History Main / ReformulatedGame

* ''Powerslave'', [[MarketBasedTitle also known as]] ''Exhumed'' in Europe and ''Year 1999: Return of the Pharaoh'' in Japan. Although the three versions (PC, Playstation and Saturn) were released together, development started on the PC using the Build engine, best known for powering DukeNukem 3D. Lobotomy Software then decided to try their luck on consoles but, upon realizing a straight port was impossible, they developed the Slavedriver engine and ended up making practically another game. While PC ''Powerslave'' is forgettable and has overly long, boring levels, console ''Powerslave'' is one of the best early console [[FirstPersonShooter FPSes]], and loses some nicer textures in exchange for faster and smoother gameplay, full 3D movement and smaller, open-ended levels with new weapons and abilities to discover in order to advance, predating Metroid Prime by over half a decade. Also, in a fun twist of irony, Slavedriver would later be used to port DukeNukem 3D on the SegaSaturn.

* ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'' had the neat idea of the bionic arm in place of the usual jumping but wasn't exactly a memorable game. The NES version, while maintaning the basic gameplay mechanics (but more refined), is a non-linear game that alternates between classic action levels and neutral zones to take a breath and find useful objects and information, has a more complex story, and also an incredibly graphic villain death that [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar wasn't censored]]. It's considered among the best games for Nintendo's systemn and, unsurprisingly, it is the version that was remade as ''Bionic Commando: Rearmed'' in 2008.

* '''Concurrently developed:''' the game has been developed concurrently in several versions for many platforms. They are all marketed as the same game and, while one may be the "main" version, each is its own game and is tailored to its platform's graphical capabilities and control interface. Some are stripped-down versions of another, while others may even belong to a different genre. This is somewhat common for {{Licensed Game}}s, though those which were made by different companies for different platforms (e.g. ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'') should be technically disqualified even though they share a title.

* {{Daikatana}} for the [[GameBoyColor GBC]] is a fun little top-down action RPG, much better than the horrible FPS.

* The 8-bit versions of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' and ''SonicTheHedgehog2'' for the SegaMasterSystem and GameGear were radically different from the 16-bit originals on the MegaDrive. The more limited hardware didn't allow for the same speed, which resulted in different levels, storylines and music. Both still hold up well and the GameGear versions in particular are considered more challenging due to their lower screen resolution.

* The first two ''{{Contra}}'' games are quite different between the Arcade and NES versions. The NES ''Contra'' adds many level and bosses while ''Super C'' shuffles around the order of the levels and bosses. The {{MSX}}2 ''Contra'' is even more different, with a whole number of unique levels but no SpreadShot.

* The original ''NinjaGaiden'' is an extreme case. The arcade game is a BeatEmUp; the NES incarnation is a ''{{Castlevania}}''-style action game with a wall-grabbing mechanic and cinematic cut-scenes. The MasterSystem, GameGear and unreleased SegaGenesis versions all claim to be "reprogrammed" versions, yet each one is an original game.

* The original ''NinjaGaiden'' is an extreme case. The Arcade game is a BeatEmUp; the NES incarnation is a platformer with a wall-grabbing mechanic and cinematic cutscenes. The SegaMasterSystem, GameGear and unreleased SegaGenesis versions all claim to be "reprogrammed" versions of ''Ninja Gaiden'', yet each one is an original game.

* ''VideoGame/{{Strider}}''. Its arcade incarnation (and the excellent SegaGenesis port), a straight action game, is a classic on its own right but the NES version, whose prodution started roughly at the same time but was released later, is a much more complex and open {{Metroidvania}}. It is also much closer to the original manga.

* ''VideoGame/{{Castlevania}}'' (NES) and ''Vampire Killer'' (MSX) were released in Japan under the same title at nearly the same time, with similar covers. While they have very similar level design, ''Vampire Killer'' lacks side-scrolling but includes hidden keys which must be acquired to complete levels.

* The early HudsonSoft game ''Nuts & Milk'' was originally a MazeGame on the {{MSX}}, {{PC88}} and other Japanese home computers; the NES version completely redesigned the gameplay and levels around ''Donkey Kong Jr.''-style platforming rather than tunneling.

* ''BionicCommando'' had the neat idea of the bionic arm in place of the usual jumping but wasn't exactly a memorable game. The NES version, while maintaning the basic gameplay mechanics (but more refined), is a non-linear game that alternates between classic action levels and neutral zones to take a breath and find useful objects and information, has a more complex story, and also an incredibly graphic villain death that [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar wasn't censored]]. It's considered among the best games for Nintendo's systemn and, unsurprisingly, it is the version that was remade as ''Bionic Commando: Rearmed'' in 2008.

* ''{{Battletoads}}'' for the GameBoy had similar gameplay and cover art to the NES version, but was largely a different game. This point was brought home when a stripped-down version of the original ''Battletoads'' was ported to the GameBoy as ''Battletoads in Ragnarok's World''.

* Type A: the game was supposed to be a port, and may have been so at the beginning of development, but became very different. Often hardware constraints make a straight port simply impossible; it's also not uncommon for a porting team to have [[NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup no access to the original code and assets]], so they have to develop from scratch. Other times, a port from a less powerful platform is seen as a chance to add features that couldn't just be implemented originally.
* Type B: the game has been developed concurrently in several versions for many platforms. They are all marketed as the same game and, while one may be the "main" version, each is its own game and is tailored to its platform's graphical capabilities and control interface. Some are stripped-down versions of another, while others may even belong to a different genre. This is somewhat common for {{Licensed Game}}s, though those which were made by different companies for different platforms (e.g. ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'') should be technically disqualified even though they share a title.

[[folder:Type A]]

[[folder:Type B]]

* ''VideoGame/CaptainAmericaAndTheAvengers'' by Data East has more or less faithful conversions of the original arcade game on the Genesis and SNES. On the Game Boy and Game Gear it's still a BeatEmUp but the movement is limited to a 2D plane, making it more akin to an action platformer. On the NES it's a completely different affair: only Cap and Hawkeye can be chosen (the other two characters of the other versions, IronMan and Vision, must be saved) and each requires a different approach to the levels, which can be also be played non-linearly. Since it seems to have been released just a few months after the arcade game, it probably fits more in Type B.

* ''Kool-Aid Man'' for the {{Atari 2600}} and for the {{Intellivision}} were two entirely different games, largely because Mattel had to produce both of them on a very tight schedule.

* {{Sega}} released both a console game and an arcade game based on ''MichaelJacksonsMoonwalker''. They had some gameplay elements in common, but the former was a ''{{Shinobi}}''-like PlatformGame, whereas the latter was an isometric BeatEmUp.

* ''Donald Duck: Goin' Qu@ckers'' has several versions.

* ''TheTerminator'' for the SegaCD might have been just the SegaGenesis version by the same developer plus a CD-quality soundtrack and grainy cinematic sequences. While it does have both of those typical features, it also has entirely new levels and weapons. The manual even specifies that the SegaCD version is "not just an upgrade."

* The original ''NinjaGaiden'' is an extreme case. The Arcade game is a BeatEmUp; the NES incarnation is a platformer with a wall-grabbing mechanic and cinematic cutscenes.

* ''CaptainAmerica and Comicbook/TheAvengers'' by Data East has more or less faithful conversions of the original arcade game on the Genesis and SNES. On the Game Boy and Game Gear it's still a BeatEmUp but the movement is limited to a 2D plane, making it more akin to an action platformer. On the NES it's a completely different affair: only Cap and Hawkeye can be chosen (the other two characters of the other versions, IronMan and Vision, must be saved) and each requires a different approach to the levels, which can be also be played non-linearly. Since it seems to have been released just a few months after the arcade game, it probably fits more in Type B.

* The {{Commodore 64}} version of ''{{Dizzy}} Kwik Snax'' is a completely different game to the ZXSpectrum original. On the Spectrum version you have to push blocks to squash monsters on a single screen, on the Commodore version you have to collect Fluffles and guide them to the exit in a side-scrolling gameplay.

* ''{{Strider}}''. Its arcade incarnation (and the excellent SegaGenesis port), a straight action game, is a classic on its own right but the NES version, whose prodution started roughly at the same time but was released later, is a much more complex and open {{Metroidvania}}. It is also much closer to the original manga.

* The {{MSX}} version of ''Game/TheGoonies'' had similar gameplay to the {{Famicom}} version, more primitive graphics, and very different levels. As with ''Vampire Killer'', keys played a major role in the MSX version, which also added an EXP bar.

* ''Game/{{Castlevania}}'' (NES) and ''Vampire Killer'' (MSX) were released in Japan under the same title at nearly the same time, with similar covers. While they have very similar level design, ''Vampire Killer'' lacks side-scrolling but includes hidden keys which must be acquired to complete levels.