In 3D modeling for retro games, triangles are the core polygonal building blocks for creating 3D objects and environments, chosen for their simplicity and compatibility with early hardware.
Retro consoles (like PlayStation 1 or N64) relied on triangles because they only need 3 vertices to define—this reduced computational load and memory use, critical for limited processing power. Complex polygons (e.g., quadrilaterals) were too inefficient for old systems to render.
Combining many triangles forms characters, levels, and other assets, turning basic meshes into iconic game elements. For examples, search "retro 3D model wireframes" to see how triangles worked with limited tech.