There are many games that are full of nostalgia and deserve a revival. This list compiles the top list of franchises that we would love to see come back to life.
25. Klonoa
Klonoa did luckily get a remaster of Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and Klonoa: Lunatea’s Veil, making both games way more accessible than they used to be. However, it hasn’t received a new game in the franchise for a long time.
Seeing Klonoa up to his old antics and taking him on a brand new journey would be wonderful.
24. Gex
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen our comedic lizard friend. The last game was released in 1999, so fans have been waiting an awfully long time. While there are plans to port all three games to modern consoles, seeing Gex on a new adventure would be great.
Whether he is charming ladies and trying to get cozy with the Bond-like women, or he’s tail-swiping enemies and jumping on controllers, it’d be great to see Gex again.
23. Spyro the Dragon
While Spyro The Dragon’s original trilogy was remastered, it’d be nice to see the rambunctious purple dragon on a brand-new adventure. We haven’t seen anything of Spyro since 2018, when the remasters came out.
It’d be cool to see what he would have to collect in a new game. Whether it’s eggs, dragonflies, or saving more dragons, I’m here for a revival of Spyro.
22. Dino Crisis
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen anything of the Dino Crisis franchise. It was a short-lived adventure, but we loved every second of it. The last game in the franchise was in 2003, so Dino Crisis is well overdue for a revival.
With updated graphics and better sound effects, Dino Crisis could be even more terrifying than it already was! It’d be the perfect survival game if it were to be revived.
21. Parasite Eve
Parasite Eve was such a fantastic survival horror when it came out. It was well-loved and even had a sequel. However, it quickly died off, and there hasn’t been any revival since.
It’s still a beloved franchise, and it’d be great to see what a reboot of Parasite Eve could look like with new technology.
20. Ape Escape
Luckily, the original Ape Escape games are still widely accessible. With them being available through the Nintendo Switch emulator, as well as being able to purchase physical copies of the game.
Getting a brand new Ape Escape and reviving a beloved franchise like this one would be amazing. It’s a long shot, but one can dream, right?
19. Banjo-Kazooie
The last game in the Banjo-Kazooie franchise was in 2008. That was far too long ago, and it’d be wonderful to see this loved duo go on another adventure. At least we saw Banjo the Bear in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Still, we need to see this iconic duo go on a brand new adventure where they thwart the powers of evil once more!
18. Jak and Daxter
Jak and Daxter are another beloved duo that we haven’t seen in a very long time. The series was ported to PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 3, but we haven’t seen a new iteration in the franchise since 2017.
While I doubt we will see Jak and Daxter again, I can at least hold on to hope. After all, a movie about Jak and Daxter is supposedly in the works, so maybe that will be enough to revive the franchise.
17. Toejam and Earl
Toejam and Earl hold so much nostalgia for me. They are full of funk and are hilarious characters. You can’t not love them. They both have such big personalities, and the gameplay makes it that much more riveting.
We have seen this iconic duo more recently than other games on this list. The last game in the franchise came out in 2019, but it’d be great to see them again and get some funk in.
16. Starcraft
While StarCraft is still a live service game, and you can play it whenever you want, it’d be fascinating to see what Blizzard Entertainment could do with reviving this franchise. Technically, the franchise isn’t dead.
The original StarCraft had a remaster come out in 2017, but it’d be nice to add more story and depth to the franchise and revive it fully with a new game.
15. Sly Cooper
Sly Cooper was such a fun franchise, as you got to play as an anthropomorphic raccoon and go on several stealth missions. You also had some pretty neat companions along the way, such as Bentley, the turtle.
The last game in the Sly Cooper franchise came out in 2013. Sly Cooper is well overdue for a revival, and it’d be great to see what stealth adventures he would get up to with a refreshed look and feel.
14. L.a. Noire
L.A. Noire was such a fun game. While it isn’t technically a series, it definitely had the potential to have more than one game. Even if it was a remake, L.A. Noire deserved better than it got.
Sometimes, the characters’ facial expressions made it incredibly difficult to tell if they were telling the truth. With some updated graphics, it’d make being a detective much easier. I’d love to see L.A. Noire get a revival!
13. Max Payne
When it comes to third-person shooters, Max Payne is one of the best. It features a neo-noir style and comes with mystery and intrigue as you seek revenge for your wife and child.
While a remake was said to be in progress in 2022, we have yet to see any proof of that happening. If it were canceled, we would love to see Max Payne’s revival.
12. Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger, unfortunately, did not get the remaster treatment. Instead, we saw Chrono Cross get a remaster with the Radical Dreamers edition of the game. Seeing it get more love is fantastic, but I would like to see Chrono Trigger get the same treatment.
Whether it’s a new game entirely in the same universe as Chrono Trigger or even just a high-definition remaster, it’d be great to see Chrono Trigger get a revival.
11. Conker’s Bad Fur Day
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the comedic squirrel Conker. It has received a couple of rereleases, the latest being in 2015. However, seeing this crude-humored squirrel and his friends in a brand-new game would be great.
Whether it was solving puzzles, defeating bosses, or racing, it’s time to give Conker more love.
10. The Legend of Dragoon
The Legend of Dragoon was such a phenomenal game that it deserves more love and recognition today. While there was going to be a sequel, it was eventually canceled during pre-development.
It’s unlikely that we will see this high fantasy world come back to life, but we can at least hope that one day, it gets a remaster or a revival of sorts.
9. Command and Conquer
Command and Conquer is one of the best RTS games out there. It’s had plenty of spin-offs, additions to the franchise, and even a remaster. While we have had a remaster and had the joy of getting the ultimate collection on Steam this year, it’d be awesome to see a brand-new game added to the franchise.
Sure, you could say Command and Conquer isn’t a dead franchise, but it could do with a little bit of a revival with a brand-new game.
8. The Simpsons Hit & Run
We’ve been asking for this for years, but it’s unlikely that we will ever see The Simpsons Hit & Run get a sequel or even a remaster. It was one of the best PlayStation 2 games ever released, even if you weren’t a fan of The Simpsons!
Sadly, the company that developed The Simpsons Hit & Run no longer has the license for The Simpsons, and we’re unsure if they’ll ever work on purchasing it again to make the game. However, the fans would love to see a revival of this game!
7. Bully
Bully was such a fantastic game, and it remains pretty memorable today. While it received a remaster in 2008, it did not sit well with critics. It would be tricky to make a new game in the same universe, as the characters would assuredly be way older by now.
However, it could be possible to have the original characters up to their same antics in a workplace or something instead. Either way, it’d be great to see Bully get a revival.
6. Earthbound
Earthbound, also known as Mother in Japan, is one of the greatest games released by Nintendo. It features the story of Ness and his party of friends, including Paula, Jeff and Poo. It has a brilliant, heartfelt story, but the Mother franchise overall is pretty inaccessible, with Mother 3 being a Japan exclusive.
Considering it’s one of the best video games of all time, it’d be great to see Earthbound get a remaster or even give the franchise a new revival with new characters and a new world to explore.
5. Golden Sun
Golden Sun is such an iconic fantasy franchise. While we did see the latest Golden Sun game in 2010, it’s been 14 years, and it’d be great to see something new added to the series. The abilities the characters get to use are so much fun, and it’d be great to see the reveal of Alchemy in updated graphics.
It’s unlikely that we’ll see Golden Sun get another iteration in the franchise, but we can at least dream of it getting a revival at some point.
4. Kid Icarus
Kid Icarus is another great franchise created by Nintendo but seems to have been forgotten, much to my dismay. While Pit is a strong feature across Super Smash Bros games, the last game was created in 2010 for the 3DS.
It’s been so long since the last game was announced at E3! It’d be great to see Kid Icarus get a revival, as it was such a great franchise.
3. Earthworm Jim
What’s not to love about Earthworm Jim? It’s a worm in a giant robotic suit while trying to save the world against the forces of evil!
Earthworm Jim revivals have been in talks for a very long time. Since 2008, an Earthworm Jim game has supposedly been in development, but nothing has been heard of since. We will unlikely see that game come to fruition, although it’d be great to experience this franchise’s revival.
2. Lost Odyssey
Lost Odyssey is a hidden gem of a game released in 2007 in Japan and 2008 globally. While there was only ever one game, it has so much potential to have more games in this franchise.
The combat was fantastic, and it had an amazing soundtrack composed by the legendary Nobuo Uematsu. It’d be great to see Lost Odyssey revived and given a new lease on life. Whether that would be a remaster or a brand-new game added to the franchise, Lost Odyssey’s legacy needs to live on.
1. Portal
Portal is well-loved by many people across the globe. It’s one of the most unique puzzlers out there and has some great commentary from GLaDOS, who loves to torment you as you go along.
While we did get to see Portal 2 come out, we got to have more physics based fun. Portal’s modding community is pretty extensive, but it’d be great to see a Portal 3 or something similar.
There are plenty more games out there that deserve to get a revival. Luckily, we are seeing more and more series come back to life. For example, we are seeing Silent Hill 2 get a fresh coat of paint. There’s always hope for these franchises, too.
