We are living in an age of remakes and sequels with beloved movies, television series, and stories across entertainment being remade and reborn time and time again. Video games are no different. Even Pong received a sequel in 1999! This month’s roundup features an assortment of sequels, remakes, and remasters, perfect for catching gamers up on long-running series they may have missed or revisiting revamped favorites.

Princess Peach: Showtime! Mar. 2024. Good-Feel/Nintendo. Nintendo Switch. Price $59.99.
Rated E10+–In 2023, The Super Mario Bros. Movie made over $1.3 billion worldwide, and the movie’s breakout star was Princess Peach. No longer the damsel in distress, Peach took charge to help Mario save the world from Bowser. Now she gets top billing in her own game for only the second time since she debuted in Super Mario Bros. in 1985. In Princess Peach: Showtime!, Peach’s visit to the Sparkle Theatre is interrupted by an evil entity. Peach dons various exciting outfits like ninja, swordfighter, and mermaid, to bring light back to the theater. Each outfit comes with its own gameplay style. Swordfighter Peach, fresh from the pages of Dumas, engages in close-quarters combat. Patissiere Peach bakes treats in fun mini-games. Cowgirl Peach lassos her enemies and rides horseback in a daring stagecoach chase. Gameplay skews easy and is made even more accessible with adjustable health options. Optional levels provide additional challenges. Peach executes complex moves with simple button presses, letting all gamers feel cool and powerful in her shoes. Peach and her starry companion, Stella, wear customizable outfits. VERDICT Peach has earned her time to shine. Add to your library’s Switch collection.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Feb. 2024. Square Enix. PlayStation 5. Price $69.99.
Rated T–The first Final Fantasy game debuted in 1987 on the NES. Each game in this series is relatively stand-alone. Final Fantasy VII (FFVII), released in 1997, has an entirely different world and cast of characters than any installment before or since. Because FFVII is also arguably the most popular Final Fantasy game, its developers are remaking the fan favorite as three separate games—similar to when a fan-favorite movie becomes a three-season prestige TV show, Rebirth would be season two. Picking up where the first installment (Remake) left off, players accompany spiky-haired, blond mercenary Cloud and his colorful companions on an epic quest to stop a genetically engineered soldier from destroying the world. It’s much, much more complicated, funny, romantic, tragic, philosophical, and exciting than that, though. Each character controls differently, allowing for multiple unique gameplay styles to keep players entertained throughout this massive quest. Some non-interactive cutscenes are quite violent for a T-rated title, and characters swear frequently. The gameplay can be challenging, and accessibility options are limited. Even experienced players will need to check it out multiple times to finish it. VERDICT Add to your PlayStation 5 collection and pair it with its predecessor, Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion. Feb 2022. Square Enix. Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S. Price $29.99.
Rated T–As mentioned in the previous review, FFVII originally debuted in the 1990s. The original version of this prequel dropped in 2007 on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) console. This version brings the graphics in line with the ongoing “Remake” series, and Square Enix recruited the original game’s voice actors to rerecord lines of dialogue. The story sees Cloud’s companion Zack, who is basically Cloud with dark hair, in pivotal moments leading up to the events of FFVII. Gameplay is simple and repetitive, its roots as a portable game apparent, as Zack hacks and slashes through numerous, similar enemies. Zack can be customized with different attacks and magic spells. Difficulty is fairly easy, but can spike at random. Poorly written dialogue sounds laughably bad at times, even when delivered by the experienced voice talent. However, those curious for more lore from the world of FFVII will appreciate the opportunity to play this game without needing to drag out a dusty, 20-year-old piece of hardware. VERDICT Add if other, more popular, “Final Fantasy” games circulate well.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Feb. 2024. Nintendo. Nintendo Switch. Price $49.99.
Rated E–Mario and Donkey Kong first duked it out during the Reagan administration in 1981. In 1994, the plumber and ape rematched in Donkey Kong on the Game Boy console, and 10 years later, they faced off again, on the Game Boy Advance, with a cadre of wind-up toys in tow in Mario vs. Donkey Kong, now remastered with the same title on Nintendo Switch. (The wind-up Minis have six other titles yet to be remade!) Players familiar with Mario from Wonder, 3D World, or Odyssey are in for a surprise treat. This series features more precise, puzzle-oriented gameplay. The graphics have been updated, giving Mario the fluid, expressive movement he is now known for. Simple, intuitive controls allow Mario to navigate small words on a quest to recover mini, wind-up versions of Mario stolen by the mischievous Donkey Kong. Mario’s main method of interaction is to pick up and throw things: boxes, keys, enemies. Enemies are frequently wind-up versions of characters who debuted in Super Mario Bros. 2, like Bob-ombs, Shy Guys, and Ninji. Another player can join the fun as Toad, adding new objectives for players to complete. Gameplay is accessible for all skill levels, providing hints and assistance when players struggle with difficult levels. VERDICT Although simple compared to many modern games, the series’ tight gameplay has been honed to perfection with this remake.

Super Mario RPG. Nov. 2023. ArtePiazza/Nintendo. Nintendo Switch. Price $59.99.
Rated E–The original Super Mario RPG released on the Super NES in 1996. The term RPG (role-playing game) conjures up images of Dungeons & Dragons, but Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) are less about choices and more about exploring a colorful world, interacting with unique characters, and amassing coins and experience points to grow stronger. Originally developed by Square (who also created Final Fantasy), Super Mario RPG was Mario’s first foray into this genre. In it, the Mushroom Kingdom is in disarray after a giant sword crashes in Bowser’s Castle. Mario must traverse the land to recover the Seven Stars and send this weird alien blade back from whence it came. Players engage in turn-based combat, choosing commands from a menu and watching them execute automatically. However, this game’s innovation is its addition of timed button commands to make attacks stronger. This game also marked the first time that Mario teamed up with Bowser! Peach is playable, too. Other characters include a sentient marshmallow who thinks he’s a frog and a wooden doll brought to life. The world is populated with wild sequences and mini-games. In one, the player must thwart Peach’s marriage to a man who looks like an unshaven Viking. Depending on the player’s actions, the wedding could end with a smooch between Mario and Bowser. The remaster improves localization, and adds accessibility options and quality-of-life improvements. It remains faithful to the original title, weirdness and all. VERDICT This game is both wildly playable and an intriguing historical artifact. Patrons young and old will be curious about this bizarre, fun title.

Another Code: Recollection. Jan. 2024. Arc System Works/Nintendo. Nintendo Switch. Price $59.99.
Rated T–Ironically, this game about remembering lost memories has been mostly forgotten since its release. The reason for it being the least known title in this column can be attributed to a few reasons: of its two installments, only one came out in the U.S. in 2005, on the system now affectionately termed the “Nintendo DS Phat;” and it had a completely different title: Trace Memory. This remake includes both titles in one. Now, for the first time in the U.S., players can experience the whole story, updated with modern graphics, voice acting, accessibility options, and a hint system. The game follows 14-year-old Ashley, a resolved and determined orphan with white hair, who learns her father is actually alive. On a quest to find him, she meets a ghost boy who died 57 years ago. She soon finds herself in the middle of two mysterious murders that echo across time. Players control Ashley and solve simple puzzles. The story is told in the style of an interactive manga. The game looks and plays great on TV or handheld. Should anyone actually remember playing the first one, they must play through it again to access part two. VERDICT Purchase this worthy and niche title for collections, and recommend to teens who like light mystery and adventure.

Chance Lee Joyner, Tyngsborough P.L., MA