With the success of Resident Evil’s multiple remakes, Capcom could start reviving other classic game series in their extensive library. These remakes have been celebrated for modernizing the gameplay of classic experiences, rebuilding nostalgic environments from the ground up while adopting a fresh design.

The Potential of Reviving Classic Capcom Franchises

Given how popular these remakes are, Capcom could easily take the same approach with their other series, especially ones who show their age the most. Many Capcom games have returned in unique ways for modern systems, usually through new collections that gather classic titles together, making them finally available beyond older home consoles.

However, many Capcom games still remain in a strange limbo, barely accessible and begging to be brought back beyond simply a new entry to their series.

Final Fight: A Beat 'Em Up Icon

Final Fight is one of Capcom’s oldest arcade titles, with its first game in 1989 setting the standard for that side scrolling genre in a variety of ways. Over the years, Capcom has preserved the legacy of Final Fight; characters like Mike Haggar, Guy, Hugo, Poison, and Cody have arrived in their fighting games.

Final Fight: Double Impact was essentially the first remake, re-packaged for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 with new art in a collection similar to what Capcom still does. Yet, with the success of Resident Evil experiences, upgraded graphics and modern control schemes could re-introduce this classic series to new audiences, reminding them why its characters are still used today.

Darkstalkers: Supernatural Combat

The Darkstalkers title brought the series back in a huge way with Darkstalkers: Rebellion. However, with this new game could come several remakes of the classic titles, whose unique atmosphere of supernatural battles against Genma crafted games focused on deep combat mastery.

Following the remaster of Darkstalkers: Chronicles of the Fighting Spirits, remakes could refine the already interesting gameplay of this series further, reinvigorating fans who already loved the original titles and justifying fervor for new games.

Mega Man: A Platforming Legend

Mega Man Legacy Collection compiles many of the old game’s best monsters into a single game, that game still has an age to it that could be improved through a full-blown remake. By combining the classic mechanics of the first few Mega Man games with the advancements seen in recent remakes, Capcom could retroactively introduce modern gameplay features that improve the quality-of-life systems in older games from this series too.

For example, a remake of the first Mega Man could cut out the extremely long loading times and clunky controls that would later be refined. This combination of nostalgia and improved gameplay systems is exactly what made the Resident Evil remakes so successful.

Devil May Cry: Stylish Action

The Devil May Cry series is tumultuous right now, with Capcom making no moves to continue the series since Devil May Cry 5. Devil May Cry HD Collection is almost 18 years old now as well, many of the games in the series could benefit from a remake.

Changes in combat to reflect newer titles, such as Dante’s ability to actively switch between fighting styles, has already been seen in ports of past Devil May Cry games on systems like the Nintendo Switch. Simply improving the graphics and visuals of these titles and refining the limitations of their gameplay could create some stylish remakes, emphasizing the story behind a series that gathers new players almost every year.

Forgotten Gem: Steel Battalion

Steel Battalion, released in 2013, is a often forgotten Capcom series. It’s a third-person shooter where a lone soldier fights against deadly alien monsters on a world encapsulated in an long-lasting ice age. Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor is a hidden gem with solid multiplayer and interesting single-player campaigns that devoted themselves to huge map designs.

The enthralling setting of these games were at their peak with the first two titles, which were the only ones Capcom developed. A leading seller for the Xbox 360, this game represents an era of that console that was dominated by other titles. Bringing back Steel Battalion now would be an excellent choice by Capcom, as several other franchises within the genre have been struggling greatly in recent years.

Bringing back the campaigns of the first two Steel Battalion games, taking an already impressive looking game and elevating it further, both in gameplay and aesthetics, is something Capcom has refined greatly with their Resident Evil remakes. It might even inspire a long-awaited sequel, being the catalyst of something new rather than the result of something new succeeding.