Do you prefer 2D or 3D fighting games?

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I was recently playing Flying Dragon on the N64 (which offers both) and that got me thinking about how radically different even the same game could look, feel and play like depending on the graphics used to make it.

Maybe it's because of my SEGA Genesis "upbringing", the fact that I was an arcade junkie, or that we used to have huge Mortal Kombat Trilogy tournaments with my dad and sister, but I'm all about those 2D beatdowns, to the point where 3D fighting games feel completely alien to me and I can never quite get the hang of them.

What about you? Which style do you prefer?

 

[Audrissa]

This a rough one. So let's take Mortal Kombat as an example. It's good in 2D, well, great, actually, but when it moved to 3D it was kind of hot garbage. They found a great balance between 2D and 3D starting with MK9, so you basically have 3D models and environments with a 2.5D camera - problem solved. Then of course there's Street Fighter which recognized that a 2.5D camera was ALWAYS the way to go. The same thing happened with King of Fighters. KOF 06 was 3D and it was...okay, but later entries did the same thing. It seems that the industry agrees that 2D and 2.5D are best.

 

[RanmyakuIchi's icon RanmyakuIchi RanmyakuIchi]

Definitely 2D for me, it's one of my favorite genre's period. I enjoy 3D well enough too, but the only 3D fighters I've ever really played at a competitive level was SoulCalibur and Tekken 7. By comparison, I've been playing loads of 2D fighters competitively nearly my whole life.

 

[Audrissa]

Definitely 2D for me, it's one of my favorite genre's period. I enjoy 3D well enough too, but the only 3D fighters I've ever really played at a competitive level was SoulCalibur and Tekken 7. By comparison, I've been playing loads of 2D fighters competitively nearly my whole life.

Tekken 7 differs quite a bit in look and feel from Tekken 1-6 so it's not too surprising that you actually enjoyed it. I really like the direction that FG's are going in as of late. Like, yeah, we tried the full 3D thing, it didn't work out, and now we're finding a good balance between the two.

 

[Fluff IV]

2D fighters always feel so claustrophobic to me, my brain just isn't wired to understand them. 3 seconds into a round and we're already at a corner. I prefer 3D games like Tekken and Soul Calibur because there's way more possibilities concerning how a round can play out, thanks to the z-axis and the expanded move sets

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I'm glad to see Soul Calibur being mentioned because that's the one game that pushed me to even consider making the jump to 3D fighters.

 

[Audrissa]

2D fighters always feel so claustrophobic to me, my brain just isn't wired to understand them. 3 seconds into a round and we're already at a corner. I prefer 3D games like Tekken and Soul Calibur because there's way more possibilities concerning how a round can play out, thanks to the z-axis and the expanded move sets

This is an outstanding take - I'm glad there are fighters to meet both needs. I prefer 2D but I can see how it would be limiting for some people.

 

[Lilianon]

3D, but I because I like Tekken (not 8) and SoulCal. I do still really enjoy 2Ds and I think Samurai shodown V special and Unist are some of the best fighting games out there

 

[Audrissa]

Has anyone tried Hellish Quart?

 

[DrunkGecko]

the only 3d fighter i enjoyed was DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 3 and thats literally my fave game of all time
but for games like mortal kombat, guilty gear, and street fighter i prefer it stay 2D

 

[Sumea]

Still kinda blows me away

 

[Audrissa]

Still kinda blows me away

I love GG Strive, and GG in general. Bridget is my favorite

 

[ThunderBoy]

I feel more confident in 2D

 

[AkiraSO4]

Last 3D fighter I used to like was Tekken and I can't stand the sight of it nowadays. Save for DOA5 which I only play for a laugh, I just stick to 2D fighters.

 

[Audrissa]

Last 3D fighter I used to like was Tekken and I can't stand the sight of it nowadays. Save for DOA5 which I only play for a laugh, I just stick to 2D fighters.

What was the last Tekken you played? I think mine was Dark Ressurection and I wasn't a huge fan. I don't mind 7 at all, though

 

[Sumea]

The real thing is that at least these days there is not that many 3D fighter games around, and most 3D fighters suck compared to many norms yet distinctive styles of 2D fighters that exist. This is also to say, that 3D and 2D does not mean how it is rendered. There exists 2D fighters like Street Fighter 4-6 and modern KOF games, list going on, while 3D fighters most distinctively are something like Tekken and Dead or Alive; games that use 3D arenas and 3D movement as part of the game. In past, there was a lot more 3D fighters when it was somewhat in vogue to be in 3D but there has not been a shattering variety to the sub genre. Sure there is a lot of mediocre 2D fighters but there is also just generally more of them to find a niche you like and enjoy. 3D fighters these days boil really down to Tekken (and 8 has had controversial balancing in it's current state), Dead or Alive (and nobody plays DOA6 except DOA6 fans, bles all 7 of you), Soul Calibur (Remember; it exists) and... Pokken, I guess? Sure, in past there was all kinds of stuff like Street Fighter 3D fighters on PS1&2, Rival Schools and it's sequel and so on but it feels like they do not have a passion scene in same way something like Sailor Moon on SNES can have one. Yes; the Japan only SNES ArcSys Sailor Moon fighting game has a passionate fan scene with some backroom setups in EVOs and such.

 

[AkiraSO4]

What was the last Tekken you played? I think mine was Dark Ressurection and I wasn't a huge fan. I don't mind 7 at all, though

Last I played was 7. Not a fan, but I tolerate it. My favorite is Tag 1. And the less said about 8 the better, lol. It just made me stop caring about the series altogether. Many people rightfully criticize the balancing but I'm a firm believer that this game was doomed from the start.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

2D well animated pixel art will be ageless but I also have a soft spot for low poly 3D.

But ultimately I'll go for 2D/2.5D.

 

[Cu-Neo]

 

[Rocket2049]

i prefer anything that doesn't play like it's on turbo 4 all the time, frantic button mashing is just annoying (unless it makes sense, like ehonda spams) just dont' like the games where a lot is happening all at once.
compare SF4 to MVC3, i like SF4 more in this case, MVC in general (yes even the first one) is built on SPAM fast and spam a lot, in few cases infinites that really shouldn't exist.
i absolutely can't play tekken not because of the above (newer tekkens games are too fast though) but jesus how many times i've seen perfect victories because you can do so much damage you might as well just put the controller down once the opponent lands a few hits it's over you get 20 hit comboed and thrown and juggled and yeah no way to "burst" or anything, just take the L.
i enjoy soul calibur, i enjoy old tekken (3 or older) and maybe even DOA, or even virtua fighter 5, tekken is just like "nah i'd rather not play a one sided match every match no thanks"
also i really just hate skullgirls, when it FIRST came out it was fine not TOO fast or spammy, but jesus the newer "encore" and onward changes ruined it so much, like i said at the start, turbo 4 all the time it felt like. to note i play turbo 2 on most fighters that have it and that feels really fast.

also i am one to LOVE shortcut buttons, like doing any special or super with a single button and direction, loving that on capcom fighting collection 1 and 2 and MVC collection, i never played SF6 without the modern mode, i've grown up with SF2 but idc, long input commands are a thing of the past is all i'm saying. i'm not talking about QCF hadouken shoryuken stuff, i mean razing storm (DB HCB DF) vegas charge DB DF DB UF, and 720 motions (sf6 did one thing right made many moves MUCH easier zangief is freaking mean lol)

 

[UnDubious]

Though I still like 2D, I really prefer 3D fighters, with Virtua Fighter being my favorite series. Movement feels too limited to me in 2D fighters, and the fighting isn't fluid in the way I want it to be. There is also a physicality in VF that you don't find in 2D fighters that are all about special moves and flashy nonsense. It may not be a realistic fighting sim, like, say, a UFC game, but it strikes a balance that's closer to it while keeping things fast and gamey.
That era of 3D fighters in the '90s was one of my favorite things in gaming. VF 2 & 3, Fighting Vipers, The Last Bronx, Tobal 1 & 2, Tekken 3 & 4, Soul Calibur... Unorthodox games like Bushido Blade 1 & 2 as well.

I think one reason they faded is they're just more expensive to make, while the genre became more niche as it was taken over by complexity and high-level play.

 

[Bonkers225]

2-D. Only 3-D games I really liked were Soul Calibur, and Tekken 3.

 

[Zerohour2k12]

I play both. Though I'm not hardcore. I just enjoy the characters and gameplay. I'm content with just single player content as well. Even if I struggle clearing most of the Combo Trials. What matters is there's fun to be had.

 

[bigstinkie]

oddly enough, growing up i strongly preferred 2d fighting games, to the point where i thought of 3d fighting games as 'fads' and 'gimmick' games
as an adult i find myself preferring 3d fighting games. my most played fighting games right now are virtua fighter 5, tekken tag tournament 2, and tekken 8