Give me more remasters like "Mafia Definitive Edition" and less "Mario All Stars"
29.9.2020
Translation: machine translated
Remasters are in vogue. Unfortunately, the monetary ulterior motive too often prevails. Mafia Definitive Edition" shows how to do it right, while "Mario 3D Allstars" shamelessly exploits feelings of nostalgia.
Whether it's films or games, remakes of classics are often just about cashing in again. You can rely on nostalgia. While "The Lion King" made millions at the box office, there's no hiding how loveless and generic this remake is. A remake copied scene for scene with expressionless computer animals without any innovations, instead of a hand-drawn original bursting with life? No, thank you.
I've been observing the complete opposite in the games industry for a few years now. "Final Fantasy VII Remake", "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater" and now "Mafia Definitive Edition" are just a few examples of how remakes can also be fun. Unfortunately, there are also profiteers, such as "Mario 3D All Stars".
More of this
I was blown away by Mafia 18 years ago. The vivid open world, the exciting Mafia story, the atmospheric soundtrack and the stylish graphics had me hooked from start to finish. Now developer Hangar 13 has released a completely reworked remake. "Mafia Definitive Edition" relies on a new graphics engine, new soundtrack and numerous small improvements that make the Mafia epic an absolute hit in 2020. It plays and looks just like I remember it. And yet the original is barely recognisable. The vehicle controls are overly sensitive and the missions are unforgivable due to long checkpoints. The developers have tweaked all of these areas. For one thing, the game looks deadly good, with the exception of some facial animations and lighting. Even if the fictional city of Lost Heaven is just decoration and you rarely enter any buildings, it's still a dream to drive around its streets. The sleek vintage cars with their blaring horns are a major article in this. And when there's live commentary on a big baseball game on the car radio, I'm completely immersed in the 1930s.
The mission design has also been slightly adapted. However, in such a way that you only notice it in direct comparison. A lot of things are a little more straightforward and certain story points link directly to one another without making an intermediate stop at the base. As a result, the linear game is only around ten hours long instead of the 16 turns of the hand from back then. Which I welcome, as this prevents boredom and the tension is constantly high.
Even the police no longer turn on the siren every time you are two kilometres per hour too fast. If necessary, you can set the difficulty level to Classic. Then you'll be able to cut your teeth on the infamous car race again.
"Mafia Definitive Edition" is a sensational remake. It lets me enjoy a game that I loved 18 years ago all over again.
Less of this
One example of how not to do it is "Mario 3D Allstars" for the Switch. The full-price bundle contains "Super Mario 64", "Super Mario Sunshine" and "Super Mario Galaxy". At first glance, this is a great deal. Unfortunately, the games have hardly been touched. "Super Mario 64 is still 4:3 and the camera controls, which were already annoying on the Nintendo 64, are even more awkward on the Switch. Compared to the NES or SNES Super Mario games, the polygon plumber has aged very poorly.
"Super Mario Sunshine" should only be played out of morbid curiosity anyway. The controls were also messed up there. Whereas the water cannon used to be inverted, it is now the opposite. Finally, "Super Mario Galaxy" may look stylish in full HD, but unfortunately the joycons do not offer a complete replacement for the Wiimote and Nunchuck.
Nintendo has already delivered a better version for the 3DS with new content from "Super Mario 64". But you can rely on nostalgia and if you want the three Mario games on the Switch, you have to put money on the table. Give me a proper remake of Super Mario 64. I want to feel the same excitement as I did back then. Where's the Mafia makeover for Mario?
"Final Fantasy VII Remake", "Resident Evil 2", "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2", "Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy", "Spyro Reignited Trilogy" or "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening". There are plenty of examples that it's worth investing time and money in a decent remake. More of them, please, and fewer loveless and barely changed adaptations like "Mario 3D All Stars". But if I look at the sales figures, then - unfortunately - it might not have been the last...
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
