I love computers. I've been using them since I was a child, starting with some
handhelds (Zelda Game & Watch is my precioussss), and passing through
AMSTRAD PC/W, Spectrums, Amigas and 386 up to today, not counting consoles (I've
got some of them but played almost every one that appeared in Spain).
And
always, one of the uses I've most got from them was entertainment, playing
videogames. I've seen, felt, played and enjoyed all the videogame growth, from
the classic Pong to Quake 4.
But sometimes I feel like the creativity has
died, that the fun part of the games is becoming the "visual part". Yup, is cool
to see bump-mapped, ultra-high polygon models with motion blur and lip-sync
speeches while dozens of sounds reverb in your 7:1 sound system. But I spent
many more hours finishing for the 10th time Dune 2, or playing Maniac Mansion
with another characters.
So, today I've made a small list of the best
conversions I've found and played. There are tons more but usually are early
work-in-progress.
La Abadía del Crimen
Remake: Remake de La Abadía del
Crimen
In spanish
A Spanish ZX
Spectrum classic, an adventure based on The name of the
Rose film.
Civilitation
Remake: FreeCiv
A
multi-platform remake. Customizable and with multiplayer.
Alone in
the Dark
Remake: Free in the Dark
An opensource remake of the Cthulhu horror
game.
Dune 2
Remake: Dune 2: The Maker
Still in progress
A remake of
one of the first and best RTS
games.
Another World
Remake: Another World Not free but very cheap
A Windows
remake of this classic sci-fi adventure. Really worth buying.
Transport Tycoon
Remake: OpenTTD
Requires original
game data files
Excelent remake and upgrade from the transport simulation
game.
UFO: Enemy Unknown
Remake: Pocket UFO
Marvelous PocketPC remake of this strategy
classic. Included too is a PC "pocket" version.
Laser
Squad
Remake: L. Squad
Remake of one of the first turn-based strategy
games I ever played (on my old Amiga 500)
Zelda
Remake: Zelda Classic
What
started as a Zelda port, ended with an extensible Zelda game-engine. Highly
recommended.
Remake: Zelda Mobile
Still in progress
J2ME conversion of
the Gameboy classic, full-color now.
Wolfenstein
3D
Remake: Wolfenstein 3D Redux
Multi-platform conversion of the first
id Software titles and the first 3D shooter.
Ultima series
Remake: Ultima: The Reconstruction
An impressive website contaning
dozens of remakes, conversions, ports and mods of all the Ultima
series games.
Oh, and last I want to mention the mother of all
ports, scummVM, which allows
to play all your favourite classic adventures in multiple devices (right now I
have installed Monkey Island I & II into my PSP).
P.S.: A small gift
for those who have readed until here ;) more freeware games at this
Wikipedia link.
Tags: Videogames