsoft's been pretty passive about jumping on 3D gaming, while several games on the Xbox 360 support it (NBA 2K11 after a patch last month, Call of Duty: Black Ops) there's no support in the system menus and not in any of its first party games, but that may be about to change. Our friends at Joystiq have learned that the remake of Halo: Combat Evolved they've been hearing about will ship this holiday season with new art assets ready for 1080p and 3DTVs. The biggest gameplay enhancement mentioned is online co-op, so we'd suggest calling your old college roommate and clearing a weekend or two around November 15th (the ten year anniversary of the release of the original game) just in case.
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee HD remake in development at Just Add Water
Though the studio is still hard at work on its HD renovation of one installment of the Oddworld Inhabitants franchise, Stranger's Wrath, it seems Just Add Water already has a second remake underway. EGM recently teased an interview (which will appear in its upcoming March 2011 issue) with series creator Lorne Lanning, in which he reveals, "Abe HD is going into production," later adding, "It's basically Abe's Oddysee being redone in a 3D physics engine as a 2D side-scrolling platformer." Though pickings are slim in the EGM preview, Lanning did mention that the studio is "not trying to reinvent any wheels. It's like, 'Can we make that experience in a new engine, with new tech, in the old way?'" We bet you can, if you really put your mind to it. We've got our fingers crossed that more details about the Odd remake will surface in the full interview, when the new EGM hits newsstands next month.
Fan-made Sonic the Hedgehog 2 HD remake trailer runs loose
Fans continue their attempts to make a better Sonic game than Sega can -- this time, by remaking one of the franchise's all-time favorites. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 HD is an update to the Genesis classic that, barring any ceast and desist letters, should be available to everyone in alpha form in "Q1" of this year. Unlike the previously-released Sonic Fan Remix, Sonic 2 HD isn't trying to stray too far from the simplistic visuals of the 16-bit original. While we think it's a rather impressive fan endeavor, many Sonic fans disagree. One outspoken commenter noted on the game's official site: "I thought you guys were gonna show us something that would blow away a project like Sonic Fan Remix. Guess not guys ... I'm not following this sh-t anymore." Sonic fans really are hard to please, huh? Check out the trailer after the break.
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation arrives in North America on Feb. 14
15 years ago, Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Reverie launched in Japan, with a Nintendo DS remake of that game arriving last January. This coming February 14th, Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation will launch in North America, effectively ending the 15-year exclusivity the game has endured and completing the trilogy of DQ remakes on Nintendo DS. The game arrives for Nintendo DS on Valentine's Day, bringing with it "new character options and enhancements." Nintendo gets more specific in the announcement, citing updated graphics as the main difference between the original release and the forthcoming update. But then, if the North American release is the same as the Japanese re-release on Nintendo DS, we expect to see an improved map system, a slime curling minigame, and several other revisions. Oh, and of course, there will be plenty of slimes. Relax.%Gallery-111712%
Unofficial remake of first Batman game released
For a full-color history lesson, we suggest you check out the recently completed and simply adorable remake of Batman -- the first Batman! The 3D isometric gem was developed by Jon Ritman and Bernie Drummond, and published in 1986 by the once formidable British games giant Ocean Software -- a sort of ancestor of the modern-day Atari Inc. through its Infogrames lineage -- for the ZX Spectrum, MSX and Amstrad CPC (and PCW) "microcomputers" (contemporaries of the dominant Commodore 64). The game stars an Adam West-looking Batman on a scavenger hunt around the deadly Batcave for seven pieces of the Batcraft (so he can get it hovering again and go rescue Robin, of course). According to the Sinclair User review (issue #50, pg. 51), Batman is notable for being an early, if not the first, game to implement a checkpoint system. The unofficial remake of Batman was developed by Tomaz Kac (who also faithfully remade Ritman and Drummond's Head Over Heels followup) and is available to download and play for free on PC. An earlier freeware remake, dubbed Watman, was released for DOS and Game Boy Advance about ten years ago. Consider yourself schooled. [Image sources: Retrospec / RudyKoch]
8-bit DJ Hero remake available now; Ray Parker, Jr. never sounded so good (video)
How would you describe Eric Ruth's 8-bit Pixel Force: DJ Hero game? A clever remake? An artifact from a fictional past? Whatever it is, we're pretty bummed that it's taken this long for mankind to get to the point where we can mix chiptune versions of songs by Madonna, Michael Jackson, INXS, and a ton more -- all the while scoring points and watching a little pixelated guy rock the wheels of steel. What are you waiting for? Fire up that PC, hit the source link to download your copy, and see all productivity cease -- just like it has here at Engadget HQ. Video after the break.
Fan-made Duke Nukem 3D remake green-lighted by Gearbox
Project lead Frederik "Fresch" Schreiber has received a non-commercial license to proceed with Duke Nukem: Next-Gen, his Unreal Engine 3-powered Duke Nukem 3D remake. Fresch secured the license in just under three weeks after his first announcement -- a credit to rights holder Gearbox's openness to share the franchise with the community -- and has aleady assembled a team of nine other contributors (though he is still "hiring" for a number of positions). Fresch, who abandoned similar "next-gen" remakes of Daikatana (too unpopular) and SIN (shut down by MumboJumbo), has plans to release a public multiplayer demo of Duke Nukem: Next-Gen "sooner than you think." Of course, the full version will be released "when it's done" -- and he notes that "Duke Nukem: Next-Gen" is, wisely, just a codename. Check out the freeware project's first test video after the break.
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath remake coming to PS3 in 2011
Are you ready, Steef? Just Add Water is working on a high-definition remake of Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath. The Gravity Crash developer announced the project earlier today, highlighting it as the first in a "long and fruitful relationship" with the original game's developer, Oddworld Inhabitants. "Having a chance to update the great title and release it on PS3 is just a brilliant opportunity, not least for us, but for the fans too," added Just Add Water MD Stewart Gilray. Set for release on PlayStation Network during Easter next year, the PS3 remake of Stranger's Wrath will offer enhanced 720p visuals, more detailed character models, remastered dialogue, PlayStation Move support and "additional bonus material." When it launched on Xbox in January 2005, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath was notable for being, well, a really bizarre first-person shooter. It placed the franchise's environmental missive inside a wild and weird Western aesthetic, and replaced ammunition with ravenous fuzzballs. An EA-developed port for PlayStation 2 never made it to stores.
Final Fantasy Legend 3 remake on the way to DS
Last year, for the 20th anniversary of the SaGa series, Square Enix released a DS remake of the Game Boy's SaGa 2, which we knew as Final Fantasy Legend 2. This year, Square Enix is remaking SaGa 3: The Ruler of Space and Time (our Final Fantasy Legend 3), though there isn't a particular occasion for it. Early Famitsu scans show the same kind of slightly cutesy visual makeover given to SaGa 2. Siliconera reports that it'll retain the freaky class system from the original, in which characters can change classes immediately either by equipping cyborg parts from downed enemies -- or eating meat made of defeated monsters. Following the usual pattern for these Famitsu leaks, we expect to learn more about SaGa 3: The Ruler of Space and Time - Shadow or Light later this week.
Square Enix confirms Tactics Ogre remake for North America
We didn't have to wait long at all to hear about a North American release for the PSP Tactics Ogre remake. Square Enix has already announced a localized version, under the game's original title Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together. Square Enix's announcement offers additional detail as to exactly what's new in the revamped version. 3D maps have been added, along with updated graphics and 15 new tracks from composers Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata. In terms of gameplay, there's a new "Battle Skill" ability that players can use alongside the game's existing magic and special abilities. There's still some waiting involved with this game, as Square did not offer a timeframe for its debut.%Gallery-97974%%Gallery-97973%
Gamefly listings suggest Centipede and Star Raiders remakes
[Star Raiders Tribute Page] It would appear that Haunted House marked the beginning of a new series of revamped Atari classics. Siliconera spotted GameFly listings for PS3 and Xbox 360 games called "Star Raiders" and "Centipede." Centipede, of course, is one of the most well-known early arcade games, featuring a trackball-controlled avatar firing lasers at on-screen centipedes and mushrooms. Star Raiders isn't as well known. It's a first-person, Star Trek-style space exploration and combat simulator released on various Atari computers -- as well as on Atari 2600, where it used the "Video Touch Pad" controller. The fact that these are on Gamefly suggests that they're retail releases -- since Gamefly doesn't rent downloadable games.
Raystorm HD storming Japanese XBLA and PSN May 5
Though "mum" is still the word on the stateside release plans of Taito's renovated shoot-em-up Raystorm HD, Japanese scrolling aerial warfare enthusiasts will be pleased to know the game's recently announced, completely imminent release date. According to Japanese gaming news site Game Watch, Taito has confirmed the game will arrive in Japan on XBLA May 5 for 1,200 and PSN May 6 for 1,500 yen. Just like every other time we've written about Raystorm HD, we'll contact Taito to see if we can find out anything about the game's North American release. Should we hear anything back, we'll travel directly to Vegas, because we've obviously been stricken with an impossible amount of good fortune.
Square Enix undecided about FF5 and FF6 DS remakes
Square Enix producer Shinji Hashimoto was in the question-answering mood yesterday, responding to a handful of queries thrown his way via the Square Enix Partners Twitter account. After explaining to his curious followers that the company is "undecided" about downloadable ports of Seiken Densetsu 3 and mobile RPG Ever Heart Odyssey, Hashimoto addressed the possibility of DS remakes for Final Fantasy V and VI, stating (according to Andriasang's translation), "for FF5 and 6, there are technical issues as well, so at present these are also undecided." We're not quite sure what that means. The only technical issue we can see in this situation is that Square Enix could put the original versions of both games on a single DS cart, and we would still pay $40 for it, making us technically insane.
No More Heroes remakes outsold the original by a little
We're not going to say that No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise is a hit, but those of us in constant fear of Marvelous running out of money can breathe a sigh of relief, as the remake has brought a little cash in (more considering that the game is a port and therefore probably less expensive to produce). In fact, both versions managed to make it into the Media Create top ten, with the PS3 version's 16,000 copies securing a #7 position and the Xbox 360 version's 15,000 copies at #8. Both of these actually outperformed the Wii original, which sold 11,700 copies in its debut week back in 2007. Now that we think about it, however, the real story might be that 15,000 people in Japan bought an Xbox 360 game in a single week. %Gallery-78530%
NBA Jam brings Larry Bird and Magic Johnson back to the hardwood
If you thought your excitement for NBA Jam couldn't get any higher after reading our preview, know that MTV Multiplayer has confirmed that classic ballers Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are in the game. Creative director Trey Smith said that the second-to-last team that players will face in the Classic Campaign mode -- the game's "worst-to-first ladder tournament," which pits players against a series of teams -- will be decided based on who wins the 2010 NBA championships. Then, the final match will feature the iconic duo. There's no word on other possible unlockable characters, but, frankly, we're going to flip out if we don't get to play as Chow Chow or Bill Clinton. Get on it, EA!
Hands-on: NBA Jam
You need to get the preconception that NBA Jam is part of the rigid "sports game" genre out of your mind right this second. I can understand why you might possess this notion: for gamers whose youths were spent mastering the original game's showboating mechanics, Jam is one of the few franchises they can call up when accused of not playing sports games. For folks unfamiliar with the franchise, one might logically associate a bouncy, orange sphere with its eponymous sport: "basketball." Yet, based on my time with EA Canada's Wii-make of NBA Jam earlier this month, I don't think the "sports game" archetype -- a turn-off for many non-sports enthusiasts -- is an accurate descriptor for what's going on here. Jam is a "party game" and will likely overtake Rock Band and Boom Blox as my entertainment of choice while hosting a social gathering. Provided, of course, attendees are prepared to get buffeted with an unstoppable deluge of smack talk. %Gallery-89317%
Nomura mentions three more Kingdom Hearts games in interview
An interview with Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura, printed in the Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep Ultimania guide book, outs the planning of three new games in the Disney/Square action RPG series. And one of them is, for real, Kingdom Hearts III. However, Nomura hasn't started the actual production of the title -- evidently he's busy with Final Fantasy Versus XIII, which is apparently a real game that people are working on. "We won't take up KH3 until we've reached a certain target with FF Versus XIII," Nomura said, according to Andriasang's translation of the text provided by FF-Reunion. One of the two additional Kingdom Hearts games will be out this year. Another, due later, features multiple protagonists like Birth by Sleep. Nomura also dashed any hope of another super-deluxe re-release like the Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix. "The voice actors for the overseas version are all high caliber, so it wouldn't be bad to release a Final Mix version," he said. " ... However, because for KH2FM+ we released Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories as a set, we have the feeling that people's expectations for the content of a Final Mix have become extremely high. I'd like to say this here -- we won't do anything that big ever again. (laughs)."
