Sequels in media will always give a hint of expectation before going into them. Will they be better than what came before it? Do they not update it enough to make it better? Maybe it's somewhere in the middle. Today I'll be looking back on some of my favorite video game sequels that are worthy follow ups.

Donkey Kong Jr.

What made the original Donkey Kong so great was putting both skill and thinking to the test in overcoming the dangers and obstacles that were in your way. You couldn't just rush right in to your goal, and in Donkey Kong Jr. that same challenge is here, but with a reworked formula. Now you were playing as the offspring of the mad ape, climbing up vines and ropes, and Mario was in his first ever role as the bad guy having the ape caged up. The same fun arcade action was present, and it showed that Nintendo was a master of their craft with arcade action.

World of Illusion

Castle of Illusion could be debated as the best Mickey Mouse game ever made, and its sequel that released two years later breathed new life into the imagination of what made the first game so great. Now Donald was along for the ride, and the game could be played in simultaneous two player co-op. On top of that, both Mickey and Donald have their own levels, and if you play through in co-op there are exclusive levels that you won't see in a single player run!

Mega Man V (Game Boy)

One thing to note about Mega Man V on the Game Boy is that it's actually NOT a port of the NES game of the same name. Mega Man must face all new bosses called Stardroids and his first meeting is with one named Terra. The familiar run and gun gameplay returns, but the unique story makes it stand out as a game you don't want to miss if you're a Mega Man fan.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project

When my folks got me this game back in '92 I was beyond stoked to own a TMNT beat 'em up that wasn't an arcade port, but exclusive to the NES. Updating what made the original arcade port great while giving each of the four turtles their own super moves was a fun touch, all while traversing levels while ol' Shredhead has New York levitating in the air.

Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

It took the devs at Naughty Dog only a year to improve upon their first PlayStation game starring everyone's favorite orange, pants wearing, spin crazy critter. While the first game was limited to platforming and riding atop a warthog, here Crash dares the deep waters with a jet powered board, outruns a monstrous polar bear and even escapes a space station as he maneuvers with a jetpack on his back! Just around the corner of the 1997 holiday season, Crash Bandicoot 2 was a stellar sequel, and a must buy for those that love cartoons.

Oddworld: Abe's Exodus

Creator Lorne Lanning considers Abe's Exodus as more of a side story, but it still very much feels like a follow up. This time Abe's journey takes him across two discs, starting off in the Slig infested mines of Necrum, and rescuing over 300 Mudokons this time around, then stopping the Glukkons by shutting down "the boiler". The world is bigger, the puzzles are trickier, and Abe has his work cut out for him even more than before. This time though, Abe has more things that he can possess, such as the greedy Glukkons, and now, even his own explosive farts!

What video game sequels did you think were superior follow ups? Leave a comment and as always, see you next article!