I personally have a soft spot for 2D platformers from the Sonic series since I got a copy of the Sonic Mega Collection on gamecube when I was young and loved it. I don’t care if some games do a better job of having worlds where they’re speedy like Green Hill or slow like Carnival Nights (or whatever it’s called), I just like running across the screen. Same thing applies to the 3D games (even the flop I still think was a pretty good game: Sonic '06). Hell, I’m the type of guy who absolutely loves the beat-em-up style gameplay they introduced in Unleashed just for the Werehog sections. The gripes I tend to have are more or less either skill issues or being unable to play around the glitches in the case of '06 (despite not having played it in over a decade).
I’m also big on the Ratchet & Clank style 3D shooter platforming (only played 1, 2, size matters, Into the Nexus/Pirated Booty, and am only in the beginning of deadlocked). I love some of the more wacky weapons (plasma whip, bouncer, black hole gun, etcetera) you can get in the series, which allows me to not get ultra bored part way through the games. The stories also capture me, for the most part, in a first playthrough. They’re not something I take super seriously, so I tend to have a good time with them. Probably my biggest gripe with the game, from what I can remember about Into the Nexus, is how short it felt in comparison to the original trio and size matters. Getting a copy of the first in the PS3 series of games soon, so I cannot wait.
I also had a pretty good time this year with Corn Kidz 64, a shorter platformer that plays like an n64 title in how it controls. Fun enough mechanics but my biggest gripe is how in the end I was left wanting more, in a “I want a sequel” fashion.
Though I did have the misfortune of playing Macbat 64 this year too. It just felt too generic and shovelwear, in my opinion, for me to like it. Play as a bat in small levels with simple puzzles and not much exploration, random mario kart inspired race level in the middle of the game, and also a 2D level based on kirby. I don’t remember the story being much better either. Personally not a game for me.
There are surprisingly many great 3D platformers coming out atm. Last year we had Pseudoregalia, Cavern of Dreams and Corn Kidz 64. This year we’ve had Penny’s Big Breakaway and The Big Catch: Tacklebox, which itself is a free demo/prologue chapter for The Big Catch, coming out next year (and is also my most hotly anticipated upcoming game, even more so than Hollow Knight Silksong. I mean just look at that trailer and tell me the vibes aren’t peak!).
Every time I see this, I can’t help but feel like it works better without the third panel. Showing it happening dulls the comedic impact of the final panel. Anyone who doesn’t know what Kirby is about isn’t going to understand the comic anyway, and anyone who does doesn’t need the third panel to understand what happened.
What do you think about full-degree aiming in platformers?
I like being able to play platformers with gamepads, but the Steam Controller has no right stick, and the track pad doesn’t feel appropriate/consistent enough for aiming.
Not that I have not played platformers with keyboard and mouse and enjoyed them. A good title will still win over a worse title, but in general, I think nowadays I prefer platformers without aiming anything.
Thinking of Webbed, I think I may have tried that with gamepad first, but had to switch to keyboard and mouse. Which worked well, and was a very enjoyable game. But I can’t chill on the couch with that control scheme.
What I don’t like about the genre, is that I’m bad at it. 🙃
More seriously, I do find it kind of frustrating at times. Restarting ten times in a roguelike, no problem, because it’s always a new challenge.
But if I miss the same jump ten times, or have to retry the same platforming passage ten times, you’ll see me getting impatient, which means I’ll fail the next ten attempts, too…
Platformers are amazing. I think I like most of the big series that I’ve played—Mario, Sonic, DKC, Crash, Mega Man, etc.—and I really enjoy indie platformers.
Recent indie games that have taken the tried and true formula of unforgiving precision platforming to the extreme are also amazing. Celeste is a gorgeous games, Kaze kicks ass and retro throwback games like Byte the Bullet and Bzzzt are soooo satisfying.
I like a good pick up and play game, platformers fit the bill.
Once muscle memory kicks in, you’re golden. As long as the learning curve is right.
Going back and playing the first levels with the skill gained by completing the game is such a good feeling.
For me, SMB Wonder is a 10/10 platformer if we’re looking at recent 2D only. I don’t know many 3D platformers, but Crash 4 is a must play (I think that’s the most recent 3D platformer I’ve played).
I love 2D platformers, especially metroidvanias. Some of my favorite ones (not just metroidvanias) are Battleblock Theater, Dead Cells, Hollow Knight and the Ori games.
I also think 3D Platforming sucks, so I try to avoid games, where this is the main gameplay. I’ve played some, like Portal or Grow Home, which I thought were good, but you probably won’t ever catch me playing some 3D collectathons or something.
For me, great platformers have fluid and responsive controls, and either implement a forgiving persisting experience (climbing the environment) or quick and not too far-off resets (level screens).
Platforming can be great in pure platformers, action platformers, 2d or 3d. They may shift but do not limit how stories can be told and how worlds or progression can be designed.
I imagine it can be difficult to balance forgiving platforming with challenges between novice and experienced players. Often, we see alternative or stretch-goal paths for collectibles or challenges, which is a good approach to serve both kinds of players - even if maybe not total novices.
Introducing game mechanics step by step can give good introductions and learning controls, preferably in-game without dialogue, popups, or text-only introductions. They can guide into a natural level and mechanics design progression, giving a natural progression across longer gameplay.
So yeah, as mentioned in the post, I’m currently playing Astro Bot and absolutely loving it.
The gameplay is fun and varied and everything is so playful and full of joy. The music is super wholesome and I love how tactile everything feels.
I’m going through a bit of a harder period mentally and I find that this game can bring moments of wonder and surprise like few others can.
I had a similar experience with Astro’s Playroom and Super Mario 3D World. Sometimes a simple, colorful world with happy music and fun mechanics is all you need!
in about 201X I was having a terrible time trying to get through the thesis period of a master’s program
picked up some bundle of the OG 2DS (black & blue variant) and Pokemon X and loved it
a world where I could pick my friends, people were pleasant, my next career moves were obvious, and my work was rewarded? To this day, this is my escapist fantasy.
I’m gonna go with Forza (Assetto Corsa also works to a lesser extent). Sure the focus of the game is on racing, but it can be extremely relaxing to hop into any car you want from any era and just take a cruise and look at the scenery
Sometimes I chill after work by driving around the Nurburgring in a touring car in Automobilista 2.
Alternately, for more driving games:
Art of Rally has a free roam mode, which is pretty chill.
I’ve been playing Sledders, a snowmobile game. It is super early in early access, but it can be fun to just roam around (and learn how to drive a snowmobile).
I’m well aware. I enjoy the game all the same. Besides, I think people overstate how bad rammers are. Yeah it happens sometimes, but most people want the same thing you do: a clean race
Sorry to hear things are rough, I hope you get some reccs you like ❤️
I thought In Stars and Time was really uplifting, but it does deal with mental health issues throughout the game. One of my absolute favorites and something I go back to in rough spots tho :)
Fields of Mistria is similar to Stardew. Its still early access, but there is a lot to do in the game as is. Traveller’s rest is similar to Stardew, except you have a tavern.
Tiny Glade is good if you like sandbox games. Minami lane is also alright.
For adventure games, I thought Caravan SandWitch was fun, kinda bittersweet. I havent finished Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, but i would be shocked if it wasnt uplifting. Islets and Crypt Custodian are also nice metroidvanias. I thought they were both funny and cute.
Dave The Diver: you run a sushi restaurant and go diving to catch fish. The writing is quirky, it’s full of interesting characters and there’s no time limits except for some events. I’ll spend days just fishing for the restaurant instead of doing any “story stuff”. I picked a steam key on CDkeys for £7 and I can already see myself pouring 40 hours in this thing if I want. The trailer if anyone is interested
Actually playing games during dire emotional states throws fuel unto my dissociation/depersonalization/derealization problems; but just mindfully sitting in my favorite place in the Temple of the Moon on a private vanilla WoW server works great for me. The sounds, music, colors, lighting effects, and water create a very zen space that helps me observe my thoughts and feelings without getting so tangled up in them. That kind of presence helps me better understand what is really going on and how it all happened.
If things are merely bad then maybe I’ll play some original Sims 1 or Rimworld on the coziest of settings. So long as there’s no nest of trash around then it’s probably okay. Eufloria in relaxed mode is a lovely RTS game that hasn’t ever caused me any problems.
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