A wave of retro game revivals is hitting 2025, featuring classic titles like Tony Hawk, Tomb Raider, and Suikoden with modern upgrades, new content, and multi-platform launches. It’s a thrilling comeback for timeless gaming icons.
2025 will be a phenomenal year for retro gamers. Developers and publishers are taking older games from the past and giving them modern-day tweaks and fresh presentations. These remastered releases, from classic role-playing games to gasp-inducing action games, promise to bring back the memories to old-school gamers as well as present timeless great gameplay to new gamers.
Here is a list of ten of the most highly anticipated remakes and remasters of old games that will be coming out this year.
Release Date: July 11, 2025
Platforms: Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series X|S, PC
After the massive success of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, Vicarious Visions is back with remastered editions of the classic third and fourth games. Players can expect enhanced 4K graphics, perfected mechanics, and new playable characters, including Doom Slayer for the Deluxe Edition. The classic punk-rock soundtrack is also returning, along with a couple of new inclusions.
Release Date: February 14, 2025
Platforms: Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series X|S, PC
Lara Croft’s PS1-era games, The Last Revelation, Chronicles, and The Angel of Darkness, are being remastered with new lighting, controls, and graphics. Players can seamlessly switch between original and improved visuals in real-time, providing a convenient nostalgic experience. Bonus: Restored cut content from the original versions.
Release Date: 18 April 2025.
Platforms: Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC
JRPG enthusiasts, rejoice! The cult Sega CD originals, Lunar: Silver Star Story and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue, are returning with widescreen functionality, re-recorded voice acting, and improved animations. The emotional storytelling and strategic turn-based combat are timeless, now updated for modern players.
Release Date: May 16, 2025
Platforms: Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC
Capcom reverts to its glorious arcade legacy with the introduction of a follow-up fighting collection, with Power Stone, Capcom vs. SNK 2, and Project Justice included in the compilation. The collection will likely have rollback netcode, online lobbies, and training modes, therefore making it competitive yet accessible to new players.
Release Date: April 2025
Platforms: Game Boy Advance (cartridge), Switch, PS4/PS5, PC
Originally developed back in the early 2000s for the Game Boy Advance but never released, this "lost" Shantae game is now finally getting its long-awaited release. WayForward has kept the retro pixel art but also included optimized versions with the added multiplayer and additional music tracks.
Release Date: May 6, 2025
Platforms: Multi-platform
Following a lengthy period of doubt, this pirate action-adventure title is now ready to set sail. Having been cancelled in 2010, the re-imagined title features deep sword combat, sea battles, and engaging narration, all atop a major graphical revamp.
Release Date: Spring 2025
Platforms: Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, X|S, PC, Atari VCS, PS VR2
Psychedelic game design guru Jeff Minter is remaking the 1984 arcade classic I, Robot, the precursor to the truly real-time three-dimensional polygon games. Frenzied neon color schemes, breakneck play, and hyperactive sound effects are the name of the game in this retro-futurist cocktail meant to astound.
Release Date: 6th May 2025
Platforms: PlayStation 5
This classic RTS is at last arriving on Sony’s console. With all the expansions, PS5 players can build empires in 4K, play friends online, and live through centuries-long campaigns. Strategic combat has never looked this good.
Release Date: March 6, 2025.
Platforms: PC, Consoles
Konami’s retro JRPGs return with remastered visuals, new lighting effects, and improved battle systems. The series retains its 108-recruitable-characters charm, supplemented now by auto-save, fast-forward combat, and redrawn maps.
In Development
Sega is going all in on the nostalgia craze with modern reboots of classic franchises like Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Golden Axe, and Virtua Fighter. They’re not remasters, but complete overhauls that blend retro looks with modern gameplay mechanics. Not much is said, but trailers have hinted at revamped cityscapes and new multiplayer modes.
Whether you’re a long-time gamer looking for the nostalgia of your youth or an interested newcomer looking to see where today’s gaming came from, 2025 has something special in store. With developers committed to updating these older games to maintain what makes them endearing while bringing them up to speed on modern hardware, the retro revival trend is more than just a wave, it’s a full-on tsunami. It’s time to dig out your controller and relive the magic once again.