Remastered console games are video games that have been updated with improved graphics, sound and gameplay to the standard expected for modern gamers.
Players that are used to the sophistication of modern online casino sites, like 777, are used to a more modern presentation of games. Classics titles may still appeal but often need reworking to update them.
Remastering can involve simple technical enhancements to resolution and frame rate – or extensive overhauls of the game’s story and features.
These reworked and rereleased console games make classic games from past generations available – and desirable – for modern audiences.
Many include additional content, like DLC (downloadable content) or new game modes that weren’t available in the original.
Popular remastered console games include titles like The Last of Us, Dead Space, Halo and Resident Evil.
This refurbishing console games market is a large and growing segment of the industry.
Many popular games from past console generations have been remastered and re-released. This trend shows no signs of slowing down.
The remastered console game market allows publishers to make extra profits from existing titles. They can appeal to nostalgia-driven consumers and new gamers who missed the original.
Digital distribution platforms like Steam, PlayStation Store and Xbox Store have made it easier and more profitable to release remastered games.
How to research remastered games
If you are considering which old classics to purchase in remastered form, it’s worth researching them first.
Check the publisher’s official website for information about how it has been remastered. Visit online gaming retailers for details about the game, its updates and pricing.
Read gaming news and reviews that cover remastered console games. Prioritise reviews from trusted independent sources and ask fellow gamers via social media and forums.
If someone already likes similar games to you it’s a good sign you have similar tastes.
Popular remastered games
There are plenty of remastered titles to choose from. Here’s a selection of some of the best and top-selling remastered console games of all time:
The Last of Us Remastered
This post-apocalyptic action-adventure game was originally released on PlayStation 3 in 2013.
The remastered version features better graphics and performance, enhanced resolution, higher frame rates, and improved lighting and textures.
Even more state-of-the-art is The Last of Us Part 1 – which was created specifically for PS5 and PC.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy
Originally PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game, this open-world action-adventure game dates back to 2013.
The latest remastered version is a compilation of three previous releases and has much improved graphics and performance, as well as additional vehicles, weapons and missions.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
This is one for fans of survival horror games. It dates way back to PlayStations of 1998.
The latest remastered version, released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and PC is completely overhauled. Expect to find the latest level of modern graphics and gameplay.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
The Halo series is a first-person shooter franchise that originally released for Xbox in 2001. The 2020 Xbox Series X remastered version has beautifully updated graphics and new features like online multiplayer access and whole new mission playlists.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
This game series was originally released on PlayStation in the 1990s. This collection of remastered versions – released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC – has completely new graphics plus new features like time trials and leaderboards.
Shadow of the Colossus
The remastered version of this well-loved Sony action-adventure game was released for PlayStation 4 in 2018.
The updated game features completely remade visuals with improved textures and controls. It’s still a popular choice with a cult following.
Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Spyro the Dragon is a platforming game series originally released on PlayStation in the late 1990s.
The remastered version was released more than 20 years later for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows and Nintendo Switch.
Expect vastly improved performance plus new features and soundtrack.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Originally released on PlayStation in 1997, Final Fantasy VII is a role-playing game released as a remastered version for PS4 in 2020.
The visuals are completely new. The story has been expanded and even the combat system at the heart of the game has been updated.
BioShock: The Collection
BioShock is a first-person shooter franchise originally released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in the late 2000s. The remastered version, released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC features updated graphics, enhanced resolution and downloadable content.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition
A remastered science fiction action role-playing game dating back to the late 2000s has been remastered for PS4, Xbox One, and PC with all-new gameplay.
The remastering industry is booming. Expect to find more and more old titles reappearing in improved format.
And they’re good. In fact nine of Metacritics’ top ten ‘new’ videogames of 2023 are remakes.