Have video games finally run into the same rut of re-releasing and remastering the same classics that movies have? With Sony’s upcoming release of the new PlayStation Classic (PS Classic), the answer has now become more apparent than ever.
The PlayStation Classic is a new smaller version of the original PlayStation (now known as the PSOne) and comes loaded with 20 games. It comes on the heels of Nintendo’s Nintendo Entertainment Classic (NES Classic) and Super Nintendo Entertainment Classic (SNES Classic) that came with 50 games between the two. Now, every game (except for one on the SNES Classic) has been out for more than 20 years. This leads me to wonder how these systems can do so well with games that have been available for two decades.
Sony is hoping to recapture this magic in time for the Christmas season with the release of PS Classic on Dec. 4. However, several of the games are already available on other consoles or will be remastered. Final Fantasy VII is available in a remastered version now, with no need to wait until December to play. The Spyro games that are going to be on the classic are being remastered and released almost a month earlier.
It’s amazing how many times people are willing to continue to buy the same game despite their hatred for the same thing in movies. Ever since George Lucas decided to release the “special edition” versions of Star Wars in 1997, Hollywood has received criticism regarding remasters and reboots of franchises. Some go very well, like Jumanji or even the JJ Abram’s Star Trek. Others don’t receive such love, such as Ghostbusters or The Fantastic Four. Hollywood’s love of reboots is exactly how we ended up with three different Spiderman movies. Hopefully these systems can continue to put out better “sequels.”
By: Jack Dunn | U.S. & World News Editor