In honor of the new 2D Generation, I'm going to explain the non-believers why 2D gaming is far superior to this 3D gaming phase we've been in for the past couple decades. Now, I know what most of you are thinking, "of course 2D is better, everyone knows that", this article is not for you then, you already know the glorious perfectness of gaming in the only good dimensions. But read it anyway, you may learn a few things that will enable you to convert the non-believers.
First off, who needs Z? Gaming was going along just fine with X and Y, there was no need for Z. Games were just fine with the character only moving left/right and up/down, that's where all the real action is. There was no need to involve the ability to move forward and back. Just think about one of the greatest games ever made, Super Mario Bros. Imagine if when Mario came across those bottomless pits, he could just walk around them? Where is the fun in that? [img width=200 height=281]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-027/bf/U-027-S-06290-C.jpg&sizex=200[/img] Or perhaps you're more familiar with Pac-Man. "Oh no there's a ghost coming right at me, oh wait, I can just step to the side with this extra dimension" Yeah, that sure sounds like fun. Clearly, there was no need for this extra 3rd dimension. All it does it just make games easier as your hero can just walk around most obstacles instead of facing them head on like the old days.
This 3rd dimension also brings up another huge problem with 3D games, its too easy to get lost in them! Has anyone in the history of gaming ever started playing Super Mario Bros and not known where to go? Its simple, you go right 99% of the time. Some games mixed it up with having you to go to the left and others allowed you to travel up and down. But in 3D games, you're forced to figure out for yourself where you should go. Do you go to the right? To the left? Who the heck knows, maybe you're supposed to go back from the direction you came from.
Let's compare two games from the Donkey Kong series, Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong 64. Of course, DKC representing 2D games while DK64 represents the 3D games.
| [img width=256 height=224]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-044/ss/ex/U-044-S-01380-A_03.jpg[/img] | .png) |
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| Donkey Kong Country | Donkey Kong 64 |
Notice how its quite obvious that in the first screenshot, Donkey Kong only has two options, go right or to go left. There is no confusion or wasted time backtracking because you went the wrong way. But in the second screenshot, of DK64, DK has an almost infinite number of options, he can go to any of the smaller trees, or maybe that big tree, or perhaps he's supposed to go in the water? Who knows, there could be an underwater cave or something hidden in there?
And finally, what I feel is the biggest advantage 2D games have over 3D games. The graphics are better. For this, we'll compare some extremes. A modern game that is known for "realistic" graphics and a game that is nearly 30 years old. First off, we'll look at that modern 3D game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. [img width=500 height=280]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/repository/23896call-of-duty-4-modern-warfare-2.jpg[/img]Now, many people would (incorrectly) say that those graphics look very good. But really look at it, the foreground is fuzzy and the background just fades into an impenetrable fog. The only part of the image that is clear is the middle of the screen. But did you notice anything else about this image? That's right, there are a whole two colors, brown and splash of green. I'm pretty sure the last time I was outside there were more than those two colors. Before you accuse me of just cherry picking images that were like this, go do a Google Image search for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. They're all like this, in fact here's another one, that does a little better with an astonishing three colors, this time adding in some orange. [img width=550 height=309]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/repository/26733call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2.jpg[/img]
Now, lets look at a game from 1983, when all there was 2D games and the world was greater for it, Keystone Kapers.
[img width=500 height=328]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-005/ss/ex/U-005-S-02370-A_00.jpg[/img]
Look at those colors! Every color of the rainbow is present. Well, except for violet or indigo, I never could tell the difference between them, there is definitely some purple though. But not only are there lots of colors, the lines are all sharp and clean, nothing is fuzzy or blurred or covered in some fog. Clearly, these graphics are superior to those of these current 3D games. Even with 30 years to develop ways to make 3D games look better, they still can't compare to 2D games. I guess that extra D sucks up more processing power than developers can put up with. I won't even compare a modern 2D game with an old 3D game, that might just blow the mind of too many people and cause a sudden spike in the value of the 2D games I desire for myself.
I know I've made quite a convincing argument, but the constant advertisement/brainwashing of modern game developers and publishers has it so engrained into your brain that 3D gaming is superior, many of you will simply refuse this article as the ramblings of a gamer stuck in the past. But I assure you that I speak the truth, go dig out those NES and Atari games, dust off those aging machines and play a few awesome 2-dimensional games and bask in their gloriousness that can not be achieved when three dimensions are involved.
And don't even get me started on these new 3DS games or games that use 3D effects with the glasses. These are the obvious spawn of Satan.
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