When people make a game, they sometimes plan on making a sequel to back things up, but a good majority of the time, this is not the case. Some developers plan sequels, but they never come to fruition, and, sometimes, they don’t have one planned at all! These are our picks for games that we think deserve a sequel. If you think that we may have missed a game, let us know in the comments what sequels you would like to see. Also, let us know if you like these articles, maybe we’ll do some more! Anyway, enjoy!
Colin Malone — F-Zero GX
Originally made for the GameCube, F-Zero GX is one of my favorite games of all time, and probably one of the best racing games of all time. That makes it even more baffling that Nintendo hasn’t made a proper sequel for it yet. True, since then we’ve gotten a title or two for the GBA, but those games weren’t in the same vein as F-Zero GX or X. Every part of that game was amazing: the sense of speed was exhilarating, the races were exciting, the game was challenging without being frustrating, the music was great and it was packed with so many fun details. It was everything a racer should be. Some of the mechanics, most notably the anti-gravity mechanics, have been incorporated into Mario Kart 8, which had made fans doubtful we’ll be seeing a sequel anytime soon though. It’s sad because F-Zero GX had some truly inspiring course design, and used anti-gravity in ways that put Mario Kart to shame.
Andrew Mathieu — Okami
Okami for the PlayStation 2, originally developed by Clover Studios and published by Capcom, holds the distinction of being the worst-selling video game to ever receive a “Game of the Year” award. Despite having a beautiful water-color art style, a vast world to explore and having some of the best action/adventure elements that rival most 3D Zelda games, the original game was somehow overlooked by most PS2 gamers. The game has endured the last few years, receiving re-releases on the Wii and PS3, as well as getting a bite-sized sequel in the form of Okamiden on Nintendo DS. While this is more than most video game IPs may ever receive, the potential of a new Okami game on modern hardware is far too great to ignored, especially with the Celestial Brush mechanic just dying to be utilized on touch-based systems like Wii U, PS4, 3DS or even PS Vita. The potential is enormous, and, if Capcom could potentially get some the original developers involved, it would be a match made in heaven. While a game the scale of Okami would be a major financial risk, given the first game’s commercial failure, it would still have lots of potential given the acclaim of the original. For now, one can only imagine the majesty of Okami on current generation hardware.
Josh Speer — Demon’s Crest
Back in the 90s, Capcom released a relatively unknown platformer with light RPG elements and a horror theme called Demon’s Crest. This game was unusual for many reasons. First of all, in it you played a villain from the Ghouls and Ghosts series, the annoying winged imp, Firebrand (or Red Arremer for Marvel vs Capcom fans). Demon’s Crest made him the unlikely hero, putting him on a quest of vengeance in a world populated by monsters. It also had Metroidvania elements, as most every stage had branching areas that could only be unlocked by finding upgrades in the form of transformative Crests. These turned Firebrand into different types of gargoyles, allowing him access to many different forms with a range of different attacks and abilities. This lent the game a lot of replay value, as did the challenging boss fights and lack of hand holding.
In order to truly beat the game, it required you to find every Relic and Upgrade before beating the final boss, which unlocked his true form. Then, you needed to use a password to unlock one final area with a hidden boss that made the true final boss look like a pussycat. Demon’s Crest was highly unusual at the time, since Nintendo generally avoided games with dark premises and violence. It was also unusual since Konami, at that point pretty, much had the Metroidvania genre locked down, making it a surprise that Capcom would try their hand at one. The game, unfortunately, suffered from lack of recognition, and many ignored this horror classic. Now, copies of the SNES cartridge are expensive, ranging from $120 – $180 or more for the complete game. I always found Firebrand’s quest intriguing, and wanted to see a more expansive sequel, perhaps set in a different world, or where he challenges the world of humans. I’m sure it could be amazing, assuming Capcom deigns to remember this forgotten SNES gem.
Colin Malone — Custom Robo Arena
Of the five Custom Robo games that have been made, only only two have released in the US, and they are two of the most fun games I have ever played. The first one released in the US was a semi-obscure GameCube game on a console that had so many of those. The game takes the idea of giant fighting robots and flips it on its head. In the game, you take control of tiny robots and have them fight in little arenas. The fights tend to be fast paced and high action; each robot is customizable. You can change its body, legs and weapons, and there are tons of parts from which to choose, each which is vastly different from the others and changes the way your robot fights and handles.
The gameplay for the GameCube version was fun and exciting, and it had some of the most likable and funny characters in any game I’ve ever played. It was also packed with tons of little details for players who liked to talk to everyone. A few years later, a sequel came out for the DS; Custom Robo Arena. It fleshed out the gameplay and added side battles which was real improvement over the fairly linear prequel. That said, while it was fun, neither the characters nor the setting were as interesting as the previous version. Custom Robo is one of the more interesting of Nintendo’s various franchises. It’s fun and unique, and it really deserves a sequel after all these years. If they ever did do a sequel, I’d love to see it more in the style of the GameCube game than the DS one, but it’d still just be nice to see another game from the old series that gave me so much joy.
Jeff Neuenschwander — Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
So at the end of Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, Ike (and Soren, if you had an A-rank support with him) leaves the continent of Tellius. The question, then, is asked: Where did he go? I’d like to think that he decided to cross the Desert of Death. This, then, leads to two more questions: Did he survive? And if so, what did he see?
Yes, it was said that the Great Flood caused only Tellius to remain. But what if other continents started to reappear? What if there was another land beyond the desert? After all, there is a nation east of the desert. What’s to stop us from saying that there are more lands, races and problems on the other side, as well? There is potential for this.
I imagine that it starts as Ike is in the middle of crossing the desert. Exhausted, he collapses, but is saved by a pack of Hatari wolves. He asks to see the Queen, Nailah, but they won’t let him until he passes their trials (some gameplay, some questions that are asked of his character). As he passes each one, he gains the respect of the pack and is allowed to see the Queen.
From there, Ike is introduced to an entirely new continent, complete with its own woes and ordeals. Ike must navigate even more treacherous lands, politics and beliefs if he is to survive.
Josh Speer — Drill Dozer
This next game might actually be less well-known than Demon’s Crest. Released late in the Game Boy Advance life cycle, Drill Dozer was a fantastically-creative game from the same minds that brought us Pokémon. Players controlled Jill, daughter of the bandit Doug, who leads the Red Dozers. Their greatest possession has been stolen by a rival gang, a keepsake from Jill’s mother, and Jill jumps into action to get it back atop her trusty Drill Dozer. The game made good use of the unique device, and using the R and L buttons drilled forwards and backwards, respectively. Jill traversed through huge stages filled with enemies, and the game forced you to think creatively and quickly to get through in one piece.
Besides being full of wildly creative challenges, Drill Dozer also had beautiful pixel art and complex boss fights. Better yet, it ended in such a way that a sequel was all but promised. However, much like Demon’s Crest, its lack of player recognition hurt sales, making it unlikely a sequel would ever happen. I could easily see this premise working on the 3DS or on the Wii U GamePad, especially considering Jill and her Drill Dozer last appeared in Super Smash Bros Brawl. It had even been rumored that a sequel was in the works, but, as of yet, nothing has crystallized. I just hope GameFreak can find the time to make more unique IPs like this and HarmoKnight, and give them the love and dedication they give to Pokémon.
Colin Malone — Baten Kaitos Origins
Developed for the GameCube by Monolith Soft, who also made Xenoblade Chronicles, you know Baten Kaitos has to be pretty amazing. It’s one of the best games for the GameCube, and one of the most interesting RPGs I’ve ever played. The prequel to the oddly-titled Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean, Origins takes place on a world that consists of several floating continents, and tells the story of a young man named Sagi as he fights against the plots in and outside an ever-growing empire while uncovering some of the deepest secrets of his world. The game is absolutely stunning, with some of the most beautiful and visually-striking hand-drawn graphics and backgrounds of the generation. Each continent also has its own visual style, and each one is unique and amazing.
The game did so much right because, not only was it visually beautiful, but the world itself was also vibrant and interesting — full of compelling and unique locations and people and so much to do. The battle system helped make the game even more unique, as it eschewed a normal turn-based system for one where all the characters’ attacks, along with healing and defense items are drawn from cards. It was both unique and deeply strategic. It would be amazing to see a sequel for the Wii U, and there were rumors of a sequel for the 3DS for a while, but nothing ever came of them. For the time being, it looks like most of Monolith Soft’s time is being spent on Xenoblade Chronicles X, so we’re probably not going to see a sequel any time soon, which is profoundly disappointing.
Dalton McClain — Psychonauts
From the first minute that I picked up Psychonauts, I was in love. Just the idea of being a warrior who fights, not with pure muscle, but with your mind, really hit home with me. The art style looks beautiful, and the story is simply genius. You control Raz, a psychic little boy who snuck away to go to a summer camp that trains kids to become psychic soldiers. Things slowly begin to go south, and you have to fight your way through various stages, while also collecting items and learning new skills along the way. I would love to see a sequel where you continue along Raz’s story, and end up having to go up against some more muscular enemies in some sort of war, like the whole “Brains vs. Brawn” struggle. I love this idea, but I really would settle for anything, so long as it comes out soon. I really miss playing this game and would love to see more. It was rumored that Tim Schafer had been working on a sequel, but nothing too extraordinary has been said yet. I hope he follows through on this idea so I can finally see the world come to life once again.
Of course, there are plenty of other games that we believe deserve sequels, but these are just what we’ve come up with so far. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
