History Main / PreRenderedGraphics

* ''VideoGame/MegaRace'': In the first two games, the backdrops of the cutscenes, which feature live actors, and the racetracks themselves are pre-rendered. This is most noticeable if you drive backward on the tracks in ''VideoGame/MegaRace2'', since the FixedCamera was [[CameraScrew obviously not intended]] for that. The first game is on-rails, so you cannot drive backward in that one. The third game is rendered entirely in real-time, though the cutscenes are still live-action.

* The [=PS1=] version of ''VideoGame/KlonoaDoorToPhantomile'' had pre-rendered cutscenes for the intro, as well as the scene where Klonoa and Huepow go to Cress, and the ending. In the Wii remake, all of these cutscenes were rendered with the in-game graphics.

* ''VideoGame/ZeldasAdventure'' features a pre-rendered world viewed from the top-down, similar to the classic Legend of Zelda games.

* The first ''VideoGame/Vectorman'' game makes extensive use of prerendered graphics, making for one of the most visually impressive games of its generation. The second game uses sprite art for the most part, though the main character keeps his prerendered sprites from its predecessor.

** ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'': The title screen and 3D special stages use prerendered graphics.
** ''VideoGame/Sonic3DBlast'': The whole game uses prerendered graphics.
** ''VideoGame/SonicBlast'': A rare 8-bit example of a game with prerendered graphics. It helps that the ''UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem'' could output more colors other consoles of its generation.

* ''VideoGame/TombRaider'': Every game developed by Creator/CoreDesign (save ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderTheAngelOfDarkness Angel of Darkness]]'') used pre-rendered cutscenes, though some were rendered using the gameplay engine instead.

* ''VideoGame/{{Galaxian}}³'' uses pre-rendered graphics played back as videos on two discs (as the game uses two projection screens aligned side-by-side) for the backgrounds, with enemies and their attacks rendered in real-time. This is most notable if one or both of the discs or their drives is malfunctioning, as the backgrounds will be frozen but the real-time graphics will continue on.

''VideoGame/{{Starblade}}'': The arcade version was rendered in real-time, but the home ports instead used pre-rendered backgrounds with real-time enemy models and projectiles overlaid.

* VideoGame/WarcraftIII: The in-game cutscenes use standard unit models, while every campaign ends on a cinematic cutscene. The expansion only uses in-game cutscenes except for the very beginning when Illidan summons naga from the seas and ends on a much more complicated animated instead of a cinematic.

* VideoGame/DragonQuestIX: One plotline quest requirement is for the player character to show up alone and wearing a certain set of armor. It's a rather transparent justification for the fact that the following animated cutscene shows only one person wearing the all-encompassing armor, when in-game models allow for huge amounts of customization (and there are no preset party members, only random ones) and every weapon has its own model. Fortunately, [[https://youtu.be/6mZ3QmsNZJA?t=246 it's a pretty awesome cutscene]].

[[folder:Adventure Game]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Syberia}}'' uses pre-rendered cutscenes.
[[/folder]]

As [[TechnologyMarchesOn game engines got more powerful]], pre-rendering saw a significant decline in use, though it is by no means gone entirely. Announcement trailers for new games are still often pre-rendered and feature no in-game footage at all, and some games still use pre-rendering for budget or presentation reasons.

* The ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series starting from ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee Melee]]'' have pre-rendered opening videos.

* ''VideoGame/SpaceChannel5'' All areas in the game were pre-rendered video footage, and the characters are 3D models put in front of the video. [[SpecialEffectFailure This would sometimes result in Ulala and the others looking as if they were floating because sometimes their character models would not be properly aligned with the background]].

* ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'': Every single frame in the games in pre-rendered, any animations that play are in fact just large video files.

* ''VisualNovel/ZeroEscape'':
** ''VisualNovel/NineHoursNinePersonsNineDoors'': The backdrops are pre-rendered 3D models, while the characters are depicted with a handful of static 2D illustrations.
** ''VisualNovel/VirtuesLastReward'': The backdrops are pre-rendered 3D models, while the characters are 3D models rendered in real-time.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'': The in-game environments and cutscenes are all pre-rendered, and characters' in-game 3D models are extremely primitive. Strangely, most of the pre-rendered cutscenes use higher-detailed 3D models, but some still use the in-game models, even though that's unnecessary.

SisterTrope to LiveActionCutscene. See also: InteractiveMovie, DigitizedSprites, LimitedAnimation, {{Machinima}}, SpritePolygonMix, MediumBlending.

** ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'': The scene of the Tornado escapeing from the exploding Prison Island used a pre-rendered video of the island blowing up, and then the Tornado was a real-time 3D model placed in front of the video. The cutscenes of the Eclipse Cannon firing at the moon, Sonic and co. taking the shuttle to the ARK, and about half of the cutscenes in the Last Story are also all pre-rendered, as are the opening cutscenes before the title screen -- both the logo splash screen on the original Dreamcast version and the extended opening cutscene on ''Sonic Adventure 2 Battle''.

* VideoGame/{{Starcraft}} started as VideoGame/WarcraftII InSpace, until the devs saw a much more advanced RTS being showcased at a convention. They immediately rebuilt the game from the ground up to become the version known today, [[http://www.codeofhonor.com/blog/starcraft-orcs-in-space-go-down-in-flames and only learned later that the "game" they'd been inspired by was actually pre-recorded footage]], with an employee only moving his mouse around as though he were playing.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' series is known for having a prerendered intro movie and prerendered ending videos for each character.

* The original UsefulNotes/NintendoDS release of ''VideoGame/TalesOfHearts'' came in [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo two versions]]. One had the standard anime cutscenes the the ''VideoGame/TaleSeries'' was known for. The other version were 3D pre-rendered CG cutscenes. Needless to day, the version with the 3D CG cutscenes wasn't a big seller, and thus it remains the only release in the franchise to feature that style of cutscenes.

[[caption-width-right:302:'''Left:''' Aerith in a cutscene.