Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/83694
Back ın Style When Pixar released Toy Story in 1995, the box offi ce was abuzz over this animated full-length fi lm crafted in the new CGI medium. For several years after, classical 2D animated movies co-existed quite nicely alongside their 3D animated cousins, but it didn't take long before 3D computer-animated features became the norm rather than the exception. Th e same can be said of the gaming world: Th e 32-bit/64-bit fi fth-generation consoles ushered in the era of 3D gaming. By the time the seventh-generation systems hit the market, realistic, complex 3D game char- vies co-existed quite nicely alongside their 3D animated cousins, (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii) hit the market, realistic, complex 3D game char- acters occupied robust 3D worlds—a trend that continues, even on handhelds. Today, 3D CGI dominates the entertainment realm. Every once in a while, though, a 2D fi lm or game will pop up and garner attention that is well deserved. At the 2012 Oscars, the 2D animated fi lms A Cat in Paris and Chico & Rita caught the eye of critics, the latter giving the CG movie Rango a run for its money. In terms of gaming, 2009 appears to be the year when 2D titles began making a comeback. But these are not the primitive, pixelated games of yesteryear. Rather, they utilize sophisticated tools and take advantage of present processing power to make beautiful art interactive. images pop. Here we look at a pair of 2D games that implement new technology to make 2D August/September 2012 Gaming ■ ■ ■ ■ 17