The Hot Topic Returns

[DANGERMAN]

I'd like a Master System, I think that's as far back as I'd go and actually play the games, although there's another I'd like just to have as a collector's item (SG-1000)

 

The main thing that puts me off is it's then just another thing where I'll spot stuff I want that's too expensive as a cheap impulse pick up

[Nag]

 

Quote

Readers discuss their favourite platform games, including Rayman Legend and Castle Of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse.

 

The subject for this week’s Hot Topic was inspired by the recent release of Sonic Frontiers and asked whether you have a favourite 2D and 3D game and which style you generally prefer. How much difference does the main character make and which is your favourite?

 

Given how old the genre is we had answers from across many generations, but beyond the numerous mentions of Mario and Sonic there was also a lot of love for Rayman and Mickey Mouse.

 

[mfnick]

SUPER MEAT BOY!!!

 

I definitely prefer 2D ones. Some of my other favourites are the obvious - Mario World, Mario Land 2, Sonic 1, 2, 3 & Knuckles. Sonic 3 & Knuckles in particular. 
 

Not so obvious - Splosion Man. 

The Trials games  are kind of platformers - all of them if I can cheat and include them. 
 

If we’re talking 3D - Mario 64, Banjo Kazooie, Conkers Bad Fur Day (if it counts), Psychonauts 2, Prince of Persia Forgotten Sands and Sonic Generations. Definitely not as bothered about 3D ones though. 

 

[radiofloyd]

I’m not an expert of the genre but growing up I loved Spyro 2 and the first Jak and Daxter game (not the sequels).

 

I loved 2D ones too although I didn’t play many of them. I loved the Mario Land trilogy (especially ML3 Wario Land) and Kirby’s Dream Land.

 

I guess most of the platformer games I’ve played have been indie hybrids that mix platforming with something else. Fez is probably the best one that I can think of. Also, The Messenger was very cool if that counts. I’m sure there are loads more if I checked my Steam library.

 

I enjoyed Super Mario Galaxy and to a lesser extent Odyssey but I wouldn’t say I loved them.

[OCH]

2D

On the Mario side of things: Super Mario World, Super Mario Land 2 are definitely good shouts. I still think there has never been a better 2D Mario than SMW. The Wario Land games are also pretty great.

 

Outside of Mario: Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Astalon: Tears Of The Earth, Sonic 2*, Braid, Ducktales, Mega Man 2&3, Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, Castlevania: SotN, Super Meat Boy, Metroid Dread, Blasphemous. The latter three, I must also finish someday. I'm sure there are more but nothing comes to mind right now.

 

*Funny story: Probably the last/most recent 2D Sonic I've ever played.

 

3D

Banjo-Kazooie

Super Mario Galaxy 1&2

Maximo 1&2

Psychonauts

ICO

Guilty Pleasure: Jersey Devil

 

My preference would be 3D. But no one really seems to put much effort into the genre these days. Beyond nostalgia-baiting 2D entries. Which is disappointing. As I find Platformers the 'chill out' genre to play. The main character can make a world of difference. Abe, Dr. Fetus, Maximo, Mega Man to newer entries like the Penitent One. A platformer often lives or dies on the strength/appeal of the main character.

 

My favourite/s - Banjo Kazooie & Super Mario World. I can/have 100% both many times without growing bored.

[mfnick]

38 minutes ago, OCH said:

Maximo

Excellent shout! I loved that on the PS2. So underrated.

 

Cant believe I forgot Jak & Daxter too. Great game. 
 

I almost included Blasphemous, Castlevania SoTN, Ori etc. but they get love in the Metroidvania genre so left them out. They can easily fit here too though. 

[shinymcshine]

Not really may favourite genre, but I loved "Ape Escape" and "Gex Enter the Gecko" on PS1 - the latter more poignant due to the recent death of Leslie Phillips who provided the comical voiceover (for the EU release).

 

I've had some fun with the Mario games on the NS in more recent years.

[OCH]

1 hour ago, mfnick said:

Excellent shout! I loved that on the PS2. So underrated.

Ghouls N' Ghosts was beyond my gamer skill, even as a kid. But Maximo was doable. Sadly another series Capcom has forgotten exists.

 

1 hour ago, shinymcshine said:

but I loved "Ape Escape"

Oh yes! I only ever played the first one. But I did really enjoy it.

[bellow]

Played a hell of a lot of cartoony platformers like ratchet, spyro etc when my kids were little. 

 

These days I dabble occasionally but always end up having a good time. I think the ori games are my favourite in 2d - just about the right amount of challenge for my clumsy fingers.

 

But my favourite 3d platformer is also one of the games I hold as being responsible for making me a gamer. A true masterpiece, Prince of Persia, the Sands of time.

[shinymcshine]

There's also a blurry line between gameplay mechanics of 3D platformers such as Mario Odyssey and things like Z:BotW and Portal, as to whether the latter could be considered as 'platformers' as they share some similarities (Mario/Link picking up gear to access previously restricted areas, warping (through pipes/wormholes) to new areas etc).

[DANGERMAN]

I feel like there's some really good ones I'm forgetting, particularly recently. I thought Schein was great, same for Spark the Electric Jester, less so Forbidden Planet. I really enjoyed Marsupilami recently. Spectacular Sparky if that counts.

 

Good to see Sposion Man get a mention. Braid too

 

From older stuff. Gunstar Heroes of that counts, Flashback, Castlevania, Dynamite Heady, Rocket Knight, Super Castlevania, Strider, obviously the 2d Sonic games plus Mania 

 

Mario Galaxy is probably my favourite 3D platformer, I have enjoyed a few of the Ratchet games, although I suppose they're more action. That no combat Prince of Persia was good

[mfnick]

Rocket Knight Adventure!! Excellent shout, I absolutely adored that game. Same with Sonic Mania. How the Hell did I forget to mention that one? 

[spatular]

i think donkey kong jungle beats might be the best platform game, it seems odd saying a bongo controlled platform game is the best but it just is ok.

 

i think super meat boy and ori are up there as my favorites too.

 

platform games are a strange genre for me, i played sonic on the master system and mario land on the gameboy as a kid and really liked them, but generally i barely played any other platformers, none of the other main line mario/sonic games - i've tried to play those more recently and don't really like them. 

 

i like more modern platformers with shorter levels and quick retries, like celeste (and the already mentioned super meat boy and ori). the 2d mario game on the wii u (new mario bros u?) is my favorite 2d mario.

 

braid and fez are good shouts too, and definitely count but i'd never have thought of them as i class them with puzzle games personally. 

 

3d ones i like the mario ones, 64/sunshine/galaxy/odyssey think my favorite of those are the 3d land/3d world ones.

 

also played some kirby recently, the new 3d ones is great, as is robobot. and the recent metroid game was really good too, guess they sort of count too.

 

also also, first person ones, i'm a big fan of those, like mirrors edge, and neon white is probably goty for me this year. and cloudbuilt even though it's too difficult for me.

[shinymcshine]

If we can include arcade games (which had home conversions) then it's this (2 players on an arcade cabinet).

[Nag]

^^Absolute classic.

[Sly Reflex]

Old - Super Mario World

 

New (although not that new anymore) - Super Meat Boy

 

One game I'm surprised people didn't mention that has a lot of plaudits. Hat in Time. I want to play it. Apparently it's very good.

[Jimboxy]

I think everyone has mentioned all the ones I like, but just a quick shout out to Alex Kidd in Miracle World, not because it is particularly good, but I played it a lot because I had few choices, and Psycho Fox which again wasn't particularly great, but I really loved at the time.

[Jimboxy]

Thought of a couple more.

 

Donkey Kong country 2 on the SNES. I never really liked the first one and never played much of the third, but loved the 2nd. I spent one summer holiday doing absolutely everything on it and it was proper hard as well. 

 

Crash Bandicoot which is way more popular and fondly remember than it deserves to be if I'm being honest, but at the time I didn't have a N64 and it was an okay substitute as 2.5D platformer, again pretty tough in an unfair way, wouldn't be able to do now.

 

Plok on the SNES was alright as well, pretty unique that you used limbs as weapons and quite fun, nothing to set the world on fire though, but again I enjoyed it.

 

In the opposite of this question, I also had Mick and Mac Global Gladiators on the Master System and fucking hated that game, looked good though.

[retroed]

I do enjoy a good platformer. Some of the first games I ever played were platform games - Chuckie Egg, Manic Miner, Jet Set Willy on the ZX Spectrum. Amazing.

 

Amiga also played host to what I thought to be good games at the time. Zool, Superfrog, Fire & Ice, McDonald Land. I don't think they hold up now, but I loved them back then.

 

I spent so many hours playing platform games on the Game Boy. Super Mario Land, SML2: Six Golden Coins, the Wario Land games, Kirby's Dream Land. Games I still return to and enjoy. And I spent many an hour on Sonic the Hedgehog on the Game Gear. Donkey Kong '94, the ultimate 2D puzzle platformer.

 

Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2 on the Mega Drive are classics. Quackshot!

 

Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands. YES.

 

And then it's Nintendo consoles. Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and Donkey Kong Country. All great games, Super Mario World being the GOAT. Skyblazer on SNES.

 

Rayman Origins & Legends, and Donkey Kong Country Returns & Tropical Freeze are excellent modern 2D platformers. Celeste, the 2018 GOTY. Shout out to the New Super Mario Bros. games. They're good, with the exception of NSMB2 on 3DS. Kirby Planet Robobot and Super Mario 3D Land are great.

 

I've never really been a huge fan of 3D platformers, but Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 are exceptions. Both incredible games. If you can count Prince of Persia 2008 and Mirror's Edge then I'll put them in, too.

 

Platform games are good.

[DisturbedSwan]

Too many to remember really so I'll just wheel some off:

• Sonic
• Sonic 2
• Sonic 3
• Sonic Adventure
• James Pond
• Tales of Illusion
• Donkey Kong Country Returns
• Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze
• Banjo-Kazooie
• Banjo-Tooie
• Conker's Bad Fur Day
• Super Mario 3D Land
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Super Mario Galaxy 2
• Super Meat Boy
• Psychonauts 2
• Crash Bandicoot 
• Crash Bandicoot 2 Cortex Strikes Back
• Crash Bandicoot 3 Warped
• Bugs Bunny: Lost in Time
• Pandemonium