The Best Platformer

Super Mario Bros, Super Mario World, Sonic the Hedgehog, Earthworm Jim, Aladdin, Super Metroid, Rayman, Metroid Prime, Crash Bandicoot, Banjo Kazooie, Ratchet & Clank, the list goes on.

Which game revolving around platforming is the best in your opinion, and justify your choice!

For me, it was Super Mario World, that game pretty much perfected the 2d platforming experiance for me. 3D platforming is something altogether different in reality, and I've have to give that award, and second place to Metoid Prime.

Super Mario 64, the game still amazes me to this day. The graphics and gameplay were absolutely astonishing at the time, (actually they still are) and it was the first videogame I ever got (64 and SM64 in Xmas '96). SM64 is the primary source of inspiration for nearly all 3D and platforming games today.guitarman89

Mario 64 is my favorite too! with Sonic The Hedgehog in close second and Super Mario Bros 3 in third

spyro the dragon!!!!

on the PS1 they are still my favourite games ever made!!

Crash Bandicoot Warped is my all-time favorite platformer game of all time.

Then it's Spyro: Ripto's Rage

Followed by the Jak & Daxter series, Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, Psychonauts, Super Mario 64, and Banjo Kazooie.

I agree that the PS1 Spyros are among the best. Who doesn't love a purple dragon? They were great back in the day, and their level designs still hold up against games made today.

Still, I would have to say my all-time favorite platformers are all the Ratchet & Clanks (except Deadlocked). The R&Cs have it all -- challenging platforming, exploring, collecting, plus you get to grapple, grind, hoof it magnetically, drive cars, fly ships, and they have more--instead of the usual button mashing of enemies that you find in most platformers, you actually get an interesting battle system that requires strategy. And you get to pimp your guns. Oh yeah, you also get some of the best humor around, as well as great tributes to classic 2-d platforming (the Captain Quark mini games). R&C is the full package.

Still, I would have to say my all-time favorite platformers are all the Ratchet & Clanks (except Deadlocked). The R&Cs have it all -- challenging platforming, exploring, collecting, plus you get to grapple, grind, hoof it magnetically, drive cars, fly ships, and they have more--instead of the usual button mashing of enemies that you find in most platformers, you actually get an interesting battle system that requires strategy. And you get to pimp your guns. Oh yeah, you also get some of the best humor around, as well as great tributes to classic 2-d platforming (the Captain Quark mini games). R&C is the full package.

Solori

I cannot go past Super Mario 64. It provided me with one of the greatest game experiences ever :D.

I also quite liked Banjo-Kazooie and Spyro on the PS1 ... too bad Spyro has gone downhill since it's reincarnation on the PS2.

2D platformer - Sonic 2.

3D platformer - Psychonauts.

It's probably a tie between Super Mario 64 and Jak 2, but I'm not sure if Jak 2 is considered a platformer. More of an action/adventure.

Best 2D platformer is Sonic The Hedgehog and the best 3D platformer is Jak & Daxter

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is, hands down, my favorite. Super Metroid is a very close runner up, with Super Mario World in third, mostly because of nostalgia.

As for 3D platformer? That's a hard one. But since others have nominated Metroid Prime (which to me is more of a FPS then a platformer), I'd say Half-Life 1. There's a ton of "platforming" action and problem solving. But like I said, Metroid Prime and Half-Life aren't really 3D platformers. So, I'd probably nominate Ratchet and Clank or Jak and Daxter.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is, hands down, my favorite. Super Metroid is a very close runner up, with Super Mario World in third, mostly because of nostalgia.

As for 3D platformer? That's a hard one. But since others have nominated Metroid Prime (which to me is more of a FPS then a platformer), I'd say Half-Life 1. There's a ton of "platforming" action and problem solving. But like I said, Metroid Prime and Half-Life aren't really 3D platformers. So, I'd probably nominate Ratchet and Clank or Jak and Daxter.

SentientGames

Unfortunantly it's hard to create a 3d platformer that is "pure". Since you are adding an entire dimension, the concept of running and jumping is usually limited to a 2d area. You have to add in another element, action in the case of a Ratchet & Clank game, FPS in the case of Metroid Prime.

There are a few early ones that are pure, such as arguably Super Mario 64, but most of those have been done, so developers are trying new ideas, usually by mixing genres.

[QUOTE="SentientGames"]

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is, hands down, my favorite. Super Metroid is a very close runner up, with Super Mario World in third, mostly because of nostalgia.

As for 3D platformer? That's a hard one. But since others have nominated Metroid Prime (which to me is more of a FPS then a platformer), I'd say Half-Life 1. There's a ton of "platforming" action and problem solving. But like I said, Metroid Prime and Half-Life aren't really 3D platformers. So, I'd probably nominate Ratchet and Clank or Jak and Daxter.

metroid_dragon

Unfortunantly it's hard to create a 3d platformer that is "pure". Since you are adding an entire dimension, the concept of running and jumping is usually limited to a 2d area. You have to add in another element, action in the case of a Ratchet & Clank game, FPS in the case of Metroid Prime.

There are a few early ones that are pure, such as arguably Super Mario 64, but most of those have been done, so developers are trying new ideas, usually by mixing genres.

You're right. Once a game goes 3D, gamers expect something more then just jumping around, which is the primary gameplay element of platformers. I think Super Mario 64 and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time are good examples of "as-close-as-you-can-get-to-a-3D-platformer" because their primary gameplay consists of jumping around obstacles, avoiding falling, and using your environment to transverse sections of the game to move ahead, with combat and other action-oriented elements taking a backseat. As for Half-Life and Metroid Prime, I think the "shooter" gameplay takes president in both, with area-navigation and "jumpy parts" thrown in to add a fun, non-combative, gameplay element. Do you agree?

I'm going to be cool an mention Abuse.BlackIsle_rip

Yes! You just reminded me about that game! It rocks! You can actually legally download it for free from http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?id=18. Apparently, Crack Dot Com made it Open Source. Just be careful, The Underdogs site can be sorta iffy as far as pop-ups and ads.

Super Mario World and Donkey Kong Country

[QUOTE="BlackIsle_rip"]I'm going to be cool an mention Abuse.SentientGames

Yes! You just reminded me about that game! It rocks! You can actually legally download it for free from http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?id=18. Apparently, Crack Dot Com made it Open Source. Just be careful, The Underdogs site can be sorta iffy as far as pop-ups and ads.

Hmm. I know this is going off topic (although it is a Retro shooter) but if you like Abuse then you might like Alien Shooter 2 Vengeance. It's like part one part Abuse (aiming), one part Diablo 2 (stats & rpg etc), one part Crusader: No Remorse. It's also a budget game for some reason.

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Demo

Gamespot Review

The Jak and Daxter series, The Ratchet and Clank series, Super Mario Bros. 1 and 3.

70% cow30% sheep0% lemming

owner of: PS2, PSP, PSP slim, DS, DS lite, GBA

future owner: PLAYSTATION 3

I cannot go past Super Mario 64. It provided me with one of the greatest game experiences ever :D.

I also quite liked Banjo-Kazooie and Spyro on the PS1 ... too bad Spyro has gone downhill since it's reincarnation on the PS2.

daqua_99

ya, spyro:enter the dragonfly SUCKED, the frameright was bad, the control didnt work with the arrowpad, it was really short, bubble breath barely worked, 99% of the game was insanely easy and then 1 dragonfly was insanely hard, etc.

a hero's tale was alot better, way better then the reviews said it was. It was pure platforming goodness, tons of levels and extras, lots of bosses and minigames, challenges, characters

The legend of spyro series has a great story so far, and has an awesome soundtrack, graphics, and voice acting, but the gameplay is so repetitive, there is like 3 attacks, then repeat them for each element.

I didnt play eternal night yet but il get it soon because im a huge spyro fan and dedicated to the series no matter how bad it can suck.