2006 - The Fixed Camera Era |
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The New Super Mario Bros. Combines a 3-D Adventure with a Classic.
A new style of gaming has appeared on the Nintendo DS, providing players with a new perspective on things. This style, referred to as 'fixed camera gaming,' combines three-dimensional elements with a two-dimensional spin.
'Fixed camera gaming' first appeared on the Nintendo DS in Tony Hawk's American Sk8land. The main game gave a fresh look on things with a cell-shaded, fully 3-D interface. Activision and Vicarious Visions, the creators of this game, noted that all players might not like this new outlook on the portable Tony Hawk series. As a solution, the game creators provided a 'Legacy Camera' that could be turned on within the options menu.
Once players enabled this option, the in-game camera turned into an overhead view, similar to the old Tony Hawk games for the GBA. Unlike the GBA games, however, everything was still 3-D rendered. This created a unique effect.
Old GBA Tony Hawk camera angles like these were emulated in Tony Hawk's American Sk8land.
Now, two more fixed camera games are coming our way in 2006. The first is a little game called The New Super Mario Bros. This game will include 3-D rendered characters and enemies, but instead of having the camera behind the main character as in other 3-D games, the camera will be fixed in a classical side-scrolling position.
Side-scrolling classic or fixed camera revolution?
Another game that will be hitting
shelves this year is known as The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom
Hourglass. Phantom Hourglass will be the best demonstration of a
fixed-camera yet.
The familiar overhead camera will be used in this 3-D Zelda game.
The familiar overhead camera will be used in this 3-D Zelda game.
During most parts of this game, the
camera will be over all the 3-D action. The result is an overhead look
featured in previous GameBoy Zelda games, yet with a more polished look.
Fixed-camera games seem to be becoming more and more popular as time goes on. Will retro camera angles eventually replace behind-the-head viewpoints seen in Super Mario 64 DS? Will they dominate first-person views like the ones in Metroid Prime: Hunters? Only time will tell...
Fixed-camera games seem to be becoming more and more popular as time goes on. Will retro camera angles eventually replace behind-the-head viewpoints seen in Super Mario 64 DS? Will they dominate first-person views like the ones in Metroid Prime: Hunters? Only time will tell...
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Comments [refresh]
How is it new? I remember even back on the N64 there was the Kirby game. Plenty of games have come out every year what fixed camera angles.
This is about as lame as "insight" can get.
Will "fixed camera angles" replace first person games or 3D platform games? What the hell kind of question is that? The answer is flat-out "No." An option for a "legacy camera" and 2d games with a 3d engine is remotely equatable to 3D games being phased out.
I respect your opinions, but next time try to lay out a little more reasoning with your arguments. A legacy camera in Nintendo DS games would not phase out 3-D games. You've left out two major companies: Microsoft and Sony. All the games mentioned in the article were Nintendo games or games that have appeared on Nintendo systems.
No where did I mention that every game company would suddenly switch to this style of gaming.
How is it new? It isn't. What Mathew was saying is that it's new to the DS. He's also pointing out the fact that it seems to be a trend to have a fixed camera game.
I read the original version of this on Gamasutra with the same images, like a month ago.