Coffee Talk #79: 2D Gaming in 2010

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Stephon Marbury’s adventures in China, your Super Bowl XLIV prediction, or Austin Aries being the second-best wrestler in Ring of Honor, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Sega’s announcement that Sonic the Hedgehog will be returning for a brand new 2D adventure has me excited. 2D Sonic games were a huge part of my childhood and stayed with me in my teens and college years. They were just so well done, offering clever gameplay and an unmatched sensation of speed. Plus, Sonic was just cool! (Well…he was until Urkel started voicing him in the cartoon. That was his downfall. Trust me.) Ah, the days when 2D was king…. (I’m going to fetch Daniel Stern for a Wonder Years-type voice over.)

It actually took me a while to get used to 3D games. For the most part, I hated the first generation of 3D platformers and fighting games. They didn’t have the precision controls and deep gameplay that 2D games offered. So much effort put towards the graphics that other aspects of these games fell short. Obviously 3D games have gotten past those growing pains and are today’s norm. But where does that leave new 2D titles?

Do gamers care for new 2D games? Do they sell because of novelty and nostalgia? Is that enough? Did Shadow Complex open the door for fresh 2D gaming experiences? Or was that an anamoly? I’d love to hear your thoughts on 2D gaming in 2010, so please shout it out in the comments section!

Author: RPadTV

https://rpad.tv

31 thoughts on “Coffee Talk #79: 2D Gaming in 2010”

  1. I don't really care about new 2D games, shadow complex was an impulse buy for me, and I still have yet to finish my first playthrough. It is boring to me. However, I can still go back and play Zelda, or any mario game from the NES, and a lot of old gameboy and NES games that I played when I was younger. They are still fun, and they still had good quality, unlike what I feel kids games have now. Kids games, to me, feel so much more dumbed down than they used to, and it just doesn't work in my opinion.

    Give me my NES or GB, or any other old school system if 2D gaming is what's on the menu.

  2. I love 2D games and I think they definitely have their place in gaming. Several franchises, Sonic, Mega Man and Worms included just don't belong in 3 dimensions. I think it is very understandable that some games continue to be released in 2D. Mario Galaxy is cool but look at what New Super Mario Bros Wii has been able to accomplish.

    I also maintain that Shadow Complex was one of the best games I played in 2010. It opens the door to reboots of many of my favorite games including Megan Man, Castlevania, and Contra.

    I think the PSN and Live arcade saved the 2D game, and thank god for it, for us older players 2D gaming will always have a special place in our hearts. I can't speak for the kids though, I just hope they aren't too pampered with titles like Halo and Call of Duty.

  3. I'd like to see a new metroid in 2D as well. It was unfortunate that 2D gaming basically died when the PS1 and N64 came out. To me, 2D platforming should always have its own genre, just like shooters, RPGs, and others

  4. I still love 2-D games probably why I still have my NES and SNES still. I loved that they went back to 2-D for Mega Man 9 & 10. Also for the NSMB for the Wii. I've also found myself playing the 8-bit version of left for dead more and enjoy it immensly. (sp?) I'm all for playing for 2-D games and agree with Shockwave that they should release more of these games. Wow, I just remembered that they're rebooting NBA JAM for the Wii. It better stay in a 2-D format. I don't think I will like if they try to add some type of 3-D angles like NBA live or NBA 2k series.

  5. haha, touche Rpad – funny thing is usually I'm spitting off the previous year in to March. I guarantee you I'll refer to this year as 09 at some point

  6. I enjoy a good 2D game. Personally I disliked Shadow Complex because you had to shoot "in" to the screen and I felt that was very imprecise. I would have bought the game if not for that.

    If you haven't played Trine on PSN then do so. Great controls for a 2D game.

    If you aren't sold on how awesome a 2D game can be…play Symphony of the Night.

  7. @smartguy what system is Symphony of the Night on?

    also, I will say that so far the only 2D game I can think of, and I don't know why I did not remember this game before, but Braid was a game I fell in love with. I'm still trying to beat the whole game in under 45 minutes for that last achievement. I still do not like Shadow Complex that much, but Braid is worth the money I spent on it and then some.

  8. @completely unrelated

    I found this video to be pretty interesting and thought somebody else might find it cool too.

  9. @smartguy

    Thank you for helping me remember the name of the game. I couldn't place the pic that rpad provided for the topic. I knew it was a Castlevania game but couldn't remember the name!

  10. @bsukenyan It's a pretty brilliant game. When it came out, I was arguing with my friend at Entertainment Weekly over it. I loved it; it was wonderfully refined 2D platform game that hit on so many levels–gameplay, graphics, music, etc. He brushed it off for not being 3D and not being anything new.

  11. @Ray. I will give new games a chance, but at the same time I know that some times I don't like change with some things. I am looking forward to checking this game out when I get the chance.

  12. I think 2D games are still needed but 3D games rule. Little Big Planet is the 2D game that enjoyed the most this gen.

  13. i think the future of mortal kombat should go back to 2d, midway should just release sequels in hd and release them on psn and xbl

  14. @Sandrock – well past-due on their part. I don't even know why Sony supports the PS2 still. I think it hurt initial PS3 sales personally.

  15. yeah just looked it up and found something on some website

    Customer Service Priority Access

    Priority access to PlayStation s customer service both online and via phone should you need technical help or have questions about your products. This feature gives you support with little to no waiting.

    Exclusive Experiences with Sony Brands

    Get member-only access to attend exclusive Sony events and experiences throughout the year, including those offered by PlayStation, Sony Pictures, and Sony Music.

    Extended Console Warranty 3 Years

    Get your PS3 warranty extended to 3 years as part of your overall subscription (requires you to keep your subscription active). The standard warranty on your PS3 is 1 year.

    Access to Beta Games

    Get access to Betas of popular games not yet released at retail (Betas offer bigger experiences than typical game demos). You will have the ability to play these games before others do.

    Early Access to All Store Content

    Get early access to select free and purchasable game related content on the PlayStation Store before it s available to everyone else. This includes games, add-ons, themes, avatars, as well as free game demos.

    Member Demo Sharing of Full Game

    Share a level of a game that you just purchased for your PS3 with a subscriber who doesn t own the game. Your friends could do the same. This would be an exclusive demo not available otherwise to those who haven t purchased the game.

    Cross-game Voice Chat Access

    Get exclusive member-only access to cross-game voice chat. This is the ability to use your headset to voice chat with friends on your PS3 regardless of what they are doing on the PS3.

    Full Title Trial 1st Hour Is Free

    Download full versions of select Blu-ray and PSN game titles and have the chance to play the entire game (single or multiplayer) for free for the first hour. After that time you will have the option of purchasing the game to continue playing.

    Token Wagering

    Get a fixed number of tokens per month you can wager with other players in competitive online games. These tokens could then be built up and redeemed for free PlayStation Network games and other content.

    User-to-user Challenges

    Unlock developer-created challenges while playing games. Compete with your friends to see who can be the first to complete these challenges. The PS3 will automatically offer and track challenges and winners and would post results. An example of a challenge is first to get 10 trophies in a particular game.

    Free Access to PSOne Classics, PSP Minis, and PS3/PSP Themes

    Get a fixed number of PSOne Classic games, PSP Minis (bite-sized games), and PS3/PSP themes per month to keep for free for as long as you are a subscriber. The PlayStation Store offers these types of content for $2-6 each.

    Discounts on Store Content

    Get weekly member-exclusive discounts on specific games, game add-ons and themes on the PlayStation Store. Discounts may range from 20-50% off regular retail prices.

    Member Only In-game Content

    Get exclusive member-only in-game content for your PS3 or PSP such as new game play options, unlocked in-game weapons or player slots, exclusive levels, costumes/skins, and PlayStation Home spaces.

    Trophy Alerts

    Get automated alerts on your PlayStation XrossMedia Bar, PlayStation.com, and via text message (if you so choose) that alert you when your friends get any trophy or a specific one. This feature is customizable you can choose which friends to receive alerts from and what kinds of alerts.

    Cloud Storage Space for Games

    Store your game saves on a virtual secure saver. This would allow you to access your game saves at any point in time, and from any PlayStation 3 or PSP console you are logged in on.

    Online Music Service

    Get a streaming music service that allows you to choose your channel based on music style, artist type, etc. and listen to an unlimited number of tracks. This service would be for use outside of playing a game and similar to Pandora or a Last.fm.

    Online Music Video Service

    Get a streaming music video service on your PlayStation 3 that lets you stream music videos from a continuously growing catalog of music and allows you to create a custom playlist to play back.

    Automatic Downloads and Updates

    Customize the types of updates you want your PS3 to download automatically. These include game updates (patches) for games that you own, firmware updates, and game demos downloaded on your PS3 without manually having to select them and wait for them to finish downloading. Your PS3 can be set to automatically turn on for updates and turn off after completion.

    Loyalty Program Rewards

    Get rewards the longer you are a subscriber and also earn rewards by engaging with PlayStation such as buying games, downloading movies, and rating products. Rewards can include full versions of PlayStation Network games and digital movie rentals from the PlayStation Store.

    Facebook Connectivity

    Access to member-exclusive Facebook features on your PlayStation 3, such as viewing and linking your Facebook accounts with their PSN ID s, updating your status, editing, uploading and sharing photos, and viewing photo albums of your friends on your TV.

    Catch-up TV

    Get access to popular TV shows and movies through service providers such as Hulu, simply by clicking an icon on your PS3 XrossMedia navigation bar.

  16. What do you guys think the access fee for PSN will be? Do you think they will put multiplayer behind a paywall?

Comments are closed.