The next line in the video games lists... platformers. What makes a game a platformer? Platforms. Ha!
No. What makes a game platformer? Where jumps from platform to platform, or enemy to enemy, or platform to enemy to platform... is the focus of the game. You can have other features that MIGHT put them in a different category, but the platforming aspect is what the player experience revolves around.
And there are MANY types of platformers.
So how about the list...
Top 15 Platforming Video Games/Series
Here we go...
Honorable Mention 2: Mega Man(series): The core series starring the Blue Bomber. Stealing abilities, defeating bosses with the newly stolen abilities. One of the most difficult, yet rewarding Platformers that is STILL active to this day(side honorable mention to Mighty No 9 for being made my the Mega Man creators, reinventing the Mega Man formula)
15. Ghosts 'n Goblins: One of the most punishing platformers ever made. Think it is hard... wait until the second run hits. Death comes quickly... this... is 2D Dark Souls.
14. Crash Bandicoot(franchise): The Original Unofficial Playstation Mascot! Blend of 2D platforming with 3D platforming... with a witty humor, cartoonish style. And a new installment. It isn't PS exclusive anymore, but it doesn't matter.
13. Shovel Knight: Unique game with 16 bit style. When you talk about Modern Retro games, this is the first you should talk about. A love letter to 8 bit and 16 bit gaming.
12. Ninja Gaiden(series): Another series with precise platforming and PUNISHING gameplay. The NES era was just a more difficult era of gaming. But so satisfying. I separate the 2D and 3D games, due to the 3D Ninja Gaiden games being more of a Action or Beat Em Up style game instead.
11. Cuphead: Talking about retro... mix a platforming Bullet Hell with Max Fleischer era animation. It is a BEAUTIFUL game. And a hell of a good time.
10. Banjo-Kazooie(franchise): Nintendo 64 3D platformer with plenty of smarts and crisp gameplay. Rare truly was Rare back then.
9. X-Men 2 Clone Wars: Sega Genesis platformer with everyone's favorite mutant team. There were a few decent ones before this... but this game was fun. Something missing for Mutant Apocalypse and Arcade's Revenge
8. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night: The first reinvention of the Castevania formula... and the BEST game in the series. Exploration... RPG elements... but platforming hack n slash. Gone is the Whip... but the different swords and abilities just made it cool. The game that changed a term from Metroid Style to Metroidvania.
7. Sonic the Hedgehog(series): The rival to Mario on the Sega systems. It was fast, with multiple paths to get to the end. The beauty was that because of the different paths, its replayability was so damn high. Sonic was a beast in 2D, but his 3D outings have not been the greatest. So be careful. But overall, Sonic deserved to be Mario's rival. If you are want to test out the Blue Blur in 3D, I recommend Sonic Adventure 2. Outside of that, try at your own risk
6. Little Big Planet(franchise): one part level creator, one part unending platformer. Unending? How so? There have been 3 games in the series. The levels from each predecessor were compatible with the current. When LBP2 was released, that was a selling point. There were MILLIONS of unique levels online. New game... millions of levels. I want LBP4.
5. Magical Quest starring Mickey Mouse: Yes, a Mickey game. On the SNES. But hear me out. A crisp platformer made by Capcom with Disney's designs. Exploration that felt rewarding. Great intuitive boss fights. And a difficulty curve. Lower difficulties for newbies and kiddos. And a higher difficulty for those needing a challenge. I beat it on the highest... and the final boss battle against Emporer Pete took nearly an HOUR(and that was AFTER I stopped dying). And it felt good to beat. If you haven't, and you can get it... do it. Worth it.
4. Donkey Kong Country(franchise): Rare is at it again. The DKC franchise has some of the best graphics and gameplay of any games in the 16 Bit era... but the graphics are so good, you forget it was on the SNES. But those damn minecart levels... and yes, I am declaring Donkey Kong 64 as a DKC title.
3. Mega Man X(series): Yes, I'm aware that Mega Man was an honorable mention, but I do not consider them the same series. X was Mega Man and more. Upgrades to abilities... new gameplay improvements, an ACTUAL storyline, and the introduction of Zero. Mega Man X was the first game I bought with my own money for the SNES. And I have vivid memories of beating Mega Man X4 on PC with a Keyboard... and now... I can almost beat it blindfolded on console. Word of caution... avoid X7. That game was horrible. But X8 made up for it... and with the core series still active, I want Capcom to finally give me Mega Man X9.
2. Kirby(franchise): Cute Pink Cremepuff. Eating enemies to copy their powers. Like a ameoba who just looooooves cake. On the Cusp of getting his first even 3D experience. Kirby is a bad ass. And you all know it. He is also the inadvertent antagonist of his series... yeah...
And the Number 1 Platformer game/series is...
1. Super Mario Bros(franchise): Seriously... was there ANY other choice? The OG NES Platformer innovator the genre. SMB3 did it again. Super Mario World did what 3 did, but in 16 bit. Mario 64 is what made 3D Platformers possible(the blueprint). Mario Galaxy innovated how Gravity works in a gaming. The 3D Land/World games took the Retro formula and brought to modern technology. Each Mario game sells MILLIONS OF COPIES! And even though the status quo does feel stale, it doesn't matter. The games are fun. If you are looking at a Mario platformer, wondering if you should buy it, odds are in your favor that you will get your money's worth.
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There you go folks.
What did you think of the list? Did I miss one? Should Mario have gotten the top spot(of course he should've)?
Comment... share...
And stay tuned...
Until next time...
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