The Best Games That Blend 2D And 3D Platforming

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Key Takeaways

  • Platform games have evolved from classics like
    Pitfall
    to 3D masterpieces like
    Super Mario 6.
  • Neko Ghost, Jump!
    offers unique gameplay mechanics by shifting between 2D and 3D platforms.
  • Super Paper Mario
    and
    Sonic Generations
    demonstrate successful integration of 2D and 3D platforming.

As a longtime gamer who has traversed the digital landscapes of various worlds, I must say that these games take me back to my childhood days when jumping and running were the mainstays of video game adventures.

Platform games have been a staple since, if not right from the start, then certainly after some significant time has passed. Games like Donkey Kong and Pitfall might have appeared long after the introduction of classics such as Pong, but they demonstrated that allowing players to jump between platforms in real-time was a winning formula. This concept quickly expanded, with the NES giving us timeless titles like Super Mario Bros and Mega Man, and Sonic the Hedgehog spawning numerous other platform games featuring anthropomorphic characters.

3D graphics revolutionized gaming by adding a third dimension, enabling players to move in multiple directions. Games like “Super Mario 64” and “Crash Bandicoot” demonstrated this effectively. Although these games didn’t completely phase out the traditional sidescrollers, some 3D platformers have successfully blended their multi-directional moves with traditional 2D gameplay.

8 Neko Ghost, Jump!

Early Access To Feline Fun

  • Developer: Burgos Games
  • Platforms: PC (Early Access), Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Atari VCS (planned)
  • Release: January 2022 (Early Access)

It appears that indie PC games and decades of internet content suggest a strong affinity among people for puzzle platform games and cats. Consequently, incorporating a feline character into a game could potentially make it popular quickly, particularly if it offers unique mechanics alongside its adorable cat-themed aesthetics, much like in the game Neko Ghost, Jump! . In this game, Nekoman is on a mission to rescue his bride, friends, family, and the entire Nekoworld from the Space Dog Pirates by navigating through various levels.

To successfully navigate these challenges, he’ll need to employ two extraordinary skills. Initially, he can transition between 2D and 3D dimensions to uncover fresh paths when regular ones are obstructed. Secondly, his spectral form can depart from his physical body to combat adversaries. However, beware of where you leave Nekoman’s corporeal self as it remains susceptible to harm. If players manage to grasp these mechanics, they can swiftly traverse levels at high speed. Despite being in Early Access, the game offers more than 40 levels and a plethora of personalization choices, making it an appealing choice for many.

7 Crush

Experiencing New Dimensions In Virtual Reality

  • Developer: Zoë Mode
  • Platforms: PSP, Nintendo 3DS (as CRUSH3D)
  • Release: May 2007 (PSP), January 2012 (3DS)

The Nintendo Switch is an exceptional gaming console that allows individuals to play large titles such as Yakuza Kiwami and Super Smash Bros Ultimate wherever they go. Yet, with the boundary between portable and home gaming being erased, some have mourned the potential disappearance of a space for creative, moderately-priced puzzle games similar to those found on older handheld devices. Although they were niche, these games could often be more imaginative than the big AAA games.

In essence, “Crush” was a puzzle-platformer akin to Burton’s style, featuring a character named Danny who confronts his traumas within the CRUSH system or attempts to break free from its digital realm. The narrative varies based on whether players experienced it on the PSP or 3DS version. Both versions necessitate the player to transition between 2D and 3D gameplay to dodge perils and solve puzzles. Additionally, a top-down 2D view, reminiscent of classic Zelda games, can be utilized to discover a fresh vantage point that facilitates progression.

6 Perspective

Taking A Fresh Look At Platforming

  • Developer: DigiPen Institute of Technology
  • Platform: PC
  • Release: December 2012

“Viewpoint”. It streamlines matters by not involving a narrative, let alone two separate stories like “Crush”. The task for players is straightforward – guide their small blue character from the starting point of each level to the end target. However, simplicity quickly fades when they encounter immovable obstacles. To circumvent these, they must think outside the box, quite literally.

In 2D play, users navigate freely but cannot adjust the camera perspective. Conversely, in 3D mode, they can rotate the camera, though not control the player character directly. To bypass orange platforms without losing progress, players must employ the 3D setting to discover a fresh, accessible 2D route over walkable blue platforms, eventually reaching the goal. As levels advance, they’ll encounter increasingly intricate puzzles that involve shifting dimensions.

5 Fez

A Fancy Hat Capable Of Fancy Tricks

Taking a trip down memory lane, Fez is predominantly recognized today for its outspoken creator, Phil Fish, who ended up cancelling the game’s sequel and departing from the video game industry following criticisms from gamers. Despite his sharp demeanor (“Consider your life against mine…”), he didn’t deserve the overwhelming harassment he faced. This was unwarranted, especially considering there are industry figures who continue to succeed despite actions that make Phil Fish appear as benevolent as Mahatma Gandhi.

Nonetheless, Fez sees Gomez don the titular hat to discover his 2D world has a third dimension, which he can rotate to take new paths he hadn’t seen before. By using the power of the fez to rotate the world around him, Gomez can solve puzzles and collect cube fragments in order to bring balance to the universe. Fish didn’t think the mechanics were especially unique, but they were unique enough in 2012 to make it an award-winner, and it still holds up as a solid game today.

4 Super Paper Mario

The Paper Plumber Ditches Stats To Go 3D

These games – Fez, Crush, Neko Ghost, Jump! – share a distinctive trait: They’ve all been likened to Super Paper Mario. Initially, the first two became widely recognized as role-playing spin-offs of the classic plumber’s escapades. However, Super Paper Mario stirred some controversy by going back to platform gaming. In this game, Mario, Peach, Bowser, and Luigi had a mission to save the very essence of reality from Count Bleck. To accomplish this, they traversed different 2D worlds, leaping along the way, in search of Pure Hearts and allies called Pixls, who granted them special abilities.

One such ability lets them shift into a 3D plane to find hidden routes and objects behind the 2D terrain, but if they stay in 3D too long, they’d take a hit. They could unlock the ability to go 3D for as long as they liked, though by then the game was basically over, and outside the hidden goodies, there wasn’t a lot to see. That’s why some fans still prefer the original RPG gameplay of Paper Mario and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Still, Super Paper Mario is a fun game in its own right, and pretty dark for a Mario game too.

3 Super Mario Odyssey

Mario’s Dimensional-Mixing Comes Full Circle

Initially, Nintendo maintained a distinction between Mario’s 3D games and 2D games. In the 3D games like Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, the focus was on collecting Stars and Shines. On the other hand, the 2D games such as New Super Mario Bros were about reaching the end-level flagpole. However, they eventually started blending these styles, with games like Super Mario Galaxy incorporating occasional 2D-style segments within a primarily 3D environment. Similarly, Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World allowed Mario and his crew to traverse in multiple directions while still aiming for that final flagpole.

In the midst of all the modifications in “Super Mario Odyssey,” it found a way to incorporate 2D segments for players to navigate, snatching moons along the way. These segments often manifested as pipes that transformed Mario into an 8-bit artwork, prompting him to leap and bound over adversaries and perils just like in the year 1985. Consequently, gamers were once again required to demonstrate their vintage jumping prowess, since Cappy couldn’t assist in boosting Mario’s leaps as effectively as he did in the 3D environment.

2 Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

A Crashing Crescendo

All the classic Crash Bandicoot games could find a place on this list, as basically all the marsupial’s levels involved running and jumping either left and right, or into and away from the screen. The character lost his mojo when he went full 2D for handheld games like Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure, or full 3D like Crash of the Titans, but those games had more issues than their dimensions. This is why the series went back to basics by remaking the classic games into the N.Sane Trilogy.

The remakes were successful enough to warrant a new sequel titled “Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time”. This latest installment features multi-dimensional platforming with longer and more expansive levels that challenge players to master both 2D and 3D gameplay, as well as unique power-ups. Players must overcome the increasingly difficult 2D Flashback levels and the flipped and filtered 3D N.Verted mode if they wish to complete the game fully. However, it’s possible to finish the game normally without tackling these extra challenges.

1 Sonic X Shadow Generations

The Best Boost Game Gets Better

Following numerous attempts at various 3D gaming styles, sometimes with uncertain success, Sonic finally discovered a suitable 3D niche through the Boost formula. This style was reminiscent of the combination of 2D and 3D platforming in-and-out of the screen, left and right, similar to Crash Bandicoot. However, the unique aspect lay in the extended level designs that accommodated Sonic’s fast-paced runs, jumps, rail switches, and other elements. This transformation made games like Sonic Unleashed playable, and Sonic Colors an enjoyable experience on the Wii.

In essence, Sonic Generations arguably hit its zenith, as Modern Sonic’s blend of 2D and 3D stages along with Classic Sonic’s strictly 2D gameplay was particularly well-received. The controls were improved, boasting better drifting and levels. Nevertheless, it wasn’t without flaws, such as a lackluster final boss. Sonic X Shadow Generations reintroduced the game, including all its imperfections, but introduced a fresh campaign for the darker character, Shadow. This expansion polished the Boost mechanic with unique power-ups, stages, and bosses specifically designed for Shadow.

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2024-11-01 08:34