3D Classics

3D Classics are a series of remakes of old games for the Nintendo 3DS, with added stereoscopic 3D functionality and updated features while retaining their original art style and graphics. So far, game remade as part of this series have been from the NES/Famicom and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, as well as arcade games.

Development

The first set of games in the series were developed by Arika and published by Nintendo. These releases were directed by Takao Nakano from the Special-Planning & Development Department of Nintendo.[1] Development on this set of games began in 2009, starting with Namco Bandai Games' Xevious. They underestimated the amount of work required to add stereoscopic 3D to a 2D game, requiring much more work than a simple port. Arika attempted a 3D Classics version of the NES/Famicom game Tennis because the background had perspective, but found it looked unimpressive in 3D while requiring re-coding collision detection almost from scratch.[2][3]

Games in the series published by Sega are branded as "Sega 3D Classics" and are developed by M2. Many of the Sega 3D Classics are remakes of games that originally used Sega's "Super Scaler" technology, which created a pseudo-3D effect by rapidly rotating and scaling large numbers of sprites.

Some of the Sega 3D Classics provide options that try to emulate the arcade experience, such as option to enable motion controls or show the screen tilt in games like After Burner II and Super Hang-On. 3D Sonic the Hedgehog allows players to switch between the Japanese and international versions of the game. Some Sega 3D Classics introduce new features altogether, such as "Super Dolphin" invincibility mode in Ecco the Dolphin and the Spin Dash in Sonic the Hedgehog (which is a technique originally introduced in Sonic the Hedgehog 2).[4]

While the games are usually advertised as being based on the NES/Famicom or Sega Mega Drive/Genesis version of the game, the developers often take inspiration from the arcade version when adapting the game.[2]

Release

The 3D Classics were originally announced shortly before the Nintendo 3DS eShop launched.[3]

Eight of the Sega 3D Classics comprised the retail title Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives, released on December 18, 2014 in Japan.[5] It has not been released outside of Japan, although the titles it is composed of were released throughout 2014.

The second group of Sega 3D Classics were released in Japan starting in December 2013; in the West, they were released in 2015, with one of the five coming out each month.[4]

Reception

Modojo's Chris Buffa criticized the Arika-developed 3D Classics for being remakes of uninteresting games, commenting that the 3D Classics line should focus on major titles such as Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda.[3]

The Verge's Sam Byford complimented the Sega 3D Classics for making stereoscopic 3D "a feature", calling the 3D Classics "the most impressive use of 3D on Nintendo's console to date". Byford also commented that the added depth perception makes some of the games easier to play.[6]

GamesRadar's Justin Towell praised the conversion of Super Hang-On to stereoscopic 3D, but noted that the 3D effect seems "a bit uneven in the far distance", and criticized the optional screen-tilt feature (which attempts to emulate sitting on a bike in an arcade) as pointless.[7]

List of games

The games are sorted by title. To sort by other columns, click the corresponding icon in the header row.

Title Publisher Developer(s) Original system Japan North America Europe Australia
After Burner II Sega M2 Arcade December 18, 2013 January 15, 2015 January 15, 2015 January 16, 2015
Altered Beast Sega M2 Sega Genesis May 29, 2013 December 5, 2013 December 5, 2013 December 6, 2013
Ecco the Dolphin Sega M2 Sega Genesis June 26, 2013 December 12, 2013 December 12, 2013 December 13, 2013
Excitebike Nintendo Arika NES June 7, 2011 June 6, 2011 June 7, 2011 June 7, 2011
Fantasy Zone Sega M2 Arcade March 19, 2014 February 12, 2015 February 12, 2015 TBA
Fantasy Zone II Sega M2 Arcade July 16, 2014 April 16, 2015[8] April 16, 2015 TBA
Galaxy Force II Sega M2 Arcade July 24, 2013 December 12, 2013 December 12, 2013 December 13, 2013
Kid Icarus Nintendo Arika NES January 18, 2012[lower-alpha 1] April 19, 2012[lower-alpha 2] February 2, 2012[lower-alpha 3] April 12, 2012[lower-alpha 4]
Kirby's Adventure Nintendo Arika NES April 25, 2012 November 17, 2011 November 17, 2011 November 17, 2011
Out Run Sega M2 Arcade April 23, 2014 March 12, 2015 March 12, 2015 TBA
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master Sega M2 Sega Genesis August 7, 2013 December 19, 2013 December 19, 2013 December 20, 2013
Sonic the Hedgehog Sega M2 Sega Genesis May 15, 2013 December 5, 2013 December 5, 2013 December 6, 2013
Space Harrier Sega M2 Arcade December 26, 2012 November 28, 2013 November 28, 2013 November 28, 2013
Streets of Rage Sega M2 Sega Genesis August 21, 2013 December 19, 2013 December 19, 2013 December 20, 2013
Streets of Rage 2 Sega M2 Sega Genesis April 29, 2015 July 2015 July 2015 July 2015
Super Hang-On Sega M2 Arcade March 27, 2013 November 28, 2013 November 28, 2013 November 28, 2013
Thunder Blade Sega M2 Arcade August 20, 2014 May 14, 2015[9] May 14, 2015[9] TBA
TwinBee[lower-alpha 5] Nintendo Arika NES August 10, 2011 September 22, 2011 September 22, 2011 September 22, 2011
Urban Champion Nintendo Arika NES July 13, 2011 August 18, 2011 August 18, 2011 August 18, 2011
Xevious Nintendo Arika NES June 7, 2011 July 21, 2011 July 21, 2011 July 21, 2011

Future releases

Games are sorted by scheduled release date, if one has been provided.

Title Publisher Developer(s) Original system Release date Source
Gunstar Heroes Sega M2 Sega Genesis August 2015 Sega Blog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Sega M2 Sega Genesis September 2015 Sega Blog

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Available early for free to users who registered any two Nintendo 3DS titles on Club Nintendo between October 1, 2011 and January 15, 2012. The download codes could be used starting December 19, 2011, ahead of the paid public release.
  2. ↑ Previously available as a pre-order bonus (at select stores) for Kid Icarus: Uprising on its release day March 23, 2012, ahead of the paid public release of the 3D Classics title.
  3. ↑ Available early for free to users who registered two of a selection of Nintendo 3DS titles on Club Nintendo between November 1, 2011 and January 31, 2012. Download codes were emailed starting January 5, 2012.
  4. ↑ Available early for free to users who registered two of a selection of Nintendo 3DS titles on Club Nintendo between November 1, 2011 and March 31, 2012. Download codes were emailed starting January 17, 2012.
  5. ↑ The Famicom version, on which this 3D Classic is based on, wasn't originally available in North America or PAL regions.

References

  1. ↑ "Nintendo eShop - A Place to Go for No Particular Reason". Iwata Asks. Nintendo. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Nintendo eShop - Classic Games in 3D". Iwata Asks. Nintendo. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Buffa, Chris. "3DS 3D Classics: One Big Disappointment". Modojo. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Whitehead, Thomas (November 4, 2014). "http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/11/sega_confirms_second_batch_of_3d_classics_for_the_west". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  5. ↑ alba (September 25, 2014). "Sega 3D Classics Collection Announced For Retail Release In Japan". My Nintendo News. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  6. ↑ Byford, Sam (December 19, 2013). "Sega's stunning 3D Classics are Nintendo's best-kept secret". The Verge. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Towell, Justin. "Sega's 3D Classics on 3DS are here: Which should you buy?". GamesRadar. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "3D Fantasy Zone II". twitter.com. Twitter. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Sega's 3D Classics Return this Summer with Sega Genesis Games for Nintendo 3DS". sega.com. Sega. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2015.