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Are we going through a revolution? Has my personal internal struggle with modern video games finally been resolved? I’m of course referring to the fact that 2D is back, and in a big way. Personally, I’d been getting bored with the ho-hum dozens of space marine FPS games or explanations of games involving “it’s just like Game X, but with an RPG twist!,” and so on. My favorite games of the past few years were either completely original titles (Portal, World of Goo, Katamari series) or ones that were simple and solid definitions of their genre (Ninjatown, N+, Street Fighter IV.) Nowadays, 2D gaming is everywhere. With the announcement that Sega is finally taking Sonic back to his 2D roots, I thought we should take a look at some recent games that have brought 2D into the public’s hearts again.
The biggest herald of this, intentional or not, has been XBLA’s Summer of Arcade. This just came to light for me recently, but all 5 of the series titles are classic 2D games, in spirit. ‘Splosion Man took the 2D platformer to it’s simplest incarnation perhaps ever. There is one button: Explode. This accounts for the characters ability to jump as well, but it proved that solid gameplay mechanics can hold a game together without overcomplicated controls, or unnecessary gimmicky items. Marvel VS Capcom 2 applied the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality and released a straight up port of the Dreamcast version to XBLA.
Trials HD. One of the new faces of 2D.
One of the beat’em’up genres best games, Turtles In Time, got a remake for XBLA replacing 2D sprites with 3D rendered models, but keeping the 2D based gameplay. While it didn’t suit everyone's fancy, it really speaks for this resurgence that a game from the early 90’s was a tentpole in Xbox’s summer lineup. Likewise Trials HD, the true spiritual successor to the original NES Excitebike, while gorgeous, is no more than a 2D “drive from point A to point B” puzzle game. Both prove things can look amazing while still sticking to solid gameplay, and not throwing in all the bells and whistles just because they are available.
Shadow Complex perhaps takes the cake in this recent retro coup. I feel like younger gamers who may not ever have the desire to pick up an SNES controller to play Super Metroid are loving this game, as are older gamers who are elated with the new title's twist on nostalgia. A huge 2D grid mapped Metroidvania action mystery game with tons of hidden items and unlockables was the perfect way to end the summer, and was the greatest love letter to its predecessors ever. It’s the first game I’ve played in a long time that has kept me up past my bedtime, determined to find out more and keep playing.
bitGeneration's Dotstream. Doesn't get any more fun, or simpler, than this.
The trend has silenty been creeping up on us. In 2006 Nintendo released a little known series of 4-bit games in Japan (called bitGenerations) for the Game Boy Advance, a few of which have now made their way to DSi and WiiWare. Last years Braid and Castle Crashers were both critical and commercial successes. The Bit.Trip series is now going into its third game. New Super Mario Bros. was the reason I bought a DS Lite at launch, and that game has now warranted a sequel coming to the Wii. Konami is also releasing Contra: Rebirth, a remake of the original 8bit classic, via Nintendo's WiiWare. Some would even say the newest Punch-Out! is a return to classic form.
I’m in full support of this. Whether the games are 2D or 3D isn't necessarily the argument. Just cater to the gameplay, and not necessarily 100% the technology, and let the game speak for itself. The Force Unleashed was pretty and had a cool physics engine, but as a game it lacked. Games like New Super Mario Bros, Contra: Rebirth, Braid, Castle Crashers, Chrono Trigger, Pokemon, the Bit.Trip series, and this new Sonic title are embracing the past and making the most of it. These are solid titles that may not be pushing the technological envelope, but are providing what is most important; good gameplay.
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