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Your favorite 16 bits platform game?
- Thread starter .Anema
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Poimandres
Member
No need to limit it! Plenty of good platformers beyond Sega and Nintendo. I was particularly fond of Keen 4, but I'm just gonna go ahead and assume you're heading in an Amiga direction.
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
I don't understand what this has to do with story (which story?) or culture. Thinking Mario is the best (that I know) is not narrow minded, it's just an opinion based on the tight mechanics and the clever usage of them in the level design.
Why would anyone even want to limit a platformer appreciation thread to Nintendo and Sega? Everyone who likes platformers should know the major Mario and Sonic games anyway, isn't it more interesting to discuss and recommend games many people do not know? Also even if it was a thread to dicuss the very best platformers and only huge Nintendo / Sega fans would be participating, they would still probably want to mention some Rare or Capcom games for instance (not talking Mega Man here, which obviously is not a platformer).
Obviously i loved c64 and Amiga platformers, but platformers were my favorite genre and i would like to know what good games i missed on other platforms too, not just the obvious overtalked Nintendo/Sega platformers that everyone already know.
Doomshroom
Member
There can only be one
Super Mario World
agree
"absolute best"= for everyone(i edited my post to be more clear) obviously people have all the good reasons to prefer Mario
they should just not think that Mario is the perfect platformer for everyone.About thread limitations... well look at this thread and see how many non Nintendo and Sega posts are here...
Red Liquorice
Member
Ghouls & Ghosts (Arcade, Mega Drive, PCE etc) - A classic, nuff said.
Wardner (Arcade, Mega Drive) - Not sure if this got a western release, but it's a tough pixel-perfect jumps type of platformer in a similar boy saves girl in undead fantasy world as G&G, it looks a little rough compared to the competition but trust me, it's great and very rewarding.
Marvel Land (Arcade, Mega Drive) - Another pixel-perfect jumps platformer, the bosses are a game of rock/paper/scissors just like Alex Kidd, but it's set in an amusement park - lots of Namco character cameos and even levels that are on a rollercoaster! Great music too.
Magical Hat Flying Turbo Adventure (Mega Drive, reskined and released in West as Decap Attack) - If you ever played Psycho Fox on the master system, this will feel very familiar. Can be frustrating due to the running/skidding and weird jumping physics but still very good.
Legend Of Hero Tonma (Arcade, PCE) - I played this a lot on arcade but rarely got passed the first boss as a kid. Another Ghouls & Ghosts type game. Nice power up weapon system which feels more like a shooter almost like Gradius.
If you like the one touch death type platforming in Ghouls & Ghosts, all these games should be on your to play list.
Tizoc
Member
Most of you people might have misunderstood the intention of this thread, nor seem to have bothered to read the first post-
Even if SMW is your fav. platformer at least write more than just quoting the one person who did and slap a GIF as your response.
To answer the OP though, I don't exactly have a defenite sole favourite as I like all the 16 bit Platformers I played almost equally HOWEVER, I will talk about one that I really enjoyed as a kid being one of 1st and has a close place in my heart
This game had 2 player co-op with a neat soundtrack and some nice colors and backgrounds. I liked the variety of the stages and how your characters would get a magical spell that's mainly intended for use on the next or specific stage that followed.
We could never beat the final boss as kids, but I do hope to replay it someday...
I really love platform games, since the NES era to the present time, platform games (at least for me) are like "what games are about" in terms of gameplay and design... And with the 16 bits era (SNES, Genesis) we lived the "boom" with games like Super Mario World, Sonic, Aero the Acrobat and the Donkey Kong Country Saga.
So, GAF, what is your favorite platform game of the 16 bits era?
My choice is Donkey Kong Country 2. For me is one of the best games ever. The level design is awesome, the graphics and art direction are really good, with a lot of scenarios and situations. And of course the OST is still a god tier, even in 2014.
What is your choice? Please elaborate
Even if SMW is your fav. platformer at least write more than just quoting the one person who did and slap a GIF as your response.
To answer the OP though, I don't exactly have a defenite sole favourite as I like all the 16 bit Platformers I played almost equally HOWEVER, I will talk about one that I really enjoyed as a kid being one of 1st and has a close place in my heart
This game had 2 player co-op with a neat soundtrack and some nice colors and backgrounds. I liked the variety of the stages and how your characters would get a magical spell that's mainly intended for use on the next or specific stage that followed.
We could never beat the final boss as kids, but I do hope to replay it someday...
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
"absolute best"= for everyone(i edited my post to be more clear) obviously people have all the good reasons to prefer Mario
About thread limitations... well look at this thread and see how many non Nintendo and Sega posts are there...
Yeah, as I said, the reason for that is that we are limiting to 16 bit here, and only asking for the favourite games, not for games one also liked or did something clever. Regarding Mario: Everyone is free to disagreee, but Mario platformers have an amount of care in their mechanics and level design that only few games can match.
You may prefer different games, granted, but if someone had never played a platformer and asked me what to play, I'd definitely recommend a Mario platformer (over Yoshi's Island which I personally prefer, by the way), because due to its accessibility and masterful design it is the best candidate to enthuse someone for platformers. So I'd choose NSMBU, SMW or SMB3 (GBA/SNES version).
DrDrizzay101
Member
I love Super Mario World but one aspect of its level design really bugs me: so many levels control your speed in some way. The auto-scrollers started in SMB3 and I've never liked them but they feel really excessive in SMW. This includes things like the sections of underground levels that raise and lower at timed intervals and you run between the safe spots. I hate that restricting feeling, especially considering how well SMB1 and SMB2 (JP) were designed to allow and even encourage speed running.
There can only be one
Super Mario World
/Thread
Again favorite is not equal to "best", and what "best" means? People have different ideas of "best".
You have all the good reasons to think that Mario is the best platformer and suggest it to everyone, but Mario is not the only way to make platformers, just a little example:
Can you see the difference?Super Mario World first level map
Super Mario World last special level map
Superfrog first level
Superfrog last level
I(and many europeans in general) grew up playing platformers with big complex multidirectional level where a big part of the fun was exploration and finding secret passages, as much Mario is refined and fun i just can't suffer mostly left to right maps, i respect people who loves them, but just don't pretend that Mario is the best platformer for everyone.
EDIT:
now there are the right maps
Red Liquorice
Member
I read it, I just answered it how I saw fit.
GlamFM
Banned
It´s super Mario 3 and not World.
World features a bunch of maps that also go way up and down.
The discoveries and the secrets are what sets SMW apart.
You are right!
Sorry i typed Super Mario World and those were in the results :\
EDIT:
i changed the maps, thanks
Are those right this time right? :\
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Super Mario World didn't age well to me, so I'm going with Yoshi's Island.
ScreamingTrees
Member
Noone for Bubsy? Or Cool Spot?
But seriously, Super Mario World. As much as I like DKC, Sonic 3 and others, it's not even close.
But seriously, Super Mario World. As much as I like DKC, Sonic 3 and others, it's not even close.
The level design in SMW felt like a step down from SMB3 for me. It just didn't feel as varied and creative. My vote goes to S3&K.
DKC was just too cookie cutter boring for me. It was released at a time when platformers were as saturated as dudebro shooters today and apart from the graphics it didn't do enough to stand out from the crowd. Didn't help that it felt rushed with lots of bugs (I remember reading a lot of angry letters in magazines about people getting stuck in the floor and such) and sub-par collision detection.
I really think most of the high profile platformers from the 93-95 period are overrated. Aladdin got old after the first few levels. Just another of the plethora of dime-a-douzen Disney platformers coming out at the time. Vectorman just felt really barren, and the large sprites mixed with the very fast scrolling made it impossible to properly plan ahead.
DKC was just too cookie cutter boring for me. It was released at a time when platformers were as saturated as dudebro shooters today and apart from the graphics it didn't do enough to stand out from the crowd. Didn't help that it felt rushed with lots of bugs (I remember reading a lot of angry letters in magazines about people getting stuck in the floor and such) and sub-par collision detection.
I really think most of the high profile platformers from the 93-95 period are overrated. Aladdin got old after the first few levels. Just another of the plethora of dime-a-douzen Disney platformers coming out at the time. Vectorman just felt really barren, and the large sprites mixed with the very fast scrolling made it impossible to properly plan ahead.
chrishackwood
Member
Probably best for most but I can see your point.
I never played DKC2 only the orginal. Sounds like I missed out!
Poimandres
Member
I'm also pretty keen to find some obscure titles I haven't played. Is someone going to make the general appreciation thread?
Catalix
And on the sixth day the LORD David Bowie created man and woman in His image. And he saw that it was good. On the seventh day the LORD created videogames so that He might take the bloody day off for once.
GlamFM
Banned
You are right!
Sorry i typed Super Mario World and those were in the results :
EDIT:
i changed the maps, thanks
Are those right this time right? :
Yes
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
"I think this is the best" and "This is my favourite" are not exactly the same, "the best" has a more absolute meaning. However, there are still a lot of things that can be rated at least semi-objective and the Mario games really shine there. Which is a big reason why Mario games still exist nowadays.
Sadly, no, because your Superfrog images are not displaying for me. However, I have played the Vita game and if they are similar (if not, ignore the following two sentences), then they should be huge levels that can be explored in any direction and offer a huge amount of collectibles. However I need to add that from what I have played, the base mchanics are slightly sloppy and the level design is big but lacks finesse - which is not due to the style of the game, these problems do not occur in Yoshi's Island for instance. By the way: I'm European too and also grew up to exploration based platformers (not exclusively though, I've played all kinds of platformers).
I don't want to say that Mario platformers are the best for everyone, in fact, my favourite 2D platformer is Yoshis Island (not a Mario game) and my favourite 3D platformer is tied between Banjo-Kazooie and Super Mario Galaxy 2, with Banjo not being a Mario game. However, prefering collectathons, precision / skill-platformers or performance platformers does not say much about the observable quality of the games in the specific subgenres. I've pointed out the three major sub genres platformers have from my perspective, and I will shortly explain them:
- Collectathon: Exploration based platformers with some slight puzzle elements, relatively big levels with many directions to take. Notable examples: Yoshi's Island series, Mario 64 / Sunshine, Banjo series, Spyro series, Jak & Daxter; from my experience with the Vita Superfrog game, I'd put Superfrog here too.
- Precision / skill-platformers: The predominant platformers from the 8 / 16bit era with simple level designs that require well placed jumps, sometimes offer mild exploration, but mainly focus on precise platforming skills. Notable examples: All 2D Marios, Rayman 1-3, Donkey Kong Country 1-3, Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2, Super Mario 3D Land / World
- Performance platformers: Mostly high speed platformers with a very active surrounding world demanding quick reflexes and offering some extra thrills through adrenaline driving moments. Notable examples: Sonic series, DKCR / Tropical Freeze, Rayman Origins / Legends, Jazz Jackrabbit
Sorry to be unoriginal but I have to say Sonic 2 or Sonic 3 & Knuckles for me. I think the thing I liked most about classic Sonic wasn't really based on the speed but more sprawling levels with multiple paths to get to the end. In most levels there is usually at least a couple of paths to choose from and they often interlink and cross over. It really boosted the replay value as I wanted to see every route through the stage possible.
As an example see these level maps:
Sandopolis Act 1
http://soniczone0.com/games/sonicandknuckles/downloads/sk-sz-act1map.png
Hill Top Act 2
http://soniczone0.com/games/sonic2/downloads/s2-htz-act2map.png
As an example see these level maps:
Sandopolis Act 1
http://soniczone0.com/games/sonicandknuckles/downloads/sk-sz-act1map.png
Hill Top Act 2
http://soniczone0.com/games/sonic2/downloads/s2-htz-act2map.png
We agree then, but success and sales are not always related to quality only, i don't think that many would consider a COD the best fps ever, or Valkyrie Chronicles garbage(i'm not saying that Mario doesn't deserve its success, just that success is not a reliable quality meter).
You can see Super Mario World maps here
http://www.mariomayhem.com/downloads/mario_game_maps/super_mario_world_levels.php
and Superfrog ones here
http://www.dizionariovideogiochi.it/doku.php?id=superfrog_amiga
About Superfrog on Vita, it's a half mess, it has the Amiga levels but the Amiga game is still better.
On Amiga most of the platformers were exploration platformers, on consoles was the opposite, in fact to name some exploration platformers you needed to name many 3d platformers, on Amiga there were many 2d exploration platformers.
Yoshi Island is a (awesome i guess)exploration platformer that sooner or later i will play(i didn't have consoles at that time, i played many console games though, many Mario and Sonic included)
I have never liked the term "Collectathon", it's inaccurate and imo a little derogatory, "exploration" platformers(like you also defined them) fits better imo, because the collecting is in many games, look at Sonic and its rings for example, Fire and Ice is in the "Collectathon" category but there's almost nothing to collect, except 6 parts of a key that some enemies leave when they die.
A constant element of exploration platformers is that in most of them you cannot just reach the exit but you need to collect a certain number of things to exit forcing you to explore the entire map, that's also the reason for the big maps.
The correct answer is Sonic 3&K and Yoshi's Island, but at risk of sounding like a broken record,
The best looking game on the Megadrive, and while it didn't feel like a successor to Sonic like it was supposed to, it was still an amazing platformer with vibrant worlds, unique stage gimmicks and great boss fights. Could have been great as its own franchise. Why, Sega?
This is tied with Ristar for me (which isn't too shocking since they're similar games). While Headdy's not quite as visually bright as Ristar, it has a really good aesthetic, making everything look like the set of a stage show, even going as far as pulling you backstage and having the background fall on you sometimes. It also has a fantastic soundtrack and some really unique and challenging boss fights. Seriously, one of the bosses is a giant baby face which slowly gets older as the fight goes on and then has a heart attack as an old man at the end. Messed up.
A really satisfying platformer with a really good steampunk artstyle (the city level is sogood.gif) and the rocket boost mechanic is really fun to use. It's a shame that both its sequels dropped what made this game so special.
The three best non-Sonic games on the Megadrive.
Also, I really enjoy the unreleased SNES game Jelly Boy 2. I think it's a shame it was never finished.
Loads of unique stages, that typically bright and colourful SNES visual style I love, several playable characters and bosses that range from fun to unfinished (obviously).
EDIT: OP asked for elaboration. I just posted screenshots.
The best looking game on the Megadrive, and while it didn't feel like a successor to Sonic like it was supposed to, it was still an amazing platformer with vibrant worlds, unique stage gimmicks and great boss fights. Could have been great as its own franchise. Why, Sega?
This is tied with Ristar for me (which isn't too shocking since they're similar games). While Headdy's not quite as visually bright as Ristar, it has a really good aesthetic, making everything look like the set of a stage show, even going as far as pulling you backstage and having the background fall on you sometimes. It also has a fantastic soundtrack and some really unique and challenging boss fights. Seriously, one of the bosses is a giant baby face which slowly gets older as the fight goes on and then has a heart attack as an old man at the end. Messed up.
A really satisfying platformer with a really good steampunk artstyle (the city level is sogood.gif) and the rocket boost mechanic is really fun to use. It's a shame that both its sequels dropped what made this game so special.
The three best non-Sonic games on the Megadrive.
Also, I really enjoy the unreleased SNES game Jelly Boy 2. I think it's a shame it was never finished.
Loads of unique stages, that typically bright and colourful SNES visual style I love, several playable characters and bosses that range from fun to unfinished (obviously).
EDIT: OP asked for elaboration. I just posted screenshots.
ExitPlanetDust
Member
Nah, that's a stomp n' gun.
I wonder if this can count as a platformer hybrid.
HueyFreeman
Banned
Might be a bit of a stretch, but it's got a good amount of platforming in it. Also, I obviously have some level of attachment to it.
Flashback
Flashback
Jawmuncher
Member
SolsticeZero
Banned
There can only be one
Super Mario World
That wraps it up for me.
sixteen-bit
Member
Is there a platforming minigame or...This is super hard...
I'll go by hours played and leave out Street Fighter 2 and say either
Magical Drop 2
or
Super Bomberman
GeordieMark
Member
Rolo has got to be included in this discussion.
Yeah, re-reading...title says "16-bit platform game"
Sir_Crocodile
Member
Super Mario World. Variation is a necessity for platformers, and SMW had it in spades. Some of those Special Levels were rock hard for me when I was young, but never unfairly. Switch palaces allowing progression in old levels, secret exits, yoshi riding....loads to keep me occupied, always with brilliant controls.
Still the greatest world map any platformer has ever had (though I'll always have a soft spot for DKC3's one).
Still the greatest world map any platformer has ever had (though I'll always have a soft spot for DKC3's one).
Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventure (SNES)
Oh wow, this looks great. I like when people mention obscure platformers I've never heard of in threads like these.
