There can be a bit of confusion when it comes to determining what qualifies as a video game remake and what is a remaster. Typically, any game that is ported to a new console with some visual improvements and quality of life features added without any major changes to the core systems or mechanics is considered a remaster. Remakes, on the other hand, rebuild the entire game from the ground up with new assets, models, and even content in some cases. Things have gotten a bit more confusing as of late, with plenty of remasters looking like remakes, and some remakes calling themselves remasters. Remasters remain the best way to relive classic games from older video game consoles on modern hardware. We cut through all that confusion to craft a definitive list of the best video game remasters of all time.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
90%
Platforms
Wii U
Genre
Puzzle, Adventure
Developer
Nintendo EAD Software Development Group No.3
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
September 26, 2013
We all waited for the entire Switch generation for The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD to make its way over from the Wii U, but that day never came. As disappointing as that was, it doesn’t take away from just how amazing this remaster is. The original GameCube release was initially met with some mixed opinions on the cell-shaded art style, but time has proven that this was a slam-dunk of an idea. While the original could still hold up today, the HD remaster is completely timeless. The rich colors and designs are still impressive to look at, and that’s not even talking about the gameplay. These are some of the best dungeon designs of the series, plus it features a vast ocean we could spend hours sailing around. Wind Waker HD doesn’t mess with the formula much, but does streamline the Triforce Pieces hunt and adds in a faster sail to make the experience just a bit smoother.
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Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection
87%
Platforms
PlayStation 4
Genre
Shooter, Platform, Puzzle, Adventure
Developer
Naughty Dog
Publisher
Sony Computer Entertainment
Release
October 07, 2015
Arguably the most important PS3 game was the first Uncharted. This cinematic adventure game from Naughty Dog felt like playing our favorite adventure films, and the following sequels only got better and better. The main issue with them, at least until we got Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, was the fact that they were stuck on PS3 hardware with no other way to play them. Just getting these epic adventures off that platform would be worth including in this list, but BluePoint went the extra mile with this one. Not only do you get all three PS3 Uncharted titles, but they have been given a resolution bump up to 1080p, but draw distances, lighting, and higher-res character models all make the games look even sharper. The real game changer, though, is the jump from 30 FPS to 60, which makes Nathan Drake’s adventures as smooth as butter.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition
91%
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Adventure
Developer
BioWare
Publisher
Electronic Arts
Release
May 14, 2021
There is no shortage of amazing trilogies in gaming, especially during the PS3 and Xbox 360 era. We already talked about Uncharted, but there’s also the Gears of War games, the rebooted Tomb Raider games, Dark Souls, and many more. However, one stands out for being far more ambitious than the rest, to the point where we’ve never seen another series even attempt what Mass Effect did. The Mass Effect Legendary Edition compiles and enhances all three games in Shephard’s battle against the Reapers, plus all the DLC, with updated textures, models, lighting, faster load times, and even 60 FPS. While the experiment of carrying choices forward across three games didn’t coalesce as well as we hoped, it is still a remarkable achievement that it works at all. We don’t know how Mass Effect 5 will turn out, but we can always go back to the Normandy with Garrus, Liara, and the rest.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
53%
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Virtuos
Publisher
Bethesda Softworks
Release
April 22, 2025
Just looking at Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and you would probably insist this was a remake rather than a remaster, but the proof is right there in the name. Honestly, this is one of those instances where we almost do want to call it a remake since it is running on a new engine, has totally new character models, landscapes, animations, lighting, menus, and progression tweaks. What remains the same, besides the map, quests, and all of that, is the core game logic, including all the hilarious bugs. This remaster proves that if a game’s core design is solid, all it needs to feel modern again is a fresh coat of paint. Well, maybe a few mods to smooth over some rough edges, but that’s true of even the newest Bethesda game.
Metroid Prime Remastered
89%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Shooter, Platform, Adventure
Developer
Retro Studios
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
February 08, 2023
Metroid Prime is one of our favorite Metroid games, full stop. It was almost unthinkable that the Metroidvania formula would work in first-person, but somehow Retro Studios managed to knock it out of the park on its first attempt. During the long, long wait for Metroid Prime 4, we got the surprise release of Metroid Prime Remastered on the Switch and falls into a similar category as Wind Waker HD. By that we mean almost nothing about the core game was touched besides giving the game a nice graphical update, and that’s all we really needed. Exploring the world, platforming, collecting upgrades, and fighting bosses is still intense and engrossing, if not moreso, thanks to the Switch’s controls.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition
79%
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Shooter, Racing, Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Adventure
Developer
Grove Street Games
Publisher
Rockstar Games, Netflix
Release
November 11, 2021
It was so long ago that many people out there weren’t even alive to witness it now, but there was a time when we got not one, not two, but three GTA games on a single console generation. Each one was notably different in tone, story, and world, but all packed with that same level of chaotic fun we love from the franchise. GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition didn’t come out in great shape. It ran poorly, looked worse than the original, and had a host of other issues. Thankfully, the current version actually feels like the definitive way to play GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas. These were the games that set the standard for what open-world games could be, and in a lot of ways are still better than most coming out today.
Final Fantasy: Pixel Remaster Collection
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Tose, Square Enix Creative Business Unit IV
Publisher
Square Enix
Release
July 28, 2021
As soon as we saw HD-2D for the first time in Octopath Traveller, we all instantly imagined what Final Fantasy 6 or Chrono Trigger would be like if given that treatment. Sadly, neither of those things came to pass, but we got the next best thing with the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster. While not as detailed and atmospheric as HD-2D, the redone pixel art of the original 6 Final Fantasy games are a much more faithful remaster of how the originals looked and felt at the time. We’ve mentioned a few remasters that include three games, but we can’t think of any others that include six. Beyond the new art and music, a lot has been done to make some of these older games more enjoyable in the modern day, such as an EXP boost to bypass grinding, quick saving, a bestiary, and tons of extra content like concept art. This is also the first time in the West that we got to play the original Final Fantasy 3 (not 6) in its original form.
