So what is the best PS2 platformer?

[Ackman]

I wouldn't know, any ideas guys?

[Icarus Moonsight]

The Sly Cooper games are good fun. And of course, Psychonauts.

[Pezcore343]

Both of Icarus's mentions are awesome games. I'd also add the Jak and Daxter seires, and by series I mean the first game. Although some people prefer the Ratchet and Clank series. Both good games, I just prefer Jak and Daxter.

[rpepper9]

I put in my vote for Ratchet and Clank. Three games worth of awesome platforming goodness. Then I think there was a online "meelee" type game and then some on the PSP. I think Ratchet was the 9's for PS2.

[Pezcore343]

There are more than 3 for the PS2, there was:

Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
Ratchet Deadlocked
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

Although in all fairness Size Matters is a port from PSP but it's still a very good game. Deadlocked isn't too great nor is it really a platformer, its more of an arena shooter.

[MrSparkle]

Jak and Daxter gets my vote but i haven't played a ton of platformers on the ps2 I cant even think of 5 off the top of my head (from different franchises that is)

[Oobgarm]

Ratchet and Sly both get my vote.

[11killer11]

My top 3:

1.Rachet and Clank
2.Sly Cooper
3.Jak and Daxter

[Game Freak]

Jak and Daxter.

does Ape Escape 2 count?

[RCM]

Klonoa 2 is probably my favorite.

[Pezcore343]

Since there seems to be little diversity on this list (not without reason as these are the top platforming franchises on the system) I thought I would look through my games for my other favorite PS2 platformers.

Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil : FANTASTIC game with a capital F...and I guess all the other letters capital as well. If you like platforming the Klonoa series is all around amazing, and this title definitely follows that pattern.

Crash Bandicoot Wrath of Cortex: This was one of my favorite Crash Bandicoot games and I consider it kind of the swan song of the series. It was in my opinion the last fun Crash Bandicoot game.

Ape Escape 2 or 3: While not the best games out there, the Ape Escape series is definitely good for a laugh and for a few hours of fun. The control scheme is a little funky until you get used to it, but definitely worth a look.

Prince of Persia the Sands of Time: Some people don't consider the Price of Persia games platformers, some people do. I definitely belong to the latter, and the first in the modern PoP series is amazing. The combat leaves a little to be desired, but running, jumping, and climbing is smooth and very satisfying.

Psychonauts: Already mentioned above, and if you don't own this game you know what to go out and buy next. One of the most creative games of its console generation with perhaps the funniest level I've ever played involving a Milkman and government agents.

While the games that have been mentioned by everyone are certainly the most popular on PS2, you can't really go wrong with any of these. I would wholeheartedly recommend any title on this list.

[8-bitNesMan]

I vote for the Jak and the Ratchet series also but I give a slight edge to the Jak camp for pure platforming goodness...

[shoes23]

No one is going to rush in here and demand we recognize Beyond Good & Evil? Usually a few posters rush into threads like this demanding this is one of the most overlooked games of the last generation. Guess you guys are going soft on me. I've only played about the first 20 minutes of the game so I can't comment.

One people haven't mentioned yet is Kya: Dark Lineage. I haven't played it for a few years, so my memory is kinda fuzzy as to some of the key selling points of the game, but I do remember have a great time playing through it.

[TurboGenesis]

Klonoa 2 is probably my favorite.

Me too… I am a huge fan of the Klonoa games.

Is there any substantial difference in Psychonauts on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions? If not, another recommendation for Psychonauts. I was very pleased with this game and glad it came out when there was uncertainty at one point…

[roushimsx]

As far as 2D gameplay goes, Kim Possible: What's the Switch is pretty much the best one I've played on the system. It's a bit beat-em-up heavy, but the platforming is absolutely tits. The core gameplay is fairly easy, but if you really want to explore the levels then you're going to have to get pretty deep into the platforming system, which is really well developed.

Ratchet & Clank games moved away from platformer with shooting in the first one to a platformer with a lot of shooting in the second to a third person shooter with platforming in the third to a third person shooter with minimal platforming in the fourth. Size Matters is the weakest of the five (behind Deadlocked) but still worth checking out.

Sly Cooper is a blast, but Sly 2 is probably the best 3D platformer I've ever played. Its drawbacks are solely technical, such as the lack of widescreen support and funky ghosting going on. Sly 3 is a massive step down in quality to the first two and is totally the black sheep of the series (for a good reason).

Jak was pretty generic but technically amazing. Enjoyable, but the bonus ending sucked and was totally not worth getting. Jak II was a shitty third person shooter littered with crap design decisions, including awful platforming. The third game corrected a lot of the platforming issues (including way better level design) but still had kind of crummy shooting action. Even with those faults, the third game was nearly up to Ratchet & Clank levels of quality.

Kya was ...ok. Like, it's not bad, but there's some really frustratingly annoying bits here and there. Checkpoint system was uneven and until the 1.6 or so firmware on the PS3, it had some wonky emulation issues. Should work peachy now, thank god. Mostly the good outweighed the bad; worth taking a peek-a-see at.

Never played Legend of Kay, though I really want to at some point. I'm also not familiar enough with Rayman 2 Revolution to argue for/against it vs. the Dreamcast and PC versions (one of my favorite 3d platfomers ever).

Psychonauts starts off really weak and doesn't pick up until nearly halfway into the game. Some balls-to-the-wall awesome levels later on (Lungfishopolis, Milkman Conspiracy, etc), but it nearly falls apart in the last level due to shitty checkpoint placement and a batshit insane camera.

Ape Escape 2 was pretty fun, but I just couldn't get into it as much as the first game. Maybe it's my inability to put up with using that god damn paddle anymore. Good lord is that thing a pain in the ass to use. One of these days I'm going to have to finish the game off and fire up the third one.

[Pezcore343]

Would Beyond Good & Evil really be considered a platformer? I would put it firmly in the same genre as the Zelda genre (action/adventure?). There is little to no platforming in that game. Don't get me wrong it's a great game, just a little misclassified.

[Nebagram]

I'll have to give Ratchet and Clank my thumbs up above Sly and J & D. Sonic Mega Collection is also worth checking out if you can find it cheap for some old-school platforming.

[Arcade_Ness]

I'll give the nod to Ratchet, as I've played most of the series. Deadlocked may be the oddball of the series, but it's loads of fun playing co-op. Psychonauts was great fun too. It just seems like Psychonauts is a long game, which is why I still haven't got around to finishing it.

[BHvrd]

Maximo and Viewtiful Joe should qualify.

[Phyeir]

Whiplash. You play as two lab test animals, one of which is a crazy weasel (you control) and the other is an indestructible rabbit (your weapon). Lots of zany humor and tons of fun.