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[[File:simcity.jpg|link=Sim City|frame|Looking down on [[Let's Play|City Name]]]]
[[File:simcity.jpg|link=Sim City|frame|Looking down on [[Let's Play|City Name]]]]


From [[The Other Wiki]]: '''Isometric Projection''' is a form of graphical projection, more specifically, a form of axonometric projection. It is a method of visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions, in which the three coordinate axes appear equally foreshortened and the angles between any two of them are 120 degrees.

From [[The Other Wiki]]: Isometric projection is a form of graphical projection, more specifically, a form of axonometric projection. It is a method of visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions, in which the three coordinate axes appear equally foreshortened and the angles between any two of them are 120 degrees.


In layman's speak, it's a way of faking perspective by squashing the vertical axes, thus forcing perpendicular angles to look wider. [[Forced Perspective|Also, close up objects appear the same size as distant objects.]]
In layman's speak, it's a way of faking perspective by squashing the vertical axes, thus forcing perpendicular angles to look wider. [[Forced Perspective|Also, close up objects appear the same size as distant objects.]]
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See also [[Top Down View]], [[Side View]] and [[Three Quarters View]].
See also [[Top Down View]], [[Side View]] and [[Three Quarters View]].

----
{{examples}}
=== Video Game Examples: ===
== Video Games ==
* 8-bit games made with the [[wikipedia:Filmation engine|Filmation engine]]; ''[[Knight Lore]]'' is the [[Trope Codifier]] to rightpondians.

=== [[4X]] ===
* ''[[Civilization]] II'' and ''III''; Civ 1 has a bird's eye view, while 4 and 5 feature a 3D world that generally hangs out at a 3/4ths view.
=== [[Action Adventure]] ===
* ''[[The Adventures of Robin Hood (video game)|The Adventures of Robin Hood]]''
* ''[[The Adventures of Robin Hood (video game)|The Adventures of Robin Hood]]''
* ''[[Age of Empires I (Video Game)|Age of Empires I]]'' and ''[[Age of Empires II]]''
* ''[[Ant Attack]]'', strong contender for the [[Ur Example]] and an even stronger one for the [[Trope Namer]] in gaming (its creator, Sandy White, took the word "isometric" from his old work as an architect after he recognized the in-game city's similarities to [[M. C. Escher]]'s drawings; the city was named Antescher in tribute).
* ''[[Ant Attack]]'', strong contender for the [[Ur Example]] and an even stronger one for the [[Trope Namer]] in gaming (its creator, Sandy White, took the word "isometric" from his old work as an architect after he recognized the in-game city's similarities to [[M. C. Escher]]'s drawings; the city was named Antescher in tribute).
* ''[[Cadaver (video game)|Cadaver]]''
* ''[[Deadly Towers]]''
* ''[[Landstalker]]''
* ''[[Tomb Raider|Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light]]''
* ''[[The Last Ninja]]''
* ''Light Crusader''
* ''[[Little Big Adventure]]''
* ''[[Scurge: Hive]]'' has received the fan nickname "Isometroid" due to its isometric viewpoint and otherwise resembling another series. There actually was an Isometroid fanproject, taking the original game and displaying it from an angle, but it doesn't seem to have gone anywhere.
* ''[[Shadowrun]]'' for the Super NES
=== [[Action Game]] ===
* ''[[Crystal Castles (video game)|Crystal Castles]]'' (uses the "trimetric" projection variant)
* ''[[Desert Strike]]'' (and by extension, the rest of the ''Strike'' series)
* ''[[Knight Lore]]''
* ''[[Paperboy]]''
=== [[Adventure Game]] ===
* The GBA versions of the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' movie games.
** Also, the [[PSP]] version of ''[[Lego Adaptation Game|Lego Harry Potter]]''
* ''[[The Immortal]]''
* Geoff Foley's ''S.O.S.''
* ''[[Sweevo's World]]'' and its sequel, ''[[Hydrofool]]''.
=== [[Arcade Game]] ===
* ''[[Marble Madness]]''
* ''[[Q*bert]]''
* ''[[Sega Sonic the Hedgehog]]'', one of at least 4 isometric ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' games, all of which manage to fit into different genres.
=== [[Beat'Em Up]] ===
* ''Michael Jackson's Moonwalker'' (Sega arcade game)
=== [[Card Battle Game]] ===
* ''[[Culdcept]]''
=== [[Hack and Slash]] ===
* ''[[Diablo]] 1'' and ''2''.
=== [[Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game]] ===
* ''[[Evony]]''
* ''[[Furcadia]]''
* ''[[Ragnarok Online]]''
* ''[[Super Robot Wars]]'' <ref>Only some of them, others use a top-down perspective. Hardware power seems to be the deciding factor: The Playstation games use Isometric, while the Game Boy Advance games use top-down, for example.</ref>
** Ditto ''[[Battle Moon Wars]]'', as it is an [[Affectionate Parody]] set in the [[Nasuverse]]
* ''[[Tibia]]''
* ''[[Ultima Online]]''
=== [[Maze Game]] ===
* ''Marvin's Maze'' (maze game by SNK superficially similar to [[Pac-Man]])
* ''[[Pac-Man]]ia'', sort of. Only the vertical axes are this, the horizontal ones are straightforward left/right.
=== [[Platform Game]] ===
* ''[[Congo Bongo]]'' (platform game similar to ''[[Donkey Kong]]'', but uses the same engine as ''Zaxxon'')
* ''[[Marchen Maze]]'' (platformer by Namco)
* ''[[Mystic Towers]]''
* ''[[Snake Rattle 'n' Roll]]''
* ''[[Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island]]'' - yes, it's ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog|that Sonic]]'' again.
* ''[[Cool Spot|Spot Goes To Hollywood]]''
* ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'' uses this in certain areas. These tend to use [[Forced Perspective]] when it comes to jumping on platforms and footholds.
=== [[Puzzle Game]] ===
* ''[[Head Over Heels]]''
* ''Solstice'', ''Altered Space'' and ''Equinox''. The second game wasn't technically part of the series, but it might as well have been.
* ''[[Sonic Labyrinth]]'', a ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' game for the [[Game Gear]]
=== [[Racing Game]] ===
* ''Enduro Racer'' ([[Sega Master System]] version only)
* ''[[Excite Bike]] World Rally'' is in full 3D, but uses this perspective.
* ''[[RC Pro Am]]'' and its sequels
* ''RPM Racing'' for the Super NES, and it's more famous sequel [[Rock n' Roll Racing]]
=== [[Real Time Strategy]] ===
* ''[[Age of Empires (video game)|Age of Empires I]]'' and ''[[Age of Empires II]]''
* ''[[Command & Conquer]]'' games ''Red Alert 2'' and ''Tiberian Sun'', compared to the top-down views of the first installments and full 3D of the third installments.
* ''[[StarCraft]]'', leading to Artanis' [[Stop Poking Me]] line, "I ''know'' it's not 3D!" while comparing ''Starcraft'' to ''Warcraft''.
* ''[[Syndicate]]''
* ''[[Tropico]]''
* ''[[X-COM]]'' and its brethren.
* ''Last Shelter: Survival''.

=== [[Role-Playing Game]] ===
* ''[[Arcanum]]''
* ''[[Arcanum]]''
** ''[[Temple of Elemental Evil]]'': A Classic [[Greyhawk]] Adventure uses the view, despite the characters ([[Sprite Polygon Mix|the backgrounds are 2d]]) being polygons (same company).
** ''[[Temple of Elemental Evil]]'': A Classic [[Greyhawk]] Adventure uses the view, despite the characters ([[Sprite Polygon Mix|the backgrounds are 2d]]) being polygons (same company).
* ''A-Train III'' and ''IV''
* ''[[Avernum]]''
* ''[[Avernum]]''
* ''[[Baldur's Gate]]''
* ''[[Baldur's Gate]]''
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* ''[[Brandish]] 4''
* ''[[Brandish]] 4''
* ''[[Breath of Fire III]]'' and ''[[Breath of Fire IV|IV]]''
* ''[[Breath of Fire III]]'' and ''[[Breath of Fire IV|IV]]''
* ''[[Cadaver (video game)|Cadaver]]''
* ''[[Civilization]] II'' and ''III''; Civ 1 has a bird's eye view, while 4 and 5 feature a 3D world that generally hangs out at a 3/4ths view.
* ''[[Command and Conquer]]'' games ''Red Alert 2'' and ''Tiberian Sun'', compared to the top-down views of the first installments and full 3D of the third installments.
* ''[[Congo Bongo]]'' (platform game similar to ''[[Donkey Kong]]'', but uses the same engine as ''Zaxxon'')
* ''[[Crystal Castles (video game)|Crystal Castles]]'' (uses the "trimetric" projection variant)
* ''[[Culdcept]]''
* ''[[Deadly Towers]]''
* ''[[Desert Strike]]'' (and by extension, the rest of the ''Strike'' series)
* ''[[Devil Survivor]]''
* ''[[Devil Survivor]]''
* ''[[EarthBound]]'' uses this perspective when you visit Fourside, though it's a notable 45° instead of the traditional 30°-ish. This actually enhances the "city with tall buildings" effect.
* ''[[Diablo]] 1'' and ''2''.
* ''[[Earthbound]]'' uses this perspective when you visit Fourside, though it's a notable 45° instead of the traditional 30°-ish. This actually enhances the "city with tall buildings" effect.
* ''Enduro Racer'' ([[Sega Master System]] version only)
* ''[[Evony]]''
* ''[[Excite Bike]] World Rally'' is in full 3D, but uses this perspective.
* ''[[Fallout]] 1'' and ''2'' (both also use the Trimetric Projection variant).
* ''[[Fallout]] 1'' and ''2'' (both also use the Trimetric Projection variant).
* ''[[Farmville]]'' (and for that matter most of the Flash games run by Zynga for Facebook)
* 8-bit games made with the [[wikipedia:Filmation engine|Filmation engine]]; ''[[Knight Lore]]'' is the [[Trope Codifier]] to rightpondians.
* The Megadrive ''FIFA Soccer'' games
* ''[[Final Fantasy Tactics]]'' and [[Final Fantasy Tactics Advance|its]] [[Final Fantasy Tactics A2|sequels]].
** And games that imitate it, like ''[[Luminous Arc]]'' and [[Luminous Arc 2|its]] [[Luminous Arc 3|sequels]].
* ''[[Furcadia]]''
* ''Future Spy'' (similar to ''Zaxxon'', except it has different controls and a different setting)
* The GBA versions of the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' movie games.
** Also, the [[PSP]] version of ''[[Lego Adaptation Game|Lego Harry Potter]]''
* ''[[Harvest Moon]]: Back to Nature'' (though its [[Game Boy Advance]] version, ''(More) Friends of Mineral Town'' uses a standard top-down perspective)
* ''[[Head Over Heels]]''
* ''[[Hoshigami]]''
* ''[[The Immortal]]''
* ''[[Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories]]'' (the [[Game Boy Advance]] version, not the [[PlayStation 2]] remake)
* ''[[Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories]]'' (the [[Game Boy Advance]] version, not the [[PlayStation 2]] remake)
* ''[[Landstalker]]''
* ''[[Tomb Raider|Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light]]''
* ''[[The Last Ninja]]''
* ''Light Crusader''
* ''[[Little Big Adventure]]''
* ''Madou Monogatari'' ([[Sega Saturn]])
* ''Madou Monogatari'' ([[Sega Saturn]])
* ''[[Majin Tensei II]]''
* ''[[Majin Tensei II]]''
* ''[[Marble Madness]]''
* ''[[Marchen Maze]]'' (platformer by Namco)
* ''Marvin's Maze'' (maze game by SNK superficially similar to [[Pac-Man]])
* ''[[Mega Man Battle Network]]'' and its successor ''[[Mega Man Star Force]]''
* ''[[Mega Man Battle Network]]'' and its successor ''[[Mega Man Star Force]]''
* ''Michael Jackson's Moonwalker'' (Sega arcade game)
* ''[[Mitsumete Knight|Mitsumete Knight R : Daibouken Hen]]''
* the [[Nintendo DS]] version of ''[[My Sims]] Agents''
* ''[[Mystic Towers]]''
* ''[[Pac-Man|Pac-Mania]]'', sort of. Only the vertical axes are this, the horizontal ones are straightforward left/right.
* ''[[Paperboy]]''
* ''[[Planescape: Torment]]''
* ''[[Planescape: Torment]]''
* ''[[Sonic Chronicles]]'', another isometric ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' title.
* ''[[Populous]]''
* ''[[Super Mario RPG]]''
* ''[[Torchlight]]''
* ''[[Ultima VII]]'' had what was probably one of the strongest and most distinctive isometric designs for all its graphics, which showed up again in ''[[Ultima Online]]''.
=== [[Shoot'Em Up]] ===
* ''Future Spy'' (similar to ''Zaxxon'', except it has different controls and a different setting)
* ''[[Postal]]''
* ''[[Postal]]''
* ''[[Project Zomboid]]''
* ''[[Q*bert]]''
* ''[[Ragnarok Online]]''
* ''[[RC Pro Am]]'' and its sequels
* ''RPM Racing'' for the Super NES, and it's more famous sequel [[Rock N Roll Racing]]
* ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'' (arcade game by [[Atari]] based on the movie)
* ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'' (arcade game by [[Atari]] based on the movie)
* ''Viewpoint''
* ''[[Zaxxon]]'' and ''Super Zaxxon''
=== [[Simulation Game]] ===
* ''A-Train III'' and ''IV''
* ''[[FarmVille]]'' (and for that matter most of the Flash games run by Zynga for Facebook)
* ''[[Harvest Moon]]: Back to Nature'' (though its [[Game Boy Advance]] version, ''(More) Friends of Mineral Town'' uses a standard top-down perspective)
* ''[[Mitsumete Knight|Mitsumete Knight R : Daibouken Hen]]''
* the [[Nintendo DS]] version of ''[[My Sims]] Agents''
* ''[[Populous]]''
* ''[[Rollercoaster Tycoon]]'', the first and second games. The third is in full 3D, but still has an option to view the 3D landscape at an Insometric Angle.
* ''[[Rollercoaster Tycoon]]'', the first and second games. The third is in full 3D, but still has an option to view the 3D landscape at an Insometric Angle.
* ''[[SimCity]] 2000'' and its sequels, [[Trope Codifier]]
* ''[[Scurge: Hive]]'' has received the fan nickname "Isometroid" due to its isometric viewpoint and otherwise resembling another series. There actually was an Isometroid fanproject, taking the original game and displaying it from an angle, but as far as I know it never went anywhere.
* ''[[Shadowrun]]'' for the Super NES
* ''[[Sim City]] 2000'' and its sequels, [[Trope Codifier]]
* ''[[The Sims]]''<ref>only the first installment of the game; The Sims 2 and 3 are in 3D.</ref>
* ''[[The Sims]]''<ref>only the first installment of the game; The Sims 2 and 3 are in 3D.</ref>
* ''[[Snake Rattle and Roll|Snake Rattle 'n' Roll]]''
* ''Solstice'', ''Altered Space'' and ''Equinox''. The second game wasn't technically part of the series, but it might as well have been.
* ''[[Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island]]''
** ''[[Sonic Chronicles]]'' is another ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' game from this viewpoint.
** There's also the [[Game Gear]] game ''[[Sonic Labyrinth]]'' and the [[Arcade Game]] ''[[Sega Sonic the Hedgehog]]''.
* ''[[Cool Spot|Spot Goes To Hollywood]]''
* ''[[Starcraft]]'', leading to Artanis' [[Stop Poking Me]] line, "I ''know'' it's not 3D!" while comparing ''Starcraft'' to ''Warcraft''.
* ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'' uses this in certain areas. These tend to use [[Forced Perspective]] when it comes to jumping on platforms and footholds.
* ''[[Super Mario RPG]]''
* ''[[Super Robot Wars]]'' <ref>Only some of them, others use a top-down perspective. Hardware power seems to be the deciding factor: The Playstation games use Isometric, while the Game Boy Advance games use top-down, for example.</ref>
** Ditto ''[[Battle Moon Wars]]'', as it is an [[Affectionate Parody]] set in the [[Nasuverse]]
* ''[[Syndicate]]''
* ''[[Tactics Ogre]]'', both the original, ''Let's Cling Together'', and its {{spoiler|prequel}}, ''Knight of Lodis''.
* ''[[Theme Hospital]]''
* ''[[Theme Hospital]]''
* ''[[Tibia]]''
* ''[[Torchlight]]''
* The Childhood Mode of ''[[Tokimeki Memorial|Tokimeki Memorial 2]]''
* The Childhood Mode of ''[[Tokimeki Memorial|Tokimeki Memorial 2]]''
* ''[[Transport Tycoon]]''
* ''[[Transport Tycoon]]''
* ''[[Tropico]]''
* ''[[Zoo Tycoon]]''
=== [[Sports Game]] ===
* ''[[Ultima VII]]'' had what was probably one of the strongest and most distinctive isometric designs for all its graphics, which showed up again in ''[[Ultima Online]]''.
* The Megadrive ''FIFA Soccer'' games
=== [[Survival Horror]] ===
* ''[[Project Zomboid]]''
=== [[Turn-Based Strategy]] ===
* ''[[Final Fantasy Tactics]]'' and [[Final Fantasy Tactics Advance|its]] [[Final Fantasy Tactics A2|sequels]].
** And games that imitate it, like ''[[Luminous Arc]]'' and [[Luminous Arc 2|its]] [[Luminous Arc 3|sequels]].
* ''[[Hoshigami]]''
* ''[[Tactics Ogre]]'', both the original, ''Let's Cling Together'', and its {{spoiler|prequel}}, ''Knight of Lodis''.
* Most of the [[Turn-Based Strategy]] games by [[Nippon Ichi]]:
* Most of the [[Turn-Based Strategy]] games by [[Nippon Ichi]]:
** ''[[La Pucelle]]''
** ''[[La Pucelle]]''
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** ''[[Disgaea]]''
** ''[[Disgaea]]''
** ''[[Soul Nomad and The World Eaters]]'' is the exception with full camera rotation. However, the camera still starts each battle at the angle the rest of the games use.
** ''[[Soul Nomad and The World Eaters]]'' is the exception with full camera rotation. However, the camera still starts each battle at the angle the rest of the games use.
* ''Viewpoint''
* ''[[X-COM]]'' and its brethren.
* ''[[X-COM]]'' and its brethren.
* ''[[Zaxxon]]'' and ''Super Zaxxon''
* ''[[Zoo Tycoon]]''


=== Other Examples: ===
== Other Examples ==
* Several Comcast commercials feature people driving around in an isometrically projected city/town, most likely in a [[Homage]] to [[Sim City]] 2000.
* Several Comcast commercials feature people driving around in an isometrically projected city/town, most likely in a [[Homage]] to [[SimCity]] 2000.
* [[M. C. Escher]] used isometric projection to create many of his iconic [[Alien Geometries]]. The same sort of line can be used for height and distance in an [[Isometric Projection]], and so Escher used the same line to represent both -- and left which one to the ever-shifting context.
* [[M. C. Escher]] used isometric projection to create many of his iconic [[Alien Geometries]]. The same sort of line can be used for height and distance in an Isometric Projection, and so Escher used the same line to represent both—and left which one to the ever-shifting context.
* ''Habbo Hotel''
* ''Habbo Hotel''
* ''[[Homestuck]]'' mainly uses this perspective.
* ''[[Homestuck]]'' mainly uses this perspective.

Latest revision as of 08:22, 15 September 2023

Looking down on City Name

From The Other Wiki: Isometric Projection is a form of graphical projection, more specifically, a form of axonometric projection. It is a method of visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions, in which the three coordinate axes appear equally foreshortened and the angles between any two of them are 120 degrees.

In layman's speak, it's a way of faking perspective by squashing the vertical axes, thus forcing perpendicular angles to look wider. Also, close up objects appear the same size as distant objects.

In the days before true 3-D graphics, isometric projection was one of the ways artists suggested depth. Developed and formalized in the 19th century for technical and architectural drawings, it remains a popular way of creating 3-D-esque graphics in video games, especially for handheld systems.

Of course, in many cases in video games, the projection is not actually isometric in the mathematical sense, because a 26.57° slope is much easier to draw on square pixels than a 30° slope. But that would be nitpicking, so these games are called "isometric" anyway. The term can also refer to the vastly different Trimetric Projection (such as in Fallout 1 & 2 or SimCity 4).

The weakness of Isometric Geometry is that the same sort of line can be either distance or height, or even both in some cases. Usually, it's easy to tell; but no proper Penrose staircase could be built without this concept.

See also Top Down View, Side View and Three Quarters View.

Examples of Isometric Projection include:

Video Games

4X

  • Civilization II and III; Civ 1 has a bird's eye view, while 4 and 5 feature a 3D world that generally hangs out at a 3/4ths view.

Action Adventure

Action Game

Adventure Game

Arcade Game

Beat'Em Up

  • Michael Jackson's Moonwalker (Sega arcade game)

Card Battle Game

Hack and Slash

Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game

Maze Game

  • Marvin's Maze (maze game by SNK superficially similar to Pac-Man)
  • Pac-Mania, sort of. Only the vertical axes are this, the horizontal ones are straightforward left/right.

Platform Game

Puzzle Game

Racing Game

Real Time Strategy

Role-Playing Game

Shoot'Em Up

  • Future Spy (similar to Zaxxon, except it has different controls and a different setting)
  • Postal
  • Return of the Jedi (arcade game by Atari based on the movie)
  • Viewpoint
  • Zaxxon and Super Zaxxon

Simulation Game

Sports Game

  • The Megadrive FIFA Soccer games

Survival Horror

Turn-Based Strategy

Other Examples

  • Several Comcast commercials feature people driving around in an isometrically projected city/town, most likely in a Homage to SimCity 2000.
  • M. C. Escher used isometric projection to create many of his iconic Alien Geometries. The same sort of line can be used for height and distance in an Isometric Projection, and so Escher used the same line to represent both—and left which one to the ever-shifting context.
  • Habbo Hotel
  • Homestuck mainly uses this perspective.
  • Japanese DJ Halfby's music videos by Groovisions use isometric projection. See here, for instance.
  • The art of pixel art group eBoy.
  1. ↑ Only some of them, others use a top-down perspective. Hardware power seems to be the deciding factor: The Playstation games use Isometric, while the Game Boy Advance games use top-down, for example.
  2. ↑ only the first installment of the game; The Sims 2 and 3 are in 3D.
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Isometric_Projection?oldid=2029793"