Platformers

[Spark Of Spirit]

So to steal from Ensatsu-ken, how good are you at these games in general?

Since there are so many different styles of platformers, maybe you want to specify which ones you're better at than others? Any series you're better at than others?

Personally, the only ones I'm no good at are frustration platformers because there's only one way to do everything and I don't like flopping around to find the only proper way through the level. I'm also mediocre at puzzle platformers, but only because they tend to rely more on the puzzle aspect then I care for and I tend to get bored.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

While I wouldn't say that I outright suck at this genre, thanks to it being the main genre of gaming I stuck with in my childhood, I'm pretty crappy at most of them until I play them for quite a long while, and even then I'm probably only average at best. I still love the hell out of my favorite platformers, of course, but to put things in perspective, I find the later levels of any given classic Sonic game to be quite challenging, whereas most fans of platforming games find the classic Sonic games to be an absolute breeze to play-through, even on their hardest levels. I'm fairly good at Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island since I've played the hell out of both of those games, but I see the Game Over screen more than a few times before I can manage to beat any other Mario game. Hell, don't even get me started on NSMBW, which I honestly believe is the hardest game that I have played any significant chunk of this entire generation (I know that their are much harder games out there, of course, but I haven't tried any of them yet).

Overall, though, the best thing about platformers is that you don't have to be great at most of them to enjoy the hell out of them, anyways. It feels really rewarding in the best platformers when I finally manage to beat a difficult level after having tried multiple times to improve myself, and usually when I beat any good platformer, I feel like going right back into it to play it again for alternate paths and finding collectibles that I missed before, so as it stands, this is one of my favorite genres in gaming despite the fact that I'm really not any good at it.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I still have problems when I pick up 8-bit platformers I have never played before. Those games don't get easier no matter how much better you get at them. I still have problems with the last few worlds of SMB3 for instance.

16-bit ones I can pick up and play almost any of them, but the PS1/N64 era games are so scattershot for me. Collectathons and Spyro? I'm awful. Crash Bandicoot or Klonoa? No problem.

Though modern 3D platformers like Jak, Ratchet, Sonic, or Galaxy I can jump into easily. I'm not sure why that is.

[Foggle]

Ratchet and Mario Galaxy are easy to jump into because they are designed by some of the most talented developers on the planet and have perfect controls.

I know you don't like it much, but I think R&C 1 is one of the best 3D platformers ever made, even surpassing some of its sequels in that regard, since it's more focused on jumping and obstacle courses than the later games.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I know you don't like it much, but I think R&C 1 is one of the best 3D platformers ever made, even surpassing some of its sequels in that regard, since it's more focused on jumping and obstacle courses than the later games.

I quite enjoy it when it's focused around jumping and dodging, but when you need to use guns like in the last level it's a nightmare. Without proper aim or strafe and a tiny health bar and the guns being useless it just makes it my least favorite to play through.

But I think ACiT beats it on the platforming level, and even the shooting feels better there even if that aspect isn't as good as it is in GC or UYA or even Deadlocked.

[Rynnec]

I'm decent at them I guess. I can beat most Mario games no problem, but stuff like Megaman I'll need a guide for. I haven't beat any Ratchet or Jak games, but that's due to laziness more than anything.

[Foggle]

I quite enjoy it when it's focused around jumping and dodging, but when you need to use guns like in the last level it's a nightmare. Without proper aim or strafe and a tiny health bar and the guns being useless it just makes it my least favorite to play through.

But I think ACiT beats it on the platforming level, and even the shooting feels better there even if that aspect isn't as good as it is in GC or UYA or even Deadlocked.

Just use the Visibomb gun and the Devastator in the later levels and you'll be good to go. It can get frustrating once you hit Pokitaru, but I've been playing these games constantly since I was 9 years old, so I can even finish the first game with little trouble at this point.

Surprisingly, the best way to fight Drek is using the Blaster. Refill with the PDA each time you run out of ammo and use the grind rails when possible and you can even beat him on your first try.

I genuinely cannot choose between ACIT and GC as to which R&C is the best. Both are nearly perfect.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Yeah, in R&C1 I pretty much only use the Blaster, Visibomb Gun, Glove Of Doom, and the Devastator. I can get through it pretty easily nowadays, but I never stop thinking I'd rather be playing any of the other games in the series (except maybe ToD) since they're less rough around the edges.

I'm decent at them I guess. I can beat most Mario games no problem, but stuff like Megaman I'll need a guide for. I haven't beat any Ratchet or Jak games, but that's due to laziness more than anything.

The Jak games can get a bit long in the tooth (not so much the first one), but the Ratchet games other than the first game have pretty good pacing. I've played them a surprising number of times for 3D platformers.

I'm hoping Sanzaru is working on a Jak game after Sly 4 ended up being the best Sly game. They took the best parts of all three Sly games and threw them together to make the best one and I'd hope they could do the same to a Jak game. A Jak game with a Jak & Daxter overworld, Jak II (non-vehicle) missions, and Jak 3 level design? That would be awesome.

Has anyone else here played Maximo other than me? I think that might be the hardest 3D platformer.

[Foggle]

Is Maximo hard for real or does it just have shit camera/controls? I still need to play it.

I think Ratchet 1 has really good pacing, the combat controls are just lacking.

All I want from Jak 4 is a game that's at least 75% platforming missions like the ones in Jak 2 and 3. That would be perfect.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Is Maximo hard for real or does it just have shit camera/controls? I still need to play it.

Hard. You have full camera control (even a first-person view) but most of the difficulty comes from the jumps which are brutal and the enemies which all require strategy. It's one of the few hard 3D platformers that I find legitimately hard without having to rely on cheesy stuff. Though the coins are annoying if you don't stock up.

I think Ratchet 1 has really good pacing, the combat controls are just lacking.

I personally find it drags a bit, but whatever. It's the first game.

All I want from Jak 4 is a game that's at least 75% platforming missions like the ones in Jak 2 and 3. That would be perfect.

Replace the GTA overworld with one like the map from the first game and sign me up.

[gunswordfist]

The only Mario games I have ever beaten are NSMB DS and maybe Super Mario Land 2. What does that tell you about my skill level?

[Rynnec]

Would any of you recommend the Oddworld games?

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I haven't played Abe's Exodus in ages, so I can't comment on that game.

I actually really enjoyed Munch's Odyssey myself, as its a very unique game that's more about strategy and using Abe and Munch's abilities in creative ways to get past each obstacle. I'm not sure if its up your alley, but if you can find it for $10 or less, its worth a shot. I LOVE Stranger's Wrath, though. Its the most unique FPS that I have ever played, and one of the best at that. I believe the HD version of the game is available for download on the PS3, so you can always play that version of it. To me, its the best game in the series.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I never got around to playing anything in the series. The remake of the first game is coming out soon though, so I might give it a go.

[Foggle]

I'd wholeheartedly recommend Stranger's Wrath, and somewhat the others. Beware the PC versions of Stranger and Munch, though.