5 NES Games That Deserve A Reboot (And What They Could Look Like)

Here is a list of 5 old school NES games that should get a next-gen reboot and what they might look like.

5. Blaster Master

giantbomb.com / Via giantbomb.com

A sweet car, cool guns, and an (at times) miniature hero – Blaster Master was an original take on the action platforming genre that featured two well-developed combat perspectives – a rarity at the time. Throw in neat subterranean worlds, good art design and tunes, and a challenge that really pulled you into the game, Blaster Master was a cult hit that deserves to be given a reboot.

What the Reboot Could Look Like:

A shrunk down Grand Theft Auto game with more of a focus on high action gameplay. Maybe a taste of Destiny's or The Division's RPG/Action grindfests? Both the car and the player should have some gnarly moves with the core of the game focusing on interesting ways to upgrade both until you are an absolute powerhouse of driving and cave dwelling destruction. Throw in multiplayer death matches and a cooperative, randomly generated underground cave system to explore for end game content and this one could be a winner.

4. Battle of Olympus

gamefaqs.com / Via gamefaqs.com

A lesser-known Zelda II cline with a Greek myth themed makeover, Battle of Olympus may have taken a lot of ideas from the juggernaut of the action-RPG series, but it did it in such a way as to make the game unique and spectacular in its own right. Although the God of War series did a wonderful job of tapping into the Greek mythos in recent years, there are more than enough stories to fashion together another enthralling tale. Perhaps this time it could take place from a commoner’s point of view like the original game. The cool gameplay style of tough bosses, returning to parts of the game with new items to uncover new areas alla Metriod, and difficult platforming aspects all made for a game that felt epic in size and scope.

What the Reboot Could Look Like:

A Battle of Olympus update would work best as an expansive open world game similar to Fallout or Skyrim. Instead of nuclear wastelands or a typical Dungeons and Dragons world, try to put a new twist on some of the old Greek myths and see where it takes you.

3. Ghosts and Goblins

giantbomb.com / Via giantbomb.com

Okay, so they did make one of these for SNES. And it was badass. But imagine what this white-knuckle action platformer would like today? Well, you don't really have to because it seems like some students took this idea and ran with it, giving gamers a hint at what a next gen Ghost and Goblins might look like. Take this art style, a nice mix of dark and comical, add in tons of fun-scary enemies, loads of game changing power ups, and bosses that could put some of the all-time hardest like Ornstein and Smough or Dr. Wily to shame, and this title could be an old school gamers dream come true.

What the Reboot Could Look Like:

Don't reinvent the wheel with this one. Keep it retro: challenging levels, cool weapons, great monsters and bosses. Done.

2. The Immortal

gamefaqs.com / Via gamefaqs.com

Also released for Genesis, The Immortal was a game that stood out for its awesome isometric art style, punishing difficulty, changing POV fights, and most importantly, perplexing level design. Can’t forget about those infamous insta-deaths either. Right off the bat, take a step in the wrong direction and a giant worm gobbles you up, complete with a nifty death animation. Why this game ultimately deserves a reboot though was the way each level unfolded. Every room and every fight presented a significant challenge that, each time you faced it, gave you a little more info on how to tackle it next time. The Immortal required a sharp intellect to figure out how to navigate its creepy dungeons which included the added challenge of discovering when and how to use each item and the best way to hack your way through the hordes of goblins and trolls.

What the Reboot Could Look Like:

Instead of the straight forward level design, The Immortal could benefit from utilizing random level generation. Each time you play, you get a different dungeon to explore; different items to take advantage of, as well as different fights. Think Pixel Dungeon on steroids. Throw in some RPG elements like leveling up, unique characters to build (mage, cleric, fighter, thief, etc.) and the ability to gain more and more starting gear as well as an understanding of how certain traps and monsters work, this could be a fun grindfest that would work best playing with a group of other players. Toss all these elements over to a modding community and give players access to a level designer and the life of this game could go on for years.

1. Wizards and Warriors

giantbomb.com / Via giantbomb.com

Cool art design and music, interesting items, great bosses, and a difficulty level that was the perfect blend between honest challenge and outright frustration thanks to infinite continues, Wizards and Warriors (speaking about the first one here) was an amazing experience. All these things would be enough to bring back this franchise, but what most sticks out is the complex level design. At first glance, each stage seems straight forward enough: gather up gems to get the red knight blocking your path out of the way and it’s on to the boss. What’s really cool though is the number of interesting ways the player can go about getting those gems, offering loads of great platforming moments. Added to this are all the fantastic magical items you uncover along the way like the Dagger of Throwing or the Staff of Power. All this gives a real sense of adventure and level discovery unprecedented at the time.

What a Reboot Could Look Like:

A next generation creation of this game could be a cross between the purposeful item use, quest hunting, and exploratory dungeon design of a Zelda game mixed with the challenging gameplay, monsters, bosses, etc. of Dark Souls.

What do yo think? Is there another NES games that deserves a reboot? What could it look like? Tell me in the comments section below.