Platformers

[Spark Of Spirit]

Something for the Banjo Kazooie fans

[Foggle]

After replaying the games and tainting my nostalgia a fair bit, I have to say that this comment

The first two Banjo games are about as good as glorified mini-game compilations strung together by obsessive multi-layered fetch quests can get.

is spot-on. Despite being platformers, there actually isn't much platforming in either Banjo title.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Well, in the original, there is platforming because of how the levels are laid out. Bubblegloop Swamp is toxic so you have to jump over everything, Mumbo's mountain world has the steep hills and inside the ant mountain, Freezeezy Peak requires a lot of jumping since walking is treacherous, Treasure Trove Cove has a lot of vertical climbing and pillar jumping, Gobi's Valley has a lot of sinking areas and floating jumps, and Click Clock Wood is pretty much ALL platforming. Mad Monster Mansion has a bit more exploring than jumping, but there are a lot of platforming sequences. Rusty Bucket Bay has a lot of swimming like Clanker's Cavern, but also has a lot of climbing environments to make up for it.

Clanker's Cavern IS awful, though. No getting around that.

But I can't really defend the sequel, as you know. You don't jump a whole lot, and you barely scale any environments. That one is definitely more minigame fest than platformer.

However, I still absolutely feel Banjo Kazooie is a platformer. There's a lot of jumping and scaling of environments going on.

[Foggle]

Oh, I still think that they're both platformers. They just focus way too much on minigames over platforming, like parts of the Sly games. Though I'd take Banjo over Sly 3 any day.

[Eddy]

I still say Banjo-Kazooie is one of the best 3D platformers ever made.

[Foggle]

According to a job listing found on a Polish website, Flying Wild Hog (the studio that made Hard Reset) is now working on a 3D platformer for PC, 360, and PS3! (And, in related news, free DLC for Hard Reset is being released next month.) I'm hyped!

[gunswordfist]

Man, if I was any kind of 3D game developer, I'd be making a 3D platformer starring some anamorphic (sp?) mascot. Such easy money. It's exactly what most gamers want, even the CoD drones who wouldn't admit it. I don't get why developers aren't cashing in on exactly what we tell them we want.

[Foggle]

Okay, finally beat Jak 2 for the second time. Awesome game and very fun all the way through (even the non-platforming stages), aside from a few levels that were way too frustrating. The races are annoying until you realize that they're more like puzzles than actual races, and a couple of the driving-focused and combat-heavy missions were kind of uninspired, but the only levels that I outright hated were Hunt Haven Forest Metal Heads and Find/Escort Sig In Underport. GOOD GOD THOSE WERE ENRAGING.

My top 10 levels from the game:
10. Get Heart of Mar in Weapons Lab - I know a lot of people hate this mission, but it's actually really fun once you know how to deal with the robots. Very good mix of platforming and shooting.

9. Destroy Drill Platform Tower - The first half is pretty unique as far as platforming goes, and the second half requires you to speedrun the level backwards in a more traditional fashion. This may not sound fun, but it really is.

8. Rescue Friends at Fortress - Too much combat IMO, but I absolutely love how tricky the platforming is in this stage. If only more 3D platformers were this tough and complex.

7. Retrieve Banner from Dead Town - Great first (non-tutorial) level. Leaves an awesome first impression. And I love the music!

6. Explore Palace - Just an excellent platforming level.

5. Drain Sewers to Find Statue - I love the jet-board! Really fun riding around on it while dodging all the bombs and sharp objects in the sewer.

4. Destroy Eggs in Strip Mine - Jet-board platforming! Great use of speed and grind rails in this one.

3. Ride Elevator Up to Palace - So much variety in this level's platforming. A bit short, but expertly designed.

2. Get Seal Piece at Dig - This plays like a deleted scene from the original Jak & Daxter, but IMO it's more fun than the majority of that game.

1. Pass the First Test of Manhood - One of the best 3D platformer levels ever. Very intense tower climb followed by an extended tribute to Crash Bandicoot. Love it!

On a related note, I really enjoyed the slapstick death of the final boss. Great ending to a great game.

[Foggle]

Playing Jak 3 now. I remember absolutely nothing about this game... don't think I ever beat it. And it's easy to see why.

Jak 3 makes an absolutely horrible first impression. The first three hours are basically a driving game, as there is very little platforming until the end of act 1. The first 20 missions progress like this:

Tutorial
Combat arena
Animal riding challenge
Mini-game
Vehicle tutorial
Vehicle race
Timed vehicle challenge
Animal riding race
Vehicle combat
Combat arena
Vehicle challenge
Platforming
Vehicle challenge
Platforming
Platforming
Timed vehicle challenge
Fixed gun turret challenge
Combat arena
Vehicle challenge
Combat arena

Sounds fun, right? From what I hear, the game is almost nothing but platforming after the first act. Still, though... that's pretty terrible. Seems like Jak 3 is basically the inverse of the Sly series.

[Spark Of Spirit]

So I beat Wario Land Shake It today by getting all the hidden maps and treasures (I still only have 81% of missions complete, so it isn't a full completion) and beating the Shake King.

My opinion if anything has been raised upon replaying it. The controls, levels, bosses, and well, everything about it is just so great. I'm not sure why this got such rough treatment and sales when it came out because it's as good as anything else Nintendo has put out this generation. Thankfully sales apparently shot up after New Super Mario Bros. Wii came out (which apparently bumped up a lot of sales for this games, thankfully) so I hope this game is far more appreciated now. I even found people dogging on the soundtrack! What's up with that? This soundtrack is great! I mean, what else do you expect from a Nintendo game?

Also, the next 2D Mario game needs to look as good as this does. No excuses, Nintendo!

[Spark Of Spirit]

My top 10 Action Platformers (Games which have just as much importance on combat as scaling obstacles)

1. Mega Man X
2. Shinobi III
3. Contra (NES)
4. Ninja Five-O
5. Castlevania IV
6. Ninja Gaiden II
7. Little Samson
8. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
9. Monster World IV
10. Ranger X

I tried to limit it to one per series.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Good list. I need to try Shinobi III one of these days, when I get a chance.

As for action platformers, personally I would count RKA among them, seeing as how there is also a lot of emphasis on using you're sword and rocket for melee-based damage. That would probably be one of my favorites, right up there with Ninja Gaiden II, which is saying a lot coming from me.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I could see that. Personally I lean more towards pure platformer, but it's an amazing game regardless.

And yeah, you'd probably really dig Shinobi III. It seemed to have been overlooked since it came out at the tail end of the Genesis' lifespan.

[Foggle]

Great list (real happy to see R&C on there), but no Metal Slug? For shame.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Great list (real happy to see R&C on there), but no Metal Slug? For shame.

3 would be just below Ranger-X.

If you've played Ranger-X, you already know why. It's such a weird game.