[AvengingGibbons]

I'd recomend spending your efforts on the visuals, to get the realtime graphics as close as possible to that of a pre-rendered environment. Don't change the game too much from the original, but do add things that would have appeared in the original if it had been technically possible at the time.

More animations for actions. Like, when Abe runs and jumps up a ledge, you expect his body to swing a lot more as he grabs onto the ledge; you could have him run and jump to grap a ledge, and his momentum swings his body into the side of the ledge and he grunts as he slams against it. The animation should vary depending on the height of the ledge. For example, if the ledge is about shoulder height, then Abe should be able to jump up, and not so much have to grab the ledge rather he thrusts himself up with his hands with relative ease.

When bombs explode, Abe's knock down should be a reaction to the direction from which the explosion happens. Sligs should attempt to throw bombs back. Sligs should see the bomb land infront of them and go 'huh?' or they should panick, some should scream/cry, some should be cocky and just laugh to themselves. i agree with Mac Sirloin that the sligs should appear to have their own personalities, maybe portrayed using different attitudes towards events (some show fear, some laugh, some cry, some are clumbsy, some are less intelligent, some are bossy, some are bullies, some are push overs), and their mental states. The bombs should glow red a second before exploding. Abe should be seen to activate the bomb. Abe should shield himself with his arms when bombs explode at a distance that isnt near enough to cause a knock-down.

The classic gameplay and visuals of the original with these sorts of dynamic animations would make for a great remake I think. I like (Mac Sirloin's?) suggestion for letting the sligs communicate with one another, have some banter amongst themselves, which could relate to the story. Like, Abe could walk past a slig who is on the phone listening to orders to start a search for Abe, near the beginning of the game.