In the 90s, 8-bit Super Mario Bros. and Battle City - "Mario" and "tanchiki" - caused wild delight. Just recently launched them in the browser to get nostalgic. Now gamers, of course, are “spoiled” by graphics and gameplay (including me), but there is still something left in those games. Even if you didn’t catch the hits of those years, just comparing the visual of the founders with the modern picture is an interesting experience. A light article with pictures of how everything was and became.
The development of technology has greatly changed the gaming industry over the past few decades, and the days of primitive graphics without detail are gone.
Once upon a time, adventure games could get by with plain text and static images.
Modern projects are almost as visual as films, offering a juicy photorealistic picture. Therefore, classic games such as Oregon Trail, Doom and Madden for 2019 have been significantly redesigned to the requirements of users.
To fully experience the changes, let's compare the original titles of well-known franchises with their latest incarnations or modern games inspired by the classics.
1. Wolfenstein 3D (1992) and Wolfenstein: Youngblood (2019)
For people of a certain age, Castle Wolfenstein was a favorite top-down shooter. Its creators film about the Second World War "The Guns of Navarone" (based on the book by Alistair MacLean). The title was released in 1981 on the Apple II and spawned many sequels. In particular - Wolfenstein 3D (1992), which became a model for many modern first-person shooters.
Wolfenstein 3D (1992)
The graphics were rough and cartoony. But the author even in 2012, he speaks enthusiastically about all sorts of little things in the game. For example, how Blaskowitz with a stern face looks at you from the bottom of the screen. And how the hero's face turns red when he takes damage.
Shooter Wolfenstein: Youngblood was released in the summer of 2019. BJ Blaskowitz has been the star of 13 video games, from top-down mazes to side-scrollers, turn-based games and FPS. But in Youngblood, Blazkowicz's twin daughters are the main characters, who are looking for their father.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood (2019)
The almost cinematic picture perfectly shows how much computer graphics has grown in three decades. Instead of flat cartoonish enemies, there are realistic characters that are rendered in real time.
2. Donkey Kong (1981) and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (2015)
The famous plumber Mario first appeared in the game Donkey Kong in 1981, but did not receive his name until the sequel. By the way, he was originally called Jumpman.
Donkey Kong (1981)
Mario's antagonist, Donkey Kong is one of the most enduring characters in the gaming world. He appeared in the game of the same name as a villain who prevented Jumpman from climbing to the top level of the ladder maze.
Donkey Kong has become a real talisman that brings good luck. He appears in a huge number of games for a variety of platforms: somewhere as the main character, somewhere as a villain, and somewhere in secondary roles.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (2015)
Released in 2015, Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars evokes a slight sense of nostalgia, even though the game looks modern. The general aesthetics of the project has not changed much since the 80s, but thanks to the development of the visual, everything has become more contrasting, brighter and much more dynamic.
3. Oregon Trail (1971) and Oregon Trail (2011)
Generation X didn't have many titles that could be played on early school computers. And the Oregon Trail was definitely one of my favorites. A game already in 1971, when young teachers from Minneapolis decided to tell their students about the development of the Wild West. But the first version that most people remember came out in 1985 on the Apple II - it was a real hit.
Oregon Trail (1985)
The educational and entertainment project taught young gamers about the harsh realities of the life of the pioneers of the 1970th century, including the constant risk of contracting dysentery. The graphics were limited to six colors, but it was still a big leap from the XNUMXs text-based versions of the game.
Too bad there haven't been any new Oregon Trail releases for a few years now. The latest version of 2011 for the Nintendo Wii shows how the game has changed in 40 years, despite the fact that graphics have never been a priority for this franchise.
Oregon Trail (2011)
In addition to the transition from six colors to a full palette, the game received another important update - control using Wii controllers. Players can use the controllers as whips to drive the wagon and use them to aim at animals.
4. John Madden Football (1988) and Madden NFL 20 (2019)
John Madden Football (1988)
The Madden NFL series (before 1993 - John Madden Football) has become one of the largest sports game franchises, with over 130 million copies sold. The idea for the game was conceived in 1984, but NFL veteran John Madden insisted on realism and quality, so the project was released only four years later.
In addition to emphasizing realistic gameplay and strategic thinking, Madden personally voiced the in-game commentator for the first versions of the game. Despite all the novelty, she looked rough and slow. Computers back then were terribly weak and weren't very good at moving 22 players around the screen.
But Madden NFL 20 (2019) sometimes looks like you're watching a real match.
Madden NFL 20 (2019)
The Madden franchise is updated annually. And while the new releases aren't getting drastic changes in terms of graphics, EA has gotten plenty of room to hone in on the realism of what's going on.
5. King's Quest (1983) and King's Quest: Epilogue (2015)
King's Quest (1983)
Following the adventures of the royal family from the Kingdom of Daventry, the King's Quest series has ten games that have grown the reputation of their developer Sierra. In the first game in 1983, the player controlled a young knight, Sir Graham, who was looking for magical treasures to become the new king.
Yes, the game looked like a hand-drawn cartoon, and yes, the user had to type commands like a standard text adventure, but for its time, the project looked amazing. And the fact is that King's Quest is the first adventure game with animated characters. Before that, games used only text and static pictures.
In 2015, developer The Odd Gentlemen relaunched the King's Quest franchise, reimagining the graphics and paying homage to the original games. Six chapters were published in two years.
King's Quest: Epilogue (2015)
The game still looks hand-drawn (spoiler: it is), but now with intricate computer-rendered details. The designers at King's Quest achieved this effect because they actually hand-drawn and colored the illustrations, and then scanned and processed them on the computer.
6. DOOM (1993) and DOOM (2016)
DOOM (1993)
1993 was a turning point for the desktop gaming industry. DOOM is out and has become a first-person shooter icon. In the game, a space marine tries to hold off a demonic invasion.
This is one of the most important games in the history of computer games. DOOM created a buzz around shooters and influenced the evolution of 3D graphics, which created a demand for more powerful graphics cards. The graphics of the first DOOM in 1993 were a real treat.
And realistic DOOM 2016 shows how much the visuals have changed in two decades.
DOOM (2016)
Modern reviewers don't pay too much attention to the graphics in this title, and that's already saying a lot. It's just that we are used to almost cinematic images in games, and now they focus more on gameplay or lore.
7. World of Warcraft (2004) and World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth (2018)
Some consider World of Warcraft (2004) addictive, and discussions about this game have been going on for many years. Her even with drugs.
World of Warcraft (2004/XNUMX/XNUMX)
If you grew up playing World of Warcraft, you better sit down - she , which means that this game is already 15 years old.
WoW actually founded the MMORPG genre. In 2008, the project included . At the time of release, the game was a delight to the eye, despite the relatively low resolution and lack of realistic shading.
Over the years, the developers have made just a couple of changes to make World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth (2018) look prettier.
World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth (2018)
Unlike most games, World of Warcraft provides a single, uninterrupted online experience with infrequent updates that can be compared to repairing an aircraft in flight. Seventh Expansion Pack in 2018, since then the graphics of the World of Warcraft universe have not changed.
Surprisingly, despite the fact that the graphics in the industry have gone far ahead (for example, the water has become dynamic, the plant world is more juicy, the shadows are soft), Blizzard makes only step-by-step changes, without changing the picture as a whole.
8. The Sims (2000) and The Sims 4 (2014)
The Sims was originally created as a virtual dollhouse.
The Sims (2000)
Once his own house , designer Will Wright conceived The Sims as a simulation of a residential area. This game was not the first in its genre, since SimCity, SimFarm and even SimLife already existed.
However, direct control of people's lives has become an exciting and unusual solution. The game is a simulation sandbox - you can neither win nor lose in it. Released in 2000, The Sims became an instant hit.
The Sims 4 (2014) is certainly different from the original game, but the goals and overall aesthetic have not changed.
The Sims 4 (2014)
The Sims 4 was released five years ago, but the game may many expansion packs - more than 20 add-ons. Visually, the game is not revolutionary in nature, rather evolutionary.
By 2000, computer graphics had already grown stronger, but in the next couple of decades, The Sims was able to increase its "cartoon realism". The movements of the characters became more natural, facial expressions more accurate and everything on the screen became larger.
9. Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!! (1987) and EA Sports UFC 3 (2018)
Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!! (1987)
Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!! (later shortened to Punch-Out!!) was released on the NES in 1987. The project became a simplification of an arcade game because the NES did not have the graphical capabilities to animate the more developed characters. In particular, the protagonist Little Mac was deliberately made shorter in stature to fit the console's graphics limitations.
The canonical Punch Out is no longer being produced, but that's okay - it spawned an entire genre of martial arts games. EA Sports UFC 3 is one of the projects that have taken over this baton.
EA Sports UFC 3 (2018)
EA Sports UFC 3 (2018) does not feature Mike Tyson, but features the realistic, modern graphics that esports fans love.
This is a fighting game based on mixed martial arts. It may not look as photorealistic as Madden NFL 20. But the developers have a hard time, because the characters occupy a large area of the screen - everything must look quite accurate and realistic, like in a real sport.
10. Galaxian (1979) and Galaga Revenge (2019)
Galaxian (1979)
Galaxian came out in 1979. It is considered by some to be the successor to the 1978 Space Invaders. Galaxian has inspired countless shoot 'em up games in which a single spaceship takes on endless waves of aliens. It's also one of the first arcade games to use color.
Galaga Revenge (2019)
Galaxian many sequels and clones, and gave rise to a whole genre. How cool is the graphics? Look at the title Galaga Revenge (2019), for iOS and Android. The improvements may not seem very impressive compared to other modern smartphone games. Today, the bright and vibrant graphics with interesting enemy animations almost do not cause any enthusiasm, but it has flown thousands of light years ahead of its predecessors from the 70s.
11. Breakout (1976) and Cyberpong VR (2016)
Breakouts (1976)
Breakout appeared in 1976 on arcade machines, and two years later it was ported to the Atari 2600. Subsequently, it was endlessly updated, remade, cloned and re-released. She became a brilliant rebirth of Pong (1972).
Breakout is a very simple project in terms of graphics, with simple visuals and a handful of colors used. By the way, the game Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.
Today there are hundreds of variants of Breakout - on PC, consoles, on the phone. Most of them aim to impress the user with their graphics. Probably the best example of the evolution of the picture is (2016) developed for HTC Vive.
Cyberpong VR (2016)
A bit more
While translating the material, I remembered a few more relevant and well-known examples, which for some reason the author missed. Here are some of them:
Tomb Raider (1996) and Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
Resident Evil (1996) and Resident Evil 2 (remake) (2019)
The Need for Speed (1994) and Need for Speed Heat (2019)
Metal Gear (1987) and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015)
Super Mario Bros. (1985) and Super Mario Odyssey (2017)
Grand Theft Auto (1997) and Grand Theft Auto V (2015)
FIFA International Soccer (1993) and FIFA 20 (2019)
Call of Duty (2003) and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
Source: habr.com