Awaiting new genre name (formerly "Kung Fu" games)

[Dire 51]

I recently updated the OPCFG with a new section of an older article (http://www.geocities.com/opcfg2/kungfu.html) on games from the "Kung Fu" genre. Admittedly, I was racking my brain trying to think of some for this article.

The ten I have listed will do for the article, but I was wondering if anyone might know of any more. I'm positive that there have been plenty, but for the life of me I can't think of any more at the moment.

And for the record, brawlers like Double Dragon and Final Fight do not count as "Kung Fu" titles: those are, to coin a phrase that Yashiro came up with, "Two Players Vs. The World" games - as seen here (http://www.geocities.com/opcfg2/2pvtw.html). So please, don't list any of those types of games here.

*goes to play some Kung-Fu Master while waiting for replies*

[Crush Crawfish]

You can also add the NES version of Fist of the North Star/Hokuto No Ken and Two Crude Dudes (the spiritual successor to Bad Dudes) to that list as well.

[Sothy]

If Splatterhouse is a Kung fu game but double dragon is not...... Then I have no idea what the hell a king fu game is then.

[Dire 51]

You just have to look at how they both play. Splatterhouse (just 1 and 2, not 3 or Wanpaku Graffiti) definitely has its roots in the "Kung Fu" genre.

[Garry Silljo]

??? So you're saying if its straight side scrolling it's a Kung Fu game and if you can move up and down as well as left and right it's not? You're being to nit-picky.

[Gamereviewgod]

I call 'em platform beat-em-ups. Most have the basic platform mechanics of jumping and such. You're going to run into trouble, especially since some games (Double Dragon II) mix styles.

[scooby105]

yie-ar king fu is pretty fun.
i always used to play uchi mata on the commodore 64 also.

[Milk]

Maybe you should go into more detail about why you think they merit being in a separate genre from beat 'em ups, since I'm very tempted to side with Garry here.

[Dire 51]

I call 'em platform beat-em-ups. Most have the basic platform mechanics of jumping and such. You're going to run into trouble, especially since some games (Double Dragon II) mix styles.

Yeah, but then you do get that in a lot of games. It's like: what do genre do you stick The Guardian Legend in? Is it a shmup? Is it an action-RPG? Most people file it in with shmups, though, even though it combines genres. I realize that this is a little more complicated, because both of these genres involve beating the crap out of people, but hey.

Okay now, let me explain to those who think I'm being too "nit-picky":

In what I call a "Kung Fu" game you usually move only left to right or right to left on a strictly flat plane. You can jump up and down between levels, but you have no way to manuever around enemies, except for maybe jumping over them. You can't circle around them like you could in a brawler. In a brawler you actually fight with them, in a "Kung Fu" game, they take a hit or two and they're down.

Let me diagram it for you:

"Kung Fu" game field:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/dire51/kungfu.jpg

Straight left to right. Kill the enemies coming at you - usually with one or two hits - or die.

"brawler" game field:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/dire51/brawler.jpg

More freedom of movement, allows for more strategy. You can circle around enemies, they can do the same to you. Enemies usually take more than two hits to kill.

There are similarities between the two, yes. But they aren't the same type of game. You still want to say I'm being "nit-picky", that's fine. I stand by my article. I also challenge anyone here to go play Kung-Fu Master (or any of the others I listed), then Double Dragon (or any of the games listed in the second part of the article), and come back and say that they're exactly the same type of game.

[ClubNinja]

Those are fantastic diagrams :)

[esquire]

So, a game like Ninja Combat for the Neo-Geo is not a Kung-Fu game simply because you can move around the opponents? But the Ninja Gaiden series for the NES and Ninja Spirit for the TG16 are Kung-Fu games because you can't? Seems a bit strange if you ask me, but according to your guidelines here are some other "Kung-Fu" games:

Kung-Fu Master (2600)
Ninja Gaiden (NES)
Shinobi (NES/SMS)
Karateka (7800)
Kung-Fu (NES)
Karate Champ (NES)
Ninja Spirit (TG16)
Tiger Road (TG16)
China Warrior (TG16)
Samurai Ghost (TG16)

[NeoZeedeater]

Kung Fu Kid(C16)
Kung Fu Kid(SMS) Great game.
Dragon Wang(SG-1000) This is the predecessor to SMS Kung Fu Kid.

[XianXi]

I dont think a game utilizing Ninjitsu or Karate falls under Kung-fu.

[Jestr]

I would say My Hero by Sega would qualify. It was released in the arcade and on the SMS.

[Dire 51]

So, a game like Ninja Combat for the Neo-Geo is not a Kung-Fu game simply because you can move around the opponents? But the Ninja Gaiden series for the NES and Ninja Spirit for the TG16 are Kung-Fu games because you can't? Seems a bit strange if you ask me, but according to your guidelines here are some other "Kung-Fu" games:

Kung-Fu Master (2600)
Ninja Gaiden (NES)
Shinobi (NES/SMS)
Karateka (7800)
Kung-Fu (NES)
Karate Champ (NES)
Ninja Spirit (TG16)
Tiger Road (TG16)
China Warrior (TG16)
Samurai Ghost (TG16)

I think almost everyone is missing the point here.

Of course Kung Fu Master (2600) and Kung Fu (NES) are "Kung Fu" games, they're both ports of the arcade Kung Fu Master. I even mentioned that in the article. China Warrior also falls into that category. Samurai Ghost and Tiger Road I'm not sure about yet, because I need to play them both a lot more. Kung Fu Kid also qualifies as a "Kung Fu" game from what I can tell, as does My Hero.

The others mentioned do not fit my definition of a "Kung Fu" game. Karateka and Karate Champ are both one-on-one fighters. Ninja Gaiden, Ninja Spirit and Shinobi are platformers. That's not hard to see. Ninja Combat I wouldn't class as a "Kung Fu" game, nor would I class it as a brawler. I'm not sure what to call it yet.

And as far as what I named the genre, I just named it after Kung-Fu Master. It doesn't matter what kind of martial arts is utilized, it's how the game is set up.

[Garry Silljo]

If the genre is defined by the setup and not the fighting style, then don't name it after a fighting style. Call it a Side-Fighter or something. It's ridiculous that I could make a brawler called "The Kung-Fu Game" where the characters do nothing but Kung-Fu moves and be told it's NOT a Kung-fu game.

[Sotenga]

If the genre is defined by the setup and not the fighting style, then don't name it after a fighting style. Call it a Side-Fighter or something. It's ridiculous that I could make a brawler called "The Kung-Fu Game" where the characters do nothing but Kung-Fu moves and be told it's NOT a Kung-fu game.

I don't think the subgenre is named so much after the actual fighting style than it is after the game Kung Fu, which is pretty much the original pioneer of these styles of games. Personally, I'm not sure what else these games can be called. It's just a title, anyway. Don't be so nit-picky about it.

[Garry Silljo]

It's not being nit-picky, it's being logical. To name a genre "Kung Fu" that doesn't include games that are focused on Kung Fu, doesn't make any sense.

If it makes sense to name genres after the first game made in those genres, then all the Maddens are actually "Pong" games because Pong was the first sports game. Oh, wait ... that makes no sense. Oh, wait ... that's the point.

Now, I'm off to play one of my favorite "Pitfall" games. No, it's not any of the Pitfall titles, but that's the earliest similar title I can think of so it may as well be classified as a "Pitfall" game anyway. Wait ..... no.

[Dire 51]

If the genre is defined by the setup and not the fighting style, then don't name it after a fighting style. Call it a Side-Fighter or something. It's ridiculous that I could make a brawler called "The Kung-Fu Game" where the characters do nothing but Kung-Fu moves and be told it's NOT a Kung-fu game.

Sure, I'd call it a Kung-Fu game, but I wouldn't classify it as a "Kung Fu" game. That's why "Kung Fu" is in quotes.

Geez, if all this fuss is about what I decided to name the genre, than someone come up with a better one. "South American Commando Slaughter" worked for the overhead run-n-guns (despite the fact that very few of the ones I listed take place in South America, although I don't hear anyone bitching about that... although I'm sure I will now :roll: ), and "Two Players Vs. The World" worked for the beat-em-ups, so someone suggest a new title for these, by all means. Just because it's in the article doesn't mean I can't go back and change it later if I hear of something better to call it.

[Dire 51]

Now, I'm off to play one of my favorite "Pitfall" games. No, it's not any of the Pitfall titles, but that's the earliest similar title I can think of so it may as well be classified as a "Pitfall" game anyway. Wait ..... no.

Do you know how many times I'd seen similar games referred to as "Pitfall like" in the mid '80s, rather than being called "platformers"? A lot.

[whoisKeel]

The genre is "Action Series". Says it right on my NES cart...and Nintendo doesn't lie.

[Dire 51]

LOL

[TheRedEye]

So is four-player Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles two players versus the world?

[Sotenga]

The genre is "Action Series". Says it right on my NES cart...and Nintendo doesn't lie.

LOL

That's the best response I've seen regarding this thread so far, it is. :)


So is four-player Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles two players versus the world?

The term stuck because most such games often feature two players, and this especially holds true to the pioneers of the genre, which only allowed two at a time. Some do feature three and four, but since the majority only allow two, that's the number that was chosen. "Two, or Maybe Three, or Possibly Even Four Players vs. The World" just doesn't flow as well off of the tongue. LOL

[Dire 51]

So is four-player Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles two players versus the world?

Cute. :roll:

This is getting ridiculous. LOL

[scooterb23]

Dire. Gun.Smoke is a South American Commando Slaughter game?

What the fuck?

Just yanking the chain of course ;) I really dig the articles quite a bit, showed me a few games I'd never seen before. And I thank you.

I can't believe this much of a fuss is being made over the title of an article...I take it folks had the day off and are just that bored huh?

[Dire 51]

Dire. Gun.Smoke is a South American Commando Slaughter game?

What the fuck?

Just yanking the chain of course ;)

LOL LOL LOL


I really dig the articles quite a bit, showed me a few games I'd never seen before. And I thank you.

You're welcome. Nice to see that someone gets the point here.


I can't believe this much of a fuss is being made over the title of an article...I take it folks had the day off and are just that bored huh?

That's my guess. Oh well.

[Sotenga]

I can't believe this much of a fuss is being made over the title of an article...I take it folks had the day off and are just that bored huh?

I'm willing to concur with that theory. I believe it was that spoony bard dude that once wrote, "What's in a name? That which we call a game by any other name would play as well."

[Sothy]

Have you guys scoped out the new pong '06' titles for xbox 360?


Sweeeeet.

[TheRedEye]

So is four-player Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles two players versus the world?

Cute. :roll:

This is getting ridiculous. LOL

OH NO NOT THE ROLLEYES.

It was a serious question. Is four player TMNT part of the "two players versus the world" genre?

[Dire 51]

Oh, you were being serious. Who knew? I didn't, given some of the responses in this thread

Yeah, I'd say it is - by definition of what type of game it is rather than by how many people can play. "Two Players Vs. The World" was just a phrase Yash came up with to describe beat-em-ups, it didn't necessarily mean only two players can play. That's just like how I came up with "Kung Fu" to describe those Kung-Fu Master-esque titles, not because the characters exclusively use the art of kung fu for attacking.

[Dire 51]

Have you guys scoped out the new pong '06' titles for xbox 360?


Sweeeeet.

ROFL

[TheRedEye]

Oh, you were being serious. Who knew?

Yeah, I'd say it is - by definition of what type of game it is rather than by how many people can play. "Two Players Vs. The World" was just a phrase Yash came up with to describe beat-em-ups, it didn't necessarily mean only two players can play.

And the point I'm making, then, is that the name is flawed. The only difference I can see between "kung fu" and "two players vs. the world" is that one allows vertical movement, and the other does not. It's a cool name, but it's flawed.

I would support Kung Fu as a genre, and would further subdivide it into "flat plane" and, I don't know, "isometric?" I would not, however, say that Final Fight and Kung Fu Master are two entirely different genres. They are both 2D games focusing purely on action rather than "platforming." The core gameplay is exacly the same, the only difference is the technology.

[Garry Silljo]

Why exactly do we have to rename genres that already had perfectly good names anyway? You say that "2 vs. the world" is another name for brawlers/beat'em ups, which forces the question, why not just continue to use the old class names that everyone knows?

Now I'm going to go play a "bunch of over emotional whiners battling huge and monsterous evil to save a world" game. I thought RPGs needed a new name.

[hydr0x]

well, as i recently made the genre-classification for a snes rom tool i think i can comment on this

1) dear god, don't call it "Kung Fu", neither the ones with, nor the ones without vertical movement should be called like that. A Kung Fu game is a (1on1) simulation of the actual sport Kung Fu, there aren't too many games of that genre, but the name is reserved!! You shouldn't name a genre after a specific game, i know it has been done and people do it (Tekken-style anyone) but whenever you want to WRITE sth about genres, use real genre classifications, not example-names

2) it's even more complicated than all posters in here realized. there are in fact 3 and a half (!!) types of games we have to divide here..
- those like the NES game Kung Fu, side-scrolling, no "vertical/isometric" movement, emphasis on fighting
- those like the Final Fight Series, side-scrolling, with "vertical/isometric" movement, emphasis on fighting
- those like most of the X-Men themed (at least one Spiderman too), no "vertical/isometric" movement, emphasis on fighting BUT basically a platformer (i guess Ninja Gaiden would fall into this category)
- then we have the "and a half" genre, which is basically a mixture of the first too, an example would be Power Rangers for the SNES, you basically have 2 lines in which you can move horizontally, and you can switch betwees those. (if you don't know Power Rangers, an example out of the tournament-style fighting genre using this "2 lines concept" is Fatal Fury 2)

now, about naming those, as you can see the "and a half" genre makes it hard to divide between the "Kung Fu" style and the "Final Fight" style. Final Fight is of course a Brawler and there's no need to rename that genre. No idea on how to name the "Kung Fu" style, sorry, i only know you've got to think about the "and a half" ones first. Now, the third genre (X-Men and so on) i just call "Platform Fighters" cause they are about fighting in a platformer environment.

i'm not sure if this helped at all, but at least i showed the differences between the styles (i think)

[Dire 51]

RedEye - there are more differences between the two genres than just flat vs. isometric, but apparently it's not enough of a difference for some people.

Garry - frankly, it makes the article titles sound snappier. Anyway, I'm not proposing that what I name these genres in my articles suddenly be the accepted genre title, far from it. However, no one has come up with a title for the "Kung Fu" genre yet... and as far as I can tell, no one ever did. The games were just lumped in with beat-em-ups and platformers, despite being a different type of game - so it's kind of hard to use the original genre name for those.

hydr0x - it is more complicated than I had realized, and thanks for pointing that out. You've helped drive home one of the points I was trying to make in the first place: that "Kung Fu" type games are different than beat-em-ups. Maybe the difference is too subtle for some, but to me it's plain as day.

The whole point of my writing that article in the first place was to call attention to the genres that for all intents and purposes no longer exist. If I've informed people of games they've never heard of, then I've accomplished what I set out to do, article/genre titles aside. If they go try them out and like them, even better.

I've said my piece, and I await a new genre title that won't cause so much controversy - if someone can come up with one.

[pragmatic insanester]

beat 'em up database

amiga

double dragon
golden axe
sword of honour

cd-i

mutant rampage: bodyslam

tg-16

ane-san (cd)
china warrior
double dragon 2 (cd)
riot zone (cd)
vigilante

pc-fx

kishin doji zenki: vajura fight

n64

batman beyond: return of the joker
fighting force 64

lynx

batman returns
dirty larry: renegade cop
double dragon

gp32

all for princess: deadline
dungeon & guarder

nes

double dragon
double dragon 2: the revenge
double dragon 3
ikari warriors 3: the rescue
kung fu
kung fu 2 (spartan x 2 / famicom only release)
mighty final fight
p.o.w.
renegade
river city ransom
rollergames
target: renegade
teenage mutant ninja turtles 2: the arcade game
teenage mutant ninja turtles 3: the manhattan project
toxic crusaders

gamegear

double dragon
dragon
chicago syndicate
streets of rage
streets of rage 2
surf ninjas

gameboy

blade

c64

axe of rage
bad street brawler
barbarian 2: the dungeon of drax
big trouble in little china
bop'n rumble
chambers of shaolin
chuck norris
double dragon (89)
double dragon (91)
double dragon 2: the revenge
double dragon 3: the rosetta stones
dragon ninja
dynamite dux
fallen angel
fighting warrior
final fight
the guardian angel
hammerfist
hercules: slayer of the damned
international ninja rabbits
jail war
kendo warrior
knuckle busters
kung fu master
last battle
legend of the amazon women
lone wolf - the mirror of death
ninja
the ninja warriors
operation ironhawk
red heat
renegade
renegade 3: the final chapter
shanghai warriors
shao-lin's road
the simpsons
skull and crossbones
street hassle
street warriors
subway vigilante
sword of honour
target renegade
teenage mutant hero turtles
thunder force
time fighter
vilgilante
way of the tiger

neo-geo

burning fight
crossed swords
eightman
legend of success joe
mutant nation
ninja combat
robo army
sengoku
sengoku 2
sengoku 3

snes

alien vs. predator
batman returns
batman forever
captain america and the avengers
captain commando
cliffhanger
combatribes
cutthroat island
brawl brothers
death and return of superman
final fight
final fight 2
final fight 3 (tough)
final fight guy
the king of dragons
knights of the round
last action hero
legend
the ninja warriors
the peacekeepers
pirates of dark water
rival turf
the shadow (unreleased)
sonic blast man
sonic blast man 2
spiderman/venom maximum carnage
spiderman/venom separation anxiety
stone protectors
super double dragon
teenage mutant ninja turtles: turtles in time
wild c.a.t.s.

super famicom

battle zeque den
cb chara wars
cosmo police galivan 2 - arrow of justice
edono kiba
ghost chaser
golden fighter
the great battle 3
gourmet squadron barayarou
iron commando
kamen rider
koryo no mimi
last fighter twin
return of double dragon
rushing beat
rushing beat ran
rushing beat syura
sailor moon
sailor moon r
shodai nekketsu kouha kunio-kun
u.f.o. kamen yakisoban
undercover cops

genesis

alien storm
batman returns
batman forever
death and return of superman
dj boy
double dragon
double dragon 2 (import)
double dragon 3
golden axe
golden axe 2
growl
last action hero
mazin saga: mutant fighter
mighty morphin power rangers: the movie
mystic warriors
the punisher
spiderman/venom maximum carnage
spiderman/venom separation anxiety
splatter house 2
splatterhouse 3
streets of rage
streets of rage 2
streets of rage 3
teenage mutant ninja turtles: the hyperstone heist
toxic crusaders

megadrive

bare knuckle
bare knuckle 2
bare knuckle 3
bishojo sensi sailor moon
hokuto no ken
golden axe 3

master system

alien storm
battletoads in battlemaniacs
black belt
double dragon
dynamite dux
golden axe
micheal jackson's moonwalker
my hero
renegade
streets of rage
streets of rage 2
vigilante

saturn

batman forever
crows: the battle action
die hard arcade
dungeons & dragons collection
guardian heroes
nekketsu oyako
tenchi wo kurau 2
three dirty dwarves

playstation

batman forever
captain commando
crisis beat
fighting force
gear fighter denshi
gekido: urban fighters
jackie chan: stuntmaster
panzer bandit
perfect weapon
pulirula
the rapid angel
ridegear guybrave
tenchi wo kurau 2
zeiram zone

dreamcast

berserk: gut's rage
dynamite cop
soul fighter
zombie's revenge

ps2

beat down: fists of vengeance
the bouncer
charlie's angels
death by degrees
hidden invasion
minority report
rise to honor
teenage mutant ninja turtles
teenage mutant ninja turtles: battle nexus
viewtiful joe

gba

advance guardian heroes
double dragon advance
final fight one
gekido advance: kintaro's revenge
the incredibles
mucha lucha
ripping friends
river city ransom advance
super duper sumos

arcade

64th street
aaargh
alien vs. predator
arabian fight
arabian magic
armored warriors
asterix
avengers
b. rap boys
bad dudes vs. dragonninja
batman
battle circuit
battletoads
blade master
brute force
bucky o'hare
burning fight
cadilllacs and dinosaurs
captain america and the avengers
captain commando
captain silver
charlie ninja
chrono soldier
the combatribes
crime city
crime fighters
crossed swords
crude buster
d. d. crew
dadandarn
demolish fist
desert assault
die hard arcade
double dragon
double dragon 2
double dragon 3
downtown
dungeon magic
dungeons &dragons: shadow of mystara
dungeons & dragons: tower of doom
dynamite cop
dynamite dux
dynasty wars
eight man
final fight
funky jet
gang wars
gaiapolis
golden axe
golden axe: the revenge of death adder
growl
guardian
guardians of the hood
hachoo!
hook
ikari 3: the rescue
iron horse
jailbreak
karate blazers
kazan
kengo
knights of the round
knights of valour
knights of valour: super heroes
knights of valour 2
knuckle bash
knuckle joe
kung fu
kuri kinton
kyros
the legend of silk road
legend of success joe
legionnare
the lord king
mazin saga
metamorphic drive
micheal jackson's moonwalker
mirai ninja
mister viking
mobile suit gundam: ex revue
mobile suit gundam: final shooting
mobile suit gundam wing
mug smashers
mutant nation
night slashers
ninja baseball batman
ninja clowns
ninja combat
ninja gaiden
the ninja kids
ninja princess
ninja warriors
outlaws of the lost dynasty
p.o.w. prisoners of war
powerpuff girls
the punisher
rastan saga
rastan saga 2
rastan saga 3
the real ghostbusters
renegade
riding fight
riot city
robocop 2
tough turf
s.p.y. project y
samurai-fighter shingen
sengoku
sengoku 2
sengoku 3
silent dragon
the simpsons: arcade
skull & crossbones
slash out
sly spy
sonic blast man
sonic blast man 2
spark man
spiderman
spikeout
splatter house
streets of rage
superman
suprise attack
teenage mutant ninja turtles
teenage mutant ninja turtles: turtles in time
thunderjaws
trio the punch - never forget me
undercover cops
van dyke fantasy
vendetta
vilgilante
violent storm
vs. trojan
warriors of fate
wild west c.o.w. boys of moo mesa
wild fang
wolf fang
zero team
zombie revenge

xbox

spikeout battle street
superman: man of steel

nintendo ds

naruto: saikyou ninja daikesshuu 3

pc

electronic popple
the rage

[zerohero]

Don't know if this has been said, but add "Ninja Crusaders" to the list.

[blissfulnoise]

Maybe I'm over-simplifying but how about:

1D Brawler

and

2D Brawler

I think "Brawler" can signify the genre well enough. Kung-Fu? Brawler. Double Dragon? Brawler. Splatterhouse? Probably, yeah, brawler. But you have to be careful before you let in games like Castlevania and Rush'n Attack.

To get back on point, the fundamental difference between Kung-Fu and Double Dragon is the availability of an additional plane of movement. New plane, another dimension. 1D vs 2D.

And don't get into the whole jumping thing. Just because you can jump on a single plane of action, it doesn't mean it's another dimension. Still 1D.

And sorry, "Two Players vs The World" is not representative of the brawler genre at all. You could easily apply that same description to games like Ikari Warriors, Co-Op Doom, and Fifa to name a few.

[Zap!]

OK guys, this is off topic a bit, but while we're on the subject, what is the Ghouls N' Ghosts genre called? Other games in this category are Ghosts N' Goblins, Magician Lord, The Legendary Axe, Stormlord, etc.

[Dire 51]

OK guys, this is off topic a bit, but while we're on the subject, what is the Ghouls N' Ghosts genre called? Other games in this category are Ghosts N' Goblins, Magician Lord, The Legendary Axe, Stormlord, etc.

Platformers.

[Zap!]

OK guys, this is off topic a bit, but while we're on the subject, what is the Ghouls N' Ghosts genre called? Other games in this category are Ghosts N' Goblins, Magician Lord, The Legendary Axe, Stormlord, etc.

Platformers.

No, they can never be counted in the same category as SMB, they all have that different, magical/medieval, feel. Perhaps some sort of sub category?

[Garry Silljo]

As you said, they are fantasy based.

As another said, they are platformers.

See what type of magical thing happens when you put those two words together!

Here I'll do the work, Fantasy Platformer.

That however is just to satisfy you, I have no problem calling them just plain old platformers. They have a lot in common with games like SMB. So the enemy types are different, big deal. If Mario has a fire flower the game play of run jump and shoot is just about the same.

[Damaramu]

Yup, they're platformers all right. Not all platformers, btw, star Sonic or Mario. :wink 2:

[Zap!]

As you said, they are fantasy based.

As another said, they are platformers.

See what type of magical thing happens when you put those two words together!

Here I'll do the work, Fantasy Platformer.

That however is just to satisfy you, I have no problem calling them just plain old platformers. They have a lot in common with games like SMB. So the enemy types are different, big deal. If Mario has a fire flower the game play of run jump and shoot is just about the same.

I dunno man. I'll put the 2-D Mario games, Bonk, Alex Kidd, and (to a lesser extent, for some reason) Sonic, all in the same category. Ghouls N' Ghosts (and the others I mentioned above), to me at least, have a much different feel. I guess Castlevania would fall in the "fantasy platformers" category, but even that feels a bit different than Ghouls. Yet Magician Lord, The Legendary Axe, Ghosts N' Goblins, Storm Lord, and half of Act Raiser feel just like Ghouls. Maybe it's just me, I dunno. :)

[Garry Silljo]

Come on people what do you suggest? Every game that feels even the slightest bit different should have it's own special genre name? You have to not over divide this stuff or you're going to end up trying to divide your NES collection by genre and end up with over 500 categories because every game doesn't (and shouldn't) feel EXACTLY the same.

[TheRedEye]

My favorite style of music is New Age Post-Dream Pop Punk Electronica

[Crush Crawfish]

Considering these games are very similar to beat 'em ups, with the exception of movement being confined to only left & right, why not call them "X-axis beat 'em ups"?

....I dunno, I like it. :/

[blissfulnoise]

My favorite style of music is New Age Post-Dream Pop Punk Electronica

Dream-Pop is pretty much Neo-Shoegazer or a sub genre of Ethereal/Ambient. And Electronica only refers to House, Hard House, Electro-Pop, or, to a lesser extent Gabber/Hardcore, Acid Jazz, Jungle and similar subgenres.

While Pop-Punk Electronica would almost certainly be Avant-Garde; Dream Pop Electronica would pretty much be defined as Aether-Trance or Blissout.

New Age music should be sub-classified; in this case, I'll assume you're referring to Soundscape music (a la Brian Eno, Tangerine Dream) as opposed to World, Electro-World, or World Beat.

Pop music has undergone a modern paradigm shift. You can have anything from Alternative and Radio-Pop to Synth-Pop and Clever-Pop. Not to mention traditional genres like R&B, Rock, and Hip-Hop can now be classified as "Pop". Since there are so many choices to classify Pop as, I'll just assume you are referring to the most common variety, Radio-Pop.

And Punk? Punk is dead.

So a genre correct post would be:


My favorite style of music is Soundscape Neo-Shoegazer Radio-Pop Dead Trance

[Garry Silljo]

Blissful noise may be right, but lets make a new name just for the hell of it. Reinventing the wheel is great.

[TheRedEye]

So what you're telling me is that I like zombie music.

[Dire 51]

Can this thread be killed now? I'm sorry I started it.

god, never thought I'd see this much bitching about an article title/genre classification. Yeesh.

[Sotenga]

Can this thread be killed now? I'm sorry I started it.

god, never thought I'd see this much bitching about an article title/genre classification. Yeesh.

I second the motion to close this down... with a parting remark. THEY'RE JUST LABELS, PEOPLE. As I said, a game by any other name would play just as well... or crappy, as the case may warrant. [Napoleon Dynamite]Quit debating and start playing. Gosh![/Napoleon Dynamite]

[Kroogah]

Here's the punchline: WHEN I MADE UP "2 PLAYERS VS. THE WORLD" IT WAS GOING TO BE A WEBSITE NAME, NOT A NEW NAME FOR THE GENRE!

Killing by request.


That's a Hell of an act. What do you call it?

The ARISTOCRATS!