Defunct Games vs. E3 2012 Game Revivals

How Long Has It Been? Luigi's Mansion was not just the flagship GameCube launch title, it was also the first time Mario's brother starred in his own game. Both consumers and critics alike scratched their head when they first saw this haunted house action game, sharing equal influence from Ghostbusters and classic Mickey Mouse cartoons. The result was a misunderstood action game that seemed destined to be a one-off title. And then last year, out of nowhere, Nintendo announces that a sequel is headed to the 3DS. All it took was eleven years for Luigi to have a second stab in lead role.

Why Should You Care? A lot of the disappointment over Luigi's Mansion has nothing to do with the ghost busting antics. The bitterness stems from the unrealistic notion that Nintendo must release a Mario game with every system launch. Luigi was thrown in to fill the void, but the title's foreign game mechanics did little to please gamers looking for a new Mario platformer. Thankfully that ugly stigma is a thing of the past, thanks to Nintendo's quick work at piling the 3DS with nothing but Mario games. Who cares if the house is haunted, at this point Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon looks like a great vacation from the constant barrage of new Mario outings.


What Could Go Wrong? While the original game is most certainly underrated, it's also not one of Nintendo's greatest accomplishments. The gameplay is simplistic and the whole thing was over in a sitting. Visually this sequel is sharp, plus the prospects of 3D visible secret areas is tantalizing. However, Dark Moon looks like it's treading familiar waters. It would have been nice to see Luigi break free of the haunted house, even if it's to visit a haunted theme park or mall.

How Long Has It Been? It's hard to believe that there once was a time when Mickey Mouse was a major selling point for a first-party publisher. Sega used Disney's main mouse to not only launch the 16-bit Genesis, but also their first handheld system, Game Gear. We saw three games between 1990 and 1992 -- Castle of Illusion, Land of Illusion and World of Illusion.

Why Should You Care? There's a reason Sega put the Illusion trilogy front and center. The two Genesis games received high scores and most consumers agreed that Castle of Illusion was a solid port for an 8-bit handheld system. If the continuity between this and a twenty year old Genesis exclusive doesn't excite you, maybe the addition of other beloved Disney characters will. Scrooge McDuck, Aladdin, Peter Pan, Rapunzel and other well-known characters are in for the 2D adventure. With level designs taken from popular movies and the 16-bit video games of our youth, it's hard to see how Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion could fail.


What Could Go Wrong? Connecting this to a 16-bit classic is a great start, but I'm concerned about the game's use of gimmicky touch screen mechanics. Hopefully DreamRift will find a way to balancing this so it doesn't overwhelm the traditional 2D platforming action. Speaking of DreamRift, this is only their second game. Their first game was Monster Tale, a Nintendo DS game with mostly positive reviews. It's a shame they have been saddled to the Epic Mickey brand, but on the plus side this can't be worse than the disappointing Wii installment.

How Long Has It Been? Seven years ago Spy Hunter seemed to be at the top of its game. Midway was getting ready to release the third game in the resurrected franchise and famed Hong Kong director John Woo was prepping a feature film. Sadly, the movie got locked up in development hell and the game turned out to be the weakest Spy Hunter game of that generation. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson killed Spy Hunter. Okay, maybe he didn't do it by himself, but it did take a developer six years to announce a brand new installment. And don't expect an Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 or Wii U experience, because this Spy Hunter is sticking to the PS Vita and Nintendo 3DS.

Why Should You Care? Spy Hunter is another surprise PS Vita and Nintendo 3DS game that wasn't mentioned at any one of Nintendo or Sony's press conferences. Much like past installments, this portable-exclusive is more of an action game than racer. You're driving fast and using a full arsenal of weapons to take out bad guys. Fans of 1980s arcade games will remember why this thirty year old gem is such a classic, while younger gamers may remember the solid reboot in 2001. This Spy Hunter is a mix of both games, offering fast-paced action that doesn't take itself too seriously.


What Could Go Wrong? It hasn't been that long since Midway drove the Spy Hunter franchise into a wall. After seeing the positive reaction to the 2001 reboot on the PlayStation 2, Midway went full steam ahead with Spy Hunter 2 (2003) and Nowhere to Run (2006). Can TT Fusion (the makers of LEGO games and Lord of the Rings games, but not LEGO Lord of the Rings) return this game to its former glory? There's a lot of potential in the gameplay, now don't screw up the execution.

How Long Has It Been? Although there have been remakes over the years (including another Xbox Live Arcade release in 2007), the last traditional Double Dragon game was all the way back in 1994. In Double Dragon V: The Shadow Falls, Billy and Jimmy Lee find yet another excuse to take to the streets and beat people up. In 1995, Technos developed a one-on-one fighting game called Double Dragon, but it was a significant departure from the regular 2D brawling the series is known for.

Why Should You Care? Double Dragon: Neon is more than a simple visual update to the classic arcade game; this is a whole new beast. They've merged old school and new school brawler, keeping all of the classic enemies and the things you expect from a new game (a leveling system, wide assortment of weapons, impressive bosses, tons of moves, etc.). All this could go horribly wrong in the hands of the wrong studio, so thankfully WayForward has been brought in to make this Double Dragon reboot memorable. There's a good chance that Double Dragon: Neon will put this style of beat-em-up on the map again.


What Could Go Wrong? In going for the stylized look, WayForward runs the risk of turning people off before they've had a chance to see all the game has to offer. I'm also not sure gamers are still interested in the brawler formula, no matter how many special moves you give them. The best modern day beat-em-up is The Warriors by Rockstar Games, and even that was forced to throw in a lot a variety to break up the brawler elements. This isn't the first time a great developer has tried to reboot the Double Dragon franchise, so proceed with caution.