2D vs 3D games, what's your preference?

It could be simple nostalgia, but I tend to slightly prefer 2D games over 3D ones. They generally allow for more creativity, have tighter controls and a have a heavier focus on gameplay and fun, I feel. They also age better than most 3D games that rely on more-or-less ugly polygons.

What 2D games lack and are worse at, I think, is in the immersion and exploration side of things, as well as the obvious aspect that is realism.

I can easily get immersed, sucked into a 3D game world which rarely happens in a 2D game, probably due to the fact that 2D visuals make the player feel "external" to the experience, whereas 3D visuals tend to draw the players into that world and create that sort of illusion that you're in it.

Obviously there are some genres that are better fit in 2D while others in 3D and ultimately a quality game is good whether it's in 2D or 3D, but if I had to have a preference I'd choose 2D over 3D by a slight margin.

Do you have any preference in this regard or you like both 2D and 3D equally?

Since I don't feel like making a list of all games I like and see if there's mostly 2D or 3D games, I'll just say I like both equally.

Generally speaking, I like 2D games in short burts, while 3D games can hook me for several hours due to their immersion factor.

2d pixelart never gets old to me, but i also love modern 3d games. We finally got to a point when 3d games look like CGI movies, it's fantastic!

I just can't go back to 3d games from previous gens, though. Most PS2 games aged terribly...not just in graphics, but also gameplay mechanics, performance, voice acting, etc...

Depends on the game really.

Platforming/axction generally prefer 2d.

3D.

Graphics aren't super important to me if the game plays well and is fun.

I can enjoy either. I like both. Can't really say I like one better than the other.

There' something to be said for 2D because so much more work has to go into a 3D game. 2D allows a small dev to focus more on making it fun rather than creating all the 3D assets. 3D also has some obvious benefits. It really depends on the game.

Doesn't matter to me and which ever uses the game to it's benefits, it's okay in my books. Sorry but I just don't have any preference cause I play both 2D & 3D games all my life.

But however, I do a preference for 2D sprite girls though ^-^

2D generally has great art direction, style, and so forth.

3D is more immersive and exciting, though.

I like both for those reasons.

2D games have excelled, games like hollow knight and cuphead are going to be timeless, also very unique styles, many 3d games look too similiar.

I enjoy many that are both, but from a visual perspective 2d, they tend too hold up better over the years.

How good the art is depends on the artist, but 3D is a superior technology to 2D, as will one day (maybe) be Virtual Reality when compared to current 3D. Overall I prefer 3D games to 2D ones, though fun is such a relative and subjective term; fun is also (should be) the criteria which a video game should be judged for. I'm against games that heavily rely on cinematics at the cost of gameplay which I see as an issue in some 3D games, but overall 3D > 2D for me.

Both, but I really believe 3D needed to happen because 2D was reaching its max

depends on the game really.

i mean i wouldnt play a 2D racing game now (or buy one based on 2D tech).

but sometimes 3D can also get in the way. i remember preferring harvest moon on the GBA in 2D compared to harvest moon on the GC for example. it just felt like having to control the camera in 3D got in the way. not a game breaking issue or anything but not practical.

one thing i like seeing now is nicely detailed 3D models and effects mapped onto detailed 2D backgrounds (like pillars of eternity). its a nice mixture of the 2 techs (though gameplay wise its very much a 2D game). the 2D top down perspective is also nicer when controlling a group of adventurers instead of just one character.

so yeah it really depends on the game. i have no inherent preference for one or the other. 3D and 2D are just tools to get the job done at the end of the day.

I enjoy both.

I enjoy both equally myself.

3D games.

But I definitely enjoy platformers more when they are in 2D.

Examples: Donkey Kong Country, Mario, Rayman, ...

I like exploring whether it's on land, air, sea, or outer space. So, 3D.

The only way to say objectively which I prefer is to take the same game and compare the 2D version and the 3D version. Kingdom hearts: chain of memories is the example I’ll use so going off that I feel 2D makes for a more refined and tight gameplay experience similar to what op said. In a 3D plane there is more freedom but more potential downfalls. You’re more likely to have bugs, glitches, and dead space in a 3D game. This is especially apparent in competitive games. 3D space is doable but much harder. Map design is very key in a 3D competitive game.

In my opinion 2D RTS games were somehow more enjoyable for me than 3D since in 2D you at least have a great view on the battlefield while in 3D the map is too zoomed in.

For point'n click games 2D was better due to this that AAA publishers made much more 2D point'n click games. they abandoned them in 3D era due to lack of sales.

For other genres 3D is the way to go for me.

I like both. But I like 2D slightly more.

@dorog1995: What about platformers? 2D or 3D?

@pitty8982: I don't know. Haven't played 2D platformers that much.

I don't have one.

It depends a lot on various things, but I can say with a great deal of confidence that I much prefer 2D platformers to 3D platformers.

3D platformers aren't as precise or tight as their 2D counterparts.

I was weaned on 2D, so that'll always be my preference, but I love my 3D games too.