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 I was pretty excited when the new Bionic Commando: Rearmed was announced. The old NES game was a classic (to me) and I really could never figure out why they never revisited the franchise. Problem is that got me to thinking (and that's never good).
To put it simply there are some classic games that have been criminally slept on when it comes to releasing a proper sequel/remake. How is it an IP like James Pond gets multiple games to it's credit while out and out classics are left to gather dust? It boggles the mind. And that's where this post comes in.
It didn't take long to think of a pretty hefty list of games that seemed to deserve... nay, demand an update of some kind. Whittling that list down was the hard part. What we're left with is 4 games that rose to the top of my list. And with that, I present what I believe to be the top 4 games begging for proper sequels or fresh remakes.
Feel free to disagree or throw other games in for mention in the comments. But if you do, give us a reason... not just "I can't believe you didn't include game X!!!!!! ZOMG1!"
4. Cobra Triangle (NES)
 Isometric boat combat game? Sign the me hell up. Rare followed up on the success of R.C. Pro-Am with a similar looking game that replaced the carts with boats and ratcheted up the combat and variety overall. With a similar power-up system to Gradius, the boat you start with quickly gets all sorts of kick ass modifications that have you tearing through a wide variety of different stages.
Of course there's the standard races, but there's also waterfall jumping, a cool mine disposal game where you drag mines back to your home "base" while being pursued but enemy boats, one where you have to protect innocent people in the water from attack, kick ass boss battles against huge serpents and enormous crabs (massive damage anyone?) and more.
It's unique in it's venue of choice in the sense that these move and handle like speedboats, not big battle barges listing around in the water. Oh yea, and did I mention that to move from stage to stage a little propeller pops out and you fly there? It's one of those things that's just to cool to hate on.
With what could be done with the water physics today alone is reason enough to revisit this gem. And besides, when's the last time you played a great boat combat game? I'll tell you when... 1989 when Cobra Triangle was released for the NES.
3. Kaboom! (2600)
 Oh hells yea, I went there. Obviously I'm not thinking full retail release here, if that was the case we have another case of Frogger outbreak on our hands again. Trust me when I say, NO ONE wants that.
Nah I'm thinking DLC game, and here's a game that I actually think might work well with (shudder) motion controls. I'm thinking more along the lines of PSN that Wii, purely because I think the SIXAXIS would provide a better mechanism for the motion controls over the Wii-mote... but either would work.
The gameplay would remain deceptively simple... criminal drops bombs, you catch them in water buckets (god I love the set-ups of Atari games). The motion could either be a rotation of the controller (think steering wheel) or tilt side to side to move the water barrels back and forth. Power-ups like huge water barrels or the ability to slow-down time could be placed in pretty easily and could be used to spice up gameplay. In addition to the classic timed rounds you could add other game modes like infinite time. Perhaps some multiplayer where someone plays the bomb dropping criminal and the other tries to grab all the bombs in said buckets would give it a cool way to enable 2 player VS on one screen and provide a nice diversion.
I love Kaboom! because it pretty much boils gameplay down to it's very core. It's a game you simply cannot win, you're playing simply for a higher score than last time and anyone who plays Geometry Wars knows how alluring the high score can be.
Seriously, you probably laughed at me when you first read Kaboom! but admit it, this would be a pretty cool cheap game if they used my ideas. And charged 'round 5 bucks for it.
2. Kid Icarus (NES)
 Anyone who witnessed Nintendo's E3 presser was probably disappointed by the lack of Icarus. I know I was. A classic character in an absolute classic game. Icarus has gotten next to no love in the years since he first hit the NES. I realize he had a game on the old Game Boy 1, but fuck that noise. You can't tell me a character like Pit should end up on the GB1 and never heard from again. Of course he's since popped up in the Super Smash Bros. series, but he's relegated to the same status as the Ice Climber duo so I can't exactly say he's getting the respect he deserves.
Released the same year as Metroid, this game was simply overshadowed by Samus Aran. Not that we can blame anyone, but still. It's a shame cause this game offered some cool game play and some devilish difficulty. The games looked and played similarly for a very good reason, they used the same engine. I do love how in Kid Icarus you're always moving up though, no side-scroller here, strictly vertical baby!
In the hands of a skilled programmer Kid Icarus could easily be moved to a 3D space (or even better retro style side-scroller akin to a Super Metroid!). Gunpei Yokoi may forever have his legacy overshadowed by the Virtual Boy but Kid Icarus shows a master at work.
Please Nintendo, for the love of Cthulhu, give us a proper sequel!
1. Herzog Zwei (Genesis)
 You know looking back over the past posts on the site I'm actually sort of shocked that I haven't mentioned this game before. I think I should slap myself for such an egregious error. When I talk about this game to people, I usually refer to it as "The best game you've never played" though to be honest most people haven't even heard of the game let alone have played it.
Released for the Sega Genesis in 1989 it effectively introduced RTS games to the consoles and brought along some innovation that quite honestly I don't think we seen again since. Which sucks cause it's really sweet. See You build units and take over bases just like any other old RTS but you control a plane that flies over the action. You can pick up and drop units, direct the action, and when necessary transform Robotech style and wreck a little shop yourself.
Yea, it's as awesome as it sounds.
It made for a more visceral experience than every RTS game I've played since, since in them you're totally removed from the action. Floating above the action, reaching down to issue commands but not actually doing any fighting. Here you can't just pop instantly to a base under attack, you need to fly over there to deal with it (and hopefully pick up an extra tank to help you out along the way). You're not above it all, you're part of it.
Being able to move elements of the army yourself on top of giving them orders allowed you to change strategies on the fly much easier than even today's RTS's allow. If your opponent makes a play for your home base you can transform and fight it out yourself or fly back and forth to a satellite base, bringing in reinforcements.
Two player was allowed via-split screen, and lemme tell you... a 4:3 monitor split vertically doesn't really give you much real estate to play with. But still there was nothing as fun as going about your business flying around and running into the other player mid-air. Usually whatever you were on your way to doing was dropping in favor of an air war till one of you were dead.
We've seen tons of generic RTS games come out for consoles in the last 19 years since this game came out, and very rarely are they any better or equal to their PC counterparts.... maybe it's time we take a different (more classic and obscure) approach.
Well there ya have it. Agree? Disagree? Let us know!
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Anyways, I'll throw a suggestion in the ring that most of you haven't played: Dragon Lord (aka Dragon's Breath) for the Amiga. A good remake could be a pretty awesome turn-based thing for XBL or PSN. Breed dragons, raze cities, concoct potions. Great fun.
http://www.mobygames.com/game/amiga/dragon-lord