10 Remakes That Made Great Video Games PERFECT

Thanks to the constant improvements in technology, video games have advanced at lightspeed over the years. Instead of pixelated art, modern graphics are almost indistinguishable from reality. Rather than completing a game in one sitting, recent titles keep players entertained for months on end. Recent platformers, shoot-em-ups, and open-world IPs look so magnificent, it's hard to believe older games kept our attention.

Unfortunately, this has caused a problem. Super Mario 64, Halo, and Tomb Raider were marvels back in their day, but are quite clunky and blocky by today's standards. Because nostalgia is very powerful among gamers, studios are eager to remake classics like these.

Some of these reimaginings are polished versions of the original, with enhanced graphics and sharper textures. Others are recreated from the ground up.

But there are a few reboots that took things to a whole new level. The developers didn't just revise what came before - they successfully recaptured the magic of their predecessor. Some remakes are crafted so flawlessly, they put the first model to shame, even if it was initially hailed a masterpiece.

Even though certain games were once considered perfect, the developers did it better the second-time around.

After Pro Skater 5 proved an unmitigated disaster, the once-treasured IP appeared to be out of steam. Rather than letting the Tony Hawk franchise collect dust, Vicarious Visions went back to basics, and reconstructed the first two instalments.

Even though Vicarious worked on many Tony Hawk entries, and successfully remade the Crash Bandicoot trilogy, this looked like a Herculean task. Because the first two entries are regarded as among the best sport titles ever, it didn't seem feasible for a re-release to receive the same level of fan-fair.

Against all odds, Vicarious pulled it off. Obviously, Pro Skater 1 + 2's lightning, textures, character models, and environments were spruced up. That was expected.

But the developers knew it wasn't the visuals that mattered, but the tricks. Thanks to the smooth controls, pulling off ollies, kick-turns, and heel-flips isn't just easier, but more satisfying. Because mechanics from later games have been implemented, the player can perform moves which were absent from the original.

When a game is available on various systems, there's usually one weak link. But Pro Skater 1 + 2 is the exception to this rule, since every single port is top-of-the-line. Because this Tony Hawk remake is currently available on six systems, now's the perfect time for old and new fans to check it out.