Polygon's latest Patch Notes column makes the case that two high-profile revivals — Nintendo's new version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Blizzard's World of Warcraft: Forever — represent "the good kind of remakes."

The argument hinges on what separates these projects from the industry's usual remake template. Rather than the full visual overhauls and systemic reworks that have defined recent big-budget remakes, Polygon frames Nintendo's and Blizzard's efforts as a different approach to bringing classics forward.

It's a timely debate. Remakes and remasters now occupy a huge share of major publishers' release slates, and the question of how much to change — versus how much to preserve — splits both developers and players. That two of gaming's most protective rights-holders, Nintendo and Blizzard, are being cited as the model is the interesting part.