Nerdy Nostalgia: 8 Classic Games That Need Sequels

The games industry seems to think we want a new Call of Duty title every single year, and, to be fair, sales suggest many people do want the same old stuff year after year. Who are these people? We don’t quite get it, honestly.

However, what about those classic games from yesteryear that never got the sequels they so richly deserved? It’s a travesty that games which people adored to the point of addiction were abandoned after one solitary outing. It’s time someone did something about this. Namely, us.

Desperately Seeking Sequels

We have, with your help, selected eight classic video games that need sequels. They may not have been the bestselling games, or received universal praise from the critics, but they still left us wanting more. We think it’s about time the industry listened to gamers. Starting now.

Cave Story

Cave Story is a platform adventure game originally released as freeware in 2004. The game, by Daisuke Amaya, is a magnificent homage to old-school 2D platformers, and succeeded thanks to a heady mix of both being brilliance and invoking nostalgia.

While Cave Story has been ported to a number of different platforms, including a 3D remake for the Nintendo 3DS, there has never been a direct sequel. Daisuke Amaya has made another game since, with Kero Blaster being released for PC and iOS in 2014, but what we really want is a sequel to this masterpiece.

Hogs of War

Hogs of War is a turn-based tactical game featuring anthropomorphic pigs engaging in combat set during the First World War. With a sense of fun that has been lost in recent years, and a voiceover by British comedian Rik Mayall, Hogs of War is a truly entertaining title.

Sadly, there has never been a sequel to the Worms-like Hogs of War, and it’s now highly unlikely one will ever see the light of day. Hogs of War 2 was actually announced to be in development in 2008, but Infogrames has since morphed into Atari, SA, which came close to bankruptcy in 2013. So, no.

Chrono Cross

Chrono Cross is an RPG from Square Enix, the same company behind the Final Fantasy series. It was released on the PlayStation in 1999, being the sequel to Chrono Trigger, which was first released on the SNES in 1995. Both games feature strong storylines and a compelling cast of characters.

Sadly, there are no plans for a sequel, despite there being considerable demand for Square Enix to revisit the franchise. This seems an odd decision given how Chrono Cross was a commercial and critical success, with the company having since cashed in with a 2011 re-release on PSN.

Blast Corps

Blast Corps is a rather unique game that defies pigeon-holing into the usual genres. Essentially, you’re in charge of clearing a path for a vehicle carrying nuclear warheads. You need to destroy obstacles in time, or risk triggering a nuclear winter.

Released on the Nintendo 64 in 1997, Blast Corps was a huge commercial and critical success, and yet there has never been a sequel. It’s easy to see how one could be made as an indie title for sale through the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Arcade, so let’s hope someone gets the memo.

Skies of Arcadia

Skies of Arcadia is an astoundingly good RPG that was sadly overlooked upon its release in 2000. Part of the problem was its exclusivity to the Dreamcast, which (as you’re probably aware by now) died before its time despite being one of the best games consoles ever released.

A port of Skies of Arcadia did make it to the GameCube in 2002, but further ports were canceled, and there has been little talk of a sequel since. This is a highly original game, especially in the wholly unoriginal RPG genre. Which makes it even more of a travesty there has never been a sequel.

Gunstar Heroes

Gunstar Heroes is a side-scrolling shooter first released on the Genesis in 1993. The game has been kept alive by subsequent releases on the PS2, Wii, PSN, and Xbox Live. Players have to run and gun, but the actual gameplay is a lot more compelling than it sounds.

There has been little talk of a sequel beyond Gunstar Super Heroes, which was released on the GameBoy Advance in 2005. This was another astoundingly good game, which makes the decision to stop the series even more difficult to comprehend. A Gunstar Heroes Kickstarter, anyone? We wish.

The Legend of Dragoon

The Legend of Dragoon is yet another RPG to make this list, but then this is a genre seemingly filled with amazing one-off games that have never received the sequels they so richly deserve. This is possibly the finest of them all, being ahead of its time when it launched on PlayStation in 1999.

The Legend of Dragoon is beautiful to look at, entertaining to play, and has depth enough to give it more potential than most games released since. There has been demand for a sequel, with fans of the game petitioning Sony to release further titles in the series, but at the time of writing, none have been forthcoming.

Shenmue

Shenmue is my favorite game of all time, but my love for this title is tinged with sadness owing the fact this is one series that will forever remain unfinished and unresolved. Released on Dreamcast in 1999, Shenmue is an action-adventure game unlike anything released before or since.

There is a sequel, Shenmue II, but this 2003 follow-up only took the story to the end of chapter 5 of the 16 chapters that were planned. In other words, the series died before it had really got going, leaving fans destined never to find out how the story ends. Boo! Hiss! Screw you, Sega!

Continue the Conversation

In order to compile this list of classic games in need of sequels, we asked for help from the MakeUseOf community. Those who responded to the request answered the question, What Video Games Desperately Need Sequels?. Noteworthy comments include those from Adam Connolly, Kel, Björn, and Panda Marquis.

This list features just a selection of the video game sequels we want to see, but there are many more out there. Which is where you come in. Please continue the conversation in the comments section below. While some of you took part in the original discussion, there is always room for more opinions.

Image Credits: Scott Akerman via Flickr