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This post was written as part of Nexon PEAK activities

and is sponsored content.

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Hi, it’s Onya.

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I’ve tried all kinds of games,

but I always end up coming back to 2D side-scrolling RPGs.

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The movement feels intuitive, so even someone like me with a terrible sense of direction can get around pretty comfortably. And since I don’t have to rotate the camera myself, there’s a lot less motion-sickness 부담.

Plus, it’s just fun to look at the backgrounds too ㅎㅎ

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So today, I wanted to go over those reasons a bit more specifically.

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1. The controls are easy

More specifically, I mean movement and camera handling feel easy.

Not saying the bosses are easy ...

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In a 2D side-scrolling RPG, basically,

you move left and right, and use jumps to go up and down the terrain!

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In MapleStory too, since you move with the arrow keys and go up and down platforms,

it’s easy to tell right away where your character is and where you need to go.

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It’s kind of perfect for someone like me, who’s bad with directions.

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In 3D games, I definitely start off looking at my destination,

but after turning the camera a few times, I don’t even know which way I’m facing anymore.

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In a side-scroller, on the other hand, left is left

and right is right.

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That sounds obvious, but for me it actually matters a lot.

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It’s similar when you’re looking for NPCs.

Since you’re just moving left and right within the same map and checking platforms,

it takes relatively less energy to find your way.

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Of course, MapleStory can still be confusing when the map gets complicated.

Being a side-scroller doesn’t magically cure your bad sense of direction.

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Still, I like that I don’t have to rotate the camera separately while moving,

so I can focus on my character and what’s around me.

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Maybe it’s just an aging issue, but these days I can only look at flatter screens for long periods

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2. No 3D motion sickness

Personally, I’ve played quite a few open-world RPGs too.

It is nice being able to roam around a huge map freely,

but I kept getting lost, and having to figure out my direction together with the camera was tiring.

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- You have to move the character

- You have to turn the camera too

- You have to keep an eye on enemies

- You have to find the way too

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It’s just too much to manage.

Especially in combat, if I turn the camera the wrong way, my eyes start spinning. My fingers cramp too.

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In a side-scrolling game with a fixed viewpoint like MapleStory,

I don’t have to control the camera myself, so even flashy effects feel much less overwhelming.

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I also like that it’s easy to keep track of

where the enemies are and where my character is moving, all on one screen.

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So when I pick a game,

I quietly care more about whether it’s a screen I can look at comfortably for a long time than how flashy the graphics are.

No matter how fun it is, if I get motion sick and turn it off, that kind of defeats the point…

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Of course, even 2D games can feel tiring if the screen shakes a lot,

and motion sickness is different for everyone.

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But if you also get worn out from constantly turning the camera in 3D games like I do,

a side-scrolling RPG might feel a bit more comfortable.

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3. Looking at the background art

And this is another part I really like. There’s a lot of fun in just taking in the background art.

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One nice thing about 2D side-scrolling RPGs is that each town or area

unfolds with a background that almost feels like an illustration.

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Since the background stretches out behind the space where your character moves, you can take in the map’s color palette and overall mood at a glance.

That’s one reason I like MapleStory in particular. The atmosphere varies a lot, from cute and charming backgrounds to dreamy places to dark, heavier ones.

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Even though it’s the same game, once you move to a different area,

it can feel like you’ve stepped into a different painting.

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This is the current event map, <Argo Ship>,

and the little props on the deck are really cute too. Love that.

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So it’s not just the overall atmosphere of the map,

there’s also a lot of fun in noticing the little props placed here and there.

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When I’m actually playing, I usually don’t notice those details much because I’m busy doing quests or moving around,

but later, when I look back at screenshots, I end up appreciating them after the fact ㅎㅎ

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At the time, I was too busy just passing through,

but when I look again later, the background scenery and color combinations really start to stand out.

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I don’t think a game is only fun if you’re always achieving something,

so having things like this to look at is also one of the reasons I keep coming back.

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So who would I recommend this to?

• People who spend a lot of energy just finding their way around in games

• People who get tired from handling character movement and camera control at the same time

• People who have trouble playing 3D games for long because of motion sickness

• People who enjoy looking at towns and backgrounds, not just characters

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If that sounds like you, a 2D side-scrolling RPG like MapleStory might be a good fit.

That said, just because movement is intuitive

doesn’t mean combat is automatically easy too.

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At first, it’s best to get used to the basic movement and jumping, then find key settings that feel comfortable for you.

MapleStory also gives you a lot of freedom with shortcut settings, so I’d recommend using whatever jump/pick-up/basic attack + skill setup feels best for you.

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-Conclusion-

After all that, I end up back in MapleStory…

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Trying out new games is fun too,

but in the end, I think I always come back to the games I can enjoy comfortably.

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For similar reasons, I also really love the side-scrolling RPG Elsword. ^ ^ Definitely recommended!

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