What is the difference between a remaster, a remake and a port?

They describe increasing levels of rework, and publishers use the terms loosely enough that the distinction is worth knowing before buying.

A port moves a game to a different platform with minimal change to the game itself. The code is adapted to run on new hardware — different architecture, controls, display. A good port runs well and respects the platform's conventions; a poor one is the source of the phrase "lazy port". The content is the same game.

A remaster takes the original game and improves its presentation while keeping the original assets, code and design largely intact. Typically: higher resolution textures, improved lighting, higher frame rate, widescreen support, better audio, and quality-of-life fixes. The game you play is recognisably the same game, running better. Remasters are comparatively cheap to produce, which is why there are many.

A remake rebuilds the game, usually from scratch in a modern engine, with new assets, new animation, often reworked mechanics, camera, controls and sometimes structure and story. The 2019 Resident Evil 2 and 2020 Final Fantasy VII Remake are examples where the result is substantially a new game sharing a name and premise.

Where the line blurs. There is no agreed standard, and "remaster" is applied to work ranging from an upscaled resolution to something close to a remake. Publishers choose the term that markets best, and "Definitive", "Enhanced" and "Director's Cut" editions add further ambiguity.

What to check before buying:

What actually changed — comparison videos usually reveal it quickly.

Whether it is built on the original code, which usually indicates a remaster.

Whether the original is still available and cheaper.

Whether design flaws were addressed or preserved faithfully — remakes sometimes modernise mechanics that fans considered essential, which is a recurring source of disagreement.

Whether content was removed for licensing reasons, which happens with music.