Blizzard surprises today by launching Warcraft 2 and Warcraft 1 remasters with 'hand-drawn graphics, UI improvements' and more

Blizzard surprised us with a Warcraft 2 Remaster. We knew it was coming but they still managed to surprise us during their celebration of Warcraft 30th Anniversary. Not only does it remaster its mega hit RTS but it also remasters the original -- and both are available today.

The remastered versions of each game will feature brand new hand-drawn graphics that capture the original style. You'll be able switch between the original graphics in real time and the remastered version," said Warcraft manager Brad Chan.

The remasters will require some time to really see how they compare to the original pixels. However, from a quick glance at the trailer, I think they look great. The animations are simple, but I can't help but notice that the cartoony drawings look exactly like Warcraft 2's artwork, only HD-ified.

Warcraft 1 will soon receive some much-needed updates to make it more appealing to modern players. These include 16:9 support and control options that have become standard in the years since its release. You can now use the right-click option to move units, rather than relying on hotkeys. You can also draw a rectangle to select multiple units and not have to hold down Ctrl.

Both Warcraft 1 & 2 have received "various UI & UX improvements, such as tooltips, health bars, mission select screens, increased unit selection, and increased unit choice." If you recall the original versions, there were a limited number of units that you could select and you had no way to tell how much health each unit had. You had to check the icons on the sidebar. This information will be displayed on the playfield, which is a nice improvement.

Chan was most excited to reveal the Warcraft 2 remasters in today's livestream celebrating the 30th anniversary. It is a great feature. He said that Warcraft 2 would still have multiplayer and all legacy custom map will be fully compatible and playable.

The remasters can be purchased separately (Warcraft 1 costs $9.99, and Warcraft 2 costs $14.99) or in a new Battle Chest along with Warcraft 3: Reforged. This game received a major 2.0 update that addresses some of the long-standing criticisms from the community about the disappointing remaster.