Is 2D gaming the future of consoles, or the past?

It is undeniable. Every single gamer in their day has at least once played a 2D game. To make a long story short, here's a little briefing on what's been going on. The very first video games, were made in 2D. Other technology was clearly inaccessible, as almost 40 years later, we have only scratched the surface of 3D capabilities. That isn't the dimensional debate however, it is all in the presentation. When you think of 2D, what do you think of? The very first Mario title, perhaps? Or maybe Sonic the Hedgehog, or possibly Pac Man? Some of the greatest video games we have today originated from two dimensional backgrounds. Since then, we have watched them grow with the technology, as with every advancement on their home console, their appearence changed and bloomed until you would never guess that's that jumpy ol' plumber who squished mushrooms and volleyed turtle shells. Gamers today, as you know - those grumpy pre-teenage high pitched kids on Modern Warfare - think of 2D as a foreign language, that is too old for them to grasp the concept of. They merely dismiss it as "History". Well kiddies, prepare for a shocker.

That's right - you probably know already (which saves me 10 paragraphs of boring lectures) that developer companies, major ones such as Nintendo, Sega, Ubisoft and others are joining the revolution - known as the 2D craze. Yep, lots of games are getting their true colours on within two dimensions this time. It has already began to take over, and you probably didn't notice it! "New Super Mario Bros." ring any bells? All the lastest games have began to converge into 2D: titles such as Sonic 4, Rayman Origins, new titles and old 2D titles are either making a debut or a comeback, like Shank, or Kirby: Epic Yarn!

What is with the sudden change of pace? Let's take a look at the evidence: as it turns out, FPS games have been in overdrive. People, especially spoiled kiddies, have forgotten what it is like to appriciate a non-violent game. Some generations have skimmed this phase by the skin of their teeth, but sadly there are those whose lives depend on their K/D ratios, or their highest killstreak. I'm guilty of the same thing: but now the devs are getting fed up of it. They want to remind us that true gamers aren't those at the top of a scoreboard, or the highest ranked in a match. They want to enrich our lives again, and that can only be served in one way: retro-nastolgia!

Kids these days, and old-school gamers, they all need to see what it is like without Mw2 all the time. What happened to the days where split-screen was "cutting-edge" (literally lol)? 2D has a much bigger impact on us than we can even begin to imagine. It shows that over-the-top gore and exclusive content don't make a game great. We need a reminder to the simple times, so we can stop being so serious. We need to play, not compete. Have we lost sight of what drove gaming to be what it was meant to be about? Let's just let go of all the anxiety and complexities, and enjoy the memories that started it all.

Do you think getting back into 2D-style games is a good idea? It will clearly appeal to old-school gamers, but do you think it will draw in the younger crowd?