Shack Chat: What 2000s game deserves a remake?

EA Motive's remake of Dead Space honors the original game while enhancing it in just about every way. As games continue to improve visually and mechanically, some of our favorites from the 2000s are really starting to show their age. With that in mind, we're thinking about the games of that era that deserve a remake.

Question: What 2000s game deserves a remake?

Super Smash Bros. Melee - Ozzie Mejia, Senior Editor 2000

It's one of those things that can never really happen given how much money is invested in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It's a franchise that continues to look forward, never backward. Having said that, Nintendo has never truly embraced the fanbase that continues to hold a candle for Super Smash Bros. Melee, a game that's old enough to drink. In fact, there are times when Nintendo actively treats that fanbase with utter contempt. The total slap to the face of the esports scene at the end of last year is a story that will continue to have ramifications for a long time.

Having said that, one way to make good with that fanbase and with a lot of old-school Nintendo fans is to give Melee a fresh coat of paint. Give it a 1080p, 60fps overhaul, add somequality-of-life elements to it, and leave the foundation alone. Let Melee be Melee, but update it for a new generation. It's rare that such an old game continues to be relevant in today's space, but Melee holds such a distinction and deserves to be recognized.

Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus - TJ Denzer, Sly News Editor

I gotta say, out of all of the mascot-driven platformers of the 1990 to 2005 era, Sly Cooper is probably the one I most often wish I could play with a fresh coat of paint. The old game is great. I really enjoy the stealth, lighthearted combat, and various thief skills you accumulate in the game. That said, it hasn’t aged very well visually in my opinion and the controls feel a little flighty. I would be thrilled to see a version given the same love and attention as the Crash Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon remakes.

Need I remind you, Sly Cooper was also a Sucker Punch jam, whom many now likely know best for the Infamous series and Ghost of Tsushima. They have the chops to make very beautiful things in modern gaming. Whether a reimagining of Sly Cooper put him in more open-world settings or kept the level hubs of the original, I’d love to see what Sucker Punch could do with Sly Cooper, his associates, enemies, and the environments with the experience they have on the PS4 and PS5.

We’ve been in a drought of good all-ages platformers in AAA gaming as of late. A Sly Cooper remake from either the impeccable Sucker Punch or another good PlayStation Studio might be just the thing we need.

F.E.A.R. - Morgan Shaver, Die-hard F.E.A.R. fan

If there’s any game from the 2000s that deserves a proper remake, it’s F.E.A.R. from developer Monolith Productions. If you’ve never played F.E.A.R., it’s a psychological horror/FPS blend that follows the mysterious Point Man, a member of F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon) who’s uniquely able to slow time during combat.

The game was way ahead of its time not only for these mechanics, but also for things like its highly detailed particle system and groundbreaking AI. With this, F.E.A.R. offered players more of a challenge than many other shooters at the time thanks to its highly intelligent NPCs which were not only able to work together as a team, but also flank the player and even fall back when under heavy fire.

If that’s not enough, the horror of the game was wonderfully subtle, featuring effective background scares courtesy of its creepy antagonist, Alma. The story had a surprising amount of depth to it as well, unraveling bit by bit with details about Point Man’s origins, connections to Alma, and connections to the sinister Paxton Fettel. While the third game in the series seemingly killed it for good back in 2011, I remain hopeful that one day we’ll see the first F.E.A.R. revived with a proper remake. Fingers crossed.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - Blake Morse, !

I’m honestly not sure how you could pull this one off now since Kojima and Konami have parted ways on not the best terms. And sure, it’s not the first entry in the series, but I feel like Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty in many ways was a first step into a modern world of gaming with its astounding visuals and cerebral plot. Yes, games with complex plots and impressive graphics existed before MGS2, but this game was a revolution at the time and had Kojima’s meticulous attention to detail all over it. I’d also say this is sort of where Kojima starts going off the deep end plot-wise with a twisting and turning tale filled with double agents and replacement limbs that contain the consciousness of their original owner. A chance to streamline the story, expand upon the gameplay, and see what Sons of Liberty looks like on modern consoles would be a real treat for me personally.

Blinx: The Time Sweeper - Sam Chandler, Time Travel Editor

The original Xbox holds so many Microsoft properties that are ripe for a remake. It’s a shame really, when you consider one of the only IPs from the Xbox that has managed to stick around is Halo, and that’s not in the healthiest state as of 2023. While there are dozens I’d love to see remade, I think Blinx: The Time Sweeper offers one of the most unique experiences, which positions it as a clear winner here.

In Blinx: The Time Sweeper, you play as a cat who can control the flow of time. Collect enough time crystals by defeating monsters and you can pause, rewind, fast-forward, slow down time, and even record yourself. All of the puzzles in the game are designed to be solved using this mechanic, whether it’s reversing the destruction of a statue, pausing time so you can push water around off a button, or record yourself jumping on a see-saw to launch yourself over a gap.

The game even had a sequel with co-op, received backward compatibility support, and has shown up on Game Pass. Xbox doesn’t have its own exclusive platforming game, and outside of Marcus Fenix and John-117, there exists no kid-friendly mascot like Nintendo’s Mario.

If Xbox isn’t going to bring back Blinx, it needs to at least take a long hard look at the OG catalogue, because there are a lot of gems left in the past.

Fallout 3 - Bill Lavoy, Dedicated Angler

I’m a little bummed out that Driver was released in 1999 because that’s what stood out to me when I first pondered this question. Beyond that, I’m skipping anything Resident Evil because it’s likely already in development, and I’m passing on Rockstar because who in their right mind wants a Grand Theft Auto 3 remake when we’re all busy getting hyped for Grand Theft Auto 6?

Instead, I’m going to choose Fallout 3, which was released in 2008. The only Fallout game I’ve ever played was Fallout 4, but everything I’ve heard about Fallout 3 is good. I could just go play it now if I wanted, but I’d much rather get a modern version of it if that’s an option. It’s probably not an option, so I’ll either never play it, or one day I’ll have to suck it up and dig in for some 2008 graphics.

Def Jam: Fight For NY - Dennis White Jr., Sony Walkman Savage

I figure most folks are going to go with classic single-player experiences but my favorite moments from the 2000s were playing games with my friends. Marvel vs Capcom 2, WWF No Mercy, Bloody Roar Primal Fury all come to mind. But Def Jam is probably the most unlikely to happen with all the music rights involved, if it was ever salvaged for a remake with an expanded roster, I would lose my mind.

The ability to make your own character and dress him or her in the dopest gear is something I loved about the game. And the 4-man chaos is unmatched with the weapons and stage interactivity. I also really enjoyed how detailed you can make your character’s move set. There would need to be some updates and expansions made to how the female roster is treated to expand them beyond arm candy story-wise but I think the core gameplay would be a ton of fun today with smooth online play. The O.G. Ice-T shared similar sentiments a while back. Let’s make it happen!

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Donovan Erskine, 2000s kid

I have fond memories of watching my stepbrother play Oblivion when I was younger. On occasion, he’d let me play for a little while, until I inevitably got his character killed or jailed. It planted the seeds of my love for the franchise, which would fully bloom with the release of Skyrim five years later.

I’ve tried to go back to Oblivion since then. Unfortunately, the game is just a bit too dated for me. The lighting is really wonky, and the character models look like the NPCs from the PS1-era Spider-Man games. I know that there are mods out there that add a pretty coat of paint, but I want a full overhaul. I’d love to see Cyrodiil reimagined with modern graphics and sensibilities. I know Bethesda’s hands are quite full with Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6, but I’d love to see a budding RPG developer take a crack at an Oblivion remake.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - Steve Tyminski, Classics guy!

What video game released in the 2000s should be remade? There were a ton of games released in that decade but you really have to think do any of them deserve to be remade for the modern audience. Pokémon Gold and Silver should get Nintendo Switch updates but the same could be said for Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. This version of Paper Mario is deemed by most to be the best in the series and it would be cool to see the story get updated for the Nintendo Switch. Being on the Switch would make the Thousand-Year Door easier to play and get a whole new crowd to see it. I feel the same about Pokémon Gold and Silver getting Switch versions but I have to go with Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door as my answer.

Those are the games from the 2000s we find most deserving of remakes. There are plenty of great options that didn't make our list, so please, sound off in the Chatty with your picks!

Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.