Two-dimensional (2D) crystals are known to have no bulk but only surfaces and edges, thus leading to unprecedented properties thanks to the quantum confinements. For half a century, the compression of z-dimension has been attempted through ultra-thin films by such as molecular beam epitaxy. However, the revisiting of thin films becomes popular again, in another fashion of the isolation of freestanding 2D layers out of van der Waals (vdW) bulk compounds. To date, nearly two decades after the nativity of the great graphene venture, researchers are still fascinated about flattening, into the atomic limit, all kinds of crystals, whether or not they are vdW. In this introductive review, we will summarize some recent experimental progresses on 2D electronic systems, and briefly discuss their revolutionizing capabilities for the implementation of future nanostructures and nanoelectronics.