And that’s what makes it so great- a brand new traditional Metroid with just the right mix of structure and predicability with something new around the corner. To call Samus Returns a remaster or even a remake feels like a disservice to it- it is almost an entirely new game made within the framework of Metroid 2. Taking the original title, and all its updates and DLC, and adding new items, new characters, and a staggering five new Battle Modes, with six new Battle Maps to boot, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the definitive version of the best Mario Kart game of all time, and one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch. If Mario kart 8 Deluxe had been how Mario Kart 8 had released to begin with, it would have been a 10/10 game. With its hugely satisfying gameplay, and a politically charged story that is unlike any other in the series, as well as its great soundtrack and beautiful world, The Zodiac Age is an incredible remaster of an incredible game. One of the best and most underrated Final Fantasy games of all time was reborn this year with The Zodiac Age, and we got to see just how far ahead of its time it was when it first came out in 2006. But the revelation that is playing DOOM on the bus or in bed more than makes up for those cutbacks. Yes, there are concessions that have been made-the resolution and frame rate are dramatically reduced for example.
#Best video games 2017 list full
The fact that DOOM runs on the Switch at all is a revelation-it is the full 2016 game, as is, ported to a 6.2 inch tablet. In and of itself, that is a revelation- Skyrim in bed? On the bus? In the bathroom? But Bethesda went the whole nine yards, and also decided to take full advantage of other features the Switch offers, including motion controls, some fantastic implementation of HD rumble, and for some reason, even Amiibos. Skyrim is one of the greatest and most beloved games ever- and now you can play it on the go on the Nintendo Switch.
Oh, and it helps that the games are great to play through, too. As quality of remasters go, this one is probably indisputably at the top of the pack, taking as it did three PS1 era games, and making them look remarkable to behold in 2017. Naughty Dog’s bandicoot returned in a big way with this lovingly rendered remaster of the original three Crash Bandicoot games.
This year had some great remasters-here are our nominees for the best of them (this list also includes remakes and ports). Taking older games and cleaning them up fo modern sensibilities, these often introduce new players to the wonders of some of the best games of all time. There is never a bad time to take an existing, beloved classic and revamp it for a modern age-which is exactly what remasters do.