Innovation should always be commended, but sometimes it’s unnecessary. In some cases, a good thing should be left well enough alone, or else you might risk tarnishing the whole thing. After all, if it isn’t broken, why fix it?
In the 90s, gaming went through an awkward transitional phase, the vast majority of franchises failing to make the transition to 3D – despite several notable exceptions, including Super Mario 64. Inevitably, these games were pushed into an early oblivion, forced to evolve with the times unnecessarily, ruining their core appeal in the process.
In recent years, there’s been a resurgence of 2D platforming, the genre once again appreciated for its efforts. Regardless, that didn’t stop every developer in the 90s butchering their most iconic franchises in a desperate attempt to stay relevant. Ultimately, they should have realised that a great 2D platformer doesn’t always make for a decent 3D experience, the latter defined by entirely separate criteria.
As a result, these two dimensional kings became three dimensional failures. So, with that being said, here are ten games that utterly failed to make the transition into 3D, despite their best efforts to the contrary…
3D Tetris
Tetris – easily one of the most timeless games ever made – has been around for over three decades, and is one of the highest selling games in history. In fact, it’ll probably be around forever. After all, it’s essentially a perfect game, am uncomplicated, universally recognisable concept, instantly identifiable, and as iconic as they come.
Over the years, there have been countless versions of the game, countless variations on the classic formula, but none have been as pointless, or as commercially unsuccessful as the following. Released in 1996 for the Virtual Boy, 3D Tetris sought to reinvent the classic game for the modern age, rendering it entirely using 3D technology. In the game, players manipulate a three dimensional version of the game, adjusting the perspective in order to control falling blocks, and placing those blocks in order to score points.
The Virtual Boy was way ahead of its time – and while its technological achievements should be commended –it was also a notoriously awkward gaming platform, making even basic functions infamously difficult. Tetris – the simplest, most appreciable games ever made – might have worked to the system’s advantage, but ultimate failed. After all, Tetris is a staple of the medium. There’s a reason it hasn’t changed significantly in over three decades: it’s perfect the way it is. Any “improvements” would be inherently detrimental, because the game can’t be improved, not even a little bit.
Mega Man X7
Mega Man – a series which began back in 1987 – might be the single greatest two dimensional platformer in history. The controls are smooth, the platforming is challenging but rewarding, the visuals and soundtrack complement each other excellently, and everything about the experience is gelled together perfectly.
Mega Man Legends – the first 3D instalment in the franchise – was a massive success, critically and commercially. With that being said, the game reinvented everything about the series, introducing an entire new universe and cast, and generally distancing itself from previous instalments, which is how it managed to be so successful.
Mega Man X7 was the first genuine attempt to translate the experience of playing a Mega Man game into 3D, and it failed more so than any other game in history. For one thing, it was barely functional; the camera did whatever it wanted, the controls were unfathomable, the gameplay unplayable, and the bosses – which had been a highlight of the series – were a joke, in both difficulty and design. In fact, the game was so detrimental that Mega Man X8 returned the series to its two dimensional roots, desperately hoping to undo some of the damage.
Bubsy 3D
The 90s were an awkward, transitional period for gaming. In 1996, Super Mario 64 revolutionised 3D platforming – setting the standard for everything to follow – but it was one of the few success stories, the vast majority of classic games failing to comprehend the finer points of three dimensions. Bubsy 3D for instance – which was actually released three months after Super Mario 64 – managed to get everything wrong, including basic character movement.
In the game, players control the titular rabbit using the directional pad, only left and right control the camera and not the character himself, meaning small adjustment need to be made constantly in order to steer Bubsy in the right direction. In this respect, the controls are like something out of a survival horror, only one where the environments barely resemble anything from reality, appearing as though obscure shapes with only a passing resemblance to actual objects. Worst of all, when Bubsy jumps, the camera flies up in the air, making landings particularly troublesome.
In contrast, Bubsy’s 2D outings – while certainly not masterworks – were at least functional. In fact, the character’s first two outings were recently rereleased on Steam as a testament to their enduring appeal. Bubsy 3D is nothing but a travesty, an experimental failure that willingly sacrifices freedom of movement, accurate visual representation and a more general playability for a unsuccessful attempt at technological innovation.
Final Fight: Streetwise
Final Fight – the king of classic beat ‘em ups – is another example of a series that should have translated into 3D effortlessly, yet struggled to preserve any sense of personality. In 2006, Final Fight: Streetwise completely reimagined the series, changing pretty much everything about it in the process.
For one thing, the game took itself very seriously – almost too seriously – favouring grittier environments, stronger language and more realistic depictions of violence, meaning the majority of the game lacked any sense of self-awareness, any whatsoever. Worse, the colourful environments, exaggerated visuals and cheerful music have been replaced with reproachable characters, a dreary soundtrack and an environment so dark you can barely see two feet ahead of yourself.
Honestly, the game’s so edgy you could quite easily cut yourself on it. As a result, the game falls flat on its own face, completely misunderstanding the appeal of the original arcade versions. You see, just because a series is transitioning from two to three dimension, doesn’t mean its attitude needs to mature. In fact, the contrast makes the whole thing somehow even more laughable, the developers clearly suffering from being utterly tone-depth, as well as incompetent.
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Golden Axe – the classic arcade beat ‘em up – is an undeniable classic, spawning three sequels between 1991 and 1993, all of which are remembered with a great deal of fondness. Somehow, it took fifteen years for the series to make the transition from two to three dimensions, which is surprising when you consider how easily translatable the core concept actually seems, consisting of not much more than hacking and slashing, and kicking and stabbing.
Regardless, in 2008, Secret Level and SEGA managed to screw just about everything up with the release of Golden Axe: Beat Rider – the much anticipated continuation of the classic saga – which managed to disappoint everyone, from newcomers to long-time fans. For one thing, the game was incredibly derivative, bringing almost nothing whatsoever to the table, and borrowing the vast majority of its ideas from other, more superior games, like God of War.
The result was just another mediocre hack-n-slash, which somehow reduced the combat system of the originals to a mindless, button-mashing chore, simultaneously robbing the series of any personality whatsoever. Inexplicably, the game also made the decision to intensify the violence and explicit sexuality, distancing a considerable portion of their audience in the process, a portion who may have been more susceptible to the undemanding, overly simplistic gameplay.
King's Quest: Mask of Eternity
Mask of Eternity – the eighth instalment in the classic point-and-click franchise – might be the most pointless attempt to transition a series from two to three dimensions, changing just about everything about the game in the process. For one thing, the game implemented combat mechanics, doing away with point-and-click elements almost entirely, as well as the cartoonish illustrations that had characterised previous entries.
As a direct result, the game looks terrible, and has aged appallingly. At the time, technological limitations prevented it from achieving what it wanted – the draw distances are particularly terrible – and the emphasis was placed on combat instead of narrative, resulting in a more superficial, shallow experience seriously lacking in terms of depth.
King’s Quest V – released almost a decade earlier – is still a stunning game, complete with a richly detailed environment for players to immerse themselves, and is absolutely brimming with personality. Unfortunately, Mask of Eternity is more concerned with innovation for its own sake – and while the attempt was certainly admirable – the result was easily the weakest entry in the series.
Castlevania 64
Castlevania 64 –released in 1999 – was actually received positively upon release, but has since been recognised as a notoriously dreadful instalment in the classic franchise.
The game – a platformer – was the first to implement three dimensional environments, which made the platforming portions of the game especially troublesome. Worse, the awkward controls and counterproductive lock-on-system made gameplay a nightmare, a fact accentuated by the visuals, which are surprisingly awful.
Earlier instalments in the series have aged splendidly, especially Circle of the Moon, Harmony of Dissonance and Aria of Sorrow, which have a certain timelessness about their visuals. Symphony of the Night – which was released two years prior to Castlevania 64 – looks downright stunning by comparison, and even the original NES entries have a quaintness about them, ensuring their sustained relevance with newer generations.
In comparison, the polygonal graphics of Castlevania 64 are downright unattractive. It may have achieved a degree of praise following its initial release, but it certainly can’t be credited with transitioning the series into 3D. The game is downright unplayable, the three dimensional aspects only accentuating the problems inherent in the game.
Sonic R
Released in 1997, Sonic R – the first 3D instalment in the franchise – was a racing game in which multiple players raced one another across numerous stages, competing for the fastest time. Praised for its visuals – which now appear dated, but were reasonably innovative for the time – the game was lambasted for its gameplay. In particular, the controls were a constant source of frustration for players, lacking any semblance of accuracy whatsoever.
The core appeal of the series is speed – which distinguishes it from similar platformers – only speed doesn’t translate into three dimensions, what with third-person perspectives preventing players from perceiving whatever’s ahead of them on the horizon. In the game, the 3D is a constant source of frustration, causing players to crash into walls, or fall straight off the side of the map – plus, there are only five levels in the entire game, which is pretty limiting.
Later in life, Sonic the Hedgehog would achieve a relative amount of success outside the limitations of three dimensions – Sonic Heroes is particularly noteworthy, as well as Sonic Generations – but there’s a reason his games are nearly always such a mixed bag: the core concept just wasn’t made with 3D in mind, and he suffers for it constantly.
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat 4 – the fourth instalment in the classic fighting series, released for arcades in 1997 – was a travesty. For the first time in the series, the game used motion capture instead of digitised actors, and switched to using three dimensional computer graphics, making it the ugliest entry in the entire franchise.
Technical constraints severely limited the game’s potential, the polygonal graphics slowing down gameplay. Worse, the game reimagined the entire tone of the series, discarding humour in favour of more serious elements, and emphasising the violence considerably. Ultimately, the game was a disaster – and while the gameplay translated well into 3D – the visuals were noticeably inferior, and have since aged worse than previous entries.
The fourth instalment started a trend in the franchise that wouldn’t subside until the release of Mortal Kombat (9) in 2011, which took the series back to its 2D roots, and is considered a tremendous return to form.
Bomberman: Act Zero
Bomberman – the original game, released in 1983 – inspired decades of sequels, most of which are a tremendous amount of fun, especially Super Bomberman and Saturn Bomberman. Initially, Bomberman made the transition to 3D relatively successfully – Bomberman 64, Bomberman Hero and Bomberman Generation are particularly noteworthy – but even these games couldn’t really compete with previous instalments.
Bomberman: Act Zero – released for Xbox 360 in 2006 – represented a significant departure for the franchise, and featured grittier visuals and a futuristic, dystopian setting. Ultimately, the game was a disaster, counterproductively implementing a third-person camera perspective, as well as a first-person mode which made the game virtually unplayable. Besides that, the stages were repetitive, the gameplay was monotonous, and the whole thing horribly forced.
As a concept, Bomberman doesn’t translate well to 3D, mainly because without the top-down perspective you can’t exactly see where you’re going. Bomberman 64 – the first actually 3D instalment – tilted the screen to create a three dimensional effect, but Act Zero went all out, and is remembered as the lowest point in the series for its trouble.