Isometric video game graphics

<h2 id="overview">Overview</h2>
<h3>Advantages</h3>

In <a href="/facts/Video_game_development/bzbpfYJd">video game development</a> and <a href="/facts/Pixel_art/m2TghGMD">pixel art</a>, the technique has become popular because of the ease with which <a href="/facts/2D_computer_graphics/j6dBxDpX">2D</a> <a href="/facts/Sprite_(computer_graphics)/qLHf8V8e">sprite</a>- and <a href="/facts/Tile-based_video_game/NzWIYKWS">tile-based</a> graphics can be made to represent <a href="/facts/3D_computer_graphics/zlWW6eaF">3D</a> gaming environments. Because <a href="/facts/Parallel_projection/QhSERFh6">parallel projected</a> objects do not change in size as they move about an area, there is no need for the computer to scale <a href="/facts/Sprite_(computer_graphics)/qLHf8V8e">sprites</a> or do the complex calculations necessary to simulate <a href="/facts/Perspective_(visual)/zkNx7Wpf">visual perspective</a>. This allowed <a href="/facts/History_of_video_game_consoles_(third_generation)/UAbnBDlz">8-bit</a> and <a href="/facts/History_of_video_game_consoles_(fourth_generation)/cB4oJnpS">16-bit</a> game systems (and, more recently, <a href="/facts/Handheld_game_console/l1hmKVPx">handheld</a> and <a href="/facts/Mobile_phone/H3EcqD9h">mobile</a> systems) to portray large game areas quickly and easily. And, while the <a href="/facts/Impossible_object/3NU2HPR2">depth confusion problems</a> of parallel projection can sometimes be a problem, good game and level design can alleviate this.
Though not limited strictly to isometric video game graphics, <a href="/facts/Pre-rendering/YtB5k4Jh">pre-rendered</a> 2D graphics can possess a higher fidelity and use more advanced graphical techniques than may be possible on commonly available computer hardware, even with <a href="/facts/Hardware_acceleration/ej5sM7hB">3D hardware acceleration</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4">4</a> Similarly to modern <a href="/facts/Computer-generated_imagery/ThJ2gh1X">CGI</a> used in <a href="/facts/Motion_picture/wM3b9Kk3">motion pictures</a>, graphics can be rendered one time on a powerful <a href="/facts/Super_computer/HT9NwGAN">super computer</a> or <a href="/facts/Render_farm/n7rdY7uS">render farm</a>, and then displayed many times on less powerful consumer hardware, such as on <a href="/facts/Television_set/8moTsqhB">television sets</a>, <a href="/facts/Tablet_computers/6pGX2I7b">tablet computers</a> and <a href="/facts/Smartphone/cSIrBMWG">smartphones</a>. This means that static pre-rendered isometric graphics often look better compared to their contemporary real-time-rendered counterparts, and may age better over time compared to their peers.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a> However, this advantage may be less pronounced today than it was in the past, as developments in graphical technology equalize or produce <a href="/facts/Diminishing_returns/YNwQIqtK">diminishing returns</a>, and current levels of graphical fidelity become "good enough" for many people.
There are also gameplay advantages to using an isometric or near-isometric perspective in video games. For instance, compared to a purely <a href="/facts/Top-down_perspective/0C39CTRF">top-down</a> game, they add a third dimension, opening up new avenues for aiming and <a href="/facts/Platform_game/KJnmd0Il">platforming</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a> Compared to a <a href="/facts/First-person_(video_games)/fvEfeqgs">first-</a> or <a href="/facts/Third-person_shooter/gCNat5DR">third-person</a> video game, they allow a player to more easily field and control a large number of units, such as a full <a href="/facts/Party_(role-playing_games)/vvXlPryL">party of characters</a> in a <a href="/facts/Computer_role-playing_game/o4sTj5vl">computer role-playing game</a>, or an army of minions in a <a href="/facts/Real-time_strategy_video_game/0xmCAUgz">real-time strategy game</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a> Further, they may alleviate situations where a player may become distracted from a game's core <a href="/facts/Game_mechanics/daDTpQK4">mechanics</a> by having to constantly manage an unwieldy 3D camera.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a> I.e., the player can focus on playing the game itself, and not on manipulating the game's camera.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a>
In the present day, rather than being purely a source of nostalgia, the revival of isometric projection is the result tangible design benefits.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a>

<h3>Disadvantages</h3>
Some disadvantages of pre-rendered isometric graphics are that, as <a href="/facts/Display_resolution/8LQTWvl3">display resolutions</a> and <a href="/facts/Display_aspect_ratio/hK5LYHN7">display aspect ratios</a> continue to evolve, static 2D images need to be re-rendered each time in order to keep pace, or potentially suffer from the effects of <a href="/facts/Pixelation/MjTAdLRe">pixelation</a> and require <a href="/facts/Anti-aliasing/m3Ew0TQ6">anti-aliasing</a>. Re-rendering a game's graphics is not always possible, however; as was the case in 2012, when <a href="/facts/Beamdog/aHqDsfY8">Beamdog</a> <a href="/facts/Video_game_remake/dIgk3MvI">remade</a> BioWare's <a href="/facts/Baldur%2527s_Gate_(video_game)/nWRFWdmc">Baldur's Gate</a> (1998). Beamdog were lacking the original developers' creative art assets (the original data was lost in a flood<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a>) and opted for simple <a href="/facts/2D_computer_graphics/j6dBxDpX">2D graphics scaling</a> with "smoothing", without re-rendering the game's sprites. The results were a certain "fuzziness", or lack of "crispness", compared to the original game's graphics. This does not affect real-time rendered polygonal isometric video games, however, as changing their display resolutions or aspect ratios is trivial, in comparison.

<h3>Differences from "true" isometric projection</h3>

The projection commonly used in video games deviates slightly from "true" isometric due to the limitations of <a href="/facts/Raster_graphics/HkXNc8oI">raster graphics</a>. Lines in the x and y directions would not follow a neat pixel pattern if drawn in the required 30° to the horizontal. While modern computers can eliminate this problem using <a href="/facts/Spatial_anti-aliasing/od0SgvLy">anti-aliasing</a>, earlier computer graphics did not support enough colors or possess enough CPU power to accomplish this. Instead, a 2:1 pixel pattern ratio would be used to draw the x and y axis lines, resulting in these axes following a ≈26.565° (arctan(1/2)) angle to the horizontal. (Game systems that do not use <a href="/facts/Pixel/UzwBvXBV">square pixels</a> could, however, yield different angles, including "true" isometric.) Therefore, this form of projection is more accurately described as a variation of <a href="/facts/Dimetric_projection/XMfSD6X3">dimetric projection</a>, since only two of the three angles between the axes are equal to each other, i.e., (≈116.565°, ≈116.565°, ≈126.870°).

<h2 id="history-of-isometric-video-games">History of isometric video games</h2>
Some <a href="/facts/3D_computer_graphics/zlWW6eaF">three-dimensional</a> games were released as early as the 1970s, but the first video games to use the distinct visual style of isometric projection in the meaning described above were <a href="/facts/Arcade_games/oBYn85uk">arcade games</a> in the early 1980s.

<h3>1980s</h3>
The use of isometric graphics in video games began with <a href="/facts/Data_East/a9bencl5">Data East</a>'s arcade game <a href="/facts/Treasure_Island_(1981_video_game)/3JpGIN4X">Treasure Island</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a> released in Japan in September 1981,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a> but it was not released internationally until June 1982.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a> The first isometric game to be released internationally was <a href="/facts/Sega/f9TY2kyl">Sega</a>'s <a href="/facts/Zaxxon/XUe3wLCF">Zaxxon</a>, which was significantly more popular and influential;<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15">15</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16">16</a> it was released in Japan in December 1981<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17">17</a> and internationally in April 1982.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18">18</a> Zaxxon is an <a href="/facts/Isometric_shooter/dyAgF51H">isometric shooter</a> where the player flies a space plane through <a href="/facts/Scrolling/tPEjrRM8">scrolling</a> levels. It is also one of the first video games to display shadows.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19">19</a>
Another early isometric game is <a href="/facts/Q*bert/7GP4kN5n">Q*bert</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20">20</a> <a href="/facts/Warren_Davis_(actor)/7GP4kN5n">Warren Davis</a> and Jeff Lee began programming the concept around April 1982. The game's production began in the summer and then released in October or November 1982.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21">21</a> Q*bert shows a static pyramid in an isometric perspective, with the player controlling a character which can jump around on the pyramid.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22">22</a>
In February 1983,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23">23</a> the <a href="/facts/Isometric_platform_game/KJnmd0Il">isometric platform game</a> arcade game <a href="/facts/Congo_Bongo/RcjdDQ4U">Congo Bongo</a> was released, running on the same hardware as Zaxxon.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24">24</a> It allows the player character to traverse non-scrolling isometric levels, including three-dimensional climbing and falling. The same is possible in the arcade title <a href="/facts/Marble_Madness/YVuVppgF">Marble Madness</a>, released in 1984.

In 1983, isometric games were no longer exclusive to the arcade market and also entered home computers, with the release of <a href="/facts/Blue_Max_(video_game)/gUH2bck1">Blue Max</a> for the <a href="/facts/Atari_8-bit_computers/aT04N5zR">Atari 8-bit computers</a> and <a href="/facts/Ant_Attack/QtgSyHgN">Ant Attack</a> for the <a href="/facts/ZX_Spectrum/JVbaDHrU">ZX Spectrum</a>. In Ant Attack, the player can move forward in any direction of the scrolling game, offering complete free movement rather than fixed to one axis as with Zaxxon. The views can also be changed around a <a href="/facts/Cardinal_direction/rbcPTkbJ">90 degrees axis</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:25" href="#fn:25">25</a> The ZX Spectrum magazine, <a href="/facts/Crash_(magazine)/Vux8SpYe">Crash</a>, consequently awarded it 100% in the graphics category for this new technique, known as "Soft Solid 3-D".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:26" href="#fn:26">26</a>
A year later, the ZX Spectrum game <a href="/facts/Knight_Lore/xDzbY2ac">Knight Lore</a> was released. It was generally regarded as a revolutionary title<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:27" href="#fn:27">27</a> that defined the subsequent genre of isometric adventure games.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:28" href="#fn:28">28</a> Following Knight Lore, many isometric titles were seen on home computers – to an extent that it once was regarded as being the second most cloned piece of software after <a href="/facts/WordStar/QWnaF7t7">WordStar</a>, according to researcher Jan Krikke.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:29" href="#fn:29">29</a> Other examples out of those were <a href="/facts/Highway_Encounter/Yz2XM9QE">Highway Encounter</a> (1985), <a href="/facts/Batman_(1986_video_game)/SKCLcyWp">Batman</a> (1986), <a href="/facts/Head_Over_Heels_(video_game)/IyLEzLfr">Head Over Heels</a> (1987)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:30" href="#fn:30">30</a> and <a href="/facts/La_Abad%25C3%25ADa_del_Crimen/auAYYMcM">La Abadía del Crimen</a> (1987).
Isometric perspective was not limited to action and adventure games. For example, the 1989 strategy game <a href="/facts/Populous_(video_game)/bLubJHqd">Populous</a> uses isometric perspective.

<h3>1990s</h3>

Throughout the 1990s, a number of successful computer games used a fixed isometric perspective, such as <a href="/facts/A-Train_III/4prc3I3c">A-Train III</a> (1990), <a href="/facts/Syndicate_(1993_video_game)/FU5Rrcg4">Syndicate</a> (1993), <a href="/facts/SimCity_2000/bn5Bnx1q">SimCity 2000</a> (1994), <a href="/facts/Civilization_II/valCk9hQ">Civilization II</a> (1996), <a href="/facts/X-COM/HnnkYAr9">X-COM</a> (1994), and <a href="/facts/Diablo_(video_game)/t74fmH62">Diablo</a> (1996). But with the advent of <a href="/facts/3D_acceleration/6SqukntK">3D acceleration</a> on personal computers and gaming consoles, games previously using a 2D perspective generally started switching to true 3D (and <a href="/facts/Perspective_projection/zkNx7Wpf">perspective projection</a>) instead. This can be seen in the successors to the above games: for instance <a href="/facts/SimCity_(2013_video_game)/8uAPvCyS">SimCity</a> (2013), <a href="/facts/Civilization_VI/dMt3Rg3w">Civilization VI</a> (2016), <a href="/facts/XCOM%3a_Enemy_Unknown/LF3yu0ju">XCOM: Enemy Unknown</a> (2012) and <a href="/facts/Diablo_III/WrTLoMdw">Diablo III</a> (2012) all use 3D polygonal graphics; and while <a href="/facts/Diablo_II/g5t14Rg5">Diablo II</a> (2000) used fixed-perspective 2D perspective like its predecessor, it optionally allowed for perspective scaling of the sprites in the distance to lend it a "pseudo-3D" appearance.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:31" href="#fn:31">31</a>
Also during the 1990s, isometric graphics began being used for Japanese <a href="/facts/Role-playing_video_game/o4sTj5vl">role-playing video games</a> (JRPGs) on <a href="/facts/Video_game_console/K72D1NSS">console systems</a>, particularly <a href="/facts/Tactical_role-playing_game/MywnsCp6">tactical role-playing games</a>, many of which still use isometric graphics today. Examples include <a href="/facts/Front_Mission/vpDgDxzU">Front Mission</a> (1995), <a href="/facts/Tactics_Ogre/kzJ1rpnt">Tactics Ogre</a> (1995) and <a href="/facts/Final_Fantasy_Tactics/y4ajRyHC">Final Fantasy Tactics</a> (1997)—the latter of which used <a href="/facts/3D_computer_graphics/zlWW6eaF">3D graphics</a> to create an environment where the player could freely rotate the camera. Other titles such as <a href="/facts/Vandal_Hearts/YR33GgYM">Vandal Hearts</a> (1996) and <a href="/facts/Breath_of_Fire_III/jUfbyy1q">Breath of Fire III</a> (1997) carefully emulated an isometric or parallel view, but actually used perspective projection.
Isometric, or similar, perspectives become popular in <a href="/facts/Role-playing_video_games/o4sTj5vl">role-playing video games</a>, such as <a href="/facts/Fallout_(video_game)/SyPI26bN">Fallout</a> and <a href="/facts/Baldur%2527s_Gate/EBMUTsBk">Baldur's Gate</a>. In some cases, these role-playing games became defined by their isometric perspective, which allows larger scale battles.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:32" href="#fn:32">32</a>

<h3>2010s</h3>
Isometric projection has seen continued relevance in the new millennium with the release of several newly-<a href="/facts/Crowdfunded/u9gwrlYI">crowdfunded</a> role-playing games on <a href="/facts/Kickstarter/J1R5A3f6">Kickstarter</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:33" href="#fn:33">33</a> These include the <a href="/facts/Shadowrun_Returns/f7dBgWc0">Shadowrun Returns</a> series (2013-2015) by <a href="/facts/Harebrained_Schemes/rghtUFrd">Harebrained Schemes</a>; the <a href="/facts/Pillars_of_Eternity/bTG8FRjU">Pillars of Eternity</a> series (2015-2018) and <a href="/facts/Tyranny_(video_game)/drwPCSw1">Tyranny</a> (2016) by <a href="/facts/Obsidian_Entertainment/noICbv52">Obsidian Entertainment</a>; and <a href="/facts/Torment%3a_Tides_of_Numenera/GY0dVErJ">Torment: Tides of Numenera</a> (2017) by <a href="/facts/InXile_Entertainment/IE63ruIc">inXile Entertainment</a>. Both Obsidian Entertainment and inXile Entertainment have employed, or were founded by, former members of Black Isle Studios and Interplay Entertainment. Obsidian Entertainment in particular wanted to "bring back the look and feel of the <a href="/facts/Infinity_Engine/UnC42kYl">Infinity Engine</a> games like Baldur's Gate, <a href="/facts/Icewind_Dale/KNo1sYpU">Icewind Dale</a>, and <a href="/facts/Planescape%3a_Torment/4qWrWR4a">Planescape: Torment</a>".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:34" href="#fn:34">34</a> Lastly, several pseudo-isometric 3D RPGs, such as <a href="/facts/Divinity%3a_Original_Sin/xmLNlF5T">Divinity: Original Sin</a> (2014), <a href="/facts/Wasteland_2/Ijtqre60">Wasteland 2</a> (2014) and <a href="/facts/Dead_State/qEFwYeIY">Dead State</a> (2014), have been crowdfunded using Kickstarter. These titles differ from the above games, however, in that they use perspective projection instead of parallel projection..

<h3>Use of related projections and techniques</h3>

The term "isometric perspective" is frequently misapplied to any game with an—usually fixed—angled, overhead view that appears at first to be "isometric". These include the aforementioned <a href="/facts/Dimetric_projection/XMfSD6X3">dimetrically projected</a> video games; games that use <a href="/facts/Trimetric_projection/XMfSD6X3">trimetric projection</a>, such as <a href="/facts/Fallout_(computer_game)/SyPI26bN">Fallout</a> (1997)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:35" href="#fn:35">35</a> and <a href="/facts/SimCity_4/CzyfMPAa">SimCity 4</a> (2003);<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:36" href="#fn:36">36</a> games that use <a href="/facts/Oblique_projection/w3lodlHH">oblique projection</a>, such as <a href="/facts/Ultima_Online/SADkx6sX">Ultima Online</a> (1997)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:37" href="#fn:37">37</a> and <a href="/facts/Divine_Divinity/7x4g0lFC">Divine Divinity</a> (2002);<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:38" href="#fn:38">38</a> and games that use a combination of <a href="/facts/Perspective_projection/zkNx7Wpf">perspective projection</a> and a <a href="/facts/Bird%2527s_eye_view/QkwhxSvk">bird's eye view</a>, such as <a href="/facts/Silent_Storm/1gdyx30p">Silent Storm</a> (2003),<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:39" href="#fn:39">39</a> <a href="/facts/Torchlight/sCUHyU10">Torchlight</a> (2009)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:40" href="#fn:40">40</a> and <a href="/facts/Divinity%3a_Original_Sin/xmLNlF5T">Divinity: Original Sin</a> (2014).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:41" href="#fn:41">41</a>
Also, not all "isometric" video games rely solely on pre-rendered 2D sprites. There are, for instance, titles which use polygonal 3D graphics completely, but render their graphics using parallel projection instead of perspective projection, such as <a href="/facts/Syndicate_Wars/olcBs1CT">Syndicate Wars</a> (1996), <a href="/facts/Dungeon_Keeper/1PKBNMrP">Dungeon Keeper</a> (1997) and <a href="/facts/Depths_of_Peril/bpnx5Xqm">Depths of Peril</a> (2007); games which use a combination of pre-rendered 2D backgrounds and real-time rendered 3D character models, such as <a href="/facts/The_Temple_of_Elemental_Evil_(video_game)/PjJndKDC">The Temple of Elemental Evil</a> (2003) and <a href="/facts/Torment%3a_Tides_of_Numenera/GY0dVErJ">Torment: Tides of Numenera</a> (2017); and games which combine real-time rendered 3D backgrounds with hand-drawn 2D character sprites, such as <a href="/facts/Final_Fantasy_Tactics/y4ajRyHC">Final Fantasy Tactics</a> (1997) and <a href="/facts/Disgaea%3a_Hour_of_Darkness/usIkyEJV">Disgaea: Hour of Darkness</a> (2003).
One advantage of top-down oblique projection over other near-isometric perspectives, is that objects fit more snugly within non-overlapping square graphical tiles, thereby potentially eliminating the need for an additional <a href="/facts/Z-order/fW9MItKE">Z-order</a> in calculations, and requiring fewer pixels.

<h2 id="mapping-screen-to-world-coordinates">Mapping screen to world coordinates</h2>

One of the most common problems with programming games that use isometric (or more likely dimetric) projections is the ability to map between events that happen on the 2d plane of the screen and the actual location in the isometric space, called world space. A common example is picking the tile that lies right under the cursor when a user clicks. One such method is using the same <a href="/facts/Rotation_matrix/c2K2Ftl8">rotation matrices</a> that originally produced the isometric view in reverse to turn a point in screen coordinates into a point that would lie on the game board surface before it was rotated. Then, the world x and y values can be calculated by dividing by the tile width and height.
Another way that is less computationally intensive and can have good results if the method is called on every frame, rests on the assumption that a square board was rotated by 45 degrees and then squashed to be half its original height. A virtual grid is overlaid on the projection as shown on the diagram, with axes virtual-x and virtual-y. Clicking any tile on the central axis of the board where (x, y) = (tileMapWidth / 2, y), will produce the same tile value for both world-x and world-y which in this example is 3 (0 indexed). Selecting the tile that lies one position on the right on the virtual grid, actually moves one tile less on the world-y and one tile more on the world-x. This is the formula that calculates world-x by taking the virtual-y and adding the virtual-x from the center of the board. Likewise world-y is calculated by taking virtual-y and subtracting virtual-x. These calculations measure from the central axis, as shown, so the results must be translated by half the board. For example, in the C programming language:

float virtualTileX = screenx / virtualTileWidth;
float virtualTileY = screeny / virtualTileHeight;

// some display systems have their origin at the bottom left while the tile map at the top left, so we need to reverse y
float inverseTileY = numberOfTilesInY - virtualTileY;

float isoTileX = inverseTileY + (virtualTileX - numberOfTilesInX / 2);
float isoTileY = inverseTileY - (virtualTileX - numberOfTilesInY / 2);

This method might seem counter intuitive at first since the coordinates of a virtual grid are taken, rather than the original isometric world, and there is no one-to-one correspondence between virtual tiles and isometric tiles. A tile on the grid will contain more than one isometric tile, and depending on where it is clicked it should map to different coordinates. The key in this method is that the virtual coordinates are floating point numbers rather than integers. A virtual-x and y value can be (3.5, 3.5) which means the center of the third tile. In the diagram on the left, this falls in the 3rd tile on the y in detail. When the virtual-x and y must add up to 4, the world x will also be 4.

<h2 id="examples">Examples</h2>
<h3>Dimetric projection</h3>

<h3>Oblique projection</h3>

<h3>Perspective projection</h3>

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Clipping_(computer_graphics)/xpPsC6Ax">Clipping</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Filmation_engine/SlaWcSa0">Filmation engine</a></li>
<li>Category:Video games with isometric graphics: listing of isometric video games</li>
<li>Category:Video games with oblique graphics: listing of oblique video games</li>
<li>Commons:Category:Isometric video game screenshots: gallery of isometric video game screenshots</li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Isometric video game screenshots.

<ul><li><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-07-24-the-classic-8-bit-isometric-games-that-tried-to-break-the-mould">The classic 8-bit isometric games that tried to break the mould</a> at Eurogamer.com</li>
<li><a href="https://kotaku.com/5991061/the-best-looking-isometric-games">The Best-Looking Isometric Games</a> at Kotaku.com</li>
<li><a href="http://www.kotaku.co.uk/2015/09/03/the-best-isometric-video-games">The Best Isometric Video Games</a> at Kotaku.com</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">Signor, Jeremy (2014-12-19). "Retronauts: The Continued Relevance of Isometric Games". usgamer.net. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2015-08-09. Retrieved 2017-04-01. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">Signor, Jeremy (2014-12-19). "Retronauts: The Continued Relevance of Isometric Games". usgamer.net. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2015-08-09. Retrieved 2017-04-01. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">Vas, Gergo (2013-03-18). "The Best-Looking Isometric Games". kotaku.com. Gizmodo Media Group. Retrieved 2017-04-01. <a href="https://kotaku.com/5991061/the-best-looking-isometric-games" target="_blank">https://kotaku.com/5991061/the-best-looking-isometric-games</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">Vas, Gergo (2013-05-10). "Video Games With The Most Memorable Pre-Rendered Backgrounds". Kotaku.com. Gizmodo Media Group. Retrieved 2017-04-01. <a href="https://kotaku.com/video-games-with-the-most-memorable-pre-rendered-backgr-499808427" target="_blank">https://kotaku.com/video-games-with-the-most-memorable-pre-rendered-backgr-499808427</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">Vas, Gergo (2013-03-18). "The Best-Looking Isometric Games". kotaku.com. Gizmodo Media Group. Retrieved 2017-04-01. <a href="https://kotaku.com/5991061/the-best-looking-isometric-games" target="_blank">https://kotaku.com/5991061/the-best-looking-isometric-games</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">Signor, Jeremy (2014-12-19). "Retronauts: The Continued Relevance of Isometric Games". usgamer.net. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2015-08-09. Retrieved 2017-04-01. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">Signor, Jeremy (2014-12-19). "Retronauts: The Continued Relevance of Isometric Games". usgamer.net. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2015-08-09. Retrieved 2017-04-01. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">Signor, Jeremy (2014-12-19). "Retronauts: The Continued Relevance of Isometric Games". usgamer.net. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2015-08-09. Retrieved 2017-04-01. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">Signor, Jeremy (2014-12-19). "Retronauts: The Continued Relevance of Isometric Games". usgamer.net. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2015-08-09. Retrieved 2017-04-01. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">Signor, Jeremy (2014-12-19). "Retronauts: The Continued Relevance of Isometric Games". usgamer.net. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2015-08-09. Retrieved 2017-04-01. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150809052629/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/twisted-perspective-the-continued-relevance-of-isometric-games</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">Grayson, Nathan (2016-04-01). "The Struggle To Bring Back Baldur's Gate After 17 Years". Kotaku.com. Gizmodo Media Group. Retrieved 2017-04-11. It was a big challenge because all of the Baldur's Gate original assets like the 3D models that make up these sprites, the 3D models for the levels in the original game, these archives were lost. <a href="https://kotaku.com/the-struggle-to-bring-back-baldur-s-gate-after-17-years-1768303595" target="_blank">https://kotaku.com/the-struggle-to-bring-back-baldur-s-gate-after-17-years-1768303595</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">Treasure Island at the Killer List of Videogames <a href="https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10187" target="_blank">https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10187</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">"Treasure Island (Registration Number PA0000187784)". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 5 May 2021. <a href="https://cocatalog.loc.gov" target="_blank">https://cocatalog.loc.gov</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">Akagi, Masumi (October 13, 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. pp. 35, 115, 131. ISBN 978-4990251215. <a href="978-4990251215" target="_blank">978-4990251215</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">Perron, Bernard; Wolf, Mark J. P. (12 November 2008). The Video Game Theory Reader 2. Taylor & Francis. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-415-96282-7. Retrieved 13 November 2022. <a href="978-0-415-96282-7" target="_blank">978-0-415-96282-7</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:16">Zaxxon at the Killer List of Videogames <a href="https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=12757" target="_blank">https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=12757</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:17">"Zaxxon (Registration Number PA0000135301)". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 5 May 2021. <a href="https://cocatalog.loc.gov" target="_blank">https://cocatalog.loc.gov</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:18">Akagi, Masumi (October 13, 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. pp. 35, 115, 131. ISBN 978-4990251215. <a href="978-4990251215" target="_blank">978-4990251215</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:19">Perron, Bernard; Wolf, Mark J. P. (12 November 2008). The Video Game Theory Reader 2. Taylor & Francis. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-415-96282-7. Retrieved 13 November 2022. <a href="978-0-415-96282-7" target="_blank">978-0-415-96282-7</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:20">Q*bert at the Killer List of Videogames <a href="https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9182" target="_blank">https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9182</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:21">Davis, Warren. "The Creation of Q*Bert". Coinop.org. Retrieved 26 September 2011. <a href="/wiki/Warren_Davis_(actor)" target="_blank">/wiki/Warren_Davis_(actor)</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
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<li id="fn:23">Akagi, Masumi (October 13, 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. pp. 35, 115, 131. ISBN 978-4990251215. <a href="978-4990251215" target="_blank">978-4990251215</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:24">Congo Bongo at the Killer List of Videogames <a href="https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7384" target="_blank">https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7384</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
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</ol>

Isometric video game graphics open-in-new

Isometric video game graphics