The announcement of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD was undoubtedly a blessed event for fans of the Gamecube original, but for many (myself included) it only seriously brought on a serious case of envy. While Nintendo consoles have classically dealth with crude aesthetics by comparison to their current generation console peers, there were undoubtedly some enchantingly beautiful titles from the past few decades of 3D gaming that would add greatly to the Wii U library with a high definition re-release.
Here's the N64 and Gamecube era Nintendo games we'd love to see remade in high definition and released on the Wii, starting with number 10:
2006's RPG Baten Kaitos Origins, prequel to the original Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean, looked pretty amazing givien it was on the Gamecube but nonetheless a remake or re-release in high definition would make perfect use of the stunning landscapes that made it so beloved in the first place, perhaps better blending the character models with the backgrounds. Particularly beautiful would be a remastered version of the opening sequence (above).
Among the few "mature" titles to hit the Wii was 2009's Muramasa: The Demon Blade, an action RPG set in the Edo period of Japanese history. With bold 2D illustrations that drew inspiration from the era's mythology and traditional Ukiyo-e art style, the game was a treat for the eyes and well deserves at least a digital re-release on the Wii U's Virtual Console.
Sonic Colors was like the Monet of video games, as they say: from far away it looks great but up close it's just a mess. Even the above screen shot feels like a complete betrayal of the in-game experience. As a long time Sonic fan, visiting E3 in 2010 to see where Sega was headed with the series was an exercise in disappointment. Someone had made the baffling decision to put the Sonic Colors display right next to the Xbox version of the high definition Sonic 4: Episode 1, and the contrast between What Was and What Could Have Been was a big let down. Despite that I can get other Sonic games now in high definition, I can't shake Sonic Colors and the feeling that the game would have been half enjoyable with a crisp look. I'd pay for a re-release in a heartbeat.
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem is one game that just needs to be re-released, period. But, given that it's a Gamecube title from 2002, the graphics frankly don't stand the test of time. The horror of a good scary game is supposed to lie in a perfect blend of atmospheric intensity and psychological agitation crafted by the writers, not the crudeness of bulky polygons from a bygone era. With a high definition remake of this unique psychological survival horror hit, Nintendo would also have a chance to hit the refresh button on one of the few mature games to grace their consoles in the past few decades (in fact, the first M rated title to be published by them and not a third party developer), helping to repair their image as being unfriendly to adult audience titles.
Sadly, a Wii U sequel was scrapped due to legal issues with developers Silicon Knights, making a re-release of the original unlikely.
The Loftwings of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword are striking creatures, with proud bills and rich, multicolored feathers. Set against the bright blue backdrop of the open sky, the color contrast alone has huge potential in the visuals department, but sadly looked subpar next to other current generation releases on other consoles.
While a re-release of Skyward Sword so soon after it's original debut might seem unwise, the re-release of predecessor Twilight Princess on Wii, a year following its Gamecube release, met with success, especially because Nintendo "flipped" the dungeons horizontally so as to slightly change the gameplay. It's entirely possibly this masterpiece has a few rounds left in it on the retail shelves, and a high definition version could still do very well even if it came out so soon.
Samus' most recent forays into the 3D era havent been too well received, but back in 2002, the first Metroid title to step out of the second dimension was a big hit, selling over two million copies. It's re-release with the two follow-ups on the Wii as the Metroid Prime: Trilogy, which added much needed graphics and control updates, was also wildly popular, with copies for sale online still going for upwards of $300 over the original $50 retail price. That magic could arguably be made again with a high definition remake of Metroid Prime, and heck, maybe even the entire Trilogy, of course with new gamepad functionality controls, but maybe some interactivity with the puzzles as well.
This entry on the list is a little self indulgent, as Xenoblade Chronicles only came out in 2011, and its makers Monolith Software may already be working on a Wii U sequel. Nonetheless, it'd be nice to see this glorious and well received Japanese RPG get another lap on the retail cycle with an even more stunning high definition re-release. Xenoblade Chronicles, for all its beauty (it is perhaps the most beautiful game to ever grace the Wii) almost deserves the benefit of seeing what the Wii U can do with its vast fields and breathtaking terrain.
Arguably one of the lesser popular Mario games of the 3D era, 1998's Super Mario Sunshine was a treat to look at even on the Gamecube. Lofting above the palm trees and bright beaches of Isle Delfino on a spray of water from the trusty FLUDD was a change of pace for our mustachioed hero but nonetheless, he fit in like a champ. If anything, it almost seemed a vacation for the moonlightin' plumber slash day saver extraordinaire. This installation in the series almost deserves a high definition re-release, or maybe even, dare we suggest it, a sequel?
Pokemon Snap, released in 1997 and later ported to Virtual Console on the Wii, was not unlike being a Pokemon paparazzo in paradise. Set on a volcanic jungle island, players would take photos of various Pokemon as they found them, using tools they earned from Professor Oak to lure them out or hold their pose.
Whether you were floating down a canyon river bed, jauntily venturing into cavernous mine shafts, or catchin' Pikachu on a beachside surfboard, this game looked great at the time, but has even bigger potential now. Expand the Pokemon roster beyond the original game's 63 and you'd have an instant hit.
1998's The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask on N64 was a unique opportunity for Nintendo to break away from the standard LOZ formula and allow Link to explore a variety of terrains in a relatively small area. The swamp, mountain, ocean, and canyon areas, all centered around Clock Town in the land of Termina, trekked our intrepid pint sized hero through the snow, the beach, the sands and plateaus, and the muck and mire. The end credits, a heartwarming mish mash of the events completed in the game, would be that more endearing for all their beauty, especially the wedding of Anju and Kafei. To see it in high definition would be nothing short of a gift to long suffering fans who've wanted to so much to see Majora's Mask follow in Ocarina of Time's footsteps and see a next generation high definition upgrade. The use of the Wii U gamepad as a item menu alone would be a huge improvement!
What game would you most like to see come back in HD on the Wii U?
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