Compared to some of the other giants of the gaming industry, Capcom is actually relatively young, having formed at the turn of the 1980s.
Despite that, Capcom has firmly cemented itself as one of the top-shelf developers and publishers of game software, with a sturdy foothold in the industry for forty years and counting.
Capcom Is Looking To Bring Back More Dormant IPs
Good news for nostalgics amid a concerning trend in game dev.
Over the course of those four decades, Capcom has naturally released quite a few games for both arcades and home consoles. Sadly, even games that are fondly remembered can’t seem to make a comeback in the modern age beyond cameos and collections.
The full remake treatment could be just what these games need to reestablish themselves and reenter Capcom’s headliners.
10Dino Crisis
Put That RE Engine To Work
Dino Crisis
Dino Crisiswas a survival-horror game created by Resident Evil director Shinji Mikami. In the smallest possible nutshell, it was Resident Evil with dinosaurs instead of zombies. A bit of a silly concept, but it was actually very well-received, at least enough to get two sequels.
Dino Crisis has been dormant since 2003, not even getting any remasters or collection spots (thougha fan project is working on remaking it in Unreal 5).
Considering the success Capcom has had remaking the Resident Evil games in its beefy RE Engine, it stands to reason that a Dino Crisis remake with a similar degree of muscle would do well for itself. Who wouldn’t want to have a firefight with a raptor in high definition?
9Darkstalkers
We All Still Like Morrigan, Capcom
Darkstalkers
Originally released for arcades in 1994,Darkstalkerswas one of Capcom’s hottest fighting game IPs.
Its eclecticcast of monsters and spiritswas so popular that the series even gave Street Fighter a run for its money.Unfortunately, not including ports, remasters, and collections, there hasn’t been a new Darkstalkers since 1997.
There’s still a big Darkstalkers fanbase out there, thanks in part to the regular inclusion of Morrigan and Felicia in crossover fighting games.
Following the revitalizing success of Street Fighter 6, it’d be great if Darkstalkers could receive similar treatment. We don’t even need any new characters; just give us the original roster in full 3D with voice acting.
8Power Stone
The Party Fighting Cult Classic
Power Stone
Power Stone was a new kind of fighting game released exclusively for the SEGA Dreamcast. Rather than 2D battles, it gave players an entire arena of obstacles, items, and weapons to chuck at each other, not to mention the titular transformative Power Stones.
Power Stone got exactly one sequel, and then nothing but collections from then on.
Games like Party Animals show that there is still a market for open-arena-based fighting games, so a Power Stone remake would be excellent for the multiplayer and streamer crowds. Mostly, we just want to see those awesome transformations again.
7Viewtiful Joe
It’s The Perfect Time For It
Viewtiful Joe
Viewtiful Joewas one of the first games produced by Capcom offshoot Clover Studio. The game is a loving send-up to tokusatsu hero shows, specifically Kamen Rider.
It’s part of Hideki Kamiya’s unofficial “hero trilogy” alongside the Super Sentai-inspired Wonderful 101 and the shelved Ultraman-inspired Project GG.
Joe himself is a regular face in Capcom’s crossover fighting games, but he hasn’t gotten a new game since 2005 (and the ones that released that year weren’t very good).
With the recentannouncement of Okami 2 and Clover’s reformation as Clovers, it’d be the perfect time for Kamiya to get Joe back in action. Tokusatsu does have a bigger western audience these days than it did in the early 2000s, after all.
6Captain Commando
Capcom’s Other Mascot
Captain Commando
Fun fact: in the 1990s, when Capcom was branching out more into the western market, the company attempted to design a new mascot specifically for its American dealings. That mascot was Captain Commando, AKA “CapCom.”
Cap and his crew of superheroes got one sidescrolling beat ‘em up in 1991, and then he was relegated to the crossover game pile.
A potential remake could be a beat ‘em up again, as there’s still plenty of demand for that, or it could go the character-action route a la Devil May Cry. It’s not like Mega Man’s doing much mascot work these days, so give Cap a chance!
5Mega Man Legends
He’s Still On The Moon!
Mega Man Legends
Speaking of Mega Man, another Capcom IP that’s been long in-demand for revival is Mega Man Legends, a spin-off series released in 1997.
With a greater focus on exploration and 3D combat, not to mention a lovable cast of characters, this particular iteration of Mega Man still holds a fond place in many a heart.
Mega Man: 10 Best Games, Ranked
Mega Man has had a storied career, featured in many iconic games. This list breaks down the best Mega Man games out there.
Following the cancelation of Mega Man Legends 3, the IP has been in limbo, with the man himselfstill stuck on the moon at the end of the second game.
A remake wouldn’t fix that particular problem, but it would get us on track to fixing it eventually, and get us some cool ruin exploration gameplay in the process.
Embrace The Weirdness
Another product of Clover Studio, God Hand is what you get when youtell Shinji Mikami to make an action gamewith little-to-no limitations.
It’s an absolutely bonkers game, full of wild martial arts and weird bosses. It was a bit difficult to play, but it remains a cult classic for those who were able to figure it out.
We readily admit that God Hand is a very niche title, and we can’t guarantee a remake would sell well.
That said, given the success of other wild character-action games like Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Bayonetta, the market might be ready for it this time. Long as we can Dragon Kick punks into the Milky Way, we’re happy.
3Red Earth
A Hybrid Fighting Game/RPG
Red Earth was an unusual arcade fighting game released in 1996. While it had a traditional player-on-player versus mode, the big draw was the adventure mode.
Your normal-sized character would battle giant boss monsters, and even level up and gain new skills between fights. Barring a few nods and collection inclusions, Red Earth has not received another game.
Rather than a full multiplayer ecosystem like Street Fighter 6, it may be better to remake Red Earth with a rougelite progression system in mind.
It’s already similar, as you get stronger by battling through the arcade mode. It could just need some more characters and variables to keep things fresh.
2Dark Void
Everything’s Better With Jetpacks
2010’sDark Voidwas a collaborative effort between Capcom and the now-defunct Airtight Games released for the Xbox 360 and PS3.
At a glance, it didn’t seem much different from the many brown-colored shooters of the time, but it did manage to differentiate itself with a surprisingly intuitive hover and jetpack system.
We don’t actually know who owns the rights to Dark Void right now, but if it’s still Capcom, it could turn that jetpack concept into something pretty cool.
All it needs is some revamped gameplay and a fresh coat of paint. Just don’t make it a multiplayer game, lest we have a repeat of EA’s Anthem.
1Maximo: Ghosts To Glory
The Ghosts ‘N Goblins Spin-Off Time Forgot
Maximo: Ghosts to Glory
2002’s Maximo: Ghosts to Glory was a spin-off from Capcom’s classic Ghost ‘n Goblins franchise released for the PS2.
Much like its source,it was a difficult game, only giving you a couple of armor hits before leaving your hero in his undies. You’d also need to pay the Grim Reaper to be revived every time you die, the price of which increases with every subsequent death.
The original Ghosts ‘n Goblins got a remake in 2021, and if Capcom wanted to keep the train rolling, it could go for Maximo next. It’d be great for the Soulslike crowd, though it might be prudent to dial down the whole “pay for revival” thing a smidge.
10 Best Capcom Franchises, Ranked
From titles like Mega Man to Street Fighter, Capcom has released many iconic franchises, and we’re counting down their best.
