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[Neiteio]

Exhibit #1: 1-2 Time Trials from Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.

Man, I am FEELING this. Not surprised after how much I loved Returns (I rank it comfortably above the Marios, Meat Boys and Raymans), but there are some great additions here that just put TF over the top, like skipping across the water DKC3-style, or the high-speed swimming and diving.

What's great is the game has online leaderboards and you can upload your replay data for others to see, and it will note which buddies you used (if any) and whether it was a no-damage run (which in this case, it wasn't, so still room for improvement!).

And the level at the link is just level 1-2. I still don't take for granted the fact we're in a Platformer Renaissance right now. Let's talk about some examples of run-and-jump action that makes you swoon. I anticipate some Mario Club NSMBU videos incoming...

EDIT: Tropical Freeze is 60 fps, but YouTube is capped at 30, hence the uneven smoothness...

 

[RaikuHebi]

Platinums in Crash Bandicoot 3.

Some of these were so ridiculously hard that you had to find little tricks within the levels to complete them.

 

[Timeaisis]

Champion's Road. What a simultaneously awesome and frustrating experience.

Also, those levels in NSMBU where there's literally spikes everywhere and you have to time your jumps perfectly.

 

[murgo]

Does Guacamelee count? Some of those platforming sequences were brutal.

 

[Lulubop]

Siglemic, still always incredible to watch.

 

[SoraanTribal]

Champion's Road. What a simultaneously awesome and frustrating experience.

Also, those levels in NSMBU where there's literally spikes everywhere and you have to time your jumps perfectly.

I really cannot wait to unlock this level. I'm getting closer - making progress on Flower World now.

@OP - that level looks crazy fun!

 

[aro52]

This madness.

Rayman Origins (Land of the Livid Dead)

 

[HoosTrax]

Does Guacamelee count? Some of those platforming sequences were brutal.

Guacamelee immediately came to mind for me. It has more "technical" platforming than any other Metroidvania game I've ever played.

 

[Platy]

Super Play videos of the Mario series

Wii and 3D Land here
U here

I could watch then all day

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

That bonus unlockable level in Klonoa. Basically takes the mechanics to their limits, and it feels so good to play through it.

 

[Andrew.]

SMB 3 World 8, 3rd Airship level (The little jet powered ships)

This was the first level that popped into my head upon seeing the thread title. Playing it now it's small potatoes, but as an 8 year old this was the most hellish level in the game for everyone at my school and all of my friends, especially if you were lacking any back up P-Wings. The thing is, we knew only an idiot wouldnt be saving a P Wing specifically for this level.The speed at which the ships pass through the stage now seems trivial and pretty slow, but back then this shit felt like borderline Back to the Future Delorean speed. It was nuts, and immensley intimidating.

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

Champion's Road. What a simultaneously awesome and frustrating experience.

Also, those levels in NSMBU where there's literally spikes everywhere and you have to time your jumps perfectly.

 

[Disaster Nebraska]

I haven't had more HNNGGGG from a platformer in recent years than from the two new Rayman games (Origins/Legends). If we include auto-scrollers, bit.trip Runner 2 and OlliOlli (kinda a platformer, kinda not) both gave plenty of HNNNNGGG.

 

[The Ps4 Looks Great]

Fuck that shit

 

[Neiteio]

Freaking Nintendo, man

 

[Disaster Nebraska]

"When will Nintendo make games for the hardcore?"

 

[Brainiac 8]

God, that's amazing! O_O

 

[Andrew.]

NSMBU .gif

Fuuuu-uuck that. Looks like I'll never play NSMBU. Thanks for posting this and saving me money.

 

[aeolist]

really good spelunky runs are a joy to watch

 

[TheSpoiler]

This madness.

Rayman Origins (Land of the Livid Dead)

This part made me clench my ass cheeks.

 

[Brainiac 8]

Fuuuu-uuck that. Looks like I'll never play NSMBU. Thanks for posting this and saving me money.

To be fair that is part of the challenge mode, and that part isn't in the main game.

You don't have to play challenge mode. It will break you...

 

[Deleted member 125677]

Latedog's speed run in Spelunky is unbelievable

Bananasaurus' eggplant run is also a classic

The legendary Eggplant run (This is a long watch, mind you)

 

[Andrew.]

To be fair that is part of the challenge mode, and that part isn't in the main game.

You don't have to play challenge mode. It will break you...

Good to know it isnt part of the main meat. If I had to go through that shit for a special coin or whatever the level collectibles are, I'd end up having a coronary.

 

[Mlatador]

Mostly the whole game, but especially the

Spoiler

golden temples

in DKC:Returns made me swoon. And of course the mine-cart levels! Sooo much fun!

 

[Gsnap]

OH man, the swimming in this game looks exquisite. And skipping on water when rolling? That's great stuff. And the way DK starts the level is pretty cool looking, animation-wise.

 

[Neiteio]

OH man, the swimming in this game looks exquisite. And skipping on water when rolling? That's great stuff. And the way DK starts the level is pretty cool looking, animation-wise.

Check out the swimming in this level (and the music by Dave Wise -- good LAWD)

 

[Platy]

Fuuuu-uuck that. Looks like I'll never play NSMBU. Thanks for posting this and saving me money.

Here is a more human level

 

[Jindrael]

Dustforce PC-Version

Yotta Difficult SS, this level was supposed to be nearly impossible, currently roughly 2 years after the release this level was SS by ~30 people.

 

[Teggy]

Doing time trials in Sly Cooper 1 are great. All the swinging and sliding make it feel so fluid.

 

[Gsnap]

Check out the swimming in this level (and the music by Dave Wise -- good LAWD)

I don't want to spoil too much of the game... but.. Ok!! haha

It's so beautiful! Pretty graceful movements from a big ape. Looks like the swimming levels in this game won't suck. (And yes, the music was great. : )

Good to know it isnt part of the main meat. If I had to go through that shit for a special coin or whatever the level collectibles are, I'd end up having a coronary.

Also you don't have to jump back and forth to kill the Fire Bros. they just did that for style. All you have to do is jump to dodge fire balls until the time ends.

 

[MrBadger]

Fuzzies on Ice in NSMBU been posted yet?

 

[Ishida]

Mega Man games.

 

[Videoneon]

That bonus unlockable level in Klonoa. Basically takes the mechanics to their limits, and it feels so good to play through it.

I liked that one. it's fun if you try to get all of the crystals or whatever they're called. I haven't made a speed run yet though. I guess I'll try it sometime soon.

 

[maxcriden]

Fuuuu-uuck that. Looks like I'll never play NSMBU. Thanks for posting this and saving me money.

As Brainaic said above, that's from Challenge Mode, whose hardest challenges are significantly harder than 100%ing the main game. (Also, I think you can clear that particular one with less finesse and moving around.)

 

[lol10801lol]

Mirror's edge played by good players, especially in speedruns, looks really great and fluid

 

[Saya Brea]

This madness.

Rayman Origins (Land of the Livid Dead)

I actually had a harder time with the last level of the main quest, but yeah, pretty sure I died 5 or 6 times before I finally beat it the first time. Probably that level and the last of the story levels are harder than the entirety or Rayman Legends combined.

 

[cafemomo]

wow

 

[Miker]

Any of the Mega Man Zero games, with S-ranks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6Ii_N-nHVY

It's not just platforming, and that's what makes it so awesome. Can't get hit more than once or twice, and you have to kill a certain number of enemies in each stage. Such efficient play.

 

[Platy]

As Brainaic said above, that's from Challenge Mode, whose hardest challenges are significantly harder than 100%ing the main game. (Also, I think you can clear that particular one with less finesse and moving around.)

The idea is just dodge the fire.

It is humanly possible to JUST dodge the fire

 

[Yonafunu]

Here is a more human level

you mean superhuman, right?

 

[Caronte]

Nvm.

 

[Blades64]

Dustforce PC-Version

Yotta Difficult SS, this level was supposed to be nearly impossible, currently roughly 2 years after the release this level was SS by ~30 people.

I've played and loved Dustforce until is got too ridiculously difficult for me.

This is crazy...

 

[Gsnap]

This is the one. There is no other.

 

[Neiteio]

I don't want to spoil too much of the game... but.. Ok!! haha

It's so beautiful! Pretty graceful movements from a big ape. Looks like the swimming levels in this game won't suck. (And yes, the music was great. : )

It whets your appetite. (Hey... water levels... whet... wet... HA!)

 

[Shaanyboi]

Champion's Road in 3D World

 

[georly]

This madness.

Rayman Origins (Land of the Livid Dead)

That is some battletoads shit right there.

 

[Platy]

you mean superhuman, right?

Here ... this one is slow ... they take 2 minutes to finish the first stage

This is the one. There is no other.

the switch always get me

 

[DedValve]

Does Guacamelee count? Some of those platforming sequences were brutal.

God I wanted to cry climbing that fucking bigass tree. FUCK FLYING ENEMIES.

Holy shit at that mario bubbles one.

 

[Sciz]

Latedog's speed run in Spelunky is unbelievable

Holy shit.

For those unfamiliar with Spelunky, what he's doing here is completely insane.

 

[Dereck]

Crash Bandicoot speed runs along with everything that's already been posted. I tend to abuse this gif