What are your essential platformers?

[Julius]

If that 30 Day Video Game Challenge made one thing abundantly clear to me, it's that I haven't played nearly enough platformers. I've dabbled here and there with a number of them, but can't think of any that I've played to completion since New Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo DS. 

This has got me wanting to play more platformers, 2D or 3D. They're generally much shorter than the games I usually play, and I'm always up for trying out new games and learning more about the history of games. I'm sure I know certain names that will pop up (a certain plumber I'm sure), but I'm just going to build from a blank slate. 

So, I turn to you for guidance, N-Europe. What are your essential platformers? 

Edited August 2, 2020 by Julius

[drahkon]

2D Platformers:

Retro choice: Super Mario World on SNES.
A game I could play forever. Looks gorgeous, has some catchy tunes and plays perfectly.

General choice: Rayman Legends.
A masterpiece. It oozes charm that no other 2D platformer can match. Awesome music, beautiful to look at and it also plays perfectly. Couple that with insanely fun co-op (which usually turns into someone annoying the other players ) and you get the best 2D platformer ever made. Added bonus: Kung Foot (and some levels from Rayman Origins, but they're not as good as the sequel's levels).

Spoiler

It's a shame there isn't a game entirely made up of levels like this

3D Platformers:

(Not so) Retro choice: Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
You could argue that this is 2.5D platforming, but I'll round the number up It's difficult, plays like the originals and it's Crash Bandicoot. What more could you want.

General choice: Ratchet & Clank (PS4)
No other 3D platformer comes close to the joy this game delivers.

Edited July 31, 2020 by drahkon

[Goron_3]

3D? Super Mario 64. It's got an incredible physics engine and it's aged really well.

2D....I'll go for the incredible Sonic 3 and Knuckles. Super Mario World is also brilliant but I've played it too much and there are certain aspects that don't hold up so well imo.

[markderoos]

2D:

I’ll skip the Mario games, as they’re already on your radio.

Kirby Super Star, Sonic Mania, Shantae, Ducktales, Kid Dracula, Yoshi’s Island (GBA), Donkey Kong Country 1-3.

A stretch, as they’re more action-platformers (but so are Shantae and Ducktales...): Metroid, Castlevania and Mega Man (X)

3D:

I’ll skip the Mario’s again because they’re all essentials in my book.

Banjo Kazooie and Tooie

Donkey Kong 64

Conker’s Bad Fur Day

Edited July 31, 2020 by markderoos

[drahkon]

43 minutes ago, Goron_3 said:

Super Mario 64. [...] it's aged really well.

Really? I think it aged quite poorly. 
I appreciate what it did for 3D platforming, but it's clunky and doesn't play as well as people think, in my opinion.

[Ronnie]

Some modern recommendations:

Action platformer: Shovel Knight
Takes what's great about the classic MegaMan, Duck Tales, SMB3, Zelda II style games and reworks them into a brilliantly fun, polished package. A throwback that works in the modern day. Amazing pixel art and even more amazing sound and writing, and humour.

3D platformer: Super Mario 3D World
Platforming perfection by the masters of the craft. Each level a bite size dose of creativity and fun. Dripping with polish and great music too. Hopefully not too long to wait for a Switch port. 

Puzzle platformer: Inside
Dripping with atmosphere and environmental story-telling, turn the lights out and just get sucked into this haunting world. Won't take long to complete, about 4 hours or so.

Metroidvania platformer (Lite): Ori and the Blind Forest / Will of the Wisps
Beautiful visuals, touching story-telling and amazing traversal, you'll be flying through the environments by the time you've unlocked all the abilities (not literally). It's pretty linear for a Metroidvania though, unlike...

Metroidvania platformer (Hardcore): Hollow Knight
If you enjoy Dark Souls style difficulty with boss fights, this is your game. Tight combat, tons of boss fights, like an old school Metroid in terms of world navigation. Polished like a Nintendo game. 

Brawler platformer: Guacamelee / Guacamelee 2
You play as a Mexican luchador, what's not to like! I've a real soft spot for these games, you'll have a big grin on your face while playing them. Great humour, fun platforming, satisfying combat encounters. 

Precision platformer: Celeste
Rightfully nominated for Game of the Year in a year alongside Red Dead 2 and God of War, if you're after a Super Meat Boy type experience with beautiful sound, lovely pixel art and a surprisingly deep story. Can't say enough good things about this gem, the depth of the platforming and the tricks the devs included is masterful. 

[Cube]

2D:

Sonic, Sonic 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles  and Sonic Mania are all great platformers. There are other 2D Sonics (CD and 4), but they're pretty poor compered to the others.

Yoshi's Story and Yoshi's Wooly World are both extremely charming.

Braid is also a very interesting platforming game

3D

Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie

Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Odyssey

1 hour ago, markderoos said:

Conker’s Bad Fur Day

I tried it recently and I'd personally recommend watching it instead of playing.

[Sheikah]

2D Platformers:
Retro choice: Super Mario World on SNES.
A game I could play forever. Looks gorgeous, has some catchy tunes and plays perfectly.
General choice: Rayman Legends.
A masterpiece. It oozes charm that no other 2D platformer can match. Awesome music, beautiful to look at and it also plays perfectly. Couple that with insanely fun co-op (which usually turns into someone annoying the other players ) and you get the best 2D platformer ever made. Added bonus: Kung Foot (and some levels from Rayman Origins, but they're not as good as the sequel's levels).
Spoiler It's a shame there isn't a game entirely made up of levels like this
3D Platformers:
(Not so) Retro choice: Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
You could argue that this is 2.5D platforming, but I'll round the number up It's difficult, plays like the originals and it's Crash Bandicoot. What more could you want.
General choice: Ratchet & Clank (PS4)
No other 3D platformer comes close to the joy this game delivers.

I agree with this, except I'd swap 3D platformer for Mario 64, and general choice for Banjo Kazooie.

[Will]

Good question and I’m sure I’ll miss a few of my favorites. The ones that come to mind when I think of platform games that have had some sort of impact on me would be something like the following:

2D
Super Mario Land (Gameboy)
Sonic 1 (Game Gear)
Aladdin (Mega Drive)
Sonic 3 (Mega Drive)
World of Illusion (Mega Drive)
NiGHTS into Dreams (Saturn)

3D
Mario 64 (N64)
Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast)
Mario Sunshine (GameCube)
Mario Galaxy (Wii)
Mario Odyssey (Switch)

[Aperson]

Love the platformer genre as a whole, I usually find it to be one of the most fun game genres, especially in 3D.

 

My recommendations are:

 

2D:

Super Mario World (SNES/GBA/Whatever you can find it on)

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES, Wii U VC)

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U/Switch) (This game is in my personal top 10 games of all time, one of the best 2D platformers ever made)

VVVVVV (Kind of a platformer but you're flipping gravity instead of jumping)

Sonic Mania (Classic speed platformer with some of the best level design in the series and a great soundtrack. Sonic at his best)

Super Paper Mario (Wii) (Platformer RPG hybrid whose gameplay is a bit of a mixed bag but the story is fantastic)

Shovel Knight (Pretty much everything) (Retro indie inspired platformer by Yacht Club Games. Has multiple campaigns to it so it can last you for quite some time)

Super Meat Boy (PC/Xbox 360) (Only play this one if you love a challenge, it's one of the hardest 2D platformers ever made)

Freedom Planet (PC/Wii U) (Not as good as Sonic Mania and story is rather cringe worthy but the gameplay makes up for this and it has a killer soundtrack)

 

3D:

Super Mario 64 (N64) (Don't need to explain why here)

Super Mario Galaxy/Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii) (Both of these are a more linear take on 3D Mario but both are fantastic)

Super Mario Odyssey (Switch) A contender for the best game I've played on the Switch

Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PS1/PS3/PS4) (actually you might as well get the whole N. Sane Trilogy while you're at it)

Ratchet & Clank/Ratchet & Clank 2: Locked and Loaded/Ratchet and Clank 3 (PS2/PS3) (Love these games, some of the funniest platformers made. Also I think the story in the original version of Ratchet and Clank is better than the one I've seen made for the PS4, not to say that I don't think Rift Apart looks great).

Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PS2) (Amazing 3D platformer from the PS2's early days, similar to Mario 64)

A Hat In Time (PC/PS4/Xbox One/Switch) (Fantastic Indie 3D Platformer. If you like platformers in general you have to play this. It's kind of short though so if you get it on console then get it on the Switch so you can play the DLC in Seal the Deal and Nyakuza Metro)

 

I think that about covers it. All of the above will give you enjoyment in some form, albeit some are better than others.

[Zell]

I have a soft spot for the original Spyro trilogy on PS1, with 2 being the best of the bunch. Not played the remastered trilogy but would recommend it for anyone wanting a relaxed, exploration-based 3D platformer.  

[Julius]

Thanks for the recommendations everyone, appreciate them! 

With the older Mario, Kirby, and Metroid games (as well as some of the Donkey Kong Country games), I'm hoping that I have access covered to most of those mentioned across NES and SNES Online, as well as the NES and SNES Classics I picked up earlier this year. I kind of feel obligated to start with the Super Mario Bros. games, so I think I'll be starting my platforming adventure there. 

@markderoos mentioned Castlevania and Mega Man too, which I've looked into. I picked up the Requiem of the Night (Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night) and the Mega Man and Mega Man X Legacy Collections (1 & 2 for both) a while back when they were on sale, so got those lined up too! Have added the Castlevania Collection to my Switch wishlist in anticipation of a sale also. 

@drahkon, you mentioned Rayman Legends, and thanks to your mention I noticed it had gone on the sale on the eShop, so have picked that up. Look forward to getting around to it, recall watching a great Game Maker's Toolkit video on the game but I completely forgot about it, so glad you put it back on my radar! 

And speaking of sales, turns out the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and the Spyro Reignited Trilogy were on sale too, so picked those up on my PlayStation. Played a bit of both of these franchises way back on the PS1, mostly around friends' houses (don't think I ever owned them myself), can barely remember it but I do remember having a good time, so looking forward to that too. Thanks drahkon, @GenericAperson and @Zell for those recommendations 

Blew me away how many people recommended Sonic, played quite a bit of it in high school through Flash. Obviously not the same, but I've picked up the SEGA AGES version of Sonic the Hedgehog, and have added 2 and Mania to my eShop wishlist. Thanks for sharing some love for the 'hog @Goron_3, @will', markderoos and GenericAperson, looking forward to that too! 

@Ronnie some big recommendations, I've seen you say glowing things about a number of them throughout the years so they are well on my radar. I actually picked up Hollow Knight, Celeste, and Ori and The Blind Forest during a sale at some point on the eShop, but Shovel Knight and the Guacamelee games have also been added to the wishlist. 

Conker's Bad Fur Day and Banjo are both on my radar after all of the recommendations, but unfortunately going to be playing the waiting game for them to be made readily available in some way, either on a Classic console or a platform I already own. Other games I haven't mentioned (Ratchet & Clank, Jak & Daxter, et al) are also on my radar now and have been added to my Excel spreadsheet for games I want to play at some point, but definitely in no rush to get through all of these games and I'm sure will get to them when the opportunity presents itself! 

Finally, about the 3D Mario games...same thing there, that's up to Nintendo  I already own Odyssey, and actually put a few hours into it, but stopped myself as I really wanted the context of the older games, in the sense that strong mechanics seem to be the core of those games, and I would love to experience them in order because of this. Have brief memories of Sunshine from when I was younger, and the fact that a specific area sticks in my mind to this day from that game means it certainly left an impression. Here's to hoping that the 3D Mario collection comes to fruition, because I will be there day 1 if so 

Edited August 1, 2020 by Julius

[Jonnas]

Another wholesome thread! Thank you @Julius.

My personal references in the genre (in rough chronological order) are:

2D

Super Mario Bros. - The original one is a classic, not only is it still super fun to play, it's fascinating to look at its design and wonder "What were the developers thinking when they designed this level this way?". While simple, it distilled all that you need for a great platformer: level design, playability, difficulty, extras/secrets.

Castlevania - Also the original one. A clunkier platformer that's designed in a surprisingly unintuitive way, but all because the developers went in designing a cautious, slow platformer that asks you to ponder each move, each step, each swing. Almost like a proto-horror game. Once you "get it", you see how cleverly designed it is. Excellent music too.

Classic Megaman series - The series gets some flak for being iterative, but Megaman is beloved for a reason. Not only can you play through the levels in any game in any order you choose, but Megaman at its best brings a legitimately interesting weapon set, and equally interesting levels to use them on. The best Mega Man games can be some of the most rewarding platforming around. I recommend the Megaman Legacy Collections which encompass the first ten numbered games, but we unfortunately still haven't had a similar release for the Game Boy games, which are (imo) generally better, nor have we had one including Megaman & Bass, which I also really like. Personal favourites

Sonic trilogy (Mega Drive) - THE reference for speedy, physics-based platformers. The whole trilogy is worth experiencing a few times. Yes, replaying Sonic is part of the experience, because the whole point of it is that you get better at it, at controlling Sonic, at interacting with the physics and obstacles. It's a rewarding engine/playstyle to learn.

World of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck - Not only is it a super solid platformer, it's a class act when it comes to Co-op and replayability. Excellent title.

Megaman X - See my previous entry for Megaman, but fully upgraded, with faster pace, wilder physics, and a compelling storyline across games. First one is best for me, but opinions always vary. Regardless, there are two collections spanning the eight games.

Donkey Kong Country trilogy - I don't think I need to say much, because others sing its praises all the time, but it's deserved. Fast pace, tons of fun secrets/collectibles, varied level design, charming dialogue... This series has it all.

Wario Land series - a.k.a. a series that questions and plays with a lot with conventions. Like maybe you're considerably stronger than the enemies, or you can't die, or the entire game is designed like a Metroidvania, or maybe you need to reach a goal then double back to the beginning... A lot of good stuff in those games, and Wario Land 3 is my favourite.

Megaman Zero series - Here mainly because it's a fast-paced stylish action romp in which you tear through enemies with a beam sword, that's also quite difficult, but very rewarding to learn and master. I wouldn't say a single game here is "great", but the four games as a collective certainly are. There's a collection that includes all four, plus the ZX games (which I haven't tried, funnily enough).

Freedom Planet & Sonic Mania - See my previous comments on the Sonic trilogy, and know that these two games are the first ones since then to resemble them meaningfully. Special mention to the fact that both games pull off multiple playable characters that feel distinct, but it's still great to explore levels with them.

3D

Now, this dimension I don't know as well (there are a lot of important ones I haven't played), but the ones I recommend are:

Super Mario 64 - Excellent blend of fun exploration and adventure, with several interesting levels, and even a memorable main hub with intriguing secrets. Level design rewards exploration very well, and the game allows you to find objectives/goals for yourself, with no obvious hints. Controlling Mario is a point that's gotten smoother and better in recent games, but I think 64 is still fine on that front.

(Super Mario Sunshine is fun and different, but level design and exploration aren't nearly as good. Super Mario Galaxy is really cool, but it's level/goal based, the appeal is different. 3D Land is meh)

De Blob (1 and 2) - Wii-era platformers, I love these two games. You control a colourful ball that's out to paint the world and overthrow the blacks evil inkys. Each level is part of a city, and you can paint the town like you want. Side missions have you doing platforming segments, painting buildings in a specific way, or . It's a delightful series that feels like it was made by Pixar. First game is more cohesive and freedom-focused, while the second one gives you tighter levels and more specific set pieces. Both of them are really good, and excellent to chill.

(Shout-out to Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon (N64) it's an adventure game, but its mechanics are very 3D platformer-like. Very quirky)

[Julius]

Thanks for those suggestions @Jonnas, added those to the list which I didn't have already. I remember seeing a lot of full page ads for De Blob in magazines growing up, but don't remember if I ever saw any gameplay? Your mentions of Wario Land and Freedom Planet (first time I'd heard about that game!) had me looking them up to, and those are also on the list now. 

I actually ended up starting my platforming adventure earlier this afternoon with Super Mario Bros., which I finished a short while ago. 

Got to say, I love games which you can play in one sitting. I'll go into it more when I eventually catch up and cover it in the Gaming Diary thread, but overall I quite enjoyed it, it was interesting seeing the variety of enemies and level designs which, for the most part, are still around in some form or another, and hold up to this day. And of course there's Koji Kondo's timeless and instantly recognisable music for the game, too. 

Least favourite world was probably World 7, water levels never were my favourite in the Mario games I've played and that's especially true with 7-2. Waaaaaaay too many Bloopers for my liking. That being back-to-back with 7-3, with the flying Cheep Cheeps coming up with little time to react, just cemented World 7 for me as my least favourite, though I was very happy once I'd finished those levels. 

7-4 had some weird puzzles, it's odd going back to this game after playing more modern versions where you're at least given an indication (either audio or visually in the level design) that you're going the right way, so I didn't particularly like that. 

And while I much preferred World 8, as I think it presented an overall fairer challenge, 8-4 has to be one of the most ridiculously designed levels of any game I've ever played, and feels the most dated to me. It's the only level in the whole game which depended entirely on trial and error throughout, and it was just complete guess work. Shame, because I enjoyed watching Bowser fall to his doom for the eighth time. 

For anyone wondering: yes, I did make use of suspend points. While I would have loved to struggle against the game for hours on end, I'm so glad that the the option is there as someone both new to platforming and generally new to the somewhat archaic nature of NES games, I just feel like it modernises the experience more than anything else realistically could, at least without changing the actual experience. To keep some level of challenge I limited myself to only using them at the beginning of world's, and in the end for 8-4 too. Goodness knows how long this blind playthrough would have taken without it on that level!

Having completed that, not totally sure on where I'll go next with platformers. That was very short, so I don't mind hopping into another before diving into something else for a few hours to keep it fresh, but I'm undecided as to what it will be.

Super Mario Bros. 2? Mega Man? Rayman Legends? Something else?

Guess I'll see how I feel later, unless I dig into it tomorrow. At the very least, glad I've finally started this platforming adventure, it should be a lot of fun! 

[Jonnas]

Nice! Looking forward to reading more impressions. (That bit about 8-4 is plenty true. I'm used to expecting it, but sheesh, it's rough)

5 minutes ago, Julius said:

Mega Man?

For the record, if you do decide to go for Mega Man, I recommend starting with MM2 (or at the very least, not start with MM1). Mega Man 1 is absolutely brutal, due to being harder than the rest, and also lacking a password feature.