Automoderated users, Autopatrolled users, Bureaucrats, Comment administrators, Confirmed users, Moderators, Rollbackers, Administrators
213,951
edits
m (remove image pickin/quotes page inline comments) |
No edit summary |
||
(20 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown) | |||
Line 1:
{{trope}}
[[
▲[[caption-width-right:322:Guess which one came first. <ref>(Above, [[Super Smash Bros (Video Game)|the real deal {1999}]]. Below, the [[Super Smash Land (Video Game)|fan-made demake {2011}]].)</ref>
The polar opposite of a [[Video Game Remake]]. While a remake strives to offer an updated version of the game, both from a technical and a gameplay standpoint, a demake is purposedly built as an interpretation of how the game may have been, if it was conceived and produced during a previous hardware or software generation. This means simpler graphics and sound, and simplified gameplay although the basics are mostly kept, often translated from 3D to 2D. It is often a [[Self-Imposed Challenge]] for their creators, who try to work with as few resources as programmers had back in the old days - some even program the demakes on those hardwares - or to reproduce newer games through a [[Nostalgia Filter]]. It's also interesting to try and see if newer mechanics can work in less technically advanced games.
Due to their nature of being based on copyrighted material, demakes are usually fan-made and [[Freeware Games|freeware]] (which hasn’t saved a few from [[Screwed
A subtrope of [[Retraux]].
Line 12 ⟶ 11:
== Playable ==
* In 2008 TIGSource held the Bootleg Demakes Competition. Beside taking both major and indie games into consideration, many of the resulting games' titles are very hilarious. Due to a recent site restructuring, the index page of the compo is unfortunately no more, but [http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?board=22.0 the dedicated forum is still up] and, beside torrents of the complete archive, it’s worth tracking some games that were eventually updated. There's also [http://iceyboard.no-ip.org/projects/demakes_list/ a list of the games and their inspirators.]
** ''[[Gang Garrison 2]]'', an excellent demake of ''[[
** ''[
** ''[http://superflatgames.com/wordpress/?page_id=139 Soundless Mountain II]'' translates ''[[Silent Hill 2]]'' superbly. But don't get too attached to it, since, sadly, it covers only the first phases of the story.
** ''[http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=2391.0 Super 3D Portals 6]'': ''[[Portal (
** ''S.T.A.C.K.E.R.'' takes only the inventory management of ''[[STALKER|S.T.A.L.K.E.R.]]'' and mixes it...with ''[[
** ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20121230230727/http://db.tigsource.com/games/squish Squish]'' is the PSP puzzler ''Crush'', rendered in 2D and given graphics like a shareware title from the early 1990s.
** ''[http://livelyivy.com/?p=84 Little Girl in Underland]'', or what may have happened if Soviets found ''[[American McGee's Alice]]'' and [[This Is Your Premise
** A few more recommendations [http://www.veoh.com/watch/v15921762HMk6drZt?h1=008+-+TIGSource+Bootleg+Demakes+Competition here.]
* [http://gamejolt.com/blog/indie-game-demake-contest-results/24/ Game Jolt's 2010 demake competition] was interesting since it was focused solely on indie games – which are often retro-styled already.
** The winner, ''Warning Foregone'', is a simplified ''[[
** The runner-up, ''Sulkeis'', deserved its place because it's not just a lower-tech ''[[Seiklus]]'': while shorter and less varied, it's got completely new levels and situations that weren't present in the original (like the water streams erupting after one of the treasures is found).
** Among the other games an honorable mention goes to ''[[
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131206145239/http://www.ericruthgames.com/ Eric Ruth]'s ''Pixel Force'' series, famous game franchises as if they were released on the NES in [[The Eighties]]. Unfortunately they also share an annoying keyboard control scheme (and it can't be changed). So far he has produced three: ''[[Left 4 Dead]]'' as an overhead shooter for one or two players, and with the locales of the first game reproduced quite faithfully; the first ''[[Halo]]'' as a ''[[Contra]]''-esque platform/shooter, with a few overhead sections on vehicles and appropriately chip-tuned musical themes; and ''[[DJ Hero]]'', complete with hit songs from the era. The latter [[Screwed
* Ruth has produced further demakes, although they are not part of the ''Pixel Force'' series. One is ''[[
* Ruth's most recent game is ''[[Serious Sam]]: [https://web.archive.org/web/20130922183326/http://www.desura.com/games/serious-sam-the-greek-encounter The Greek Encounter]'', an overhead shooter in the signature 8-bit style. It's part of Croteam and Devolver Digital's initative that has produced several indie games based on the franchise.
* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20130910162954/http://megaman.wikia.com/wiki/Rockman_7_Famicom Rockman 7FC]'' and ''[http://megaman.wikia.com/wiki/Rockman_8_Famicom Rockman 8FC]'', which de-make the only two non-8Bit entries of the classic [[Mega Man (
* Capcom also produced ''[[Dark Void]] Zero''. While not technically the same game but a prequel, it brings the action and flight mechanics in pixelated 2D. Many people found it more interesting than the main game.
* The infamous ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]'' for the NES. Visually, it doesn't even resemble an 8-bit rendition of the original, but at least it manages to convey the story of the original.
* The Chinese ''[[
* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20131030102802/http://cymonsgames.com/asciiportal/ ASCIIpOrtal]''.
* ''[[Halo]]'' has had a demake as early as 2004: ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20130129022425/http://dobgames.ownbb.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4 Halo Zero]''.
* ''Halo 2600'', available both as [http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/166916-halo-for-the-2600-released-at-cge-download-the-game-here/ a rom] and [http://www.codemystics.com/halo2600/ in Flash.] A few cartridges have also been produced. Ironically, it's made by Ed Fries, a former Microsoft employee who was instrumental in bringing Bungie to Microsoft in the early 2000s.
* Not a full product but a [[Game Mod]]: ''[[
* Bringing ''[[Tomb Raider]]'' to Atari2600 or so specifics (it's a bit above that, however) resulted in ''[http://jayenkai.socoder.net/GameList.php?ShowJust=206 Retro Raider]'', basically ''[[Pitfall]]'' with guns.
* ''[http://www.dpadhero.com/Home.html D-Pad Hero]'', two demakes of the ''[[Guitar Hero]]'' franchise to play with a NES emulator.
* Another ''Guitar Hero'' demake: ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20131031132620/http://www.synthdreams.com/shredz64.php Shredz64]''. It needs some specific hardware though, to plug a guitar controller to the Commodore64!
* ''[[
* ''[[Fallout: New Vegas]]'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20120629033743/http://www.bethsoft.com/jpn/fo/fo_quest/index.html as a JRPG.] Made by Bethsoft themselves to introduce the Japanese public to the game.
* ''[[Minecraft]]'' users couldn't resist the temptation to remake maps from other games in cubed glory. [http://technabob.com/blog/2011/01/27/halo-minecraft-fps-demake-of-the-day/ Here's an example] with a multiplayer map of the first ''Halo''.
* ''[[Modern Warfare]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20110607013324/http://www.yoyogames.com/games/118706-modern-warfare-2d 2D]''.
* ''[[Portal (
* ''[[Final Fantasy X]]'', the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtuWaZUUmF8 NES bootleg.]
* ''[[Resident Evil]]'', the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i8glSGxHvk NES bootleg] with a combat system based on ''Resident Evil Gaiden''.
* ''[http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/55110-minecraft-de-make-powerpoint-made-my-n-craft-4600-dls/ My-N-Craft]'', a ''Minecraft'' demake made with... Microsoft Powerpoint?!
* Among the countless hacks of the original ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', ''[http://www.patater.com/minimal-mario Minimal Mario]'' makes the graphics as '''really''' minimalistic.
* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20120905084817/http://amon26.site11.com/1_5_Games.html MooD]'', an arena shooter. The game it refers to is [[Sdrawkcab Name|quite obvious]].
* ''[
* ''[http://flipskip.com/ThievingRaccoon.swf Thieving Racoon]'':{{Dead link}} ''[[Sly Cooper]]'' as a [[Game and Watch]].
* Another [[Game and Watch]] demake: ''[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/535548 Greek and Wicked]''.
* ''[[Donkey Kong Country (
* ''[[
* ''[[Mega Man (
* ''[[
* ''Codename Gordon'', a Flash platformer made to resemble the first phases of ''[[Half Life]] 2'', back when the latter was still in production — in fact, some of those sections were removed in the final product. It's also a humorous take on the game — faithful to his [[Silent Protagonist]] role, Gordon Freeman has only emoticons to use in dialogues, and characters tell him [[Breaking the Fourth Wall|the world has lost a dimension]]. Originally a fangame, it impressed Valve so much they used it as an official promotional product. The official site is defunct but the game is still among Steam's free games.
** There's also ''[http://www.moddb.com/games/half-life-2d Half-Life 2D]'', but it's quite a lousy game.
* ''[http://cutstuff.net/blog/?page_id=26 ZPortal]'', the gameplay of ''[[Portal (
* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20120102015820/http://sites.google.com/site/pebbleoftime/ Pebble of Time]'', a demake of ''[[Rock of Ages (
* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20110424235034/http://www.hpfun.com/flash-games/shooting/doomparody.html Doom Parody]'', a Flash [[Choose Your Own Adventure]]-esque take on ''Doom'' with static images and limited animation.
* ''[http://www.textadventures.co.uk/review/112/ King's Quest V - The Text Adventure]''. Which is...well...a [[Text Adventure]] version of ''[[King's Quest V]]''.
* There are at least a couple of ''Doom'' reinterpretations as a 2D platformer: the Russian-made ''[http://doom.wikia.com/wiki/Doom_2D Doom 2D]'' (now [http://doom2d.org/index/news/ remade]) and ''[http://dukesoft.nl/doom2d/index.php Doom 2D - Knee deep in the dead]''.{{Dead link}}
* ''[http://doom.wikia.com/wiki/Wolfendoom_%28Wolfenstein%29 Wolfendoom]''. Instead of being just ''Doom'' backported into its predecessor for better or worse, it has an original and long storyline narrated in the internal "Read This!", putting B.J. Blazkowicz's [[Identical Grandson]] as a military consultant for UAC.
* ''[[
* [http://hawxgame.uk.ubi.com/hawx2-mini-game.php An official 8-bit game] for ''Tom Clancy's HAWX 2''. It even allows you to unlock some exclusive content in the main game.
* ''[http://iplayif.com/?story=http://www.meltsner.com/random/Champion%20of%20Guitars.z5 Champion of Guitars]'', an hilarious [[Text Adventure]] take on ''[[Guitar Hero]]''.
* ''G-Force'' is an overhead 2D rendition of ''[[Tempest (video game)|Tempest]]'', the most recent versions exactly, given the [[Amazing Technicolor Battlefield]]. Interestingly, it is also based on a little-known home computer game with the same name, dating back to circa 1983, which already tried to translate the gameplay with one less dimension. No more official page but can be found [https://web.archive.org/web/20131204135343/http://freeware.remakes.org/index.php?genre=&rand=0&sl=&al=G here.]
* Edmund McMillen, creator of ''[[Meat Boy
* ''[[Sewer Shark]]'' is an infamous [[Full Motion Video|FMV game]]. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090302070357/http://www.parkproductions.btinternet.co.uk/sewershark.htm The demake by Park Productions] turns it into a vertical scrolling shooter, nothing exceptional but certainly more playable than the original. In a nice touch, you can choose to have it look like it's a Commodore 64, Spectrum, or Amstrad CPC game.
* ''[[
* ''[http://www.pineight.com/lu/ Luminesweeper]'', a GBA demake of ''[[Lumines]]'' made as a protest against the high price of the [[
* ''[http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=103143 C64nabalt]'' is an unofficial port of ''[[Canabalt]]'' on the Commodore64. It lacks sound effects, as well as some fine graphical details (but that would have been asking too much), but the rest is intact from the scrolling speed to the music, excellently ported to the SID chip.
* Even if not a straight demake but a spin-off of the main game, ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20111030044909/http://gigasdrop.jp/game/sg8bit/ Steins;Gate: Henikuukan no Octet]'' aka ''[[Exactly What It Says
* ''[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/548516 Runman GB]'' is a simplistic one-button game based on ''[[
* ''[http://cascaras.tumblr.com/post/9095462676/microsomnium-game-watch Microsomnium]''{{Dead link}} is ''Psychosomnium'', a small game by Cactus (of ''[[Mondo Medicals|Mondo]]'' [[Mondo Agency|Games]] and ''[[Clean Asia]]'' fame), as a [[Game and Watch]] handheld.
* ''[[Super Mario World (
* ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]] 2D'', a 2D version of ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006
* ''[http://www.holmadegames.com/bitofwar.html Bit of War]''. Originally this ''[[God of War (
* ''[http://glest.org/en/index.php Glest]'', a freeware game engine for [[Real Time Strategy]] games, [http://gamejolt.com/open-source/games/strategy-sim/glest-demake/2842/ remade in 2D].
== Projects ==
* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20131114195030/http://cmioe.blogspot.com/ Curse of Monkey Island Classic Edition]'', a project to recreate the third episode of ''[[Monkey Island]]'' similar to the first two. A small demo is also available. Whether it's a bad timing, due to the recent relaunch of the franchise, only time will tell.
* A group of Japanese fans is working on a ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]'' NES demake to put the Chinese bootleg to shame. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LplytE0UaY Some footage has circulated] and already shows a much better look – the sprites are redrawn or at least well-edited, for a start, and seems to have implemented most of the mechanics, like Materia. Unfortunately, it may never see the light of the day due to [[Square Enix|Squenix]] putting an eye on it. Crossing fingers that it manages to reach completion and a translation (hey, someone translated even the Chinese bootleg!).
* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20110731133528/http://www.metroid-database.com/fanapps.php Minitroid]'' (scroll down a little), only a tech demo so far.
* Also a project for a ''[[Metroid Prime]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20120304015322/http://z3.invisionfree.com/MP2D/ 2D]''.
* ''[[Ocarina of Time]]'' [http://www.zfgc.com/forum/index.php?topic=1568.0 for Game Boy Color.] Never went beyond the demo.
* ''[
* ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maKeNL4TndY Limbit]'', a programming exercise that won't see any release beside this video.
* Someone is trying to "demake" ''[[
* [http://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=233565 A project of hacking] ''[[Pokémon]] FireRed'' to create a demake of ''Black'' and ''White''.
* ''Grand Theftendo'' deserves a special mention. The project started in the early 2000s as a reproduction of a good chunk of ''[[Grand Theft Auto]] III'' on the NES, and it looked to be really impressive for the system. Then the author decided to expand the project and moved on to ''[[Retro City Rampage]]''. However, he showed ''Grand Theftendo'' to the public in March 2011.
* From the TIGSource Compo forums, some projects that [[What Could Have Been|didn't make the deadline and were abandoned]]: a NES ''[[God of War (
** A couple more: ''[http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/584/sonofromeons1.jpg Son of Romeo]'', a ''[[Prince of Persia]]'' clone made in Klik & Play, the limited predecessor to Games Factory and Multimedia Fusion; and especially a CGA ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' made with programming tools of the era that never went beyond [http://www.vimeo.com/1506696 this video], sadly.
* [http://www.bigbluecup.com/games.php?action=detail&id=1345 A VGA demake] of ''King's Quest IX: The Silver Lining''. Never got past a demo with audio clips from ''[[The Silver Lining (
* ''[http://madosi.wordpress.com/2010/07/24/summer-is-silly/ Insomnia Dracula]'', dead project of a ''[[Hasslevania]]'' demake.
* ''[[STALKER|S.T.A.L.K.E.R.]]: [https://web.archive.org/web/20130703023216/http://aroojiobrow.blogspot.com/ Shades of the Nuclear Plant Explosion]''.
* [http://info.sonicretro.org/Sonic_2_-_The_Hybridization_Project Sonic 2: The Hybridization Project], a romhack of ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]] 2'' that ports the graphics and levels of the Master System version on the Genesis.
* [[Minecraft|Notch]] attempted a Java demake of ''[[The Lost Vikings]]'', but it didn't go past [https://web.archive.org/web/20200331183217/http://www.java-gaming.org/index.php?topic=22335.0 the early stages.]
* ''[http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=87696 Heartlight 64]'', demake of a DOS ''[[Boulder Dash]]'' clone from the early 1990s.
* ''[[Uncharted]] [http://www.moddb.com/games/uncharted-demake Demake]'', made with the intention of looking like it was released on the Game Boy Color. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oliLTUNbrjc Some test footage here.]
* ''[[Resident Evil]]'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20170518174731/http://www.the-horror.com/forums/showthread.php?9088-Resident-Evil-Demake-Project-(Like-Nes) as a 8 bit RPG] (made with RPG Maker), seemingly taking the graphics from the NES bootleg demake.
* ''[[Skyrim]]'' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdA8bSsE9eo for TI-84 calculators], although given the limits of the hardware, it hasn't really have much to do with the original.
* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20120120075207/http://www.moddb.com/games/haloowaw Out With A Whimper]'', yet another ''[[Halo]]'' with 2D graphics (which look excellent so far).
== Mock-ups ==
* ''[[Angry Birds]]'' [
* [http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/101/1011636p1.html Atari 2600 covers] of "old classics" like ''[[
* Among the best and most popular mock-ups are [http://www.geekosystem.com/8-bit-game-demakes/ the works] of Swedish artist Junkboy (alias Markus Toivonen, art director at [[Minecraft|Mojang]], also with useful comparisons with the originals. Among them: ''[[Brutal Legend]]'' running on the SCUMM engine, ''[[Bayonetta]]'''s arcade shmup, ''[[Dead Space (
** He later made some more: ''[[Vanquish]]'' ([http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/56823.htm here]), ''[[
** [http://www.destructoid.com/scope-this-halo-pixel-demake-from-mojang-s-art-director-219219.phtml Latest additions]: ''[[Halo]]'' and ''[[Shadows of the Damned]]''.
* In 2007, Pixelation held a competition based on [
* During the aforementioned TIGSource compo, [http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=2554.0 a few mock-ups were posted.] ''S.T.A.L.K.E.R.'' with the Sierra AGI Engine is the best.
* [http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/41899.htm Mock-up] of an 8-bit ''[[Half Life]]''.
* [http://www.pixeljoint.com/p/24058.htm This Pixel Joint user] made a few characters of ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' as they'd appear if the game used an engine like ''[[Ultima Online]]''.
* ''[[Metroid: Other M]]'' [http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/56040.htm mock-up.]
* ''[[Alien Swarm]]'' [http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/57366.htm in monochrome.]
* [http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/51088.htm Another vision] of a NES ''[[Silent Hill 2]]''.
* The first ''[[Monkey Island]]'' on the earliest Nintendo portables: [http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/28278.htm Game Boy] (notice the great pun in the title) and [http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/54631.htm Virtual Boy.] Also, ''Curse of [[Monkey Island]]'' [http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/62154.htm on the Game Boy.]
* ''7th Dragon'', [http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/47006.htm GB edition.]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb-HGpXpZcA Fake 8-bit demake] of ''[[Alan Wake]]''. On the game's official forums there was also [
* ''[[
* From a community manager of the Lionhead forums, ''[[Fable]] III'' [http://lionhead.com/forums/p/302132/3652618.aspx#3652618 in 1985.]
* What if ''[[
* ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]'' [http://bg87.deviantart.com/art/Kingdom-Hearts-Game-boy-demake-94078845 for Game Boy] and ''[[Kingdom Hearts]] II'' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMzRcDfyRA0 for NES.]
* [http://forums.yoyogames.com/forums/3/topics/56819 A small Game Boy demakes contest]{{Dead link}} at YoYoGames.
* [http://www.rpg2s.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=11969 Another Game Boy demakes contest] from an Italian forum. Notice there's also ''[[Big Rigs Over the Road Racing]]'' XD
* [http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z262/littlemaths/mgs4id6.jpg Hilarious rendition] of how ''[[Metal Gear]] Solid 4'' may have been years ago, complete with [[Engrish]].
* Also the first ''[[Metal Gear]] Solid'' [http://www.pixeljoint.com/pixelart/43128.htm on the MSX.]
* From [[Deviant ART]] user Badassbill: ''[[Children of Mana]]'' [http://badassbill.deviantart.com/art/C64-Children-of-Mana-72778066 on the C64]{{Dead link}}, ''[[
* [http://yarooze.blogspot.com/2009/04/silent-hill-2-for-gb-arrives-in-april.html An elaborate April Fool's mock-up] of a [[Game Boy]] ''[[Silent Hill 2]]'', complete with a great 8-bit remix of the tunes.
* The cover for the Game Jolt Indie Demake competition was [http://knitetgantt.deviantart.com/art/GJ-Indie-Game-Demake-Compo-169731172 this rendition] of ''[[
* [[Something Awful]]'s Photoshop Phriday presents [http://www.somethingawful.com/d/photoshop-phriday/retrofitted-gaming-classics.php Retrofitted Gaming Classics.]
* The original ''[[
* What if ''[[Katawa Shoujo]]'' was one of the glut of [[Eroge]] on the [[PC 98]]? [https://web.archive.org/web/20150305010326/http://shimmie.katawa-shoujo.com/post/view/1907 Take a look here.]
** [http://ks.renai.us/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2565 A thread from the official forum] with some little mock-ups, like an SNES version (something made with RPG Maker 2000).
* ''[[Grim Fandango]]'' [http://howtonotsuckatgamedesign.com/bible/?p=176 around 1990.]{{Dead link}}
* [http://pieceoftoast.deviantart.com/gallery/ Pieceoftoast] has produced pixelated 2D renditions of some scenes from ''[[Half Life]] 2'', ''[[
* [http://gtk666.deviantart.com/art/Indie-Game-GameBoy-Demake-290184225 Game Boy renditions] of two indie games: ''[[Blocks That Matter]]'' and ''[[The Binding of Isaac]]''.
* [http://pinterest.com/pin/60094976247571035/ NES cartridge] of ''[[
* [http://fnep.deviantart.com/art/Skyrim-Demake-274203352 Pixelized] ''[[Skyrim]]''.
* What if ''[[Skyrim]]'' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIYOlEJ6lRo was made in 1991]?
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Videogame Culture]]
▲[[Category:Trope]]
|