Video Game Series That Deserve A Comeback

Known as Mother 2 in Japan, Earthbound was one of Nintendo’s first successful role-playing games that managed to bridge the gap between Japanese and American audiences. It contained experimental game mechanics that have become the norm in RPGs, plenty of satirical humor, and an emotional and interesting plot.

Since its arrival in 1994, Earthbound has gone on to become one of the most praised titles in history and it considered a pioneer in role-playing games. Unfortunately, neither the sequel or Earthbound’s predecessor ever saw official releases outside of Japan, effectively depriving fans from North American and Europe from being able to enjoy more of the series.

Despite the fact that only two games were ever released in the Chrono series, the franchise is arguably one of the greatest role-playing games of all time. Having launched on the SNES in 1995, Chrono Trigger received near universal critical acclaim and went on to sell millions of copies. In particular, praise centered on its evolution of the genre after the success of Final Fantasy and The Secret of Mana, improving graphics, battle systems, and the cast of characters. It also showcased an amazing open-world exploration, alternate endings, and an interesting skill/combo system. 

It was so successful that it spawned a PlayStation sequel in the form of Chrono Cross, which functioned as a terrible sequel, but was a great game regardless. Unfortunately, Square Enix has concentrated on its other properties in the intervening years, only releasing the original games on new platforms rather than developing any new entries.

No list looking at gaming series that need to make a comeback would be complete without considering Half-Life 3. The third title in the franchise has become synonymous with vaporware as it has seemingly been in development since the release of Half-Life 2: Episode 2 in 2007.

During that time, Valve has kept quiet about the possible sequel and it is not even known whether the company is actively working on the game. With no announcements to suggest otherwise, it looks like players will have to wait a lot longer to see the conclusion of Gordon Freeman’s story. 

Created by legendary designer Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo, F-Zero is a racing game that originally released in 1990 for the SNES. It stood out from typical racers due to its fast-paced gameplay, challenging difficulty, and distinctive soundtrack.

Since the 2004 release of F-Zero: Climax, the Japanese publisher has not made any further announcements about bringing back the series, with Miyamoto saying that he hasn’t felt the need to revive it on modern consoles. 

Although the Final Fantasy series is best known for its role-playing entries, there are also some other spin-offs that have proved successful. One of these was the PlayStation release of Final Fantasy Tactics in 1997. Differing from other installments in the franchise, FFT had a much deeper combat system that included a three-dimensional isometric field for players to move through as they battled their enemies. However, Square Enix has left the series behind to concentrate on the other Final Fantasy titles in recent times. 

It is interesting to note that in 2003, Square Enix did try to use a similar formula in the Game Boy Advance title Final Fantasy Tactics Advanced. While the game is not a direct sequel, it did use many of the same mechanics and elements. However, while it was successful, fans criticized it for a weaker story and cast of characters. 

From its debut in 1991, Road Rash has done its very best to set itself apart from most other racing games. Not only did it feature motorcycles, but it also introduced the ability to fight with the other racers. Add into the mix a police system whereby officers would attempt to chase you down, and you've got the perfect recipe for an action-packed racer. 

In total, there were six installments across a variety of platforms, ending with 2002’s Road Rash: Jailbreak. Since then, a number of developers, including Burnout studio Criterion Games, have looked into reviving the brand, but none have taken the mantle.