TheResident Evilseries may not have started onNintendo consoles, but after it skyrocketed in popularity due to the success of the first two entries, it didn’t take long before the games were being ported to these systems, and in some cases, even being developed specifically with them in mind. Though it once seemed unimaginable that a series as gory and terrifying asResident Evilcould ever be embraced by Nintendo, who were often viewed as a more ‘family-friendly’ company, this soon became a reality once the company started to upgrade their hardware, something which immediately caught Capcom’s eye.
As a result, there have since been numerousResident Evilgames released for Nintendo’s systems over the years, with many fans even going as far as to argue that some of these ports are the superior way to play a few of these classic titles. With that in mind, here are the most well-receivedResident Evilgames released for every Nintendo console, along with a deeper analysis of why they ended up becoming so beloved in the first place.
Despite it initially being released for the PlayStation,Resident Evil 2became such a smash hit that it was ported to a few other systems very soon after, including the Nintendo 64. At the time, the console was severely lacking in the horror department, with most of its games beingfirst-party platformers and action-adventure games, so needless to say the creepy atmosphere, fixed camera angles, and terrifying creatures ofResident Evil 2all made a massive impression on players when they first tried it out.
Alongside the incredibly detailed setting of the RPD and compelling story which is full of twists and turns,Resident Evil 2also featured some of the series' most iconic characters, with protagonists Leon and Claire going on to become fan favorites due to their endless charisma and unique designs. It may have been a little bit of a gamble to portResident Evil 2over to the N64, but considering how many copies it ended up selling, Nintendo without a doubt made the right choice in the end.
After taking note of Nintendo’s success with their new handheld systems, Capcom decided to develop aResident Evilspin-off for the Game Boy Color in the form ofResident Evil Gaiden, atop-down FPS hybridthat plays much differently from anything else in the series. Although the game does still feature the traditional survival horror gameplay loop of scanning supplies and seeking out key items, the biggest difference is in the combat where players take a first-person view once they pull out their weapon, allowing them to more accurately place their shots when encountering an enemy.
While it’s a unique take on the classic formula, having to constantly switch between a bird’s eye view and a first-person lens ends up making the game feel very slow and cumbersome at times. Because the story is non-canon, it does mean that Capcom was able to let their imagination run wild with the plot, which does result in it being pretty fun and very over the top. It might not have aged the best, but as the first handheldResident Evilgame,Gaidencertainly could have been a whole lot worse.
To many fans,Resident Evil 3felt like the culmination of everything the series had been gradually building towards with its first two games. Not only were players now able to roam around the entirety of Raccoon City as opposed to just a few key areas, but Capcom also went all-out with their monster designs, such as with the incredibly unnerving Brain Suckers, and of course, the Nemesis himself, a giant behemoth whose sole mission is to hunt down and kill Jill Valentine by any means necessary.
Though the game is a lot more action-oriented compared to the slower and more methodical gameplay of previous installments, the inclusion of Nemesis ensured that there was still always an overwhelming sense of fear in the air, considering that he was able to pop up at any time he wanted. Aside from its fantastic gameplay and story,Resident Evil 3also included plenty of unlockables and even introducedthe Mercenaries mode, which gave players plenty to do after they finished the base game.
Although theResident Evil Remakehad already been released to critical acclaim by this point,Deadly Silenceinstead was an upgraded one-to-one port of the original game which made very good use ofthe DS touch screento immerse players into the experience as much as possible. For example, while traveling through the dark and atmospheric Spencer Mansion, players can use the stylus to attack with the knife, to shake off zombies, and even to solve numerous new puzzles which are added in the brand new “Rebirth Mode”.
This optional game mode essentially mixes around the game’s enemies and puzzles to give longtime fans a fresh experience to jump into, ensuring that everyone, no matter how much prior experience they’ve had with the series, can have an absolute blast playing through this amazing port of the iconic original game.
A lot of fans argue that the Wii version ofResident Evil 4is the best way to experience this classic entry in the series, and when taking into accountthe staggering amount of times that it’s been ported, this is certainly saying something. At its core, the game is more or less the same as the other versions, with the story following the endlessly charismatic Leon S. Kennedy who is on a desperate mission to rescue the president’s daughter from a mysterious Spanish cult, but where the Wii version shines is in its gameplay.
Rather than using a laser sight to line up each of Leon’s shots, players will now need to use the Wii remote’s motion controls to move the crosshair across the screen. This simple addition completely changes how the game is played and implements even more tension into the gameplay since the player will need to remain patient and composed to make it through each area alive, otherwise, even the simplest of encounters can go wrong very quickly. Not every Wii game managed to incorporate the system’s motion controls successfully, butResident Evil 4became a shining example of how they could be used to enhance the experience without getting in the way of the player’s enjoyment.
After a lot of fans started voicing their concerns about the series becoming too action-heavy and leaving behind what made it so special in the first place, Capcom decided to return to its survival horror roots with its innovative 3DS title;Resident Evil Revelations. Taking place on a stranded ship that has been infested with creepy Ooze monsters, the isolated level design and scarce resources madeRevelationsgenuinely scary to play, especially thanks tothe game’s stunning graphics, which were truly impressive for a handheld game at that time.
Despite many of the side characters being a little lackluster,Revelationsdid still bring back Jill and Chris, who both get a lot of time to shine in this entry, with the game doing a good job at showcasing more of their relationship, alongside giving context as to what they got up to beforeResident Evil 5. Aside from the fantastic episodic-style main story,Revelationsalso revamped the classical Mercenaries bonus mode with its brand new Raid Mode, which became wildly popular because of how addictive and competitive it was.
ThoughResident Evil Revelations 2featuresa fully co-op campaign mode, having a buddy there for the ride doesn’t do much to make the game any less scary, as it’s clear that Capcom dedicated a lot of time to making both the enemies and environments in this game as dark and creepy as humanly possible. BecauseRevelations 2also involves a lot more puzzles and item-scavenging compared to its predecessor, it feels a lot closer to home regarding its gameplay, and despite the story seeming a little too over the top for some people, it’s incredibly important to the overall lore.
A prime example of this is how the game’s main villain, Alex Wesker, was the only other surviving participant of the Wesker project, alongside her “brother”, Wesker. This was also the first time fans got to see Barry in a canonical game since the very first entry in the series, alongside his daughter Moira, who was briefly mentioned, but never seen in previous entries. The game is admittedly a little short considering how ambitious its story is, but that’s ultimately a small stain on an otherwise amazing handheldResident Evilexperience.
