The Hidden Potential of Demakes in Gaming
I think it is fair to say that remakes have solidified themselves as a main staple of gaming by now. The concept has improved significantly from its initial stages, from ports of old arcade titles to full-on remasters with more advanced technical, graphical, and quality-of-life additions that tend to make the game even better. In my experience, remakes have provided the opportunity to play plenty of games I otherwise would not have been able to, either due to their age or limited accessibility, and it’s part of the reason I got into franchises like Pokemon, The Legend of Zelda, Xenoblade Chronicles, and many others.
But Nintendo is certainly so stranger to the concept and has remade a slew of titles beyond just these, and for many fans it is the anticipation of a certain remake that tends to capture their attention. Heck, I’m thinking of how many people were expecting the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl remakes to be announced in the Pokemon Directs last year, and how many were disappointed when they weren’t. Of course they were recently, but almost immediately after fans already began to discuss when they might remake the Pokemon Black and White games. As great a set of remakes as those games might be, I just can’t help but think about how long this cycle may go on.
They’ll announce Gen 5 remakes, and then fans will demand Gen 6 in another few years. Then 7 some time later, then eventually 8? This is a cycle that certainly does not only apply to Pokemon, and while not every game franchise is structured in the same way, one would be hard pressed to come across fans of older franchises that are not demanding at least some modern rendition of their favorite title, especially with Nintendo games.
Nintendo has its fair share of franchises, some of which have gotten more attention than others over the years, but there is no way the company can reasonably give each one a fresh coat of paint. Through the Nintendo Switch Online service, the company has already made efforts to preserve this era of gaming, which is incredibly important for maintaining a sort of historical record where games started versus where they are now.
While I do think this is a good move, and Nintendo should most definitely invest in giving the remake treatment to games that need it, the roots of nostalgia can only run so deep for so long. Remember the Pokemon example? A company can’t possibly remake everything, but perhaps there is another avenue for scratching that nostalgic itch that many fans continue to hold onto, particularly for much older games.
If we consider the general goal of a traditional remake to be to capture one’s memories when playing a particular game for the first time – like playing the first Super Mario Bros. or Pokemon Red and Blue, for example – that feeling may not carry over with certain games. The older the source material of a remake, the more likely that it may be radically different from what it once was. Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition is more or less an enhanced version of the original, with a much better visual style and quality of life enhancements that improve the overall experience, as well as new story content to satisfy fans of the original with something new and exciting to experience in this world. In short, the same game, but better, as a remake should be.
But one cannot exactly say this is the case with games that are much older than Xenoblade Chronicles, like Pokemon or Metroid or even older arcade games. To bring back those games would facilitate a more substantial effort to eliminate any era-specific issues, resulting in a game that may be better, but at the cost of being substantially different from its blueprint. If the goal of a remake is to give the same feeling or experience of playing a game one had before, older titles may be in need of a much more lucrative upgrade, which may be why many of them have simply been ported to the Nintendo Switch Online service as opposed to being remade. At least, that’s my theory.
But the fact that Nintendo is able to port games in this way and adapt them to newer hardware makes me think there may be potential in exploring a new avenue for remaking games, or rather, for ‘demaking’ games.
A ‘demake’ is exactly what it sounds like: a re-imagined version of a video game that aims to recreate as if it were on an older console. Think about a Nintendo Switch title being ‘demade’ as if it came out on the DS or a Game Boy. Demakes typically aim to present the game in an older graphical and technical style while still maintaining the attributes that made the original what it is, and I think this is something Nintendo could take advantage of.
Perhaps the most well known example is Super Smash Land, a version of the original Super Smash Bros. re-imagined as if it came out on the Game Boy rather than the N64. Not only did it receive critical acclaim for its quality and unique mechanics, the developer also eventually went on to make a little something called Rivals of Aether.
The game itself has its own merits of course, but the fact that it was a successful project that went on to become the base of something even greater proves that demakes have a potential that ought not be ignored. In the past, demakes have traditionally been done by independent or small developers, some better than others. There are some that are no longer playable or difficult to access, and others like Super Smash Land who have a dedicated following and continue to receive support to this day.
Nintendo is following a trend where it seems to be placing more focus on some of its bigger and more modern IPs, like The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Pokemon, Splatoon, and others, leaving older franchises potentially in the dust as the company focuses on new things. But if Nintendo wants to continue down the remake trend, investing in the growing realm of demakes might prove beneficial, and add a creative and retro flair to Nintendo’s modern image.
Thank you for stopping by Nintendo Link! What did you think of this piece about the hidden potential of demakes? Are you a fan of demakes? Let us know in the comments if you have played any before.
