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They're games with different levels. They're games where you have to collect things. They're games that usually involv a final boss. But now, with Mario being the 'God' of all platformers, many of the games categorized in the genre 'platform' turn out boring and shallow. Is there a need for any more platform games, and what can we do to improve them?
Platform games, no matterwhat people think, will also carry that 'kiddies appeal' tag. And I know alot of younger gamers who love running around as a type of animal (That's what you usually are) collecting millions of the same object and completeing tasks. But for us older gamers, I feel platformers re loosing their appeal. I just find platform games so boring and repetative now.
Mario Sunshine I feel is the best platformer avaliable at present, but even that had major downfalls. Collecting 100 coins for a shine just got on my nipples, and, although the FLUDD injected some fun into the game, it was very repetative and irriating at times.
But remember the sections where Mario has his FLUDD snatched off him by Shadow Mario, and you had to get to the end of those very challenging obstcale courses. Now, even though they can make you scream at the TV when you fail, that's what I feel platform games should incorperate more.
The same with Ty 2. Although most magazines are rating it averagly, the start of the game is supposed to be very frantic and fun. You seize control of a giant robot and blast the crap out of everything. Now, I know that's not a platformer, but little sections like that will help inject more fun into the game.
So, scrap the object collecting and add more fun, challenging sections into platformers, that's what I say.
Your thoughts...
Platform games, no matterwhat people think, will also carry that 'kiddies appeal' tag. And I know alot of younger gamers who love running around as a type of animal (That's what you usually are) collecting millions of the same object and completeing tasks. But for us older gamers, I feel platformers re loosing their appeal. I just find platform games so boring and repetative now.
Mario Sunshine I feel is the best platformer avaliable at present, but even that had major downfalls. Collecting 100 coins for a shine just got on my nipples, and, although the FLUDD injected some fun into the game, it was very repetative and irriating at times.
But remember the sections where Mario has his FLUDD snatched off him by Shadow Mario, and you had to get to the end of those very challenging obstcale courses. Now, even though they can make you scream at the TV when you fail, that's what I feel platform games should incorperate more.
The same with Ty 2. Although most magazines are rating it averagly, the start of the game is supposed to be very frantic and fun. You seize control of a giant robot and blast the crap out of everything. Now, I know that's not a platformer, but little sections like that will help inject more fun into the game.
So, scrap the object collecting and add more fun, challenging sections into platformers, that's what I say.
Your thoughts...
Well, apart from Mario, the GC hasn't got very many, has it?
And I do like the odd platformer for a nice gaming session.
Luckily the PS2 has Jak and Ratchet + Clank, which are both wonderful examples.
Also: the platforming genre has become much less defined these days. Most of them have aspects of other games in them - RPG bits, more free-roaming levels, mini-games etc etc - and now your bog-standard traditional platformer seems a bit grey.
And I do like the odd platformer for a nice gaming session.
Luckily the PS2 has Jak and Ratchet + Clank, which are both wonderful examples.
Also: the platforming genre has become much less defined these days. Most of them have aspects of other games in them - RPG bits, more free-roaming levels, mini-games etc etc - and now your bog-standard traditional platformer seems a bit grey.
To be honest, platformers are my favourite genre of game. I don't know why but I love them and they're usually the only type of game that hold my attention until I get round to fully completing them, though there are exceptions of course.
The N64 had plenty of them: Mario 64, DK 64, Banjo-Kazooie(and Tooie), and Rayman 2 (which is brilliant) are just a few but they were all quality titles. Go back even further and you have Super Mario World and Donkey Kong Country.
Unfortunately, you are right. There is a distinct lack of good platformers and it is a shame. Even though Donkey Konga is pretty decent, I'd have much prefered a DK platform game instead.
The N64 had plenty of them: Mario 64, DK 64, Banjo-Kazooie(and Tooie), and Rayman 2 (which is brilliant) are just a few but they were all quality titles. Go back even further and you have Super Mario World and Donkey Kong Country.
Unfortunately, you are right. There is a distinct lack of good platformers and it is a shame. Even though Donkey Konga is pretty decent, I'd have much prefered a DK platform game instead.
Definately Solksjaer
I was disapointed that TY 2 turned out balls. Because many magazines were commenting on how the frantic, guns-blazing start and mini-games were going to make it a great game.
But, it is Ty after all, and EA don't exaclty care about anything bar money.
I was disapointed that TY 2 turned out balls. Because many magazines were commenting on how the frantic, guns-blazing start and mini-games were going to make it a great game.
But, it is Ty after all, and EA don't exaclty care about anything bar money.
I certainly feel there is a need for a number of platformers in today's world. With all the GTAs, Manhunts, Sims games, Halo 2s, Half-Lifes and EA games in the market, it comes as a nice and enjoyable change to be able to turn to something like... Super Mario SunShine, or Banjo-Kazooie.
But, you're right. Aside from the obvious ones (Mario and Banjo being 2), most of what we get in this genre comes to be an absolute load of balls - mainly because, unlike Nintendo, the companies behind the title (often a licensed one) are only here to take a great deal of money from us; whatever the cause.
This may be down to other reasons entirely, but even Sonic the Hedgehog has seen a great decline in the overall quality of his latest adventures.
We need them as gamers - and, in turn, there's also a great need for more developers out there to work hard on and create them 'The Nintendo Way' (without ripping their ideas off! :P )
But, you're right. Aside from the obvious ones (Mario and Banjo being 2), most of what we get in this genre comes to be an absolute load of balls - mainly because, unlike Nintendo, the companies behind the title (often a licensed one) are only here to take a great deal of money from us; whatever the cause.
This may be down to other reasons entirely, but even Sonic the Hedgehog has seen a great decline in the overall quality of his latest adventures.
We need them as gamers - and, in turn, there's also a great need for more developers out there to work hard on and create them 'The Nintendo Way' (without ripping their ideas off! :P )
They're games with different levels. They're games where you have to collect things. They're games that usually involv a final boss. But now, with Mario being the 'God' of all platformers, many of the games categorized in the genre 'platform' turn out boring and shallow. Is there a need for any more platform games, and what can we do to improve them?
Platform games, no matterwhat people think, will also carry that 'kiddies appeal' tag. And I know alot of younger gamers who love running around as a type of animal (That's what you usually are) collecting millions of the same object and completeing tasks. But for us older gamers, I feel platformers re loosing their appeal. I just find platform games so boring and repetative now.
Mario Sunshine I feel is the best platformer avaliable at present, but even that had major downfalls. Collecting 100 coins for a shine just got on my nipples, and, although the FLUDD injected some fun into the game, it was very repetative and irriating at times.
But remember the sections where Mario has his FLUDD snatched off him by Shadow Mario, and you had to get to the end of those very challenging obstcale courses. Now, even though they can make you scream at the TV when you fail, that's what I feel platform games should incorperate more.
The same with Ty 2. Although most magazines are rating it averagly, the start of the game is supposed to be very frantic and fun. You seize control of a giant robot and blast the crap out of everything. Now, I know that's not a platformer, but little sections like that will help inject more fun into the game.
So, scrap the object collecting and add more fun, challenging sections into platformers, that's what I say.
Your thoughts...
Platform games, no matterwhat people think, will also carry that 'kiddies appeal' tag. And I know alot of younger gamers who love running around as a type of animal (That's what you usually are) collecting millions of the same object and completeing tasks. But for us older gamers, I feel platformers re loosing their appeal. I just find platform games so boring and repetative now.
Mario Sunshine I feel is the best platformer avaliable at present, but even that had major downfalls. Collecting 100 coins for a shine just got on my nipples, and, although the FLUDD injected some fun into the game, it was very repetative and irriating at times.
But remember the sections where Mario has his FLUDD snatched off him by Shadow Mario, and you had to get to the end of those very challenging obstcale courses. Now, even though they can make you scream at the TV when you fail, that's what I feel platform games should incorperate more.
The same with Ty 2. Although most magazines are rating it averagly, the start of the game is supposed to be very frantic and fun. You seize control of a giant robot and blast the crap out of everything. Now, I know that's not a platformer, but little sections like that will help inject more fun into the game.
So, scrap the object collecting and add more fun, challenging sections into platformers, that's what I say.
Your thoughts...