| 2.5D animation is a hybrid style combining 2D and 3D dimensions to create depth, dynamic motion, and a cinematic feel without the complexity of full 3D. It enhances 2.5D characters, environments, and camera movement using layered composition and 2.5D perspective. Popular in explainer videos, ads, games, and 2.5D animation movies, it offers a premium look at lower cost. This guide explains what 2.5D means, how the 2.5D art style works, and showcases top 2.5D animation examples. |
Ever wondered what lies between the worlds of 2D and 3D animation?
2.5D animation!
Have a quick glance at what 2.5D animation looks like in our compilation of the Best 2.5D Animation Video Examples here:
But in case you're curious to learn about this style of animation in detail, read along...
This animation style has one-half of B2B brands scratching their heads and the other half leveraging it to create versatile, impactful brand videos within budget and time constraints.
If you’ve been holding back from using this style because you’re unsure what it truly is—or worried that choosing it over 2D or 3D animation might leave you at a disadvantage—this blog is exactly what you need.
We’ll break down what 2.5D Animation is, when and where to use it, how it differs from 2D and 3D animation, and back it all up with relevant B2B examples to help solidify your understanding.
Ready to explore this unique animation style? Let’s dive in!
Simply put, it's a style of animation that dangles between the technicalities of traditional 2D and 3D video styles. It combines 2D objects in 3D space to create the illusion of 3D animation.
Animators leverage compositing software and techniques like layering, shadowing, and perspective adjustments, among others, to add volume to a 2D element and transform it to give the impression of 3D.
Now that you know what does 2.5 d means, let’s explore why you should use it.
2.5D animation is already a favorite of many B2B marketers and here is why you should use it too:
Picture Credit: Freepik
Suppose you have a great video concept, but the catch is that the idea is too intricate for traditional 2D animation to fully capture, and 3D animation is out of reach due to time or budget constraints. That’s where 2.5D animation can be a game-changer.
It strikes the perfect balance, providing creative freedom to transform complex ideas into simple, visually engaging narratives. Moreover, it spares you from the need for detailed, time-consuming, and costly modeling or rigging techniques required in 3 dimensional animation.
A good animation style is one that’s versatile and useful in many areas, and 2.5D animation ticks that box as well.
From explainer videos and educational content to website designs, case studies, and marketing teasers, 2.5D animation fits seamlessly into various creative and commercial applications. This versatility makes it an excellent investment for any brand.
Picture Credit: Freepik
2.5D isn’t the kind of traditional animation style viewers are accustomed to, so when you incorporate this style into your video, it appears unique and out of the box, instantly captivating the audience.
It holds their attention longer than traditional video formats. Paired with a well-written script, 2.5D videos can fascinate audiences and significantly enhance your overall engagement.
By giving your brand story the much-needed sense of depth and dimension, 2.5D animation makes your narrative more engaging, impactful, and visually appealing.
This gives you an edge, elevates your messaging, and strengthens your connection with your audience.
Picture Credit: Freepik
2.5D animation incorporates interactive and captivating elements which, when paired with striking visuals and engaging motion graphics animation, ensure that your message resonates and stays with your audience for longer.
Now that you know why 2.5D animation is such a game-changer, you might be wondering—when should you actually use it? Let’s dive into that next.
You should use this style for animated video production when you want to achieve any of these things:
Picture Credit: Freepik
Use 2.5D animated video production when you have a product, character, or object you want to highlight. You can create the video in 2D and then introduce a 3D element that grabs all the attention and steals the show.
This will be highly effective, making your product appear as though it’s popping out from a flat background, capturing your viewer's full focus.
Geometric shapes like buildings, electronics, or abstract objects work brilliantly in 2.5D animation.
Giving these elements a 3D look makes them stand out against the 2D backdrop, adding visual interest and making your video more dynamic.
Picture Credit: Freepik
When you have a great video plan, but a tight timeline and budget are holding you back from executing it, 2.5D should be your go-to choice.
Unlike 3D, it’s more affordable and less time-consuming, and unlike 2D, it offers much more dimension and depth. It combines the best of both worlds and gives you high-quality results.
Since 2.5D animated video production is still relatively new, incorporating it into your video can make it stand out against the monotony of similar video animation trends.
It can help your content grab attention and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
Additionally, if you're a brand looking to explore diverse avenues, 2.5D animation is a great choice.
It's versatile and can be used in many different contexts. Let's dive in and explore all the places where you can use 2.5D animation!
You can use 2.5D animation in a wide range of applications:
Picture Credit: Freepik
As I have emphasized before, a 2.5D animated video is an alluring way to introduce your brand or product. It grabs your audience's attention right away and gives you the perfect amount of time to highlight your business's unique selling points (USPs).
Many B2B companies, both large and small, have successfully used 2.5D animation in their advertising campaigns. So, if you're looking to expand your brand’s reach or promote a new product, using 2.5D animation in your commercial videos can be the right move.
For NGOs and CSOs, 2.5D animation can amplify your reach and fundraising efforts.
A detailed report might explain why your campaign matters, but it won’t reach most people.
However, a powerful 2.5D animated video will. It can convey the same message in under a minute and reach a much wider audience at a lower cost.
Many international organizations already use this animation style for their awareness campaigns—consider it if you want to extend the impact of your own.
Picture Credit: Freepik
You can use animated explainer video production to simplify complex concepts. Whether it's a SaaS tutorial or a public service announcement, 2.5D animated videos can effectively break down and present information to a wide audience.
If you're still unsure and want to explore the differences between 2D, 2.5D, and 3D animation before making your decision, we have a dedicated section that dives into those differences to help you make a more informed choice.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the key differences between 2D vs 2.5D vs 3D animation:
|
Feature |
2D Animation |
2.5D Animation |
3D Animation |
|
Depth & Realism |
Flat, no depth |
Illusion of depth with 3D-like elements |
Fully immersive, true depth and realism |
|
Complexity & Cost |
Simple, quick, and cost-effective |
More complex than 2D but more affordable than 3D |
Most complex and costly to produce |
|
Visual Appeal |
Charming, simple, and engaging |
Dynamic, and creative with an illusion of 3D |
Realistic, detailed, and lifelike |
|
Best For |
Storytelling, educational content |
Product ads, explainer videos |
Immersive and high-end visual projects |
But if you want to look at these animation styles in more detail, here’s what you need to know about each of them:
In this form of animation, characters, objects, and backgrounds are created in a flat, 2D space. It relies heavily on hand-drawn or computer-generated images arranged in sequences to create the illusion of movement.
Pros:
Cons:
To better understand the offerings of this animation style, check our blog about the best 2D animation examples.
So, what does 2.5d mean? Well, 2.5D animation combines the best of both worlds—2D and 3D animation.
While its background remains flat, its objects and characters are designed to appear three-dimensional through careful use of perspective, lighting, and shadow. This technique creates the illusion of depth without the full complexity of 3D environments.
Pros:
Cons:
It offers a fully immersive, three-dimensional experience, where characters and objects are modeled and rendered in a 3D space.
This 3D animation style provides a high level of realism, with objects that can be viewed from any angle and detailed movements that mimic real-life physics. Check out the above-listed healthcare explainer video to see this style in action.
Pros:
Cons:
Now that all the major details about 2.5D animation have been discussed, let’s look at some 2.5D animation examples to put a face to everything we've learned so far.
If you are further interested to learn about the differences between 2D and 3D animation, you should read this linked blog.
Here is a curated list of 2.5D animation examples that’ll help you understand the essence of this video style in detail:
TripleBlind made this video to show how it has developed the most complete and scalable solution for privacy-enhancing computation.
The video makes use of an all-blue colour palette, playing around with the intensity of the colour to create more depth around elements and make them stand out from the background.
Also, the way the lighter blue buildings are drawn at a certain angle against the blue background and foreground makes the 2D building appear 3D.
Talking about other unique visual details, you'll see connective diagrams and 2D motion graphics prominently throughout the video. The use of infographic animations is less frequent but still pivotal in the video as well.
The blue elements against the blue background, the yellow connective diagrams, and the explanatory voiceover that highlights how TripleBlind's technology is superior—their balanced synergy is what makes this video successful.
The simple typography animations and the curated icon zoom-ins used in the video to highlight TripleBlind’s features are what make this video stand out from the rest.
Accedian (now part of Cisco) created this video to showcase how their Skylight intent-based assurance takes automated assurance to the next level.
The 2.5D art video heavily makes use of isometric angles to create a 3D illusion on screen.
All the objects are drawn at a 30° isometric perspective, where all vertical lines remain vertical and the horizontal edges are drawn diagonally at equal angles.
The video uses interconnected diagrams to visualize the layout, resembling a connected digital ecosystem. It also makes use of infographic elements throughout the storyline.
Also, talking about the color palette, the neon gradients—pink, purple, yellow, and teal—used in the video give it a futuristic, cyber-network look.
The way the video brilliantly uses angles and positioning to create a compelling illusion of 3D is what makes it so memorable. For instance, in the opening scene, the placement of the tower and surrounding electronic devices is cleverly designed.
The varying heights, combined with the use of color, lighting, and shadows, make the elements appear as if they’re not confined to a 2D plane.
The translucent layering around cubes and clouds adds depth, further enhancing the 3D effect. Additionally, the use of side angles to display stats and other information further makes this video very engaging.
Atlassian used the video to highlight how in this IT race, IT teams around the world need to work together efficiently. Using this need, it introduced its Jira Service Management, showcasing how it helps align and accelerate the workflow of IT teams.
The video uses fast-changing camera angles, light and shadows, and visuals drawn at a tilted angle to bring the illusion of 3D in a 2D space.
You'll also see the perfect use of 2.5D characters, engaging infographic animations, and explanatory screencast animation used throughout the video to explain the offerings and the working of Jira Service Management.
Text is also a big part of the video. It is used meticulously to explain the screens, the features, and the points that need to be highlighted about this tool.
Talking about the colour palette, the video smartly sticks to a blue colour palette resembling Atlassian's logo colour.
Have you ever felt acceleration on screen? In this video you will. To make viewers aware of the IT race, the video starts with scenes of a racing car moving on the road.
The fast camera shifts in these scenes, the detailed surrounding area all make you resonate with the voiceover when it highlights the need for the Jira Service Management tool.
The 2.5D animation scenes, like the scene where the 2D character animations are interacting with the infographic screens, or the scenes where an animated hand is taking you through the screencasts and showing you how this management tool functions, all these scenes are too engaging and thus make this video stick in the viewer's mind.
Oracle made this video to showcase how the best AI relies on the best data and how Oracle databases encompass this "best data."
The video highlights how the data is used to tune and augment AI models to perform tailored tasks for your business needs.
The video uses motion graphics, simple 2D character animations, kinetic typography, and detailed data-related infographics.
You also see detailed screencasts being used in the video. Some screencasts also contain real pictures and screens along with the animated ones.
The tilted angles and 2.5D dimensions used while displaying the different infographics or the screencasts, or people working at their desks, creates the illusion of 3D in this 2D video.
The video starts with the scene of a person working in a small cubicle and zooms out to show an office building shaped like the letters “AI.” The giant A and I act like structural frames, with small cubicle-like rooms inside them.
Each cubicle has a person working at a desk, giving the impression of many workers organized inside the letters. Use of such creative metaphors showing how AI supports, organizes, or enhances human work is what makes this video work.
Further, whimsical scenes like the motion graphics looking like a school of fish swimming around and leading the storytelling are hard to miss.
Also, the scene where there are tons and tons of infographics like pie charts, bar graphs, expense sheets, and many others all floating in the air makes the viewer’s eyes stick to the screen.
This video basically works because of this visual storytelling that’s different from usual. It evokes the feeling of “what’s next” in you.
Adzerk (Now Kevel) made this video to highlight the growth that comes with customer native ad products, the reason why more digital brands want to have such platforms, and then introduce how Adzerk is bringing the change.
The 2.5D art style video goes on to explain Kevel's offering, like how it helps you launch that ideal ad server in just weeks.
The minimalist 2D animation video also relies on angles to create an illusion of 3D on screen. Simple faceless 2D characters are used throughout the video to support the storyline.
The use of colorful and abstract motion graphics animation against the simple backgrounds also adds to the beauty of this video.
A standout detail of the video is how the edges of hands holding flags of freedom and humanity are deliberately designed. By cutting parts of the edges and adding depth, the hands appear as 3D objects, even though they are purely 2D.
Additionally, the way objects pop out from behind others, combined with smooth camera pans, creates an illusion of a well-defined, multi-dimensional space.
ESRI wanted to explain the concept of location intelligence and its transformative role in addressing interconnectivity challenges for the future. Thus, we created this 2.5D video for ESRI and helped them explain the same.
The video makes use of text labels, icons, simple character animations—some with simple facial expressions, some faceless—and 2.5D elements throughout the video.
Stats and text are a big part of the video too. They appear inside labels and explain scenes and concepts. In the video, animated visualizations of maps and globes are prominent as well.
Also, isometric animations are seen throughout the video in scenes like the scene where you see a futuristic 3D style cityscape placed on a smartphone.
The way the video starts out with a scene straight out of a spy control room instantly sets a sci-fi vibe. And as it progresses, we’re introduced to a cityscape filled with shops, cars, people, and a location pin hovering over various areas.
The sharp, straight lines of the objects, the translucent elements in certain sections, the precise shadows, layered movements, and floating objects seamlessly blend 2D visuals with a 3D effect.
Using these fascinating elements and explaining a complex concept like location intelligence so effortlessly is what makes this video not only engaging but also incredibly memorable.
Setplex uses this explainer video to introduce their flagship app NoraGo. It explains how the app helps you run your own IPTV OTT company and the good old cloud with zero cost. Basically, using this video, Setplex highlights all the USPs of its product.
The 2.5D perspective video uses a simple white background wherein all the elements are displayed in the center of the screen at a tilted isometric angle. The shadows of screens and characters used in the video further create a feel of 3D in the video.
Talking about other animation styles, simple 2D character motion graphics, animated video infographics, and kinetic typography are a big part of the video.
The way the video ties up the isometric animations with the explanatory voiceover to bring the brand's offering in front of the people is what makes it work.
It is minimalistic yet uses colours at important points to gain your attention. It uses stylized animations of tech gadgets or the expressive character animation to engage you effortlessly.
All in all, the simplicity of the explanations and the synergy of the visuals to bring the offering forward make this animated product video a hit.
Align made this video to highlight how complex the constant change across the IT landscape of a company is. It sought our services to create this video and make the target audience aware that it understands their pain point and the need for a reliable IT services provider in such a case.
The video introduced Align as the reliable provider and goes on to explain the offerings of Align such as cloud computing, outsourced IT support, vulnerability management, and cybersecurity.
The video uses 2.5D animations to bring more depth to objects. For instance, in the scene where the simple and flat-shaded green cube passes through the ribbons, you'll notice how the ribbons appear to have depth, lighting, and shading, but they aren’t fully 3D models.
Also, in the scene where building houses and clouds appear as flat illustrations popping out of the luminous globe, you'll notice how they are flat illustrations with gradients. Here, shading and slight perspective shots are used to give them fake 3D depth. Using gradients, parallax, and soft glows, we have tried to create a 3D effect in a 2D space.
Apart from the 2.5D animations, simple 2D animations are also used in the video, for example, in the blackhole scene. Also, motion infographics are a big part of the video; you'll see them in the scenes showing simple geometric animations of the cube.
Now talking about the colour palette, we decided to go with luminous gradients here. This was to set a clear contrast between the dark background and the glowing shapes. This constantly kept viewers' eyes on the video.
The storytelling and visual bit of the video is what makes it stand out. The video is highly creative in storytelling—it uses a single cube to symbolize the brand and its journey. In one scene, it shows the smaller cube merging into a bigger cube, symbolizing the partnership between the brand and Align.
Using abstract movements of the cube—whether hopping from one place to another with the string or sliding through the 2.5D ribbon-like structure—the way the video uses these hypnotic scenes while the voiceover is explaining the offerings of Align makes you stick around and keep watching.
Also, the use of symbolic icons like a lock, shield, and dollar-line graph in the video to show the benefits of partnering with Align, such as security, reliability, and cost-efficiency, was a smart move.
The prime reason this 2.5D Projection video works is how it made something so complex and overwhelming so easy to understand with the help of mere shapes.
Google created this recruitment video to give skilled professionals a warm push to fill out the Google Careers form and discover their next career with Google.
The corporate explainer video uses minimalist backgrounds and expressive 2D character animations to talk about Google’s recruitment form.
The way scenes of different professionals being present in different settings appear on screen in a clockwise manner creates a 3D illusion on screen. The layering of different screens and elements further creates an illusion of 3D on screen.
Apart from these 2.5D elements, clean and clear typography animations are a big part of this video too. Also, the video uses Google’s logo colours in each of the skilled professionals’ clothing and backgrounds.
The connection the characters make you feel with the video is what makes it work. The primary characters talk as if they are talking directly to you; such a connection makes job seekers comfortable enough to try the Google Careers form.
The minimalism used in the video, the different professional personas, and the way the characters come together to highlight Google’s work culture all just make this 2.5D imagery video perfect.
Webflow created this video for their very first No-Code Conference. Using the video, they showed the world how their innovation is going to transform software development.
The video uses a perfect blend of 2D, 2.5D, and 3D animations to explain Webflow's no-code era. In scenes like where the 2D sphere is standing against a stack of rectangular screens arranged at an angle where you can see three of their sides, you feel the essence of 2.5D animation on screen.
In the shot where numerous detailed screens are arranged in a horizontal manner, it gives the essence of 3D animation to the video. Also, the glass-like appearance of the screens in some scenes makes the 3D elements pop out more.
The mystical colour palette and the light technique are used meticulously to create an illusion of 3D in places. The fast-changing camera angles are another point to note in the video that make it feel like those highly immersive 2.5D animation movies.
In the video, we see spheres and cubes in motion, sometimes appearing as if they’re in a 3D space, and other times looking entirely 2D. These seamless transitions between perspectives add to its intrigue.
What makes this video a standout is how perfectly the movements of the ball are synced with the voiceover and the music.
Every turn or shift felt so immersive that you might almost find yourself mirroring the motions—it’s a magical connection that this video establishes with its viewers. This connection is what makes it, or any video, work.
At Broadcast2World, we have a skilled team that can blend creativity with strategy and bring your ideas to life using 2.5D animation.
Our team crafts visually detailed videos that use depth, perspective, and multi-layered motion to simplify complex concepts and make your message unforgettable.
Whether you are looking to create product explainers, brand storytelling videos, data-driven visuals, or any other B2B video in a 2.5D animation style, we can help you.
In fact, we now also provide the option of AI-assisted video production to make 2.5D animation more budget-friendly for you.
So, let’s work together and tailor videos to match your goals and audience—so that you have content that doesn’t just look great, but also performs great too.
Here are the main tricks used by animators to create the 2.5D animation style on screen:
Animators rely on tools like Adobe After Effects, compositing 2.5D animation software, and sometimes 3D tools for camera movement. Using a combination of these tools, they create the illusion of 3D in a 2D space.
In 2.5D animation, you only need to move certain layers, so there’s no need for full 3D modeling. This means rendering is lighter, and production is faster. When less time is spent on rendering, the production costs also go down.
And with that, our journey through the fascinating world of 2.5D animation comes to a close.
Exploring this bridge between 2D and 3D animation has been nothing short of captivating.
It’s incredible how this style cleverly uses techniques to create 3D illusions, offering brands the immersive impact of 3D without the hefty time and budget demands of full-fledged 3D production.
If you’re a brand that’s inspired by the magic of 2.5D animation and want to bring this style to life in your next marketing video, we’d love to help!
Contact us and let’s transform your boldest visions into reality with our video production and animation services.
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