The shift from 2D to 3D gaming was perhaps the most dramatic and overwhelming change the industry has seen and may ever see. Not only was it more expensive to develop for, but it was also very hard for developers to imagine previous franchises as they could exist in a 3D space. Because of this, many games failed to make the jump with any lasting impact. However, some did so effortlessly. Others took a while but got there with time. Today, we will look at some of these games.
Super Mario
Quite possibly the most obvious example, Super Mario 64 revolutionized platforming games forever by bringing them into the realm of 3D gaming. While finding and collecting stars was entirely new to the series, it also felt right at home in the Mario universe and spawned an entire sub-series within the Mario franchise.
The Legend of Zelda
Ocarina of Time made Zelda's jump to 3D successful by retaining the epic, open-world adventure tone of the previous games while also incorporating action and puzzle elements in a way that felt natural at the time. It set the standard for action-adventure games, and is also regarded as one of the greatest games of all time.
Final Fantasy
Released to widespread critical acclaim, Final Fantasy VII was the first game in the series to implement 3D gameplay and graphics without losing any focus on story or lore in the process. It is also credited as the game to popularize JRPGs outside of their home market.
Grand Theft Auto
While the previous games in the series consisted of a top down perspective and levels, GTAIII was the first to forge 3rd person shooting and driving mechanics, in addition to expanding the scope of the open world, which the series is renowned for.
Metroid
Unlike most other Nintendo franchises, Metroid did not make the jump to 3D on the N64. Instead, Metroid Prime for the GCN was the first game to make the foray into 3D, 8 years after the last entry. While previous games were sidescrollers, Metroid Prime was essentially a First-Person Shooter with a heavy emphasis on exploration and chilling, vast worlds.
Metal Gear
While not entirely different from its predecessors in terms of gameplay, Metal Gear Solid for the PS1 was a graphical showcase for the system and pleased fans of the series in many ways. While retaining movements, the use of environments and the FOV system from previous games, it also changed the way people played stealth games forever through 3D mechanics.
Those are my examples, but what are yours? In your opinion, what series had the most healthy and impactful transition from 2D to 3D?
