All or most games were made with their respective software and hardware limitations in mind like the original sonic in 1991 for the sega genesis and the original Mario in 1985 for the NES which surely set the standard for game design for platformer games.
Halo Combat Evolved
Halo combat evolved quite literally changed the attitude and design of FPS games. Halo being made specifically to sell the Xbox and promote the console and despite the hardware limitations of the awful Xbox controller blew up. Bungie designed the control scheme for halo to not only fit the Xbox controller but use it to its advantage.
The previously two seemingly useless black and white buttons used for swapping between grenade types and turning on Johns headlights in dark areas of the game which were essential on the first and last mission of the game where you would have to fit yourself through almost confusing vent like corridors of the game. Due to the software limitations it feels like Bungie cantered the game design around making the game feel fun and fluent rather than looking pretty, making the games objects almost out of basic shapes, the core development and design was made with the “is this fun” or “does this feel fun” attitude. however, in places where the software limited game design worked for Bungies favour back fired when 343 industries tried to re-master the game. Highlighted by the mission “The library” The lack of lighting highlighted blood sprays on the wall and small details which goes against the game design of the specific level as this was suppose to introduce a new enemy and set the tone for the mission and the rest of the story in the halo franchise.
The game design for how the game was marketed was by the use of the title ‘combat evolved’ and didn’t really have a target demographic outside the gaming community and culture (par the combat and blood setting the rating to mature)
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros being the first Mario game and being the bar standard for platformer games was made with a specific and simple game design in mind. Being made in 1985 for the NES with its new and arguably one of the best controllers at its time used its game limitations to its advantage.
The controller was perfectly suited for the platformer genre and the game design and core aspects of the game certainly used it for its advantage, the gameplay being simplistic and the art style made room for the devs to make smooth and feel good controls which was nearly impossible to find before this due to the software limitations. Since the newer versions of Mario like Mario odyssey and Mario+rabbits kingdom battle with the new consoles and software, the game design has been much more in detail and fleshed out since the simple objective, save the princess and defeat bowser. With the basic concept still there, Sony has added more of the journey and the tasks you have to do to get to that end point. Everyone knows in every Mario game the climax is defeating bowser and saving peach, however the journey is different and fantastic each time. Not many other games can be re made and remastered so many different times with the same core design and idea but still feel fresh and new.
Next Gen Blog 