The best example of the power in the new Nintendo and Sony handhelds is not what’s new, but what’s old.  Video game remakes are becoming more popular now that the handheld are able to replicate the 3D graphics of older console games.  Most impressively, Mario 64, the 3D platformer to inspire all 3D platformers, appears on the Nintendo DS with impressive visuals and new features giving a new generation of games the chance to experience this classic game.  And by new generation, I mean only eight years.

Yes, eight short years ago Mario 64 set the standard on Nintendo’s power house console, the Nintendo 64.  As we enter the next generation of consoles, handhelds are making under-praised strides in creating amazing gaming experiences for different audiences. 

Remakes are touchy in the entertainment industry mostly because they are easy money.  You have a ready-made fan-base and little effort needed to, you know, write the script.  Video games have a history of remakes, simply from the porting of arcade games to consoles.  When Super Nintendo updated the original Nintendo, a few games tested the waters, releasing collections of hits series, like Super Mario All-Stars which included improved graphics for old NES Mario games.

The evolution has grown as has the technology.  Collections of games are massive, like the Sega Genesis Collection for PSP which includes 30 classic games for only $30.  On the handheld, sidescrolling platformers look less dated compared to massive, 40-hour epics on television consoles.  Even the still impressive looking Mario 64 feels worth playing again on the Nintendo DS.  It feels wasteful to pull out the dusty Nintendo 64 just to relive the magic.

But these games are not for experienced players.  These classic games are finding a new audience, using great games to bring new people into gaming.  Yes this is capitalism at work, but even corporate greed has some benefits.  And so far, the growing trend of remade video games is doing good.