Top 10 2D Platformers

ghostchant · 16-01-2014 10:51AM

Also in no particular order (except for Mario 3, which is definitely first)
Also following the 'Megaman doesn't count' rule

Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Bros. 2 (Mario USA/Doki Doki Panic)
Sonic 2
Ducktales
VVVVVV
Umihara Kawase
Donkey Kong Country
Super Mario World
Super Mario Land
Super Meat Boy

Also reserve the right to edit this as I've just listed them off without much thought

Retr0gamer · 16-01-2014 11:49AM

ghostchant wrote: »

Umihara Kawase

Forgot all about that, what a great game!

Star Lord · 16-01-2014 12:01PM

No particular order to mine, just whatever I can think of that I really enjoyed:

Super Mario World
Super Mario 3
Sonic 2
Donkey Kong Country
VVVVVV
Prince of Persia
Rayman Legends
Kirby's Epic Yarn (Way to easy, but too damn cute to pass up!)
The original Duke Nukem (borderline, as it's shooty!)
Commander Keen 4: Goodbye Galaxy

returnNull · 16-01-2014 01:54PM

new zealand story
Blacktiger

DoctorEdgeWild · 16-01-2014 02:12PM

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I think the likes of revenge of shinobi, Turrican, megaman, castlevania etc. are more brawlers or shoot'em ups and not really platformers in the traditional sense.

Also Kid Chameleon? Really? I absolutely hate that game. It's so dull.

Love Kid Chameleon. Possibly because of fond childhood memories but was playing it just before Christmas for a bit and it was still really enjoyable although frustrating at times. The years have thinned my patience considerably!

ondafly · 16-01-2014 03:55PM

don't care that theres guns in some of these - they are mostly 2d and platformer (no particular order) and couldn't think of a 10th

Super Mario Land on the original Gameboy
Super Mario World on the Snes
Turrican on the original Gameboy
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood on the PC Engine
New Zealand Story Arcade
Bubble Bobble Arcade
Super Contra on the Snes
Dizzy Island on the Spectrum 48k
Castlevania 2 Belmont's Revenge

djsim101 · 16-01-2014 08:24PM

Rayman on the Saturn \ Jag one of the all time greats....

Plus I am going to mention Rayman Legends \ Origins, I know they ean't old school, but they have an old school feel about them :pac: Must haves...

Mr.Saturn · 16-01-2014 08:49PM

I'll have to respectfully disagree, I felt the original Rayman went out of its way to just punish the player. It controls beautifully, but it's got those unforeseeable pits of death that just grind the game's momentum to a screeching halt. So many millions of miles away from the highest measure of 2D platforming the series it went on to be with Origins/Legends.

Though I've yet to finish it, Super Luigi U is everything I've been looking for in a 'Mario' game since Ninty revived the formula with NSMB.

I'll second the Donkey Kong Country Returns nomination, it's the best in the series and manages that whilst overcoming the occasional tacked-on Wiimote mechanic. I've seen it be ragged on for having a spike, but would anyone here nominate it as unfair? Sure, it comes out of the leftfield ever-so-slightly, but you're never left in a position as to not know what's needed of you, and any hazards to navigate are there immediately in front and the only factor required of you is the reflexes necessary to see it through. The bosses, though, with the exception of perhaps one, are just token, cardboard obstacles.

Super Meat Boy seemed well on its way 'til my gaming laptop broke (unrelated to anything gaming related, fortunately). I was 2-3 levels from completing it, but it was good in that it possesses such a high, gigantic difficulty curve, that you could pretty much get anywhere in it and still dot off with a grand sense of achievement.

djsim101 · 16-01-2014 08:57PM

I'll have to respectfully disagree, I felt the original Rayman went out of its way to just punish the player. It controls beautifully, but it's got those unforeseeable pits of death that just grind the game's momentum to a screeching halt. So many millions of miles away from the highest measure of 2D platforming the series it went on to be with Origins/Legends.

Shame on you with a name like yours

I remember getting the Saturn game and just loving it, took me ages to complete,it was very tuff, but rewarding... I suppose back then, I spent all my money on one game, and I had to get my monies worth and stick with it. No emulation back then I tell you.

Doge · 17-01-2014 01:26AM

Not only is it one of my favourite platformer games, but it is also one of my favourite PS1 games:

Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee

The artwork in the game was beautiful and unique, especially in the wilderness levels,
and it had a great atmospheric soundtrack that matched perfectly.
Even though it was a 2D game they added a lot of visual depth that almost made it feel 3D, especially the FMV transitions from one entrance to another, and the exploding gibs that would bounce off the screen!

It had a heartwarming story, and i loved that you could interact with and save your fellow Mudokans.

If this game didn't warm your heart then you're a cold soulless bastard!

The gameplay was also awesome, plenty of puzzles, bombs, stealth sections, and who doesn't love mind control of enemies?

I played both Abe's Oddysee and Exodus again not too long ago from start to finish and loved them just as much as i did first time, so they have really aged well imo.

Its a game that would do Prince of Persia proud, since it added such a unique flavour to genre and pushed it forward imo.

If anyone has not played the first game, its a must!

Did anyone here happen to buy the Oddworld art book?

http://oddworld.wikia.com/wiki/The_Art_of_Oddworld_Inhabitants:_The_First_Ten_Years_1994_-_2004

Worth a fair bit of money now!

It appears there's also a remake destined to hit the PS4 this year.

While the visuals are nice and rebuilt from scratch, it appears there is little added to the gameplay from the in game video:

http://www.oddworld.com/oddworldgames/new-n-tasty/

Have never actually played the other Oddworld games, what do people think of those?

Doge · 17-01-2014 02:02AM

Nice interview here at E3 with 2 of the head honchos of Oddworld Inhabitants, which looks back as well as looks forward:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdV1ddle2z4

CiDeRmAn · 17-01-2014 07:56AM

I remember Rayman at launch and the overwhelming response to it was that it looked wonderful but was far too hard.
Essentially it looked as close to a cartoon as games had gotten, with a real Disney vibe to the visuals but the game was rock hard.
That said the 3d follow up Rayman 2 on the N64, since rereleased on both the DS and 3 DS is fantastic, visually stunning.
It's only with Origins and Legends that Rayman seems to have struck the balance between beautiful visuals and gameplay, some 18 years later!
And it wasn't a Saturn game, it was multi platform.
Though hard it was still better than Clockwork Knight and Johnny Bazookatone and the other 2d wanna be titles that gen.

CiDeRmAn · 17-01-2014 07:57AM

I remember Rayman at launch and the overwhelming response to it was that it looked wonderful but was far too hard.
Essentially it looked as close to a cartoon as games had gotten, with a real Disney vibe to the visuals but the game was rock hard.
That said the 3d follow up Rayman 2 on the N64, since rereleased on both the DS and 3 DS is fantastic, visually stunning.
It's only with Origins and Legends that Rayman seems to have struck the balance between beautiful visuals and gameplay, some 18 years later!
And it wasn't a Saturn game, it was multi platform.
Though hard it was still better than Clockwork Knight and Johnny Bazookatone and the other 2d wanna be titles that gen.

J_E · 18-01-2014 09:44PM

Not any particular list but some I adore;

Tombi!
Fez (this does count, right...?)
Donkey Kong Country 2
Sonic 3
Wario Land series is phenomenal.
Dizzy series
Super Metroid (this is definitely a platformer, maybe not traditional but it ticks all the boxes)

wtlltw · 19-01-2014 03:53PM

super mario bros - the original is still my all time favourite game
Wonder Boy 2-3
PC Kid
YŌKAI DŌCHŪKI Tales of a Monster Path
Alex Kidd in Miracle World
Son Son 2
Legend of Hero Tonma

unky chop chop · 19-01-2014 08:13PM

I feel the true meaning of platform games doesn't involve guns,weapons etc.
More navigating left to right while avoiding obstacles and enemy's.
I suppose rainbow island could be included as a vert platformer:)

1. Rainbow islands
2.new Zealand story
3.sonic 2
4.willow
5.super Mario 3
6.wonderboy 3
7.castle of illusion
8. Quackshot
9.Donkey kong country
10.kid chameleon

DinoRex · 19-01-2014 08:40PM

You can kill enemies with a laser cannon in New Zealand Story!

o1s1n · 19-01-2014 09:48PM

And I don't know if you've ever looked closely as the cover of Quackshot but...:pac:

unky chop chop · 19-01-2014 09:53PM

Plungers aren't classed as a weapon:)

CiDeRmAn · 20-01-2014 08:52AM

unky chop chop wrote: »

Plungers aren't classed as a weapon:)

Hey, drops of lead weren't classed as a weapon either, until some bright spark decided to feck them at each other from the muzzle of a gun!

I can see it in COD:Ghosts II, the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle,
with a 30 round 5.56 NATO round mag

or

a 5 round 9" rubber plunger attachment
images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTqdgVv9UXGNj6hm_RzmmebWE7bV_WAmvFS_2U8mjdfIqE5pG2Mvg

Eeden · 21-01-2014 12:52AM

waveform wrote: »

Not only is it one of my favourite platformer games, but it is also one of my favourite PS1 games:

Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee

The artwork in the game was beautiful and unique, especially in the wilderness levels,
and it had a great atmospheric soundtrack that matched perfectly.
Even though it was a 2D game they added a lot of visual depth that almost made it feel 3D, especially the FMV transitions from one entrance to another, and the exploding gibs that would bounce off the screen!

It had a heartwarming story, and i loved that you could interact with and save your fellow Mudokans.

If this game didn't warm your heart then you're a cold soulless bastard!

The gameplay was also awesome, plenty of puzzles, bombs, stealth sections, and who doesn't love mind control of enemies?

I played both Abe's Oddysee and Exodus again not too long ago from start to finish and loved them just as much as i did first time, so they have really aged well imo.

Its a game that would do Prince of Persia proud, since it added such a unique flavour to genre and pushed it forward imo.

If anyone has not played the first game, its a must!

Have to agree with every word of this. Abe's Oddysee was the first PS1 game that hooked me and had me playing late into the night, so that's obviously going to make me look back on it forever with fondness. Exoddus just as good if not better.

Doge · 21-01-2014 02:53AM

Eeden wrote: »

Have to agree with every word of this. Abe's Oddysee was the first PS1 game that hooked me and had me playing late into the night, so that's obviously going to make me look back on it forever with fondness. Exoddus just as good if not better.

One of my favourite things they added to Exodus was the emotions!

Cheering up depressed mudokons, and watching them get all hyper and giddy wherever there was a gas leak! Hilarious!

Some nice videos on the series:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnh6mbJ9FeQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ud8RxH_z8k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivRtjRZirYc

OwaynOTT · 22-01-2014 02:02AM

penev10 wrote: »

I'm not a fan of platformers per se but Mario World is definitely the ultimate example in my eyes. Just took SMB3 and refined and improved it (cape>Tanooki suit). Galaxy is the only Mario to beat it imo.

James Pond 2 : Robocod, Castle of Illusion and Psycho Fox also spring to mind as ones I've enjoyed. Not enough there for a top 10 alas.

Any love for Mario Land on the GB? I played it endlessly when it came out but my Mario-crazy son reckons it's muck.

One of my favourite games of all time there. I must say though that the fireball wrecked my head in it at times but I loved the submarine and spaceship (plane) stages and the noise the stupid flies made when they died.

Also is there anything to be said for mentioning Bubsy?

CiDeRmAn · 22-01-2014 07:53AM

Limbo was an amazing platform title, but I really felt sorry for the spider in the end, poor git.

Retr0gamer · 22-01-2014 12:10PM

Didn't think much of Limbo. It had a lovely aesthetic but the story went no where. It was pretentious but with no real pay off unlike Braid. It started off good but some of the later puzzles were badly designed, I found some arbitrarily difficult, easy solutions but made difficult by having important stuff off camera or else not signposting where you needed to go to get the switches/boxes you needed.

CiDeRmAn · 22-01-2014 12:25PM

The only puzzle I found ridiculous was the final one, side from that, once you knew what way the developers mind was working, it became increasingly easy to predict solutions, it not logical.
Braid, must go back to that someday, along with the rest of my games collection!
Post 360 and PS3 folk can play Braid on PC I assume?

Star Lord · 22-01-2014 03:05PM

Yeah, Braid has popped up in the Humble Bundles from time to time.

ghostchant · 24-01-2014 03:01PM

Have to say that I was disappointed with Braid, I think the hype surrounding it raised my expectations too much. I also unwittingly played a flash-game rip-off of it beforehand, with even the storyline stolen from it. I actually much preferred the gameplay in the flash game too

DoctorEdgeWild · 28-01-2014 10:13AM

On a more modern note, did anyone get into N+? Fantastically frustrating and simple game. Particularly good playing it networked. Not a retro game I know but certainly took the simplicity and humour of past games to make something really good.

CiDeRmAn · 28-01-2014 11:06AM

I have N+ on the DS, a real nice game that, Super Meat Boy is better though.

Top 10 2D Platformers

Comments