This post was created as part of Nexon PEAK activities.

Hello.

There are countless kinds of games, and each has its own appeal, but the ones I have always felt the strongest attachment to were 2D side-scrolling games. And among those, because online games naturally felt more enjoyable to me than games played alone, I often found myself searching for and playing titles in that category.

In this article, I wanted to reflect on why games in this category, including MapleStory, have always felt more comfortable and approachable to me than others, and regardless of difficulty, it seems that the stable and relaxing atmosphere created by the 2D side-scrolling format played a meaningful role, which is why I decided to gather those thoughts here.

Designs with an atmosphere that only 2D graphics can offer

To begin with, I think one of the clearest strengths is the comfortable atmosphere created by this kind of 2D pixel-art graphics. Of course, 3D has its own distinct advantages and an atmosphere that only 3D can create, but 2D stands out just as clearly in this regard.

This is true not only in villages known for their atmosphere, such as Ellinia above, but also in more ordinary spaces like the general store in Lith Harbor.

Details such as the general store in El Nath, where that wintry feeling somehow comes across as both cold and warm at once, are also portrayed with remarkable care.

This sensibility is not limited to MapleStory in the past, either, and even the backgrounds being released now are quite impressive, whether it is a battle map like this one for Seren.

Or the Talahart map, which first appeared as the event map for The Night When Illusions Fall.

Or Bellona's battle map, it is genuinely pleasing to see that this distinctive feeling is maintained so consistently, regardless of whether the atmosphere leans dark or bright.

An intuitive style of progression without motion-sickness-like discomfort

Another point is that the dizziness some players can experience in 3D games is completely absent in 2D side-scrolling games. I still vividly remember trying a 3D game myself and then spending three straight hours lying down after only thirty minutes of play, and because I did not even know what 3D motion sickness was at the time, I remember the experience feeling even more disorienting.

Separate from difficulty as well, I think one of the format's strengths is that even someone seeing the game for the first time can intuitively understand how to control it, which makes it easier for a wider range of players to enjoy comfortably.

BGMs that remained in players' memories in harmony with the game's atmosphere

Lastly, this is not an advantage unique to 2D side-scrolling games alone, but it is still an element that I believe was clearly shaped by the game's overall atmosphere. In MapleStory's case, even newly released BGMs continue to receive praise, yet many players who experienced the game in the past still become deeply nostalgic when listening to them, even if they are no longer actively playing. The Orbis ship featured in the video above feels like a particularly good example of how the atmosphere of a 2D game and its BGM can leave an especially lasting impression.

And while they are not MapleStory, it is easy to find many similar reactions in the comments for La Tale and Ghost Online as well, since they belong to the same category of 2D side-scrolling games. I feel that this, too, likely comes from the elements mentioned above.

Thank you for reading.