Yeah, after reading all of the replies, I get it now. I took the original post way too literally. I can see how recycling popular character tropes would be a good idea.
That's what I mean though. If they are even somewhat aware of the characters you are borrowing from, they'll know the NPCs are rip-offs, regardless of a name swap. I feel like you would have to do more than just change their name. Perhaps combining characters to make 1, or modifying character traits so they're not 1:1.
I suppose it also depends on whether or not your players care about that sort of thing though, and if you as the DM don't come clean about your shenanigans when caught.
I never mentioned anything about the Dora the Explorer plotlines. That one actually sounds like a pretty good idea. And yes, they should get some from Go, Diego, Go while they're at it lol.
I don't understand how cereal box puzzles would translate over to DnD.
I also don't know about ripping off movie and TV characters and just swapping out the names. I suppose it depends on the character, but I feel like this is the easiest one to tell that it was "stolen".
Using Pokémon descriptions for monsters is aces though, even if you use the older mons. I think Monster Hunter monsters would also translate over pretty well.
My vote is 10 years as an arbitrary number, or 2 or more console generations as the graphics technology will have (hopefully) have advanced enough to make an impactful difference in graphics quality.
Control schemes have largely not changed since the PS3/360 era, so there would be no point in remaking a game solely for that, at least not if it's from around that era. For anyone that has played the Rare Replay, Rare Studio's entire collection of games, Jetforce Gemini (a N64 game) had an option in the control settings to make the controls modernized.
All in all, a game should be remade/remastered if it is going to be significantly different to its original form. A fresh coat of paint does not a remake, uh make. For the best example of proper remakes in my opinion, see the Demon Souls remake or the Halo 2 Anniversary edition.
I like Nickelback and I never understood the hate they got, even if they paid radio stations to play their songs or whatever the stupid controversy was.
Search your feelings. You know it to be true.