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[wanderingprostheyltite]

All the Mario Maker media is making me hungry for some good platforming (2d) but I don't want to shoot my wad on the Mario aesthetic before MM comes out, so was wondering if Gaf could recommend what you consider the pinnacle of platformer mechanics, can be any platform/era, I just want recommendations. Ideally I'm looking for something with a good sense of speed and momentum like Super Meat Boy but it's not a hard fast rule, I don't necessarily mean Sonic either. So what say you?

 

[h#shdem0n]

I came here to say Super Meat Boy.

Edit: Electronic Super Joy is a really good nail biting 2D platformer too. Unlike SMB, it may be a little too tight for its own good. But it has a neat presentation and it feels great when you finally pull THAT FUCKING BULLSHIT JUMP off.

Shouts out to Bit.Trip Runner. I found that shit hard as balls, I'm still stuck on the 2nd world after being stuck on the first boss for a longggg time. But again, I dig the aesthetic (it's vibing hard on some nostalgia-for-a-past-that-never-was shit) and its satisfying when you finally (through sheer luck in my case) succeed.

 

[E_Darkness]

Freedom Planet felt pretty great.

You already said Super Meat Boy.

 

[whyreggielie]

I don't know of any quite like super meat boy but if you like a challenge and 2D platformers then go for Tropical Freeze. Apparently thats one of the best right now.

 

[hwy_61]

Guacamelee is fantastic. It doesn't move as fast as you'd like though. But talk about responsive. It feels great.

 

[MrHoot]

Shovel knight is pretty much considered a masterpiece in precision platforming done in a retro way, not only in the controls but how ennemies are spaced out and how the levels are layered

 

[Durante]

http://www.thewayoftheninja.org/n_downloads.html

 

[Tan]

Super Meat Boy
Dustforce

 

[Vena]

DKTF.

Precision and difficulty.

 

[hey_it's_that_dog]

Guacamelee is fantastic. It doesn't move as fast as you'd like though. But talk about responsive. It feels great.

Yeah, I was going to suggest this. It's not heavily inertia-based like a Mario or Meat Boy but it's super crisp and has lots of great traversal mechanics and well-designed areas in which to use them.

Dustforce is also a cool game with more inertia-style movement. It's more of a time-trial game based on lots of practice and repetition, and it gets really goddamn hard, too.

 

[Durante]

Also, Ori And The Blind Forest has some of the most unique and satisfying movement mechanics in recent memory.

 

[Murrah]

Spelunky controls are incredibly responsive, even though the structure of the game isn't that of a traditional platformer. It'll also keep you playing far longer than a traditional platformer if you wanna really sink your teeth into it

 

[Wiitardation]

Rayman Origins
Rayman Legends

 

[Twilight Gap]

Ori handles beautifully. Rayman feels ancient in comparison.

https://vid.me/Ec9o
https://vid.me/Wtdt
https://vid.me/iPi6
https://vid.me/QbPJ

 

[R_thanatos]

SUPER PRINCESS PEACH

i love this game to death

 

[hwy_61]

Rayman Origins
Rayman Legends

Fucking hell how could forget these.

Forget everything you've heard OP.

Play these next for the love of moving fast and jumping on shit.

 

[blame space]

everyone buy N++

 

[Jigolo]

LittleBigPlanet

 

[sergioalb64]

Another nod to Ori and the Blind Forest from me. A delight to control.

 

[Fractal]

Rayman Origins
Rayman Legends

Aye... I'd go with these two as well.

 

[BashNasty]

everyone buy N++

A lot of great titles being mentioned in here, but yes, everyone who loves platformers should buy N++.

 

[VanWinkle]

Rayman Origins and Legends have incredible platforming feel and controls. It's a little floaty by design but you don't lose any of the feeling of being in control because of it. It's probably my favorite feeling platforming ever.

 

[NinjamicWZ]

Stealth Inc/Bastard

I still have to play 2, but that one's an interconnected world. 1 was straight up chambers of death. Trying to beat your time and hold control on the leader board was a game of perfect precision and execution, deftly responsive, with not a damn fault to be found.

 

[Sword Of Doom]

N++

Most control ive ever had with a platformer

everyone buy N++

.

 

[Lork]

http://www.thewayoftheninja.org/n_downloads.html

N is this close to pure perfection, but unfortunately it falls apart when dealing with curved surfaces, which they insist on plastering all over the later levels. I wonder if they've improved on that at all in the new one.

 

[Coffee Dog]

Tropical Freeze has probably my favorite controlling character in a platformer ever. DK has weight, that just makes it even more satisfying to throw it around. The feeling of gaining and losing momentum with such a character (combined with the satisfaction of an instant burst with the roll) works perfectly with the level design, which is built to encourage it.

 

[Yabberwocky]

Yup, original 2D Rayman and Rayman Origins/Legends. I played Rayman before I played any Mario games as a kid, and always had a harder time with Mario because of it - I never felt that Mario was as responsive as Rayman was. (I'll be in the corner with my dunce cap if you need me.)

 

[TheManInQ]

As others have said, SMB and Electronic Super Joy are both fantastic, but Cloudberry Kingdom has my heart. It's an awesome platformer that is both standard and has a few twists in it. Even better, it is randomly generated so that every level is different.

 

[Fat4all]

I like how Spelunky feels in my hands.

 

[dreampeppers99]

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

Zelda 2.

Games are more responsive on a crt TV.

 

[Vanillalite]

Rayman Origins
Rayman Legends

THIS!

Plus they fit the mold without being something else like more of an action game or more of a metroidvania.

 

[Dingotech]

Ones I've played recently with very tight controls -

Ori & the Blind Forest
Shovel Knight

 

[Brian_FETO]

Mega Man Zero (series)
Dashing, jumping, dodging, getting rekt by enemy/hazard placements that know exactly what your instincts are telling you to do and fuck you over until you follow their rules. So good.

Also, another vote for Tropical Freeze

 

[lifeexpectancy]

It's not a platformer in the strictest sense, but my vote would be Ori and the Blind Forest. Its controls are some of the most satisfying I've ever experienced, and when speed running it, it feels very much like a platformer rather than a metroidvania.

If you want strictly plaformer, Rayman Legends. It was my top game of the past decade until Ori came out.

Ones I've played recently with very tight controls -

Ori & the Blind Forest
Shovel Knight

My man!

 

[DriftedPlanet]

I came here to say Super Meat Boy.

Edit: Electronic Super Joy is a really good nail biting 2D platformer too. Unlike SMB, it may be a little too tight for its own good. But it has a neat presentation and it feels great when you finally pull THAT FUCKING BULLSHIT JUMP off.

Shouts out to Bit.Trip Runner. I found that shit hard as balls, I'm still stuck on the 2nd world after being stuck on the first boss for a longggg time. But again, I dig the aesthetic (it's vibing hard on some nostalgia-for-a-past-that-never-was shit) and its satisfying when you finally (through sheer luck in my case) succeed.

ESJ is fantastic. I love the style and controls, and the soundtrack is crazy good. There were also only a few jumps/sections that got me to the point of frustration so the difficulty was just right.

Screw going for the bonus stars though.

 

[XaosWolf]

N++ is momentum based in the best of ways, and is platforming in its purest form.
Plus plus the trailer is a thing of beauty.

 

[Vex_]

...

 

[Spinosaurus]

I think I'm gonna go with either DKC2 or DKCTF.

Rayman Origins/Legends are up there, too.

 

[trixx]

N++ is momentum based in the best of ways.
Plus plus the trailer is a thing of beauty.

Looks so good the original n+ was fantastic.

Definitely Donkey Kong returns/TF You have to master controlling DK else you're going to constantly die. Once you master it, its so good.a

 

[RoKKeR]

Ori and The Blind Forrest controls like a fucking dream. So smooth and responsive.

 

[Tricky I Shadow]

Tropical Freeze.

The controls are as perfect as you'll ever get.

 

[Lulubop]

Tropical freeze. I've always loved the controls of the country games.

 

[Hypron]

...

We've all been there, don't worry.

 

[PataHikari]

The New Super Mario Bros games.

Seriously no platformer has good base mechanics as Mario.

 

[Haint]

Little Big Planet

 

[hwy_61]

LittleBigPlanet

Little Big Planet

Crazy as hell.

 

[Phatcorns]

Yoshi's Island. Just played it today and jesus it's so spot on. I've never felt more in control in a video game than that one.

 

[Gilby]

Dustforce
Dustforce
Dustforce
Dustforce!

Trumps SMB, SMW, N, even DKCTF (at least from a purely movement-mechanics perspective). It's the best platforming mechanics IMO, that feeling when you're sliding on the ceiling: hnnnnnnng!

 

[ElDuderino]

Super mario world or New super mario bros wii