Crash Bandicoot - 10 More PS1 Classics That Deserve Remasters

Source: Vicarious Visions

There's never been a better time to be a Sony fan. The Last of Us Part II was recently announced, God of War is making a Nordic return, Nathan Drake went out with a bang in Uncharted 4, The Last Guardian finally hit shelves after years of waiting, and Hideo Kojima is bringing his brand new game, Death Stranding exclusively to the PS4.

And that's only the beginning of it.

Crash Bandicoot is making a triumphant return to his glory days too, in the form of a complete remaster of his first three games. That's not the only PS1 game with an announced remaster, either. Wipeout, the fast paced and futuristic driving game, is seeing three games remastered in the Omega Collection. PaRappa the Rapper is even getting a remaster on the PS4 to mark its 20 year anniversary. But the biggest comes last, and one of the most popular and loved games in history will be making a glorious return. Final Fantasy VII is being remade in all its glory for the PS4.

Still, even though there are many amazing and incredibly popular games being brought back, there's still a couple more fans would pay hand over fist to see. And following in Crash's footsteps, these are the 10 PlayStation classics that deserve to be remastered in the near future...

10. Crash Team Racing

As absolutely amazing as the N. Sane Trilogy is going to be, there's one very obvious omission from the collection - Crash Team Racing.

CTR was Sony's answer to Mario Kart, and it worked. The game was loved by critics and fans alike at the time of release, and is still loved by many fans to this day, with some saying it's their favorite game in the entire Crash Bandicoot franchise. At the time the two best kart racers were Mario Kart and CTR, there's no discussion about it.

Just like any PlayStation game from the late 90s, the graphics today are very dated, but the fun is certainly still there. Seeing this game in a fully remastered setting along side the first three games in the N. Sane Trilogy would have been a tremendous treat for fans, and would have certainly been an unexpected move.

While the franchise may not be in the hands of juggernaut Naughty Dog anymore, CTR was the last game to be headed by them. Including all four games from them in the N. Sane Trilogy just seems like it would have been the right move to make. You never know, if the N. Sane Trilogy does better than expected, and with a little bit of luck, we could be seeing a CTR remaster coming our way in the future.

9. LSD: Dream Emulator

There's a good chance you may not even know LSD: Dream Emulator even existed if you live outside of Japan, or that it even warrants a remaster. But the truth is, LSD is one of the most unique and strangest games of all time, and bringing it back with even crazier visuals would make for an interesting gaming experience.

LSD is exactly what it says it is, a dream emulator. It's set in first-person as you walk around and explore a dream world. Sometimes the environment looks normal and other times it's a colorful and wacked out mess, in all the right ways. Coming in contact with anything will transport you to another environment until you eventually wake up, log your dream experience and set back into it.

It doesn't sound like much, and it really isn't. There's no combat, nothing like that, it's simply a visual exploration game, but the numerous environments and constant changing of locations makes for a unique experience every time.

That's what makes LSD such a great option for a remaster. There's no denying this game looks dated, very dated to be exact. With an update in graphics the surrealism of this game could transcend to a whole other level. LSD would even be the perfect game to throw into Sony's blossoming VR, allowing you to see first hand the visuals around you. While it may seem like an odd choice, a remaster of LSD certainly would have it's positives.

8. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

When it comes to Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, there's no denying that it's the forgotten step-child of the early entries in the series. It came right after fan favorite Resident Evil 2, meaning it had a lot to live up to. But with the sudden re-emergence in the series, and fans looking to have a bit of hope moving forward, there's no better time to revisit Raccoon City.

Even though the series has had some rocky years as of late, it's looking like things might change with Resident Evil 7 - fingers crossed. Also the much sought after Resident Evil 2 remake finally looks like it's going to come out, with fan speculation centering around a playable demo releasing along side Resident Evil 7. But why leave Resident Evil 3 out of all the fun?

Almost every single numerical Resident Evil game is currently available to play on current generation systems. Resident Evil 1-6, soon to include 7, will all be on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 with RE3 being the only game not available. At this point it's not that fans are clamouring for a RE3 remake, but we've seen everything else take a couple steps forward, so why not?

7. Dino Crisis

Speaking of Resident Evil, why not get remasters of Capcom's other horror games from that decade in Dino Crisis 1 and 2. While Dino Crisis is often considered more along the lines of "Resident Evil with dinosaurs," it's often remembered as one of the mainstays of the PlayStation 1 era. To be fair, if most fans had to choose between getting 1 or 2 as a remaster, most would pick the first. However, why not get both?

Dino Crisis was labeled as more of a panic horror game rather than a survival horror game thanks to the dinosaurs being faster and smarter than zombies. There was always a level of fear as you walked form location to location. We've already seen Capcom's ability to remaster games of their own in the genre, so it's not too far off to think they could move on to the Dino Crisis series with time.

It's been 14 years since fans have seen a new game in the Dino Crisis franchise, and if we aren't going to get a new game anytime soon, or ever again for that matter, why not give fans a little something to remember the series by. Capcom isn't afraid to bring games out of retirement, or release them on multiple platforms over the course of years. There's always that lingering possibility we could be shooting dinosaurs in the face with shotguns again sometime soon.

6. Gex

The late 90s and early 2000s were jam packed with so many good and memorable 3D platformers, it's sad to see the genre has practically wasted away. And while it may have been overshadowed by the likes of Crash Bandicoot, Mario, and Spyro... Gex was certainly one of the more unique in the genre.

What made Gex so great was the drastic difference between levels, as each focused on certain pop-culture hits. There was anything from a Looney Tunes themed level to a Bruce Lee themed level. These were the things that made going from level to level so fun in the Gex games. And just as it's being done with Crash Bandicoot, it would be great to see both Gex 2 and 3 come as a package deal. While it would be great to see the first as well, the drastic difference in gameplay and presentation just wouldn't mix as well along side the others.

While there's no denying that many of the references in these games will be tragically outdated today, they would be a nice little trip down memory lane. Gex has been gone now for close to 20 years which is hard to imagine, and while it was never one of the best selling games on the PlayStation 1, it would surely be welcomed with open arms by fans who remember the smart-ass little green gecko.

5. Tekken 3

Sometimes it's hard to single out a game as the best in a franchise, or one of the best games to release on a console, but when it comes to Tekken 3 the decision is extremely easy. It is widely considered to be the best game in the franchise, and one of the best fighting games of all time. It's even the fourth best-selling game on the PlayStation 1 of all time as well, selling over 8 million copies.

Everything about the core gamplay was tweaked to be better than it was before. Not to mention the addition of 15 new fighters to the roster which added new and fresh characters to get to know and play as. Let's not forget the ability to fight as a bear, panda and tiny little dinosaur as well.

Being a port from an arcade, there were some obvious downgrades, but it still played fantastically on home consoles. It would be simply amazing to revisit this game with completely remastered graphics. Also going back and running through the Tekken Force game mode would be loads of fun. If fighting game fans had the ability to choose any fighting game to be remastered, there's no doubt that Tekken 3 would be in contention, if not even top the list.

4. Ape Escape

Who would have ever thought running around and catching monkeys in a net would be such an entertaining, and important game for PlayStation. Not only would it become one of the many big 3D platformers for the PlayStation, but it also was one of the first games to require the use of a DualShock controller. Sometimes it's crazy to think there was a time in gaming before analog sticks and vibrating controllers.

Like so many other games on this list, it's been a long time since a new Ape Escape game has hit the shelves of your local video game store. Ape Escape 2 was recently polished up and re-released for the PS4, but a new, main game hasn't come out in over 10 years. If the re-release of Ape Escape 2 shows anything, it's the intentions aren't really there for a full on remaster, but simply a spit and shine. Ape Escape itself even saw a bit of a spit in shine back in 2005, when it was released on PSP but to mixed reviews.

Ape Escape is one of those games many fans think of when thinking of the glory days of the PS1. Along side Crash, Spyro and Solid Snake, Spike and the monkeys from Ape Escape are classic PS1 mascots. A full remaster would certainly be welcomed by fans, and it would be a great way to introduce younger fans into the great games they may have missed back in the day.

3. Silent Hill

Silent Hill is one of the most influential video games of all time, and I firmly believe, without it, the horror game genre would not have evolved as much as it did the years following. Silent Hill went from the common campy horror, to psychological horror. It made you afraid of what was around you, afraid of what you didn't know was around you. All of this was done thanks to Konami hiding the PS1's limitations with a highly atmospheric and iconic fog.

Imagine what could be done with Silent Hill today, there would no longer be graphical limitations to overcome. And while that played to the game's favor back in 1999, today a graphical overhaul could as well. A dark, foggy and utterly gross and disgusting Silent Hill would take that psychological fear and tip it overboard. It's something fans would pay hand over fist for without doubt. Silent Hill 2 and 3 were already previously polished up and re-released, why not give fans the one they've been truly waiting for.

Things are looking grim for the Silent Hill franchise, and even though it wouldn't be something new so to say, this remaster could potentially breathe fresh air into a dying franchise's lungs.

2. Spyro

Skylanders, we will never forgive you for what you have done to our favorite purple dragon.

As previously stated, just like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro embodies everything it was to play a PS1 back in the day. It was a time when 3D platformers were reigning supreme, and Spyro was at the top of the totem pole. And just like Crash, Spyro had three main games release on the PS1. And just like Crash, it would be beyond amazing to see a remastered collection hit the PS4 store in the future.

The three Spyro games are some of the best selling games to come out for the PS1. It was one of the games that brought people into gaming. Personally, I know Spyro was the first game I ever played on a PlayStation, and it was a gateway to video games as a whole.

Spyro was a defining game for a lot of childhoods, and plenty of people still go back and enjoy it in all of its chunky graphic glory. It feels like an eternity since a good Spyro game was released, which gives all the more reason fans would gladly go back and play the games just as they remember them, only prettier.

1. Metal Gear Solid

Metal Gear Solid is one of the most important video games to come out in the history of video games, regardless of system or genre. Yes, it's a bold statement, but it's a true statement.

Metal Gear Solid's impact on the industry can still be felt to this day. But back in 1998, a game of this caliber was unprecedented. Metal Gear Solid showed it was okay to take a more cinematic and movie approach to gaming. It would certainly go a little overboard in some games to come in the series however - Metal Gear Solid 4, we're looking directly at you.

Even with the more cinematic experience came amazing gameplay. Along with that came some of the most iconic boss battles in history. No one will ever forget when Psycho Mantis read their memory card or made their controller vibrate. It was truly groundbreaking.

Admittedly, Metal Gear Solid hasn't aged well graphically - it's very clear the game came out almost 20 years ago. Now imagine playing this game on the Fox Engine, an engine that's shown it's capable of blowing us away. If I could pick only one game on this list to be remastered, it would without a doubt be Metal Gear Solid. Being able to play this game, fully remastered in the Fox Engine is a wet dream for fans of the series.

And if Konami wants to show it still cares about the series, a Metal Gear Solid remaster might be the way to do it.

Which old school PS1 classic deserves a remake? Let us know in the comments!