What's Your Favorite Platformer?

[digitalpress]

Alright, if you know me, you know that this is just about the only genre of gaming that I don't enjoy. Never was a fan of Mario. Wasn't thrilled with Sonic, simply despise the 3D antics of Croc and Gex and Banjo and every other Super Mascot 3D World 64 game there is.

But that's just me.

The genre is still alive and well, at least in the 3D "world" sense, and there are literally hundreds of them to choose from over the ages. So what have you found to be the BEST platform games? Are you a 2D purist who gets more enjoyment out of the original Donkey Kong than anything since? Does the updated graphic and musical flair of a series like Abe's Odyssey do it for you? Or are you strictly a 3D platform gamer who can never have enough big "world" adventuring?

Share your thoughts on the genre with me.

[mitmoe]

I really enjoy the NES and SNES Mario games(and Mario 64). But as far as new games go, I have the following list of favorites:

Sly Cooper - PS2
Rachet and Clank - PS2
Sonic Advance - GBA
Super Mario Sunshine - GCN
Munches Odyssey - XBOX

[WiseSalesman]

Well, here's the thing. I think I've been spending too much time around this board, because I immediately started thinking of obscure and classic platformers to use for this query.

However, once I came to my senses, I realized that the only true possible answer here is "Mario 64". When I first got my N64, this was the only game I had for about four months. Don't get me wrong, I had the money to buy another game, but I didn't feel the need. It kept me entertained for FOUR MONTHS, and I loved every minute of it. The controls were spot on, it was loaded with charm, challenge, and hidden goodies, and it was, at the time completely revolutionary. It should be a mark of how great this game was that, after I completed everything possible there was to do, I start looking for ways to glitch the game (get inside the tower, etc.), and challenge myself to do worthless stunts (can I climb to the top of the castle without the cannon? how far back towards the beginning of the level can I carry that giant bob-omb king?)

Yes, without a doubt, I can safely say that this is the greatest platformer I have ever played.

Honorable mentions: Super Mario World (SNES), Ristar (Gen), Sonic Adventure (DC)

[Keir]

My favorite platformers are all of the 2-D non-scrolling type. Particularly when there is some thinking involved to make it to the next screen.
Jumpman
Lode Runner
Miner 2049'er
Ms. Space Fury
Bubble Bobble

I enjoy scrolling 2-D platformers too, but 3D platformers do absolutely nothing for me.

[Eternal Champion]

I never got any system past SNES, but Mario 64 still ranks up there. My question is, what is the common conception of a "platformer"? Would the Zelda games fall under that?

SNES: Super Mario World, Yoshi's Island, Metroid 3
NES: Metroid, SMB 2, 3, I would say Bionic Commando is a platformer
Genesis: Ghostbusters, Chakan, Alien 3, Castle of Illusion--Genesis didn't seem too big on platformers other than Sonic, of course.

These are actually my favorite type of game. Action-oriented, yet exploratory, but not tedious and time-consuming like RPGs. Too me, Sonic 1, 2, 3 are more straight-forward action games than something like SMB 3 or SM World, or definitely Mario 64.

[WiseSalesman]

I definitely wouldn't call the zelda games platformers, although the one that comes closest to that is Zelda 2. Personally, I wouldn't call the metroid games platformers either, but we could debate genre bending for the rest of our natural lives and never get anywhere.

[Captain Wrong]

My favorite platformers are all of the 2-D non-scrolling type. Particularly when there is some thinking involved to make it to the next screen.
Jumpman
Lode Runner
Miner 2049'er
Ms. Space Fury
Bubble Bobble

I enjoy scrolling 2-D platformers too, but 3D platformers do absolutely nothing for me.

My thoughts too, except 3d platformers do something for me...THEY BORE ME TO TEARS!!!!

[tynstar]

Sonic
Mario 64

But I have not played a platformer in some time. The last one I played a lot was Mario64.

[Keir]

Oh.. and Ultimate Wizard. (duh!)

[Zaxxon]

Jumpman
Jumpman Jr.

I liked the first Tomb Raider but never finished it. I guess I got bored of it.

[Sniderman]

Classic - Pitfall II (2600) and Spike Hoppin' (Vectrex)
Neo-Classic - Earthworm Jim (Genesis), Super Mario Bros. (NES), Flashback (Genesis - In my opinion, a platformer, though a beautifully complex one)
Modern - Sonic Advance (DC), Tomb Raider (PSX), etc.

[Gunstarhero]

For me this is easy and I'm suprised no one else has mentioned these games. Casltevania III. The whole 2-d series of Castlevania games have proven to be some of the most reliably fun games ever to be released. With much much better story lines, and more engrossing story lines, than the superb Mario platformers. If Castlevania isn't considered a platformer, then I would have to choose Super Mario Bros. 3 as the best.

[davidbrit2]

Hmm, my favorite Platform game? I would have to say DDR. What? That's played on a platform. :-D

And second to that, the Castlevania and Metroid series are decent.

[chadtower]

Dracula X (PCE)
Bonk's Adventure (TG)
Clockwork Knight 1/2 (Saturn)
Splatterhouse(TG)

[Bratwurst]

Wonderboy III

[bargora]

Ii generally cordiially detest platform games. But, Ii liike

Burger Tiime
Abe's Oddysey/Exodus
Baby Griind Radiio

[Kid Fenris]

It's hard to tell where platform games end and the hazily defined world of "action/adventure" games begins, but if you don't count the Metroid games, the Mega Man series, the Contra titles, or the Metroid-like Castlevanias, these are my favorites:

Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos (NES) -Though the second game is the best, I find that the whole of the Ninja Gaiden trilogy bears the finest platformers ever made. The cinema scenes, fast pace, and impressive visuals are a great draw, but the real hook lies in the games' habit of tantalizing you with challenges that are almost ridiculously hard, yet somehow survivable. Like some brutal old-school shooter, Ninja Gaidens push players to their limits and make them thankful for it.

Others:
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
Super Mario 64 (N64)
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (SNES)
Alisia Dragoon (Genesis)
El Viento (Genesis)
Strider (Genesis/Arcade)

[Felixthegamer]

I could (and have) sit for hours playing Sonic or Super Mario. Great games and I love 'em!

[ubersaurus]

Super Mario Bros. 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
I'm gonna go on a limb and say Zillion fits the genre too.

[DDCecil]

I'm a big fan of 2-d Platformers:

Catslevania Series
Super Turrican (SNES)
Mega Turrican (Gen)
Alien 3 (SNES)
Mario Series
Sonic 1 (The others just don't do it for me)(Gen)
Bonk Series
Prehistorik Man (SNES) - The 'Insert Greatest Movie Here' of Caveman games that aren't about Bonk.

[Jorpho]

Does Impossible Mission count? Kirby Super Star (SNES) was an excellent piece of work, too.

I've heard an awful lot of good things about Klonoa (PSX), and I'm wondering if they're true.
________
Honda T360 (http://www.honda-wiki.org/wiki/Honda_T360)

[NE146]

BANJO KAZOOIE

Definitely the best of the first batch of 3D 'collect things' genre. Although it's obviously inspired by Mario 64, I personally think it blows Nintendo's title out of the water... bad character design and unoriginality notwithstanding. :) It's just FUN. :D

[Dobie]

Mine would rank this way...

Super Mario World (SNES)
Super Mario 64 (N64)
Mega Man series (NES)
Donkey Kong 64 (N64)
Super Mario Bros 3 (NES)

A LOT of people didn't like Donkey Kong 64, but I loved it to death! Very fun game, and the end boss battle was pretty dang cool if you ask me.

[scooterb23]

Super Mario Bros. #1 and #3
Crash Bandicoot series on the PSX, I'm not too hot on the Wrath Of Cortex...not bad, just not different enough IMO

[Mr-E_MaN]

I would have to say Super Mario 64. I loved this game. I didn't buy it until I found the game used at a local game rental store, but before that I must have played the first 3 or 4 levels about 20 times because I used to rent the thing so much but never more then 2 days at a time. I could not do that for any other game but this one.

[l_lamb]

My favorites (in no particular order):

Pitfall II (2600), Crash Bandicoot series (PSOne), Pandemonium 1, 2 (PSOne), Super Mario Bros (NES), Sonic 2 (Genesis), Castlevania 4 (SNES), Miner 2049er (Atari XE), Ratchet & Clank (PS2), Spyro series (PSOne), and I'm probably the only one on this game: James Pond 2 (Genesis).

Also, Rygar (NES and PS2) which is kinda platform-like.

[Videogamerdaryll]

I always get mixed up when I hear Platformer ..what is the real definition of a Platform game..?

My favorite would be the...

Metal Slug series of games...providing this is a Platformer and not a Shooter..


otherwise it would be Ice Climber...NES

[calthaer]

Very Classic: Pitfall II for me, too. Burger Time was good, I still play that sometimes.

Classic (8-bit, NES): Castlevania III was awesome. SMB3 was great too. For some reason I also want to say Goonies II - I don't know why.

Semi-Classic (16/32-bit): Castlevania: SotN is the best platform game I have ever played, anywhere, ever. DARK METAMORPHOSIS!

Modern / 3D: I like Super Mario Sunshine. I realize that people say it's too similar to Mario64, but I never really played Mario64 too much.

[Nature Boy]

It just occured to me that, in my world, I don't consider anything pre NES to be in anything resembling a genre. I love games like Miner 2049'er and Jumpman but I just think of 'em as classic games.

Genres are something I associate with modern gaming (NES and later, in my world).

The first game I though of was Super Mario World. Platforming isn't a genre I typically play several times through, but SMW I've played through amost as much as I have Link to the Past. It's the pinnacle of 2D platformers IMO. I *love* having it on GBA too. Couldn't pick that one up soon enough (as much as I hate re-release-itis).

For 3D platformers I will admit I was blown away with Mario 64. But I couldn't go back to it like I can SMW (and I have tried). I think 3D platforming is still in it's early NES days. The SMW of the 3D genre is still out there somewhere, waiting to be made. I've enjoyed many 3D platformers though. Most recently would be Jak & Daxter and Mario Sunshine I guess. I like Banjo-Kazooie. Crash Bandicoot. The usual stuff I guess, nothing obscure.

[TokenGamer]

I still find myself mysteriously drawn to Super Mario Brothers. The only reason I still play it is to see how fast I can complete it. Then I have a good laugh at myself when I first got SMB and had a hard time getting out of the first world.

[DigitalSpace]

My all-time favorite is Super Mario World.

Other 2D favorites:

Super Mario Bros. (NES)
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers (NES)
Duck Tales (NES)
Sonic The Hedgehog (Genesis)
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Genesis)
Rocket Knight Adventures (Genesis)
Kirby's Dream Land 3 (SNES)
Rayman (PSX)

3D Favorites:

Super Mario 64 (N64)
Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PS2)
Sly Cooper and the Thevious Raccoonus (PS2)
Beyond Good & Evil (GC)
Rayman 2: Revolution (PS2)
Wario World (GC) (Okay, it leans towards the 2D side, but whatever)

[The Great Dane]

Hmm this is a good topic. There are a lot of platformers that I like a lot. Lets see:

1. The Super Mario Bros. series on NES- The first SMB is what got me into video games so I have to keep my loyalty with that series forever :)

2. Super Mario World 1- I loved this one a lot but I wasn't too fond of World 2, maybe I just need to play it again)

3. Super Mario Sunshine- What a cool game. I mean, it wasn't at all like any of the originals, and I know a lot of people were upset by it, but I think it is one of the best Mario games ever. Just me, though :)

4. The Megaman series- Now, I was never a fan of Mega Man when I was growing up. I think I rented the first one about 12 years ago and it just didn't seem like my type of game. Then for Christmas this year my wife got me the Megaman Anniversary Collection and I am starting to get hooked on the series now :) I'm just on Megaman 1 right now, but the levels are very creative and challenging as well.

5. Castlevania series on the NES- I really like the NES CVs. I haven't played many of the games on the other systems, though.

6. Sonic 2- I love this game to death. I haven't played the original (even though I own it :/) yet or 3 or the Adventure series. But 2 is awesome.

7. The Sly Cooper series- These 2 games are very nice. Like a lot of others, I'm not too into the 3D platformers but this series is very sweet.

I can't really think of any others at the moment.

[GLASSJOE]

Nes castlevania and dragon warrior series.

[slip81]

Castlevania SOTN
Sonic 2
SMB 2
Earthworm Jim
Mega Man 2