Slightly enhanced versions of games

[nocturnal YL]

Something of a rant topic, but I really wanted a place to vent my frustration.


Game publishers would sometimes take an existing game, add a few extra features, and release it as a new game that could be on the same system or a different one. Unlike remakes, features from the old version is used substantially and the added parts account for, say, less than 30% of the new game. Almost everyone does it. Nintendo does this a lot too, though sometimes the old version may get a free update to match the new game's contents (Style Savvy 3 and Animal Crossing: New Leaf, IIRC).

For the most part, this doesn't bother me, but more recently, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe made me resent Nintendo for punishing loyal customers. Maybe I'm not that "loyal", but I took the hit worse as I got MK8 pretty late. At first, I was not interested; MK7 left me uninterested in "another Mario Kart", but the MK8 DLC got me interested. I was actually waiting for a version that includes DLC tracks by default, which I eventually assumed wouldn't happen as the Wii U approached its end. I bought the game, very late, DLC and all. In all fairness, this is an excellent game.

And then they announced Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. With a brand new Battle Mode.

And this got me very annoyed. I just paid the equivalent of 1.1 games for the whole thing (I got it late, so the base game was a bit cheaper), and now you're telling me that to fix some of its most glaring mistakes (missing obvious characters like Bowser Jr. and mechanics likethe 2-item system and a full Battle Mode), I have to get a different version of the game. Not to mention that if I waited just about half a year (on a game that I was in no hurry to get), I'd actually end up paying less for more.

You owe me $60, Nintendo.


I'd have similar complaints for Puyo Puyo Tetris, but I got that game closer to launch. Still, given the relatively small differences between the old versions (PS3 / PS Vita / 3DS / Wii U) and the new ones (PS4 / Xbox One / Switch), I was surprised they didn't update the old versions. If anything, a better game balance would help alleviate the problem of online battles filled with nothing but elite Tetris players.

I'm on the opposite end for another game: Hatsune Miku Project mirai DX. This game is an enhanced remake of Project mirai 2, which in turn features a superset of mirai 1's songs (but with completely different gameplay, so mirai 1 and 2/DX are considered different games). I got into the Hatsune Miku fandom only very recently, so naturally I skipped everything and jumped straight into DX.


More general discussion: I wish they could at least provide a discount (and save file transfer, which Project mirai 2/DX did have) for cases like this. The practice of releasing slightly changed versions and leave the older releases behind may make me skeptical about getting new games, especially the ones I'm only casually interested in (as is the case with Mario Kart). Though knowing game publishers (and especially Nintendo), I don't think they're ever going to do this. There will be fans who get MK8DX despite already having MK8, so why would they bother?

Sigh.

EDIT: TV Tropes page on this phenomenon. Besides the Nintendo and SEGA examples above, Koei Tecmo is guilty of this too with Hyrule Warriors on 3DS.

[Nester the Lark]

It's a valid complaint, and I've definitely seen other people get upset about this. I've even grumbled about the DLC in Hyrule Warriors on Wii U vs. everything included in the cheaper 3DS version.

[Da Robot]

Also slightly annoyed by the MK8D situation. Got a Wii U with (digital) MK8 bundle in late 2014 and than brought the DLC later, while also hoping for Nintendo to possibly have more DLC (to give proper battle mode stages for example). I understand they can't really compensate every MK8 owner because a lot of those would be physical copies, but I wish they would offer compensation/discount for those who brought the DLC and possibly want MK8D or any future unannounced DLC for it. MK8 is the best selling Wii U game with 8 million sold, so it might make it difficult for Nintendo to anything to make it up to those owner who want the Switch version.

Really think MK8D was a massive missed opportunity to replace the regular karts with two person Double Dash!! style karts/gameplay instead. Keep the Wii U tracks but replace them a "different" kart to drive on them. Now that would make it a better buy while also allowing for the two item gameplay to be justified for a return.


Didn't buy Hyrule Warriors because I kept thinking they were going to announce version with all the DLC included. I got Yoshi's Woolly World last August and then that September Nintendo Direct announced the 3DS version, thankfully though that version doesn't have too many new gameplay features (and the loss of co-op multiplayer) and only runs at 30FPS on a regular 3DS. So I was happy that I wouldn't regret that purchase.