When a group of developers is working on a brand-new project, they will almost always have a specific console in mind when creating their new game. However, it does feel as though there are many games out there that could have been even better had they been released on a different console, and there are a few reasons why this could be the case. For example, there are some games that were released at the tail end of a specific system's lifecycle, which would have benefited from being launched on new and improved hardware, had the developers held off for a little while longer. It can also be the case that a game would have been perfectly suitable for a different console's gimmick or mechanic that feeds into the core gameplay.
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There are even some cases where a game was initially planned to drop on a particular system, only to then release on a different console because of complications behind the scenes. Whatever the case may be, these excellent titles below are the biggest examples of games which, while still an absolute blast to play through, could have reached even greater heights had the developers made the choice to shift them to a different console when they were released.
The Last Of Us
Naughty Dog's Survival Horror Epic Came Out At The End Of The PS3's Lifespan
The Last of Us
- Released
- June 14, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
It didn't take long for Naughty Dog's The Last of Us to receive critical and commercial acclaim after it was released in mid-2013. When experiencing the intense survival horror gameplay, compelling story, and memorable cast of characters, it's no wonder that The Last of Us would go on to become so popular, but what's most interesting is that the game officially launched only months before the PlayStation 4 was available on store shelves. While it would inevitably receive a re-release on the PS4, the fact that it was designed to run on the PlayStation 3 meant that Naughty Dog still had to work within the confines of that particular piece of hardware; though, considering how jaw-dropping the game looks from a visual perspective, it's clear they managed to push the system to its absolute limits.
Had Naughty Dog instead decided to develop The Last of Us specifically for the PlayStation 4, it would have looked closer to the remake that would eventually be released for the PlayStation 5 many years later. The story and core gameplay probably wouldn't have been shifted around all that much, but the graphics and animations would have been given a significant boost if the PS3 had been left behind entirely.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Slicing And Dicing Enemies Into Ribbons With A Wii Remote Would Have Been So Much Fun
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
- Released
- February 19, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Action
While a big reason why so many people were hyped about jumping into Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance was because it was being handled by the immensely talented Platinum Games, it was also because of the unique gameplay mechanic, which allows Raiden to precisely aim each swing of his blade. Sure, someone can get through portions of a level by simply button-mashing to their heart's content, but in order to recover health and elevate the score meter, players are encouraged to get a little more strategic by entering Blade Mode to cut an enemy down to size with expert precision.
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The game itself was originally released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but it's hard not to imagine how exhilarating this style of gameplay would have been for the Nintendo Wii with its motion controls. After all, the developers would go on to start releasing their games for Nintendo systems only a year after Rising's release, so giving players even more control over their attacks could have made the game even more immersive and fun than it already is, especially if players were also able to parry incoming attacks to feel like a true cybernetic ninja.
The Wonderful 101
Hideki Kamiya's Superhero Passion Project Would Have Seen Much Greater Success On Other Systems
The Wonderful 101
- Released
- August 23, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Action-Adventure, Beat 'Em Up, Strategy, Adventure
Another brilliant title from Platinum Games that was developed by this team, which also should have been switched to a different system, albeit for very different reasons, is The Wonderful 101. This quirky superhero beat 'em up game takes a top-down perspective where players can establish a giant army of loyal followers who will work together to take down hordes of merciless villains as part of one big, colorful, and vibrant all-out brawl. The game's stylized aesthetic and addictive gameplay loop have made it somewhat of a cult classic, but the main reason it never reached mainstream appeal is that it was released for a system that has become infamous for being somewhat of a disappointment.
It's no secret that the Wii U wasn't the home run that Nintendo was expecting, meaning that many games that were released for it exclusively, including The Wonderful 101, were largely overshadowed by bigger releases on the Xbox and PlayStation. It seems highly likely that this innovative action title could have been a smash hit had it been released for those aforementioned systems, though that doesn't take anything away from the high quality of the game itself, which is still well worth returning to.
Kid Icarus: Uprising
The Most Popular Kid Icarus Game's Only Flaw Is The Control Scheme, Which Is Tied To The 3DS
Kid Icarus: Uprising
- Released
- March 23, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
It's not uncommon to hear people label Kid Icarus: Uprising as one of the best games ever released for the 3DS, and while it's more than deserving of that lofty title, it also has one major flaw, which can end up getting pretty annoying after a few hours, and that's the control scheme. A large portion of the gameplay will feature Pit soaring through the sky while shooting down numerous demons that will try to take him down along the way. Controlling Pit's direction while also firing arrows at incoming enemies can be difficult to handle due to the 3DS only having one thumbstick, and this also applies to the brutal boss battles, which can be a lot harder than they needed to be.
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Therefore, any of Nintendo's future systems that feature dual sticks, including the Wii U, but especially the Nintendo Switch, would have helped to iron out what is by far the game's biggest issue. It's pretty clear when playing Kid Icarus Uprising that Masahiro Sakurai and his team might have bitten off a little more than they could chew, considering the limitations of the 3DS, so it would be great to see this classic entry receive a remaster or even a full-on remake so that players could enjoy everything it has to offer, without being distracted by the clunky controls.
Resident Evil: Revelations
Capcom Should Have Expanded Revelations Out By Putting It On A Home Console
Resident Evil Revelations
- Released
- January 26, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Intense Violence, Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
The 2010s were a weird time for the Resident Evil franchise. With many fans expressing their exhaustion with the series leaning so heavily into the action genre, Capcom decided it was time to tease a return to its survival horror roots by bringing out a game that was a lot slower and more methodical than what had been released in recent years, and the result was Resident Evil Revelations. This game manages to nail the eerie atmosphere and spooky enemy designs that the early entries became so well known for, but what caught many people by surprise was the decision to have this ambitious spin-off launch on the 3DS.
While it plays surprisingly well on a handheld system, there's no doubt Capcom could have fleshed this game out a lot more had it been launched on a home console. For example, the Queen's Zenobia, the ship that players venture through for most of the game, is largely made up of linear hallways and corridors, but it could have been much bigger and more well-realized as an environment if the technology had been there to support it. This also would have made a lot of sense, considering that Resident Evil 5, which was released only a few years before this spin-off, was most played on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, so having Revelations jump over to the 3DS was definitely a strange choice in hindsight.
Until Dawn
The PlayStation 4 Wasn't Originally The Console Supermassive Had In Mind
Until Dawn
- Released
- August 25, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Horror
When Until Dawn was released for the PlayStation 4 in 2015, players were blown away by the deep and compelling interactive story, which allowed them to create their own narrative depending on the choices made throughout the spooky adventure. What many people don't know, however, is that Supermassive, the team that worked on Until Dawn, had planned for it to be a PlayStation 3 game, which would make use of the brand new PlayStation Move device. The foundation of the story and characters more or less remained the same, but the gameplay was going to be a lot more focused on motion controls, since that was the biggest trend at the time.
In fact, it was even going to take a first-person view to immerse players into the experience as much as possible, but all of this would change once it became clear that general audiences weren't all that interested in buying the PlayStation Move just to play certain games. Not only did the first-person angle switch to third person, but the game also became a lot more cinematic, which all led to the much beloved narrative-focused horror game making the move over to the PlayStation 4, and while it was successful on that system, it wasn't the console that Supermassive had in mind when they first started making the game.
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