Short Comparative Study of 2D, 3D ad 2.5D Games' Perspectives

   Games nowadays are enjoyed by gamers and non-gamers alike because of its gameplay, story, and graphics and even more enjoyed because games of different consoles nowadays come in different perspectives. Perspectives wherein gamers of different sorts can experience a game in different views and would seem like the game is on a different world, others also prefer more classic views. These viewing perspectives namely 2D, 3D and 2.5 D are perspectives that are standard for game development .

   2D Games:

    Super Mario Bros., Adventure Island, Popeye, Donkey Kong and other popular games we played on NES or more known as the Family Computer were among the leading examples of 2D games. But now in our present time games like the newer versions of Sonic and Mega Man not to mention Patapon and World of goo are the household names in 2D games But what exactly are 2D games ? As defined these are games wherein objects and elements and gameplay itself lie on the X & Y coordinates. Obviously these are games that uses side scrolling or up & down scrolling on its movements (and its projectiles if these games happen to be shooter games). So it is safe to say that once you played a fighting game , a shooting game , adventure or arcade and the gameplay takes place on a plane it is probably a 2D game. "Probably" because of the other more recent game perspective which is the 2.5D.

From top to bottom: SNK's Samurai Showdown, Patapon, Metal Slug and World of Goo

   3D Games: 

   Dominating the gaming industry nowadays , 3D games have indeed revolutionized the gaming universe by bringing state of the art graphics bringing gamers a seemingly close to reality gaming experience. From PC, PlayStation, XBox down to smaller consoles like the Nintendo 3DS and even in smartphones that are Android ready, 3D games are almost everywhere captivating audiences of all sorts. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Assassin's Creed, 2K sports games are some of the many 3D games available nowadays. Again aside from realistic graphics games in 3D perspective allows gamers to view different angles of the game environment making gameplay much more realistic and better. Imagine 3D games like counter strike didn't exist, it wouldn't be so strategic after all because everyone can see each other on a plane(assuming it's only 2D).  

From top to bottom: Call of Duty, NBA 2K13,Mario Galaxy,Madden 2013

   2.5D Games:

   Now with both 2D and 3D games present in today's gaming market developers have seem to innovated a concept wherein gamers can enjoy both. Because some gamers may find 3D games too good and others may find 2D games too classic developers came up with the idea of having games in 2.5D perspective. A 2.5D game is widely defined by sources as actually a 3D game in nature but is being viewed in a 3/4 camera projection or in orthographic perspective. Some simpler definitions suggest that a 2.5 game is a game wherein a 2D sprite in placed in a 3D environment. Quickhit Football, a simulation browser game is one example, most strategy games and Viewtiful Joe are games fit to be called  2.5D games.

From top to bottom: Dragon Ball Z: Revenge of King Piccolo, Conquest: Divide and Conquer, Smash Brothers Brawl, Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds 

   Sources:

   http://www.giantbomb.com/2d/92-1427/
   http://www.giantbomb.com/25d/92-660/
   http://www.giantbomb.com/polygonal-3d/92-1430/
   http://www.giantbomb.com/stereoscopic-3d/92-1204/
   www.eastcoastgames.com/design/glossary.html