Sprite scaling. It is the coolest effect of the 2D arcade era, a must-have for games from Space Harrier to Real Bout Fatal Fury Special. Home consoles pretty much lacked it– sorry, Nintendo, but Mode 7 only scales a background, not sprites. So therefore you might be surprised to hear that Sega’s plucky underdog Master System could do it. Well, don’t get your hopes up; this is far too limited– calling it scaling is overstating things. But let’s dig in anyway!
↫ Nicole Branagan
Nicole Branagan has the best articles on obscure console features, and this one is no exception.
Great article, Thom! It’s fascinating to see how the Master System managed to implement sprite scaling, even if it’s limited. It reminds me of the innovative features in other games. Speaking of unique gaming experiences, have you checked out Wheelie Life at https://wheelielife.io/ It offers some thrilling gameplay that you might enjoy!