Flip-screen Computer Games
While hybrids exist flip-screen computer games do not usually feature any screen-scrolling. Instead, the graphics display updates to an entirely new screen when the edges of the screen are reached. Often, the new screen is graphically contiguous with the one that came before, but such is not a requirement.
However, to be classified as flip-screen a computer game must feature contiguous exploration of an environment.
A hybrid scroller / flip-screen computer game may flip the screen most of the time, but employ scrolling elsewhere.
Manic Miner 1983 ZX Spectrum
Matthew Smith's Manic Miner of 1983 is not a flip-screen computer game because the next level or cavern is accessed via portal-exit rather than screen-edge exits. In Manic Miner a cavern is just a level, and passing through a portal simply switches to the next level.
Jet Set Willy 1984 ZX Spectrum
On the other hand, Matthew Smith's Jet Set Willy of 1984 features contiguous horizontal and vertical edgescreen exploration. That is, one can take an exit to the north, south, east or west to explore the rooms of a mansion. In addition, rooms can be revisited. Thus Jet Set Willy is a flip-screen computer game because its exploration is contiguous, forming a map in the mind.
Technically, Manic Miner portal-transitions and Jet Set Willy edgescreen transitions are akin: they are simply updating to another screen; there is no seamless transition, no screen-scrolling. Only the transition-triggers are different, but Jet Set Willy is 4-way environmentally contiguous.
Impossible Mission 1984 Commodore 64
Dennis Caswell's Impossible Mission of 1984 also features contiguous screen-edge exploration via fancy wipe transitions. Featuring a rotoscoped avatar, automap, interactable pocket computer, interactable placeables, moveable platforms, digitized speech, vertically-scrolling elevator movement and Rogue-like procedural generation, Impossible Mission was an extremely advanced platform-adventure game for 1984.
The Last Ninja 1987 Commodore 64
System 3's The Last Ninja (1987-1991) is an isometric flip-screen series of arcade-adventures for the Commodore 64. Last Ninja employs fancy screenwipes and screen-draws for its edgescreen transitions.
Last Ninja features 8-way movement on the playfield. In addition, you can punch, kick, stab, slash, block, throw, crouch, somersault and search. You can find and wield several different weapons, such as ninjato, nunchaku, staff, shuriken and smoke bomb. Suffice it to say, Last Ninja was a technically-advanced computer-game for 1987. And it sold millions of copies from 1987 to 1991 as well.
Other Flip-screen Computer Games
And Exolon of 1987 is a flip-screen run and gun:
Flip-screen was common on some 8 bit microcomputers that lacked hardware scrolling, processing power and RAM, but I'd rather play flip-screen computer games than be assaulted by flickering slideshows in poorly-coded scrollers.
Those who can't code smooth scrolling routines should make their games flip-screen. As an aside, it is amusing to note that Morrowind's trashy engine evokes 3D flip-screen.
Some of the earliest isometric adventure and platform computer games were flip-screen, not scrollers. However, flip-screen employment would persist in cinematic-cerebral platformers many years after smooth scrolling routines were mastered.
Point-&-click adventure games mostly employed contiguous flip-screen presentation, but some also combined (non-smooth) screen-scrolling routines.
Secret of Monkey Island 1990, LucasFilm Games
The flip-screen presentation of SoMI and BaSK employs perspective changes and sprite-scaling. This mixes the presentation up a bit and also adds depth to scenes. SoMI also features (non-smooth) screen-scrolling.
Beneath a Steel Sky 1994, Revolution Software
Another World 1991, Éric Chahi
Flashback 1992, Delphine Software International
Blackthorne (1994, Blizzard Entertainment)
Crusader: No Remorse / Regret (1995-96, Origin Systems)
cf.:
- A part of: History of 1990s Computer Games
- History of Shoot 'em Ups
- Return to: cRPG Blog (Master Index)
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