Good examples of video games that feature a top-down point-of-view?
September 23, 2009 12:34 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for good examples of video games that feature a top-down (or near top-down) point-of-view that are not racing, strategy or board games.
I'm trying to find some good examples of video games where the player's point of view looks down on the playable character. Ideally, the player's point-of-view looks directly down at the top of the playable character's head.
I realize there are plenty of racing, strategy and board games that utilize this POV, but I'm really looking for something character-based.
Any ideas?
I'm trying to find some good examples of video games where the player's point of view looks down on the playable character. Ideally, the player's point-of-view looks directly down at the top of the playable character's head.
I realize there are plenty of racing, strategy and board games that utilize this POV, but I'm really looking for something character-based.
Any ideas?
Ikari Warriors
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 12:36 PM on September 23, 2009
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 12:36 PM on September 23, 2009
The original Grand Theft Auto and Postal games had this POV.
posted by backseatpilot at 12:41 PM on September 23, 2009
posted by backseatpilot at 12:41 PM on September 23, 2009
The Legend of Zelda
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 12:42 PM on September 23, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 12:42 PM on September 23, 2009 [1 favorite]
For newer games, you've got things like Madballs and Fat Princess.
posted by Grither at 12:43 PM on September 23, 2009
posted by Grither at 12:43 PM on September 23, 2009
I do believe 2D Legend of Zelda games would meet your criteria, as well as almost any 2D RPG such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior/Quest (prior to the PlayStation and 3D graphics). You aren't constantly staring at the top of the main character's head, but you see the world in a top-down fashion.
Also Metal Gear, and really Space Invaders as well... there are tons! Side scrolling and top down were basically the only two ways you could make a game back in the day (odd attempts at pseudo-3D excluded). Do you not play a lot of video games?
posted by miraimatt at 12:44 PM on September 23, 2009
Also Metal Gear, and really Space Invaders as well... there are tons! Side scrolling and top down were basically the only two ways you could make a game back in the day (odd attempts at pseudo-3D excluded). Do you not play a lot of video games?
posted by miraimatt at 12:44 PM on September 23, 2009
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is nearly top down, although there is quite a bit of driving action.
posted by 2bucksplus at 12:47 PM on September 23, 2009
posted by 2bucksplus at 12:47 PM on September 23, 2009
Any number of old shooters such as Space Invaders, Galaga, and so on through the years up to something more recent like Ikaruga.
posted by utsutsu at 12:54 PM on September 23, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by utsutsu at 12:54 PM on September 23, 2009 [1 favorite]
Alive 4-Ever (iPhone)
posted by studentbaker at 12:56 PM on September 23, 2009
posted by studentbaker at 12:56 PM on September 23, 2009
I'm looking for good examples of video games that feature a top-down (or near top-down) point-of-view that are not racing, strategy or board games.
Aside from early console RPGs (like Zelda) and most shooter games (like Ikari Warriors), and the genres you mentioned, the other big one was early 2D sports games (like 10 Yard Fight).
posted by burnmp3s at 12:58 PM on September 23, 2009
Aside from early console RPGs (like Zelda) and most shooter games (like Ikari Warriors), and the genres you mentioned, the other big one was early 2D sports games (like 10 Yard Fight).
posted by burnmp3s at 12:58 PM on September 23, 2009
there are literally hundreds and hundreds of top-down games across all genres. is there something specific you're looking for? what is the goal? will you be playing these, or are you writing something about the style?
if you want to play this kind of game, where will you be playing it? pc, console, emulator...? what gameplay style (what pace, what subject matter, what kind of experience do you want to have)?
if you're interested in the style itself, the progression of top-downs through the years, what specifically are you focus on or wondering about? what is the driving inspiration for the question?
posted by radiosilents at 1:37 PM on September 23, 2009 [3 favorites]
if you want to play this kind of game, where will you be playing it? pc, console, emulator...? what gameplay style (what pace, what subject matter, what kind of experience do you want to have)?
if you're interested in the style itself, the progression of top-downs through the years, what specifically are you focus on or wondering about? what is the driving inspiration for the question?
posted by radiosilents at 1:37 PM on September 23, 2009 [3 favorites]
The Tank game in Combat.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 1:39 PM on September 23, 2009
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 1:39 PM on September 23, 2009
Top down AND character driven? You want Fallout and zelda not commando or old arcade games. The term for a lot of these is "isometric" and here's the wikipedia list:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Video_games_with_isometric_graphics
And I just learned from that link that it's not isometric at all. "This category is for video games that use a form of axonometric projection (commonly, the form of dimetric projection mistakenly referred to as "isometric") in all or some of their gameplay."
posted by anti social order at 2:33 PM on September 23, 2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Video_games_with_isometric_graphics
And I just learned from that link that it's not isometric at all. "This category is for video games that use a form of axonometric projection (commonly, the form of dimetric projection mistakenly referred to as "isometric") in all or some of their gameplay."
posted by anti social order at 2:33 PM on September 23, 2009
Classic computers RPGS from the SSI games through Ultimas and the Black Isle games like Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment.
posted by cCranium at 3:15 PM on September 23, 2009
posted by cCranium at 3:15 PM on September 23, 2009
The Valhalla games (on the Amiga) jumped to my mind, and after finding the link on Moby Games, I saw that they have the ability to search by the viewpoint "top-down" (link has a list of the top 10 highest rated as well as the top 50 most popular - along with a link to list all games in that category).
posted by Chunder at 3:54 PM on September 23, 2009
posted by Chunder at 3:54 PM on September 23, 2009
grand theft auto 2 (wiki link) -- great game and very re-playable. huge world, freely downloadable.
posted by knockoutking at 4:03 PM on September 23, 2009
posted by knockoutking at 4:03 PM on September 23, 2009
The Diablo series of games by Blizzard.
posted by ericales at 5:54 PM on September 23, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by ericales at 5:54 PM on September 23, 2009 [1 favorite]
Sort of a team-based RPG-strategy hybrid: Defense of the Ancients "mod" for Warcraft 3
posted by chalbe at 8:13 PM on September 23, 2009
posted by chalbe at 8:13 PM on September 23, 2009
The old-school Mission Impossible for the NES was top-down. Character-driven, , yeah, you could make the argument.
posted by chrisinseoul at 2:20 AM on September 24, 2009
posted by chrisinseoul at 2:20 AM on September 24, 2009
Blob on the amiga is the birds-eye-view platform game that concentrates almost solely on vertical jumping. It's as difficult to play as you can imagine.
I thought of Valhalla too, Chunder.
posted by holloway at 3:02 AM on September 24, 2009
I thought of Valhalla too, Chunder.
posted by holloway at 3:02 AM on September 24, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
Because I think "Gauntlet" is the classic top-down dungeon game.
posted by drjimmy11 at 12:35 PM on September 23, 2009