The 10 BEST Remakes Of 90s Games

The 10 Best Remakes of 90s Games

Welcome to MojoPlays, and the late 90s brought us some of the most iconic games of all time. Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, goddamn PLAYSTATION! What an era! And of course, we want to re-experience the games from this time with a fresh coat of paint. These are the 10 Best Remakes of 90s Games.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)

The original Tomb Raider is one of the most iconic games of all time. Thanks to its mix of Indiana Jones-style adventures and a sprinkle of girl power, we got a genre changer that brought female protagonists to the front and centre. It quickly became a hit, kicking off a long-running franchise with tons of sequels, movie adaptations, and games that wouldnt have existed without it - looking at YOU, Uncharted. In 2007, the game got a remake called Tomb Raider: Anniversary. Fans and critics alike appreciated Anniversary for how well it paid tribute to the original classic, which is a rare win today. Dont even try and please gamers anymore, its a losing battle. You wanna make a great game and you nail it? I can still tear you a new a**ehole by bitching.

Black Mesa (2015)

This is easily the greatest fan-made project story of all time, because it went SO WELL for the dev team. It's a full remake of the original Half-Life using the Source engine, and it seriously upgrades a ton of things to make the game feel way more modern. The Xen levels especially are a huge improvement. One cool example of how well it turned out: Dario Casali, one of the original Half-Life level designers, started replaying the classic version but ended up switching to Black Mesa and stuck with that all the way through. When a dev from the original prefers the remake, you know they nailed it. Thats like Shakespeare watching Romeo and Juliet, and going oh f**k this, lets watch West Side Story... That joke is specifically for the 3 theatre fans who are watching this video.

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (2004)

Its tough to argue that Metal Gear Solid didnt have one of the biggest influences on gaming as a whole, as it introduced story-driven, cinematic experiences. Even though the gameplay was outstanding, it did become outdated quicker than most, especially once MGS2 dropped. MGS received a remake for the Nintendo GameCube in 2004 titled Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes and features many of the enhancements made in MGS2. I will say this, Twin Snakes gets a LOT of hate because of how it handled the cinematics and the new soundtrack, but when it comes to gameplay, it makes the whole experience SO. MUCH. FUN! It changed the whole way the game could be approached, arguably for the better!

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (2017)

I think if you judge a game based on financial success, youre going down a problematic path... That being said, the sales on this one particular game truly reflect its appeal and success. Crash Bandicoot played a big part in shaping what 3D platformers could be, bringing a whole new level of challenge to the genre, sometimes to a controller-crushing degree. Navigating those 3D spaces meant more ways to mess up, and the remakes didnt tone the challenge of the original trilogy down one bit. Its obvious the devs aimed to stay true to the spirit of the originals while just boosting the visuals for modern consoles. The game still feels like the old-school Crash we remember, and modern context did NOT make it any easier.

Super Mario RPG (2023)

Remakers, listen closely: The Super Mario RPG remake was so good because it preserved the charm and personality of the 1996 classic while modernizing it for todays players. It's just THAT simple. The updated visuals gave the world a vibrant, storybook feel, and the remastered soundtrack brought fresh life to beloved tunes. Turn-based combat was refined with new mechanics like triple moves and action commands that added depth without overcomplicating the experience. Throw in some quality of life improvements, and youve got a truly wonderful experience, for audiences from either generation.

Pokemon Fire Red & Leaf Green (2004)

Since the 90s, the Pokémon franchise has stayed wildly popular, and players have been BEGGING to revisit the beginnings of the franchise on the Nintendo Switch with the 2004 remake of Blue and Red titled Fire Red and Leaf Green. In this remake, everything is brought to life in full 3D. The remake changes things up a bit by dramatically reducing random wild encounters, offering the opportunity for most fights to be completely avoidable. These quality of life improvements may not have been for die hard fans, but it resonated with a new audience in a way that earned it a spot on this list.

The Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening (2023)

The Links Awakening remake is so good. So so so good, and its all because of that perfect recipe for remakes: It keeps the original Game Boy games quirky charm, unique story, and clever dungeon design intact, while completely overhauling the visuals with a charming, toy-like art style that feels fresh. Quality of life improvements? You betcha. New menus, autosaves, and better item management all make gameplay smoother without changing the core experience. Its a faithful remake that honors the originals spirit while making it more accessible and enjoyable for new fans.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy (2018)

After seeing how well Crash Bandicoots comeback went, it was SO obvious what was gonna happen next. Goddamn Spyro the Dragon. Just like with Crash Bandicoot, fans can experience the original PlayStation trilogy all over again in full HD, complete with updated visuals, a remastered soundtrack, and other modern touches. Whether youre new to the series or a longtime fan, its a blast to play. Theres no way people dont enjoy this experience, its got such a wide appeal that anyone can pick it up and get a smile plastered across their face.

Resident Evil 2 (2019)

There was no way this list was coming across my desk without Resident Evil 2 being in the top 3, and heres why. I had an experience that I dont always get. I got to experience this game for the first time with the remake. Id played every single RE game, except the second. And this remake was SO GOOD, so mind blowingly effective on me, that I went back and played the PS1 entry... And guess what? I LOVED IT AS WELL. Capcoms survival-horror series has delivered some of the best remakes out there, and it's become a standout franchise for the company. All the remakes are great, but this one really changed the rules on remakes.

Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020)

From the day remakes were popularised, there has probably been no more requested video game to be remade than Final Fantasy VII. Final Fantasy VII is one of the most iconic and beloved RPGs of all time. And finally, after years of teasers, spin-offs and fan speculation, Square Enix officially announced Final Fantasy VII Remake in 2015. What sets FFVII Remake (and its later second release: Rebirth) apart from most remakes is that it introduces elements that (and Im gonna try to be NOT spoilery here) make it feel like less of a remake, and more of a retelling of the game in an alternate universe. This is not a beat for beat remake, its the same characters and stories in a world where the currency was changed to potatoes Okay, its not that egregious, but multiverse is a big part of this remake, meaning that you can still expect the unexpected.