[BubTheBuilder]

For an example of a really horrible audio "upgrade", check out the Ninja Gaiden Trilogy (remake) on the SNES where they replaced the well-crafted NES instruments with SNES samples just triggered for the same notes and beats. Theoretically could have sounded amazing but is like nails on a chalkboard. Not apples to apples comparison with these SNES->SNES restorations of course.

[b3ing]

They picked jazzy samples instead of actually thinking about how each track should sound. Many definitely deserve pipe organ, violins, harp, guitar or something better than horns. I don’t think the NES had real instruments it was mostly square/sine waves, but it was done in a way you could imagine the pipe organ, etc.