Isometric Camera
Introduced with Zaxxon (Sega, 1982), the isometric camera gave players a new way to look at the playing field. Not quite side view and not quite top down, the end result creates a rather toy-like view of the world. This and the smooth scrolling 3-D world on a 2-D display contribute to why the isometric view is popular with building and simulation games.
There are some advantages to an isometric (or iso) camera. Players get a quick snapshot of an environment’s layout and the relationship of items within it, which makes it good for environmental puzzle solving. Hordes of enemies seem more impressive when seen from this camera view, as exhibited in games like Diablo and Starcraft. That said, elevation can cause some problems in iso view. Determining whether something is higher up and closer than something farther away and lower can be difficult, as they both appear to be in the same spot on-screen. Regardless of how small their subjects look compared to their first...