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Zelda: Ocarina of Time and WoW: Forever Are the Good Kind of Remakes
The article argues that remakes can be valuable when developers revisit a classic to preserve what made it distinctive and learn from its design, rather than simply to reduce commercial risk. It points to new versions of *The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time* and *World of Warcraft* as examples of that approach.
Nintendo’s remake is described as a faithful recreation with a substantially updated art style. Producer Eiji Aonuma said rebuilding the game could help newer Zelda developers understand its intricate structure and carry those lessons into future work. *WoW: Forever* retains the original game’s art and content as a foundation, while adding features and changing progression, including a promised cap and horizontal expansion.
In short
- The article sees two new remakes as thoughtful acts of preservation.
- Nintendo hopes *Ocarina of Time* can teach newer developers classic design.
- *WoW: Forever* builds on the original while reworking progression.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Remaking classics can preserve games that might otherwise become difficult to access, while giving new players a way to experience what made them distinctive. Faithful rebuilds can also help developers study the original design, and carefully chosen updates can make an older game more playable without losing its character.
The case against
Even faithful remakes can alter the feel of a game through changes to presentation, progression or other details, and players may prefer access to the original unchanged. There is also a reasonable concern that revisiting familiar successes diverts resources from new ideas, especially when commercial incentives favour recognisable titles over riskier original work.