In a press release announcing the initial sales figures for Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, Square Enix also revealed that Dragon Quest 11 has now sold over 7 million units worldwide across all platforms. Its last sales update was back in 2021, when Square Enix announced that the game had shipped 6.5 million units worldwide.

Dragon Quest 11 originally launched back in 2017 in Japan for 3DS or PS4, before releasing worldwide for PS4 and PC in 2018, and then coming to the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One in the years afterwards.

In our review of the game back in 2018, we awarded it a score of 9/10, saying, “Dragon Quest 11 is a stellar game that displays a great command of the ins and outs of its genre the way few other games do. What it lacks in originality, it more than makes up for with its confident execution of ideas, showing that a game doesn’t need to be revolutionary or the freshest thing on the block to be an incredible experience. With a memorable cast of characters, a well-told, briskly paced story, stunning and vibrant visuals, and a beautiful and extremely varied world as its setting, Dragon Quest 11 serves as yet another excellent instalment in this amazingly consistent franchise.” Read the full review through here.

Square Enix is currently also working on Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate. The game was announced back in 2021 and is being built on Unreal Engine 5. Details on it are scant, with director Yuji Horii apologizing for the lack of updates on the game earlier this year. Read more on that through here.

Ahead of its release, Capcom recently hosted a livestream where, among other things, it showcased a healthy chunk of new gameplay footage for the upcoming Monster Hunter Stories. The remaster will boast enhanced visuals, improved environments and character models, and, of course, voice acting (unlike the original game), all of which is on display in the video, which showcases the game’s opening half hour or so. Check it out below (at around the 1:03:10 mark).

Monster Hunter Stories is coming to PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC on June 14. On the same day, its sequel, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin will also get a PS4 port.

15. Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty!

Oddworld has always been something of a niche series, and thankfully the remake of 1997’s Abe’s Odyssey hasn’t lost that unique charm. New ‘n’ Tasty successfully takes the janky early 3D game and brushes it up to 2014 polish with modern HD graphics. The clearest demonstration of this polish is the much-improved level flow thanks to the elimination of screen partisions in favor of seamless platforming. Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty is the best way to play the 1997 classic today, and it helped pave the way for a wider Oddworld audience.

 14. The Last of Us Part 1

The Last of Us Part 1 took one of the greatest games of all time and made it even better. The graphical improvements showcase the power of PS5 hardware with remarkably dense foliage and improved animations across the board. AI got a substantial overhaul as well, as companions help you fight off the improved enemy AI. And as if the enhanced AI didn’t bolster the challenge enough, The Last of Us Part 1 features a speedrun mode that tracks your time per chapter. The Last of Us Part 1 may not be the most needed remake in the world, but it sure stands as one of the most impressive.

13. Shadow of the Colossus

2018’s Shadow of the Colossus is another example of a 1-to-1 faithful remake that doesn’t distance itself far from the original. As expected, Bluepoint Games updated the graphics to modern standards. The result is a truly transformed vision of the classic PS2 game where the slightest change in lighting can give a totally unique ambiance from the original. Best of all, the controls are vastly improved with a bevy of convenience features the original lacked.

12. Star Fox 64 3DS

Who doesn’t love Star Fox 64? It’s such an easy game to pick up and play, and the 3DS remake makes it even easier with its portability. Star Fox 64 looks amazing on the 3DS, with some of the most attractive 3D visuals on the system. By and large, Star Fox 64 3DS is a faithful remake of the arcade shooter original with a host of cool enhancements. The orchestrated soundtrack is easy to love, and the new Score Attack mode is a fun way to replay all those classic levels with added challenge and rewards.

11. System Shock

1994’s seminal System Shock redefined what a shooter can be and helped create the immersive sim genre. Fast-forward to 2023 and the remake is just as fascinating and immersive as it was back in the day. 2023’s System Shock is by far the best way to experience the game. The gunplay is worlds apart from the janky original with tight and snappy controls and a convenient interface. The sub-par music is fully redone here with an ambient soundtrack that accompanies the HD graphics wonderfully. System Shock gets the royal treatment in this faithful remake, even keeping the backtracking in the original. There’s never been a better time to experience System Shock, especially with the console release dropping in a couple of months and the sequel coming soon.

10. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes

Metal Gear Solid had some rough gameplay segments on the PS1. Pseudo-tank controls compounded some of the game’s backtracking issues and made it a slog at times. Well, the remake smooths those control issues over with the wonderful Gamecube control stick scheme and gameplay lifted from Metal Gear Solid 2. Twin Snakes also adds updated cutscenes, which serve to fill in transitions and add more comedy relief to the game. Best of all was the improved graphics to the jagged polygonal PS1 original. Metal Gear Solid has some of gaming’s most hardcore fans, so this remake didn’t satisfy all of them, but it certainly did go over well for most and helped pave the way forward for future entries in the series.

9. Yakuza Kiwami

Yakuza Kiwami is a faithful remake of the very first Yakuza, many systems and general story connectivity from Yakuza 0. Goro Majima is a recurring character in a quest chain that delighted and bewildered us in equal measure. And the inclusion of Yakuza 0’s pocket racer and many minigame don’t hurt the remake either. All in all, Yakuza Kiwami stands as the most quintessential remake in the series, making for a quirky but fantastic sequel to fan-favorite Yakuza 0.

8. Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories has long been the ugly duck of the popular series. The original Chain of Memories released on the Game Boy Advance, which just further distanced players from accepting it. But when the remake came out, it was suddenly accepted as a must-play (or watch) entry. Without hyperbole, RE: Chain of Memories supplies the best narrative of all the Kingdom Hearts games. The compelling mystery surrounding Castle Oblivion and the sinister Organization 13 get their HD treatment in this remake with full voice acting. If you want the true KH story experience, you owe it to yourself to play RE: Chain of Memories … or just watch the brilliant cutscenes.

7. Dead Space (2023)

The 2023 remake of the original Dead Space is without a doubt one of the most intense gaming experiences out there. The inclusion of enhanced DualSense rumble facilitates the ultra-detailed visuals to a scary degree. Most of you already know just how phenomenal the original Dead Space is, so imagine that but turned up several notches. I particularly appreciate the added nuance they added to Isaac Clarke and other characters’ personalities. There’s just the right amount of small additional details to fill in story gaps of the original without taking away its lean pacing and tension. Dead Space‘s remake is one of the best showcases of how modern hardware can enhance a masterpiece, and just how intense and visceral gaming in general can be.

6. Ratchet And Clank (2016)

Three years may not seem like a long time, but up until 2013, Insomniac was releasing a new Ratchet and Clank like clockwork every year. The three years of silence was broken with the first PS4 Ratchet and Clank title, and it was a remake of the very first entry to boot. 2016’s Ratchet and Clank remains the smoothest action-platformer game I’ve ever played. Sure, Rift Apart for PS5 featured next-gen tech with the new dimensional rift gun, but you just can’t beat the simplicity and excellent pacing of the remade original game. The planet of Rilgar is a highlight in the series I’ll never forget, not least of all due to the fun hoverboard minigame and pixelizer gun. Ratchet and Clank 2016 is my favorite game in the series due to its tight pacing and excellent recreation of the original’s unmatched level design.

5. Spyro Reignited Trilogy

It’s not cheating to have three games for one entry since that’s how Spyro Reignited is packaged, and what a sweet deal it is. The Spyro Reignited trilogy faithfully recreates the first three games in the Spyro series with fluid controls and completely redone graphics and physics. Each of the dragons is fully voiced and the music is completely redone while remaining faithful. Toys from Bob nailed the visual aesthetic with Spyro Reignited, giving the old PS1 series Pixar-level attention to detail. This is as faithful as remakes get, so don’t expect new or changed content here. That adherence to the original source is what makes this remake so special and deserving of a high spot on this list. Out of all the entries here, Spyro Reignited may just be the one hardest to find criticism for due to its straightforward 1-for-1 approach.

4. Black Mesa

Black Mesa is a remake of the original Half-Life, built within Half-Life 2’s engine. The well-optimized controls of the original weren’t bad to begin with, but they’re made even better with the polished Half-Life 2 tech. It’s more than just a graphical and controls overhaul though, many areas have been redesigned to feature a more balanced enemy and weapon layout. One of the biggest flaws of the original was the final area, Xen, which got completely redesigned into a very fun and well-paced level with Black Mesa. If you’re a Half-Life fan, or just a shooter fan in general, Black Mesa is a must-play for its adherence to the source material and dedication to fixing its flaws.

3. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

RPG fans rejoice, the decade-old promise of a fully fleshed and remade Final Fantasy 7 has been fulfilled. The developer has somehow managed to squeeze a blown-up HD version of the middle portion of Final Fantasy 7 into a single game. Iconic locales such as Costa Del Sol and the infamous Gold Saucer amusement park are blown up to a glorious HD scale without losing any of their original charm. It’s a faithful remake that expands on the story elements of the original in ways the PS1 couldn’t quite communicate. The acting, soundtrack, and deep battle system continue to blow me away 150 hours later.

2. Super Mario 64 DS

Super Mario 64 is one of those classics all gamers speak fondly about, yet hesitate to return to. Whether due to the rough N64 controls or the terrible camera system, the original has aged rather poorly. That’s where the Nintendo DS remake comes in. Controls are vastly improved and the camera is downright perfect for its 3D environs. Super Mario 64 DS was the first time me and many other fans experienced the awe of added content to a beloved classic. The remake added 30 new stars, totaling 150 for the full game. Super Mario 64 DS is the definitive way to play this classic; I just wish it was available on a modern platform so more could experience it.

1. Resident Evil 2 (2019)

Pretty much every modern remake owes something to 2019’s Resident Evil 2. The RE2 remake established a new benchmark of what it means to take an original game and polish it to modern specifications while expanding and adding to it. Characters such as William Birkin and Chief Irons receive substantial development compared to the original, and the narrative cohesively ties into the wider Resident Evil setting following the events of RE2. Obviously, the tank controls of the original had to go in favor of precise over-the-shoulder shooting. In addition to the rich expansions on the original content, the remake adds a 4^th Survival mode and dozens of unlockable secrets ranging from new playable characters to an unbreakable knife for future playthroughs. Resident Evil 2 shines as an example of how to remake a classic game, earning it the top spot for the second year in a row.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

If you were among them, or are curious about the game regardless, there’s news to be excited about. Capcom has announced a remaster of Monster Hunter Stories. Out this Summer for Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC, the remaster will boast full voice acting, enhanced visuals, and a new Museum mode, where you can view artwork and listen to the game’s soundtrack. Additional content that was previously released for the original game only in Japan is also going to be included, Capcom has confirmed.

In our review of Monster Hunter Stories upon its Western 3DS release in 2017, we gave it a score of 7/10, saying, “Fans will appreciate the new take on time honored series mechanics in Monster Hunter Stories, while newcomers will find a more accessible and inviting game than the franchise has ever had before.” Read the full review through here.

A sequel, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, is also available on Nintendo Switch and PC.

This means that all online services, which includes functionality like friends lists and online multiplayer on the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U will stop working on April 8. Aside from the lack of online services, the platforms will still be usable, and games will remain playable.

It is worth noting that the ability to redownload purchased games and update data will still be available even after the online services have been shut down. Other features, however, like SpotPass, will cease functioning, since it makes use of online communication. The two online services that will still work on the Nintendo 3DS are Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter.

The Nintendo 3DS will still be able to make use of its StreetPass functionality, since it doesn’t really rely on an Internet connection to work. Interestingly, games that support local multiplayer on the 3DS, like Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, will still retain some semblance of multiplayer functionality. Online multiplayer for most titles, however, will be completely shut down.

At the time, I was among the more positive proponents for the Switch’s success, but even I didn’t foresee the insane runaway hit the platform (and the games on it) would go on to be. The Nintendo Switch is now Nintendo’s highest selling console of all time, en route to being the highest selling system of all time in general (yes, there is a reasonable chance it dethrones the PS2 from the spot it has held for so long); it has ushered in the most profitable period for Nintendo ever (yes, more profitable than even the Wii/DS era); it has seen Nintendo’s creative teams enter a new golden age, with Nintendo’s lineup on the Switch being top tier and industry and generation defining again, whether it be with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey, whether it be the resurgence of Metroid with Metroid Dread, or the long awaited transition to 3D of a beloved franchise with Kirby and the Forgotten Land, whether it be Xenoblade Chronicles 3 or the ambitious Pokemon Legends Arceus – Nintendo games sell tens of millions of units at full price, and most of these games are considered to be, if not the best games in their respective IPs, then at least at the top.

But perhaps even more important than the hardware and software success are the intangibles Nintendo regained with the Switch. For instance, the Nintendo Switch represents Nintendo’s most supported platform by third parties ever, and a lot of the third party relationships that had been severed to almost catastrophic degrees pre-Switch were repaired; third parties supported the Switch, hesitatingly at first, and then increasingly more and more, and the Switch’s third party library is accountable for more than half of all game sales on the platform. This also dispelled a long held myth (only Nintendo games sell on Nintendo hardware), because everything sells on the Switch – and this is a great lead-in to what is probably the single most important point to the Switch’s success, which is just how engaged its user base really is. Almost 120 million people own the Switch, and unlike the Wii, which sold in similar quantities, but saw little use by its buyers after the novelty wore off, and low software sales, people buy things on the Switch. They buy pretty much anything on the Switch, making the Switch one of the most engaged install bases in video game history – which is extremely in terms of securing a long term future for a platform.

Which brings us to our main point of discussion – what will the Switch 2 be?

The Switch represents a unique moment for Nintendo, because they have a platform with a) a lot of hardware units sold b) a lot of games sold c) a lot of third party support d) the largest library for any non-PC platform in sheer numerical terms (the amount of games on the Switch is approaching 10,000) e) tens of millions of paying subscribers to online services f) and extremely high digital adoption rates, all of which imply f) an extremely engaged user base. The most obvious – indeed, the only – smart business move in a scenario like this is to not rock the boat, and to build on the success. Do more of the same, make it better, more powerful, and keep it compatible with the existing platform to the degree possible, to reduce friction and graduate as much of the existing user base to your new platform as you can. This leads to an extremely stable ecosystem with a guaranteed amount of users and third party support – the exact kind of thing Sony has done, for example, with PlayStation consoles, or even Microsoft with Xbox consoles (albeit to a lesser degree). Basically, do a Switch 2.

Nintendo themselves have never really had a platform that had this much going for it in terms of success before, and so it makes sense that they are nervous (by their own admission, as they revealed in a recent investor meeting) about how this upcoming transition will go. Past Nintendo home console transitions have been generally catastrophic for Nintendo – the most memorable instance of this is the Wii to Wii U transition, where Nintendo went from their then single most profitable and highest selling console, to their single worst selling and most loss making console, in the span of six years, but this has always been true (consider the SNES to N64 transition, or the N64 to GameCube transitions, all of which shed tens of millions of users each; hell, even the NES to SNES transition did so, and Nintendo mishandling it allowed Sega the window of opportunity to break Nintendo’s monopoly over the industry, which they would then never regain again. There is historical precedence for Nintendo sucking at this, is what I am trying to say).

A large part of this is that Nintendo seems to treat each console as its own thing, rather than necessarily building on what worked about the previous one. Each new console is a new paradigm, a brand new swerve, which has to appeal to customers from scratch all over again and get them to buy in. Not only is that not necessarily guaranteed (customers might see the value in motion controls, but not in a tablet controller, as one obvious example), but it also has the danger of selling hardware on the basis of novelty, and novelty alone, meaning when that novelty wears off, people get disengaged from the platform – once more, the Wii is our go-to example for this phenomenon.

This strategy also places a burden of uncertainty on third parties. Not only do they have to develop games around entirely new hardware paradigms each generation, throwing out a lot of what may or may not have worked the last time around, but they also don’t know if they can count on an install base to sell their games to between generations, and sometimes even within one; after all, there is a very narrow window available to them between when Nintendo makes the appeal of the system clear to people, who buy the platform, and before the novelty wears off. A lot of the time, it’s better for third parties to simply… wait for the chips to fall before committing to any real or meaningful support. And sometimes, they never do, as happened during the Wii U era.

So Nintendo’s past playbook for generation transitions is clearly ill-suited to the Switch paradigm. But in this case, the playbook is written for them, and success is guaranteed – again, we have almost 30 years of PlayStation history to look at. Simply doing a better version of what people love and want to invest in will get people to buy in, particularly when you back it up with your industry leading first party support on top. Backward compatibility will reduce friction, and further induce upgrades, particularly if existing games see system level enhancements to their performance and visuals, but even if not, and third parties are likelier to stick around when they not only don’t have to throw out everything and start from scratch.

Hell, Nintendo doesn’t even have to look at anyone else here, they themselves have a 40 year hardware line running that they can look to for inspiration. You see, while Nintendo sucks with console transitions, they are actually really good at handling handheld ones. For almost 40 years, they have had a nearly 100 million strong user base for their handheld systems, and with some fluctuations, they’ve been able to maintain that between different generations of their handheld hardware.

That’s because Nintendo handhelds typically build on themselves in meaningful ways with each new platform, which then ensures guaranteed buy-in from third parties and customers, which them perpetuates further support of the platform by those parties, and accelerates success further; each handheld maintains some level of backward compatibility with at least its immediate predecessor (if not more), reducing friction; and even when the handheld systems have gimmicks, they are at least not disruptive for third parties (like with the DS) or easily ignored (like with the 3DS). The formula is right there! Just use that! Hell, the Switch is even a half-handheld, you can just capitalize on that DNA.

So we’ve talked a lot about what the Switch successor should be, but do we have any indication as to what it will be? Well… we don’t. Nothing concrete. We have statements from Nintendo from back when the Switch was going to come out, talking about how they view Switch as a long term platform, that they intend to build on with future hardware, and maintain continuity and compatibility between different generations of; we have Nvidia (the SoC provider for the Switch) talking about how they view the Nintendo partnership as a 20 year thing, indicating that the Switch is going to be the first of many of its kind; we have leaks from Nvidia and Nintendo and third parties, indicating the Switch successor is a simple iteration on the existing Switch, more powerful, better performing, but otherwise more of the same. So far so good, right? That’s exactly what we want!

But every now and then we hear news about how the Switch successor might be deviating from this. For instance, there was a very publicized quote a few months ago about Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto talking about the Switch successor, and not necessarily committing to backward compatibility. Now, while in context, that quote isn’t quite saying what people think it is (Miyamoto was essentially saying that the Switch successor will not be designed around backward compatibility as its central tenet, unlike the Wii U, which was, and which ran into lots of trouble on a hardware, software, and support front as a result), given Nintendo’s wild variability with console transitions, it makes sense that even a quote vaguely alluding to something suboptimal gets a lot of people nervous – especially since this one quote isn’t the only time that has happened (remember Nintendo’s public musings about how they want the Switch successor to be its own thing, and not just a straightforward continuation of the Switch format?). But there is too much concrete information out there (not to mention the basic sense of consolidating development resources across your separate handheld and console systems into one, and not going back on that by splitting them again with something that deviates from that hybrid format) to suspect anything BUT a straightforward Switch 2 right now.

Look, the games industry is unpredictable at the best of times, which these are not, and Nintendo is on a whole different level of unpredictability. It is honestly impossible to say with any level of certainty that the Switch successor will or won’t be something. For all we know, Nintendo decides to make a Virtual Boy 2 for the Switch successor to cash in on the VR craze, who knows? Anything could happen. But right now, based on the concrete facts we have, based on pure common sense, based on historical precedence? There is one very clear direction for Nintendo to go with the Switch successor. And that direction, is Switch 2.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

In a video recently uploaded to Sakurai’s own YouTube channel, Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games, while speaking about the 3DS shooter, the developer said, “It sure would be nice to play Kid Icarus: Uprising on a home console. I wonder if someone out there will ever port it?” and proceeded to add a sly smile at the end.

Back in 2018, Sakurai said that a modern port of Kid Icarus: Uprising wouldn’t be possible, owing to the game’s 3DS-specific design and gameplay. However, recent reports have claimed that a remaster is indeed in development, with Bandai Namco allegedly working on the project. Job listings have also revealed that Bandai Namco is indeed working on an unannounced remaster of a Nintendo title.

Speaking during a recent livestream celebrating the series’ 10th anniversary (via Gematsu), Bravely Default creator and producer Tomoya Asano stated that he felt a remaster of the original title was in heavy demand and would likely be “the best possible thing” for fans, before adding that he’s unable to announce anything- “for now.”

“Over the past 10 years, our team has grown larger, and our capacity has increased,” Asano said. “Looking at the opening movie of [Bravely Default:] Flying Fairy, I feel like announcing a remaster of [Bravely Default:] Flying Fairy would be the best possible thing and something fans would desire. But for now I’m unfortunately unable to announce anything like that. ‘For now,’ let’s just say.”

A sequel to Bravely Default, Bravely Second: End Layer, launched for the 3DS in 2016 (2015 in Japan), but it remains to be seen whether it, too, will eventually be brought to modern platforms. Meanwhile, 2021 saw the launch of Bravely Default 2, which had sold over a million units as of the end of the year, and is currently available on PC and Nintendo Switch.

In September 2021, Tomoyo Asano also mentioned that Bravely Default 3 was in the planning stages and would require about 3-4 years of development.

The insider recently claimed in a blog post that a remaster of Kid Icarus: Uprising is in development for the Nintendo Switch. Apparently, Bandai Namco is in charge of the remaster, and will update the game with a “much more accessible” control scheme and improved visuals. The online multiplayer component of the game will also allegedly return, though as per the leaker, it’ll use Bandai Namco’s own netcode (which is known to be shaky more often than not).

Of course, as is the case with any rumour like this one, it’s best to take this with a grain of salt, especially given how notoriously secretive and unpredictable Nintendo is as a company. According to Zippo, the Kid Icarus: Uprising remaster is due out sometime next year, so there’s a chance that we end up hearing about it sooner than later, if it is indeed real.

Interestingly, back in 2018, Kid Icarus: Uprising director Masahiro Sakurai said that the chances of a modern port of the game weren’t very good. Read more on that through here.

Taking recently to Twitter, Konami commemorated Metal Gear’s 35th anniversary with a post published via the series’ official page. In the same message, the company also confirmed that it is “preparing to resume sales of titles that have been temporarily suspended.” Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 aren’t explicitly named, of course, but presumably those are the games in question.

The Metal Gear franchise has been on a hiatus for a number of years, thanks not only to creator Hideo Kojima’s departure from Konami, but Konami’s own changing strategies and approach to the games industry. The last mainline game in the series was 2018’s Metal Gear Survive, which followed 2015’s Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.

Recent leaks, however, have claimed that a ground-up remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is in development at Singapore-based studio Virtuos. The LinkedIn profile of one of Virtuos’ employees has also previously mentioned an unannounced AAA remake of an action-adventure game.

1987年7月13日に発売された『METAL GEAR』シリーズは、本日35周年を迎えました。
一時販売を停止しておりますタイトルにおいて、販売再開のための準備を進めております。　#METALGEAR #MG35th pic.twitter.com/X7RL5du2qE

— メタルギア公式 (METAL GEAR) (@metalgear_jp) July 13, 2022