Water graphics in retro games?

[Nidoking's iconNidoking]

I've always had a huge fascination with retro water graphics when they do something unique or special with them.

What are some of the best water visuals you've seen in retro gaming? Below are some of my favorite examples. I only included 2D graphics because those are usually the ones that leave the biggest impression on me, but 3D is plenty welcome and can look great.

Starting with a classic, I just love how they make it look so transparent and layered. It's so crystal-like and beautiful.
Ecco the Dolphin

Speaking of crystal... I always loved how the Underground Caverns looked, but the water in particular stood out. It's so glassy, with that faint shine to it, and they make sure just the very surface has this slight rippling movement. Then the layer of ice that breaks resting on top of it.... not to mention that very majestic waterfall further in.
Symphony of the Night

This game always looked fantastic to me, and I love that so much happens while the water rages so actively.
In the Hunt

Far from the most technically impressive,but likely where I first learned to appreciate water graphics. For such a similar animation, paired with a very impressive use of color distribution, it goes a long way to look nice and have a depth to it.
Jaws

This one's interesting. While it's basically just a scrolling static effect, the textures and speed of the movement create a pretty convincing animation. I've always loved the gradiant all the way into the background darkness, and the murky visuals of beneath the surface.
Chakan: Forever Man

 

[Deleted member 121503]

I always loved that, in Pokemon Emerald, you could see the clouds and the player character reflected in the water. There's also a pretty great dialogue line by a kid NPC in Petalburg City about this: "My face is reflected in the water. It's a shining grin full of hope... Or maybe it's a look of somber silence struggling with fear... What do you see in your face?"

 

[DunkeyKong]

For 3D, Super Mario 64. It has the ambience, feel and great effects even for the OST. 2D, maybe Minish Cap. I don't know know why but I just like how the water looks, it's so beautiful even for a GBA

 

[Nidoking's iconNidoking]

For 3D, Super Mario 64. It has the ambience, feel and great effects even for the OST. 2D, maybe Minish Cap. I don't know know why but I just like how the water looks, it's so beautiful even for a GBA
View attachment 29621
View attachment 29622

I never played Minish Cap even though I'm more than interested, but I always liked how it looks. The water does look pretty. And Mario 64 does have a really nice look to it. Pretty much all the water levels always stood out to me in that game.

 

[RageBurner]

Very cool topic idea. I guess it depends on how forward you are willing to place "retro" at this point.
One of my first strong impressions with water in games were the famous Green Hill Zone waterfalls: the pixel placement and palette cycling were smartly engineered to make use of certain CRT quirks and, with proper output, look very convincingly like flowing water.

Another example I can think of, but that is placed much farther forward in time is how nice water themed levels look in Super Mario Galaxy. The Wii could really deliver when developers were allowed to make actual games for it, rather than cater to the casual market with stupid gimmicks.

 

[99nereids]

so if were including 3d games, warcraft III had pretty water

cant find any gifs of it in action but it looks great animated, specially for 2002

all the gba pokemon games also had really pretty water

specifically the lakes which had the minimal effect of occasional water ripples, which compliment the reflections of the characters + the clouds

 

[Leifang]

Tomb Raider 2 and onwards has real good water effects for early 3D, and it became only more obvious when remastered forgot to port the shimmer and distortion effects for classic graphics mode, and overall made underwater parts less interesting in modern effects. They did update splashes after multiple patches.

 

[sysuah]

These aren't retro yet but i feel like they slot right in discussions like this and part of the reason why I liked the most about late 90s to mid 2000’s aesthetics. Water... Like, everybody was so obsessed with tropical islands, translucency, aqua, water, upbeat techno music and silver. Tropical-Futurism

 

[Raidou Kuzunoha]

Was always a big fan of the water in Truce canyon and Denadoro mountains from Chrono Trigger

 

[sandogma]

Like everything else in the game, I thought the water effects in DKC were pretty cool.

 

[Ikagura]

These aren't retro yet but i feel like they slot right in discussions like this and part of the reason why I liked the most about late 90s to mid 2000’s aesthetics. Water... Like, everybody was so obsessed with tropical islands, translucency, aqua, water, upbeat techno music and silver. Tropical-Futurism
View attachment 29659

Thanks for posting this pic.

I love how PSO Episode 2's beach is now much more popular.

I'd add Tekken 4's Beach

 

[Sweetchu]

Always liked 5th gen water just for the variety of approaches developers used to depict it.

 

[ThirteeTooBeets]

I was literally thinking about that 4chan post with the tropical beaches, and I agree. Maybe the beach reminds me of summer which means more free time to play? I don't know, what I know is that for some reason I also prefer water in 3D games, maybe because of nostalgia too...

 

[Ikagura]

View attachment 29706Always liked 5th gen water just for the variety of approaches developers used to depict it.

I'll never get tired of that checkerboard shadow.

I was literally thinking about that 4chan post with the tropical beaches, and I agree. Maybe the beach reminds me of summer which means more free time to play? I don't know, what I know is that for some reason I also prefer water in 3D games, maybe because of nostalgia too...

4chan is a weird site but I enjoy cute posts like that.



I think all of the game's budget went into that water droplet in a pond:

 

[J.F.C]

I've always had a huge fascination with retro water graphics when they do something unique or special with them.

What are some of the best water visuals you've seen in retro gaming? Below are some of my favorite examples. I only included 2D graphics because those are usually the ones that leave the biggest impression on me, but 3D is plenty welcome and can look great.

Starting with a classic, I just love how they make it look so transparent and layered. It's so crystal-like and beautiful.
Ecco the Dolphin
View attachment 29598

Speaking of crystal... I always loved how the Underground Caverns looked, but the water in particular stood out. It's so glassy, with that faint shine to it, and they make sure just the very surface has this slight rippling movement. Then the layer of ice that breaks resting on top of it.... not to mention that very majestic waterfall further in.
Symphony of the Night
View attachment 29602

This game always looked fantastic to me, and I love that so much happens while the water rages so actively.
In the Hunt
View attachment 29604

Far from the most technically impressive,but likely where I first learned to appreciate water graphics. For such a similar animation, paired with a very impressive use of color distribution, it goes a long way to look nice and have a depth to it.
Jaws
View attachment 29606


This one's interesting. While it's basically just a scrolling static effect, the textures and speed of the movement create a pretty convincing animation. I've always loved the gradiant all the way into the background darkness, and the murky visuals of beneath the surface.
Chakan: Forever Man
View attachment 29607

Are you that water guy from Miiverse?

 

[AnonymousCookieMonster]

Part of the water (and shadows) in retro games were partially limitations of hardware, but more than that they were targeting CRT TV's. This meant it was imprecise and blurry, and as such it would blend the nearby pixels. This had the effect of transparency when blended.

 

[DietPepsi]

Kind of a niche pick based on my own personal experiences, but Ecco the Dolphin Defender of The Future on the Dreamcast had a lasting effect on me. I don't know if it's because of the colors or the open expanse of ocean dotted by ruins and remnants of a civilization long gone. Maybe I just like the funny space dolphin.

Next is Cheep Cheep Beach from Mario Kart DS, this is my favorite map in the history of Mario Kart and a lot of my affixation with it comes from its beach scenes. The open-air feeling, mixed with the solitude and wildlife made 10 year old me go rabid. I've been to Jamaica and that's the closest thing that replicates this in real life.

Finally, Dead Island. This game, as crazy as it might sound, was kind of the ideal tropical setting in my young pubescent mind. I would play this game for hours with my brother, so there's definitely some nostalgia at play here. Regardless, I thought that - without the zombies - Kuru would be a fantastic place to visit! Something about the way Deep Silver designed the water in this game, it genuinely adds to the "tropic paradise gone to hell" atmosphere.

 

[King Koopa's iconKing Koopa]

As much as I complain about Starfox Adventures being a disappointment I will say the same is still gorgeous.

 

[Nidoking's iconNidoking]

Are you that water guy from Miiverse?View attachment 29844

Can't say I am.

 

[Ikagura]

This defined the late 90's early to mid 00's

I loved this level

 

[hazys]

Does Wave Race: Blue Storm count as retro? Probably my favorite water graphics of all time.

 

[King Koopa's iconKing Koopa]

Contributing more to the thread. i think the Metroid series does water levels really well.

 

[Nidoking's iconNidoking]

Contributing more to the thread. i think the Metroid series does water levels really well.

I'll be honest, I didn't even know it had water levels. This is the first time I've seen one.

 

[Lee__Kanker]

Something about the psx water..
I bet it feels different than real life water, it's hard to put into words
I always imagined ps1 and ps2 3d models and stuff like these had a different texture, weight and feeel to real life. Kinda like clay

 

[bjork]

The Labyrinth Zone in Sonic 1 for Japan has a cool effect when you're underwater, not sure why it was removed for the US (and maybe Europe too, idk)