2 Dimensional Action

To discuss, recommend and warn about that luster 2-D action. May it be from the Golden Era of Arcade Action or 8 and 16 bit consoles.
Even modern interpretations and remakes.

About the definition: Let's not get to academically about it, okay? There is the start and the goal of a stage. And between is the creamy interaction with enemy types and obstacles. Yes, that would make Super Mario Bros. an Action Game-o. And it is! Even when the genre it helped to define is called by another name... I would like to steer the attention to lesser known titles, if possible. Not the big brands, never-ending franchise that keeps on keeping on. Where fanbases are splitted and the formula not allowed to derivate.

Far late to the bash, but I get amazed by titles from Natsume. The Ninja Warriors Once Again gets its class of its own. Then I played Wild Guns for SNES and became infatuated with it. A stage consists of 3 screens where closet to the front the player character is moved and in the further planes enemies move and shoot. The rythm is awesome. I will play the remake Wild Guns Reloaded for the sheer confidence that the own Ninja Warriors remake has build.

And on the other hand I tried out a modern title that looks like fun but, to me at least, doesn't hold up to it: Bomb Chicken. The names says it all, really. Asthetically it looks gorgeous, like a long lost 16-bit Wario Land. But once I did all and found all I was done with it. Some stages are more like puzzles and once I solved it, it isn't much more to come back to. Got it on sale and I'm glad. Clearing it, I would've felt cheated for full price.

Haven't even started to dig deep into Hamster's massive Arcade Archive releases. It's stupefying.

> Definition
Oh man, that old chestnut again! I have a whole bunch of issues with the term "action" and it's application to game genres, but I could spend the rest of my life moaning about it - maybe another day!

> Arcade Games
Yeah, loads of great ones here. Capcom's Alien vs. Predator beat em 'up is one that should get more love, I think. I didn't play much of it but I really liked the feel of Armored Warriors (I think it was called) too. I feel like you can really sense how the original DMC translated this type of gameplay in to a 3D space (which is why I would use the term "3D Beat Em Up" instead of something like "Character Action", although you could argue that name ignores the adventure elements of those types of games).

Shock Troopers is another great one on the Neo Geo hardware, developed by Saurus (who I assume were an SNK subsidiary). Had a great soundtrack too - an unusual blend of rock, jungle and little bits of industrial in places. I'm always welcoming of breakbeats in my game OSTs.

Not an arcade game by definition, but one in spirit - Alien Soldier by Treasure, on the Megadrive/Genesis. Another one where I haven't played much of it, but it's a very cool title. I guess Treasure are one of the big boys when it comes to 2D (and 2.5D) action - they have plenty of titles that are thought highly of, but still seem to be a pretty niche name, all things considered.

The foundation for my skills as an action gamer lies in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time (SNES) and Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage (SNES). I beat them both as a young'n (I honestly have no idea how I did the latter) and that prepared me for a lot.

I especially want to talk about TMNT4. Not only is it an absolute delight of a beat 'em up, learning to 1cc it transforms the game completely. It's my go to example of how striving to play skillfully can make an entirely new experience.

By the way! It's 2020, year of the Neon Night-Riders, making this the perfect year to play TMNT4.

I wonder if 2D games are more popular among those who came earlier in contact with them. Say at a formative age, when there was little to none alternative. I read from someone, that his own son showed a regular inaptitude for 2D based games. Growing up with 3D from the start, it seemed to be an abstract concept. Maybe the younger folks here can riddle me this.

I've seen evidence of that but not sure on statistics.

I started at like 5 years old on arcades. Snow Bros, Street Fighter 2, and this other game I don't know the name of. Wouldn't mind finding out what it was but I only have a few vague details.

I got Wild Guns Reloaded for PS4 and love it.

I grew up with the PS1, so the vast majority of the games I remember playing on that system were 3D. I was big on fighting games (Tekken 3 is one of my favourite games ever), but didn't really play any of the 2D fighters until I saw Marvel vs Capcom 2 and Capcom vs SNK 2 in the arcades when I was on holiday in Florida (must have been 2001-ish?). I was mesmorised by the art and character designs, and the PS2 versions of those games were the next two games I begged my parents for when I got home. I think Tekken Tag Tournament was the most recent "big game" for me, at that point.

After that I got some other 2D fighters that I'd read were good. I got Hyper SF2 Anniversary Edition, Guilty Gear XX #Reload, maybe a couple of others. I don't think I was ever really one of those snobby kids that thought "2D is old and bad", I just didn't get to play many of them as any given game on the shop shelf was likely to be 3D by that point. After that, I started emulating arcade exclusive games on PC with MAME, and from there played all kinds of games that would have just been lost to time otherwise. The original hardware is great, but thank god for emulation.

I love 2D and 3D games, don't know if I'd say I have a preference. It's a just a game-by-game thing.

I really grew up on 2d games (NES, SNES), and I still remember playing Mario 64 for the first time and really being just blown away. Though later I was a tad disappointed by how 3d took presetent over 2d. I really feel you can make such gorgeous 2d games now, but mostly the 2d style is now exclusive to indies. Just imagine if Capcom threw their current budget at a sprite-based fighter. The sprite work and soul would just be ... damn.

The Legend of Kage [NES]. Jumps so high that a ninja could bust out of your CRTV. 8 directional combat of throwing shurikens and deflecting projectiles. Classic powerUPs. 5/5.

I want to mention SEGA's Altered Beast for Mega Drive and Arcade. Not because I think it excels in anything. Rather that it's very overt in all things. To me, it's a fun pointer to more complex titles, that can be a little less giving in explanation.

[First] Rise from your grave! Your Allfather commands ye!
[Second] Protect your neck; Smash them skulls; Adhere with the scrolling pace
[Third] Power up! Get some more meat on your bones; Repeat and beef up!
[Fourth] Max out to welcome your doom; Kill the boss
[Fifth] Proceed and Never give up!


It's simple enough.