Why do you like Mario World SMB & other 2D platformers?

[kevin_psx]

Enjoy collecting things - like gold coins?

Exploration?

High scoring?

What?

[Johnny_Rock]

Making Mario do a little jig on the top of the plants that rise into the clouds.

[KingCobra]

Weird Thread?

I don't know? It's simplistic yet challenging, you don't like a 2D platformer now and then on a rainy day?

[joshnickerson]

Why do I like them? Because they're fun to play.

End of story.

[AMG]

The gameplay is my favorite part of 2D platformers.

I love the pick up and play arcade feel of the games. Nothing fancy, just turn on the game and go.

[njiska]

Simplicity of design. Easy game mechanics, but great gameplay.

[klausien]

2D games are just easier to manage in the control department. Sure, dual stick FPS play becomes natural with practice, but four directional movement and jumping in two dimensions is even more natural. Depth perception is hard enough in the real world and even harder to judge in the virtual.

On a side note, It must be noted that there is a big difference between an SMB or SMW and something like, I don't know... uh... Joe & Mac. While a game like the latter is worth a play and still very fun, there is just something that places first rate titles like the Mario games a cut above. They are perfectly balanced, difficult but not frustrating and control perfectly.

A great 3D game can be a transcendental and extremely immersive experience, but a 2D hop & bop is just pure, clean fun.

[darknut101]

I enjoy spending 5 minutes jumping from platform to platform only to miss the last one causing me to fall all the way to the bottom and start all over. Just something about the mechanics I enjoy in a 2D platformer. I like the challenge of difficult jumps and other platforming elements that make you have to try it a few times until you can get past it. I also like how you can speed through levels as fast as you can. Can't really do that in 3D platformers.

[Haoie]

They're decidedly old-school, which is quite entertaining for those of us who like to reminise.

Still, I really have a thing against those titles with too many bottomless pits.

[Jumpman Jr.]

Its the simplicity of it all. Back then it wasn't 'so' simple, because I guess it would have been cutting-edge technology.
But now, whenever I want to play Super Mario Bros. I do it because of the fact that I can just sit back and not worry about anything.

[Jorpho]

Has there ever been a 2D title with a bad camera? It seems that even with the best of 3D titles, someone always complains that the camera is a bit off.

[badinsults]

I personally think that the 2D platformer is the ultimate genre. Nothing beats the exploration of Yoshi's Island, or the speed of Sonic The Hedgehog, or the challenge of Super Mario Bros 3.

[Descartes]

I play them for the obstacle course nature of the level design. I enjoy the way everything fits together. The platform placement makes for some incredible jumping sequences while the enemy placement serves to hinder your progress, or become helpful if used as platforms themselves or to bounce off of etc. In the best games of this genre, impeccable timing is required. Combine ingenious placement of enemies and obstacles with weather effect, deadly "power ups" that look like something good, backwards warp zones (!) and piranha plants that will eat you even while you stand still on a pipe. Then you end up with what I consider to be the best 2D platformer: Super Mario Brothers 2 (j)

[Arkaign]

Has there ever been a 2D title with a bad camera? It seems that even with the best of 3D titles, someone always complains that the camera is a bit off.

LOL actually there have, in one respect. I can't name any right off-hand (someone will help, I'm sure), but this was a somewhat common occurence ..

Scroller platform game, but there are places where your character has to get all the way to the edge of the screen in order to advance forward. Problem : enemy/fire/death happens from the edge of the screen that you can't see coming because the screen hasn't scrolled yet. Not really common, but I remember this in some sloppy titles.

It all has to do with the 'focus' of the 2d camera. Sometimes it will always center exactly on your character, sometimes it lets the character move within a limited area and then scroll the screen, sometimes the screen never scrolls really, it just pops up the next screen when the character gets to the edge of the screen.

[kevin_psx]

Then you end up with what I consider to be the best 2D platformer: Super Mario Brothers 2 (j)

Wow - don't see many people list SMB 1.5 (japanese) Lost Levels as their favorite. It's definitely challenging!

[kidkool]

Because there is nothing like running through a level at full run speend, jumping over every goomba and making it to the goal in just a few seconds, nothing is better in my opinion.

[Jorpho]

backwards warp zones (!)

Why would this be a good thing? It punishes the player for being a thorough explorer!

[Descartes]

backwards warp zones (!)

Why would this be a good thing? It punishes the player for being a thorough explorer!

Well, it forces the player to explore more thoroughly by forcing them to repeat levels in which they may very well find new things. :D

Seriously though, it presents a psychological intensity that gives the game a very menacing quality, which may or may not be attractive to the gamer. It isn't that big of a deal to be sent back; one always learns more about each level upon repeating it. Coming off of SMB, you find a pipe, the screen stops and you see: "Welcome to Warp Zone!" , so you say "Hell yeah!!" . You proceed down the pipe only to be transported BACKWARDS. Its the ultimate "What the hell is happening" ( no they didn't just warp me backwards! ) . I interpret that as a conditioning against the obsessive warping commonly found among SMB patrons. Warping has its purposes yes, but to skip past an entire section of the game, a part which is necessary for proper skill increase, is just plain counter-productive. This game also has standard warps, but you can never approach a lone pipe without a feeling of tension, followed by a guilty conscience if sent backwards as you are reminded that relying on warps is a faulty strategy.

The poisonous mushrooms add to the intensity. They look grotesquely similar to the good mushrooms, so one must posses quick thinking and lightning reflexes to be able to differentiate on the spot. After all you wouldn't want to miss the good shroom, so in the time it takes to materialize and slide off screen you must analyze your surroundings and simultaneously determine weather or not this item is something you want. None of the power up "guarantee" from the other games, where you simply hit the block and immediately jump on top of it to be fed something tasty without a chance of it escaping.

The weather effects cause the functionality of the obstacles to differ from level to level. The seemingly random windstorms (with varying intensity) cause every single jump to require impeccable timing. The time release trampoline is very prevalent as well. Not the standard launch pad, this item bounces you into the "sky" and out of view. You float above the screen for a set duration while continuing to scroll through the level (usually a level with more air down below and less platforms), and must anticipate the timing out of this mechanic enough to land safely.

The piranha plants in this game do not refrain from biting ones backside even if he or she is standing on the center of a pipe. No more cautiously waiting for the hammer brothers to become agitated and approach you only for you to easily jump over them. You can't use the pipes as a height friendly "safe zone" for more than an instant. In this instant however, one is able to succeed with enough reflexes in whatever task is at hand in any given screen.

Mario and Luigi have different body types with different physics. Mario is more "grounded", the all around average character with tight control and conservative jumps. Luigi is the "wild" one, with exaggerated drawn out jumps (similar to SMB2a, except within the SMB engine) . Much more distance is covered in the air, while control on the ground is sacrificed. One must be very careful on a platform with ice, for Luigi is not as quick to halt as his heavier brother. One could use either to their advantage, and I personally have found perks in both.

After 8-4 there are 20 extra levels, yes 20. These levels congratulate the player's skill with on screen messages , and also they use obstacles in absolutely mind bending ways. These levels are platforming perfection (imo). As for the enemies, they are the same ones from SMB, except injected with steroids. Some are given more speed, more hindering movement patterns, more defense, etc. some formerly grounded enemies become airborne. Goild coins and 1 ups appear far less frequently and are well hidden. These are just a few of the reasons I consider this masterpiece to be as perfect as platforming gets.

[poloplayr]

F-U-N.

They cut to the core of what videogaming is all about.

[Descartes]

^ You said it!

[davepesc]

backwards warp zones (!)

Why would this be a good thing? It punishes the player for being a thorough explorer!

In games, as in life, thorough exploration is more than just finding everything that is there without fear of failure.

One could not run into the woods and just start eating every berry and seed of the forest. Nor can one just accept everything spewn out of a ? box.

[Rob of the Sky]

I like to play Mario's 2D platformers because they are simple to learn, but take a good bit of skill to master. Plus they are fun!

[Jorpho]

backwards warp zones (!)

Why would this be a good thing? It punishes the player for being a thorough explorer!

In games, as in life, thorough exploration is more than just finding everything that is there without fear of failure.

One could not run into the woods and just start eating every berry and seed of the forest. Nor can one just accept everything spewn out of a ? box.

But knowing that negative warp zones are lurking where you least expect them may induce you to avoid pipes altogether.

[Descartes]

backwards warp zones (!)

Why would this be a good thing? It punishes the player for being a thorough explorer!

In games, as in life, thorough exploration is more than just finding everything that is there without fear of failure.

One could not run into the woods and just start eating every berry and seed of the forest. Nor can one just accept everything spewn out of a ? box.

But knowing that negative warp zones are lurking where you least expect them may induce you to avoid pipes altogether.

Ah, but knowing that rewards are also lurking where you least expect them, the adventurous gamer would find it impossible to resist investigating every nook and cranny. One can play conservatively and choose not to experiment, however should this be the choice ones gaming skills tend to progress in an unhealthy manner. The negative reinforcement of avoidance in regards to the pipes conditions one to persist in this counterproductive behavior. As a result, one cannot possibly experience all that the game has to offer, as many of the sweetest rewards come from the most treacherous of places. As we speak of pipes an analogy comes to mind. Hypothetically speaking, Let us pretend for a moment that I use Marijuana. Knowing there are impotent strains floating about, I could choose to never purchase a sack from anyone new. Through trial and error, however, I might find myself in possession of some highly admired greens if I was to explore all of my options. So you see the mechanics in SMB2j are a “weeding” out process, so to speak. Those who are intent on conquering it shall be rewarded greatly for their persistence. Those who throw in the towel shall wonder endlessly why people such as myself worship this might cartridge. That or they’ll forget it all together.

To elaborate on the example davepesc made with the berries, would you avoid them all knowing some may be poisonous, even if you also knew that in the same forest exist healthy berries with powers beyond the scope of this post? Not only that, but how about if the only negative effect of ingesting the poison was that it would restore you to full health and send you back to the beginning of the forest? In this case you would analyze the fact that you have all the time you wish and the worst case scenario is being forced to spend extra time in a potentially beneficial situation, weather the forest or the game. After a while you would succeed in locating helpful berries while avoiding harmful ones, thus engaging in two productive activities at once. I assure you it is all in the mind, and that experimentation is most fruitful.

[YoshiM]

Y'know, I really don't remember classic 2D games revolving too much around collect-a-thons like many modern 3D platformers (example: Banjo Kazooie, Rayman, or even Psychonauts). Sure you'd be able to snag coins and what-not but it was sort of on the way to the level goal.

What I love about the 2D platformer others have already touched on. The good ones are easy to get into, fun to play, challenging enough so that it's not frustrating and addictive enough to make you jump back in to try and beat the level you died on.

Descartes, are you playing the actual japanese Super Mario 2 or are you playing the SNES Lost Levels?

[Ulticron]

joshnickerson said:

Why do I like them? Because they're fun to play.

End of story.

Ditto.

[Jorpho]

Descartes, are you playing the actual japanese Super Mario 2 or are you playing the SNES Lost Levels?

My guess is the original, as it's not at all difficult to distinguish a poison mushroom from anything else in The Lost Levels.

[Descartes]

Descartes, are you playing the actual japanese Super Mario 2 or are you playing the SNES Lost Levels?

My guess is the original, as it's not at all difficult to distinguish a poison mushroom from anything else in The Lost Levels.

Correct, it is the original indeed. The Lost levels version is somewhat watered down. It is still very enjoyable though.