It’s no secret at iMore that I love retro games. Seeing Apple allow retro-gaming emulators on its devices back in April was something I never thought I’d see. Using apps like Delta, RetroArch, and Gamma on my iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV has been fantastic. Yet it’s also made me think of how gaming companies have been treating its franchises lately on Apple’s devices.
According to Appmagic data reported by mobilegamer.biz, Capcom's port of Resident Evil 7, first released on gaming consoles and PC back in 2017 and then made available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac on July 3, has bombed in sales. Reportedly, the game has been bought less than 2,000 times, which is worse than terrible.
It’s a shame too, as Resident Evil 7 is a fantastic game. It rescued the Resident Evil series from the brink, following the distinctly average Resident Evil 6 launched in 2010. Resident Evil 2 Remake is still set to be made available to iPhone, iPad, and Mac later this year. Beyond that, Capcom should look at the potential of its other franchises on Apple’s devices.
With this in mind, I’ve looked through the company archives to highlight five franchises that would certainly bring in more than 2,000 sales on Apple’s devices.
Dino Crisis
Classic Resident Evil gameplay, but with dinosaurs. What’s not to like? That’s Dino Crisis in a nutshell. Released in 1999 for the Sony PlayStation followed by the SEGA Dreamcast and PC a year after, you control Regina, an agent who’s been sent to an island to investigate reports of dinosaurs running rampant. The gameplay mirrors the original Resident Evil games in regards to the tank controls and the familiar inventory screen to see if an item fits a certain keyhole.
Although two sequels followed in subsequent years, many fans have a soft spot for the original Dino Crisis, thanks to its fun gameplay and story narrative. If you hang around the gaming side of X and TikTok, you’ve likely seen some fans wishing for a remake in the same vein to what Resident Evil has been getting lately.
However, I’m not hoping for a Dino Crisis remake. Instead, I’d love to see the game be ported to iPhone, iPad, and Mac. This would showcase why the game is so good 25 years after its release.
Street Fighter
Granted, Capcom has released ports of Street Fighter IV for iPhone in the past, but it’s time for the company to go one step further. Street Fighter 6, released in June 2023 for modern consoles and PC, is already considered to be one of the best fighting games ever made. This is down to several factors: the game is incredibly feature-packed, with a World Tour mode that follows a narrative, the ability to play previous Street Fighter games locally or online, and a ‘drive system’ that mixes up how you face different opponents across the game.
Our friends at GamesRadar praised Street Fighter 6 in its review, highlighting how rich the game is. “It's a strong package – arguably the best overall fighting game package ever made – but it'd all be for naught if the fighting system that underpins it all wasn't up to much. It just happens to be the most flexible, versatile, and expressive combat in a Street Fighter game to date.“
I love the idea of starting up Street Fighter 6 on my Mac, or my iPhone when it’s connected to my Razer Kishi Ultra gamepad. There’s a distinct lack of modern fighting games available on Apple devices, and Street Fighter 6 would be a fantastic way to change that. And while we’re at it Capcom, how about crossplay with friends who own the game on console and PC? And why not an arcade stick controller for iPad and Mac? Let’s go.
Devil May Cry
A lesser-known fact: Devil May Cry initially began development as Resident Evil 4 back in 1999 before the development team decided the concept was strong enough to be its own series.
I remember receiving the first Devil May Cry at Christmas in 2001, and I’ve been hooked ever since. For those unfamiliar, you play as Dante, a Devil hunter who is armed with dual pistols, magic attacks, and quips. You can upgrade his skills that can unlock more powerful attacks as you fight through numerous levels. Every game in the series has been available on console and PC for years now, yet none of them have appeared on Apple’s devices.
Perhaps it’s time for that to change. I own the original Devil May Cry on my Nintendo Switch, and it’s perfect for those ‘pick up and play for five minutes’ situations. Those kinds of games are perfect for iPhones, so let’s see if the whole series comes to iPad, Mac, and iPhone someday?
Dead Rising
When a new console is released, there’s usually one game that makes you think, “This game shows that we’re at the next generation of gaming.” Several games have given me this impression, such as Mario 64, Tomb Raider, Metal Gear Solid 2, and Mario Galaxy. Yet it was Dead Rising on Xbox 360, released nine months after the console’s launch, that also gave me the same feeling.
You control Frank West, who must investigate the Willamette Parkview Mall within three days before being rescued by a helicopter. During this time, you’re wading through an ungodly amount of zombies. But what makes this fun rather than stressful is the amount of items you can use throughout this shopping mall to reach the end of day three. Want to grab a shopping trolly to scoop up some zombies? How about some children's toys? It’s all possible. There’s even a Megabuster, the iconic weapon from Capcom iconic Mega Man series, which can blast hordes of zombies away.
Dead Rising is still an incredibly fun game, which can be perfect for iPhone, iPad, and Mac for those moments on a work commute. It’s great timing too, as a remaster of Dead Rising was announced in June. There’s no reason why can’t we have this for iPhone, iPad, and Mac as well.
Power Stone
Power Stone is a hidden gem. So much so that I’d argue it deserves to be brought back to the forefront as much as Dino Crisis.
The first game was released on the SEGA Dreamcast console in 1999, followed by a sequel a year later. In 2006, both games were re-released as a collection on the PlayStation Portable. Power Stone is a fighting game reminiscent of Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. series. You pick a character, run around a stage picking up items to help your cause and try to win a match by beating up your opponent until their life bar is depleted.
Power Stone also draws from some Japanese anime such as Dragon Ball Z and Zyuranger, which Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was adapted from. You can also unlock ‘super forms’ of the characters, which can change up the match and also transform some stages, making the fights even more tense and exciting.
Fans of the series, myself included, have been clamoring for a re-release of the two games, but Capcom has, much like Dino Crisis, put it to one side. However, Power Stone would be perfect as an online multiplayer remaster that you can play across all Apple devices. Imagine firing up Power Stone on your iPad, connected to an 8BitDo Pro 2 controller, while a friend joins the match on their iPhone, armed with a Razer Kishi Ultra gamepad. Power Stone is another great example of a game that can be played for short bursts, but once you start, much like a Pringle snack, it can be hard to stop.
The time is now, Capcom
Resident Evil is Capcom's crown jewel, there’s no question of that. Yet I can’t help but feel that it’s missing the point of the types of games that many casual users play on their iPhones. These are games that you can play in short bursts, ones that you can play for five minutes but feel like you’ve made some progress regardless.
Every Resident Evil game follows a strong narrative, whether that’s about Leon Kennedy in a village, or Claire Redfield in a laboratory. These games require you to pay attention to make sure you’re not lost on where the story is going. That’s not ideal for a train commute or for other occasions like waiting to be served in a coffee shop.
At least four of the above franchises can easily fit into those quick situations — a quick Power Stone match or a short side mission in Devil May Cry, for example. These games could appeal to iPhone and iPad owners especially than what Resident Evil currently does.
I hope Capcom realizes this soon, as it has a fantastic opportunity on Apple’s devices that it may be squandering.
