Classic video games get remastered

Movie studios and music labels do it routinely: get consumers to buy a movie or album a second and third time with remastered editions and extras. Video games are getting more into the act, too. Just released: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, a new edition of the 1998 Nintendo 64 classic, remastered in 3-D for the 3DS handheld system. This new version ($40) has built-in hints and a mode that lets players repeat their battles with the game's major enemies. But the biggest improvement, says Eiji Aonuma, director of the original and the remastered Ocarina, is "the overwhelming presence of the world that sprawled out in 3-D space … a new, more convincing world enhanced by the stereoscopic vision of the 3DS." Publishers often re-release games for new systems years after their first appearance. But fully remastering games is a newer trend that might pay off as players with HDTVs want games with high-definition graphics, says Ricardo Torres of news site GameSpot.com. "They are beginning to use the language you see in music and movies. It's a lot sexier to say 'We have this remastered thing,'" Torres says. "There's a desire to play old games with better visuals; the classics don't hold up too well on an HDTV." Though the practice is unlikely to match the millions of dollars studios and labels make by re-issuing older titles, video game remasters "are a way to get more revenue out of their titles," says Cowen and Company analyst Doug Creutz. "Console makers have a few really big franchises, and they are happy to get as much mileage out of them as they can." Upgrades in the works: •Star Fox 64 3D ($40, Sept. 11). Like Ocarina, this 1997 N64 game is being remastered for the 3DS handheld. New features let you control your aircraft by moving the 3DS, play head-to-head and put your image in the game  even sending a live video feed of your face as you battle. "As a way to play a flying game, it is fantastic," says Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime.