The 3D as 2D sample project, Bunny Blitz, is available now
2D games face challenges when it comes to meeting players’ visual expectations. Developers must deliver sophisticated animations, changing camera angles, cutscenes, a sense of depth, immersive, versatile gameplay.
While 2D is expressive, adding 3D elements adds greater depth. 3D animated characters can be easier to animate (for example, in isometric 2D games ) and you can use different camera angles or make close-up cutscenes with 3D characters. 3D props can also create unique gameplay situations or reinforce depth.
In Unity 6.3 and beyond, 2D projects using the URP 2D Renderer can now blend 3D elements into the 2D world with the 3D-as-2D workflows. Under the same renderer, 3D elements using the included Mesh-2D-filter materials or any Shader Graph sprite-based shader (with 3D-as-2D compatibility enabled) can be rendered and sorted in the 2D world.
In the new 3D-as-2D workflows, 3D GameObjects behave like sprites in sorting layers, will receive 2D lighting, and can even be masked using a 2D mask.
To demonstrate all these possibilities we created the new sample, Bunny Blitz.