How do you feel about 2.5D platformers?

[alienjesus]

I was reading the review of Batman: The brave and the bold on IGN and got really pissed off when I saw that he says the 2D style makes it look like a downloadable game and not a retail game. Is this 1995? Haven't we gotten past the 3D is the future bullshit yet?

"mainstream" "harcore" gaming sites. haHAha.... they suck

Let's face it, these people only care about what's trendy. These are the same people who will criticize a game for not having online because, well, that's what everyone else is doing. I've actually read reviews that actually say that. Criticizing a game simply for not conforming, ridiculous. It's the same here with the comment about 2D graphics. God forbid someone release a 2D game that ISN'T a downloadable title. That's against the rules, all games must conform!

Ugh, the gaming industry is so annoying right now

I find it especially wierd as a fair few 2D games have been released on Wii. Muramasa, A Boy and his Blob, Wario Land Shake Dimension, Geometry Wars Galaxies cometo mind. And thats not even taking into account the likes of 2.5D platformers like New Super Mario Bros.

[Auron_Amarth]

I think a series can make a smooth transition from 2D to 2.5D if it wants. For example, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards was in 2.5D, but it was still a great game.

I agree. I just recently finished Kirby 64 and had a lot of fun with it. Not as good as Kirby Superstar, but a great game nonetheless.

I personally wish we had more 2.5D platformers. Games like Klonoa, Wild 9, Pandemonium, Nights into Dreams, etc. are amazing. Combining the great colorful graphics on a 2D plane was great. Much more focused and less tedious than most of the collect-a-thon 3D platformers of the time (looking at you, DK64 )

[dreamcast4ever83]

yep

[AppleQueso]

I don't even know if NiGHTs would count as a 2.5D game. It's some crazy I-don't-know-what but I like it.

[dreamcast4ever83]

I don't even know if NiGHTs would count as a 2.5D game. It's some crazy I-don't-know-what but I like it.

I made another pst subject after i noticed how old this one was and also i started to think about other question. I would love you input on it on my other post

[Godot102]

I've seen games transition to 2.5D and do it pretty well. Some games that come to mind: Goemon's Great adventure, Megaman X8, powered up, and maverick hunter X. A lot of people also seem to like Tomba for ps1 but i've never played it.

[Gunstar Green]

I have a love-hate relationship with them.

On one hand they're keeping the 2D game style that I love alive but on the other hand most don't quite feel like the 2D ones did. You don't really get the flat, pixel-perfect experience with 2.5D games that you do with actual 2D games though I admit a few of them like Mega Man Powered Up have come pretty close.

[J T]

I like some 2.5D games, and there are some that rank amongst my favorite platformers (like Klonoa or Sonic Generations).

Now that we've got that out of the way, I think as a general rule, a straight 2D works best (or one of those old fashioned 8-bit depth tricks where the foreground scrolls faster than the background). The reason for this is simply because it's easier to see what you are doing and where you are landing. If you need to make a lot of crisp, fast, and precise movements (which many of the best platformers require), then you do your player a favor by opting for a simpler 2D visual presentation.

[Cronozilla]

That's called parallax scrolling.

It should happen automatically in 3D rendered junk (since parallax scrolling is a way to simulate that effect) but I don't think the depth is messed with as much, so it's generally unnoticeable. (Or the background is just a skybox so there is no depth at all)

[GameMasterGuy]

I just see them as 2D games with spruced up graphics and treat them as such.