5 NES games that I want to see remade

The NES is home to some classic games and includes the first entry in many of Nintendo's best franchises, like Mario and Metroid. While some of the best games on the system hold up perfectly today, and some of the games on this list fit that description, others could use a remake to make them enjoyable for a wider audience in 2025. That said, the definition of remake has become quite broad in recent years, with games that really only got a fresh coat of paint, like Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, which got a remake on Nintendo Switch that was really only a graphical refresh. Some of the games here could use a full-on Resident Evil 2 style remake, that takes the core elements and remakes them with modern mechanics and feel.

5 Startropics

An oddity among NES games

Startropics is a strange NES game for a number of reasons, but that's what makes it worthy of a remake. One of the few and earliest examples of a Nintendo-produced game that was not released in Japan, but instead designed and aimed at Western audiences. It's also, essentially, a bit of a Zelda knockoff, operating as a 2D, top-down adventure game. It stars Mike Jones, who has to learn information from locals on each level, so he can solve a local calamity. A Startropics remake could be on the high end, going for a full-on reimagining in 3D, or a Link's Awakening-style remake, where it gets graphically redone, but doesn't have too many gameplay changes. Nintendo has acknowledged the game by adding it to the Nintendo Switch Online service, so it's not like the company is shying away from it.

4 Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse

A great way for Konami to get back to making Castlevania

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse might feel like a strange pick, since it doesn't quite match the formula that the series became known for. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse sits at an interesting crossroads for the series. It ditched the RPG elements introduced in Castlevania II and introduced branching pathways for the story, which would later result in the Metroidvania gameplay everyone now knows and loves. That makes a good pick for a remake, because it has the pieces of a great Castlevania game, and it isn't beloved enough for anyone to be too upset if Konami makes changes. This could also serve as a nice entry point for Konami to create new Castlevania games, as a studio could remake this game before tackling a new one. While modern Konami seems uninterested in anything more intensive than retro collections for Castlevania, there is always hope that it will move on to remakes for the franchise.

3 Excitebike

A modern Excitebike from Nintendo would rock

Excitebike is the kind of game that has enough cultural cache to be worth remaking, while also not being beloved enough for there to be too many fans upset at any potential changes. And changes there should be. I would expect an Excitebike remake from Nintendo to fall into the Resident Evil 2 camp, where it takes the gameplay and focus of the original, and uses that as a basis for what is essentially a brand-new game. The original Excitebike doesn't have enough going on for a graphics-only remake to make that much sense, but imagine Nintendo using its Mario Kart development team. While 3D seems likely, I think it could still work as a 2D game, but more technical aspects to make for deeper gameplay, a large variety of tracks, and online multiplayer would make Excitebike an exciting release on the Nintendo Switch 2.

2 Earthbound Beginnings

A fresh start to bring over the rest

Nintendo has spent years being really strange about the Earthbound series, never making a new game and refusing to translate Mother 3 to English, despite some intense outcry online from fans. So, my pitch is remaking Earthbound Beginnings, also known as Mother in other parts of the world. The logic here is that this game is not as beloved as its sequels, despite still having the bones of the surreal JRPG franchise that has made it famous. A Link's Awakening type remake that enhances the graphics and tightens some gameplay, but doesn't require a ground-up rework. This wouldn't require a ton of resources, and its sales could be used as a demonstration that people will show up for Earthbound, possibly encouraging an official translation of Mother 3. Is this going to happen? No, of course not. Nintendo continues to be one of the strangest companies in gaming, and it seems dead set on not feeding a starving fan base.

1 The Legend of Zelda

A bit surprising that this hasn't already happened

The Legend of Zelda for the NES is a classic, and while not the best game in the series by any stretch, it's one that would be great for a remake. Not only is the game old enough that most people haven't played it, but its age also makes it a little tough to go back to. Giving The Legend of Zelda the Link's Awakening treatment, bringing the graphics and gameplay up to modern standards but keeping the rest of the game the same, with maybe some slight tweaks around obtuse objectives. I think the core experience is actually far closer to modern Zelda, especially with the openness of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom feeling similar to the exploration and adventure found in the original. I don't think this classic necessarily needs any work done to it, but it would give so many people a reason to check it out.

Plenty of NES classics that could use a little love

Playing retro games is something that people are either obsessed with doing, having emulation devices and original hardware galore to experience it, or something they will only do with a fresh port or remake on modern platforms. While the first camp would argue that none of the remakes are needed, making these games more approachable and more accessible is always a huge win for everybody.