Topic: Obscure 2D platformers

[Abnormal Freak]

What are the overlooked gems in platforming and action/shooter games, preferably from the 16- and 8-bit eras? (Although any console or handheld applies.)

I've been on a bit of a hunt lately, trying to find good games but usually coming up short. Most platformers are really kind of...lame, unfortunately.

And when I say "obscure," I basically mean anything that isn't the most mainstream of mainstream that everybody knows, like Mario or Sonic. So really, even The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse could be considered obscure—which, by the way, I've tried to play but it just isn't striking me as all that fun. Do the sequels get better?

One rather obscure one that I've come to love is Do-Re-Mi Fantasy. It's fairly unique and while easy as pie, it has so much going for it that it's enjoyable nonetheless. So much ambience and cool things to look at.

By the way, to get an idea of what I'm looking for, Yoshi's Island is at one end of the spectrum, the very greatest—while games like Bubsy are bottom of the barrel. None of those lame platformers that feel cheap as can be and are ugly overall packages with bad music, graphics, and controls.

And again, it's not just platformers I'm looking for. Run and gun, action-adventure... So long as it's a side-scroller and involves jumping and killing things. :p

Some of my favorite games and what I'm asking for more of are:

Yoshi's Island
Super Mario Bros. 3
Donkey Kong Country series
Castlevania series
Super Metroid
Demon's Crest/Gargoyle's Quest series
Cybernator
Contra series
DuckTales (have yet to play the second fully)
Mega Man series
Kirby series
Earthworm Jim 1 and 2
Splatterhouse 1 and 2
Ninja Gaiden series
Shinobi series
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers

[crisis]

I've been on my platforming-itch lately, too. 5 stars.

Here is a game from my childhood that not too many know about, Decap Attack,

Decap Attack Game Sample - Genesis/MD


Then there's Kid Chameleon,

SEGA Genesis Collection Sony PSP Trailer - Kid Chameleon

How about Zillion 2: The Tri-Formation,

Zillion II: The Tri Formation (Sega Master System)

[Abnormal Freak]

Oh man, DecapAttack. That's one I remember being pretty cool. Played it on one of those Genesis collections for the PS2 I think, but like most of those collections, I haven't really played a lot of them beyond sampling different games, which is silly. Ought to just stick to one till it's played a lot or beaten.

Speaking of swell Genesis games, the Shinobi series is awesome, and of course the NES Ninja Gaidens are marvelous as well. Shoulda had those in my list! Time to update...

And supplying YouTube vids with game footage is a nice touch. FOLLOW SUIT, PEOPLE.

I oughta get back into playing Dragon's Curse. (Just thought of it randomly.) Probably wouldn't know where I am at this point...

Aaaaaaand, the Tomba! games are rad. Gotta beat those, too.

[Abnormal Freak]

Oh, and I guess "jumping" isn't exactly a necessity. Bionic Commando (NES and GBC games) doesn't require jumping and I consider it a platform game.

[JR]

The only ones that really come to mind are NES games. Shadow of the Ninja and Shatterhand are both pretty underrated and fun. Power Blade is supposed to be pretty good, but I've been on the lookout for it for a while now, and haven't actually played it. I thought Street Fighter 2010 was okay, but it's kind of difficult and a lot of people think it kinda sucks. Demon Sword is another fun one, although I hear the Japanese version is a more complete (and tougher) game.

And I'm sure they already come to mind, but I couldn't go without mentioning the NES Batman titles, especially the first one. It's really not Batman at all, but I thought it had a pretty cool look and feel to it.

The only other ones I can think of are stuff like Clash at Demonhead, Astyanax, Amagon, Kid Niki, etc.

[Aridale]

Faxanadu and any of the Monster World games

[Bloodreign]

Castle of Illusion Genesis
World of Illusion Gen
Quackshot Gen
Pop N Twinbee Rainbow Bell Adventure SFC
Fudou Myuou Den FC (Japanese version of Demon Sword, far deeper game on FC, more spells, enemies, and levels, also 1 hit kills unless you collect stickman looking icons)
Trip World GB
Ufouria FC
Mr Gimmick FC
Parasol Stars PCE/TG-16 (one screen platformer, sequel of Bubble Bobble)
Midnight Resistance Gen (run n gun)
Joe and Mac SNES and Gen
Shatterhand NES
Kiwi Kraze NES, or New Zealand Story MD or arcade (all the same game, different revisions)
Liquid Kids Arcade/Saturn (I own the Saturn version, but it's price is quite nasty)
Shadow Dancer Gen (yes it's Shinobi)
Strider Gen or arcade
Ristar Gen (this one is awesome)
Dynamite Headdy (my favorite Treasure game, only closely followed by Gunstar Heroes)

All but one of these is in my collection, so I have had the opportunity to play them on real hardware.

[Abnormal Freak]

Yeah duuuuude, Genesis Shadow Dancer is tits. Possibly my favorite Shinobi game, which I'm sure some would say is blasphemy.

I remember the arcade one not being too good, though.

I've kind of stopped caring about authentic game playing as opposed to emulation. Emulators for most earlier systems are almost flawless, and using the Wii, I can play them on a tube TV using S-Video so the graphics are really sharp while still retaining that wonderful scanlined tube glow. Can't get that sharp of graphics on an actual Genesis unless I were to mod it, and even then the thing just takes up too much room and the controllers are usually junk. Though I do so wish there were a Genesis-styled Classic Controller (and N64-styled, too)...although the Super Famicom-styled Classic Controllers I have are boss and do the job well enough, using Y,B,A as A,B,C.

Anyway, keep the suggestions comin', folks. I want a big-ass list I can come back to for YEARS TO COME.

[shelverton.]

Well, you've already mentioned Tomba! which was what I came here to suggest..

But what about Klonoa? Klonoa 1 and 2 are brilliant albeit not very challenging. They're on par with Kirby I'd say. I also have those two Klonoa games for GBA which are more puzzle than action, and not nearly as good as the console games, but I still play them from time to time.

I also like Lomax for the original playstation. It's pretty brutal in terms of difficulty but has a terrific soundtrack and very pretty 2D graphics.

Monster Tale for Nintendo DS was pretty awesome too. Played it? It's basically Metroid, Wonderboy, Pokemon and Mega Man in one game. The backtracking can get annoying but overall it's a great game! The there's Henry Hatsworth by the same developer. It's a puzzle platformer. Never quite seen anything like it before and I'm not sure what I think about it yet... Definitely unique anyway.

I also picked up the Mega Man Zero Collection for Nintendo DS recently but I haven't played much yet. It seems like a pretty sweet package though.

Prinny for the PSP is a ridiculously hard platformer but there's something about it that makes me keep trying. I do love Ghosts'n'goblins too, so that might explain it.


Oh, and did you play Strider 2 for the playstation? You probably did!

[Mooning Freddy]

Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project is a great action 2.5D platformer for PC.
But you probably know it. 

[Ahasverus]

if you ask me this game was a head from its time
Monkey Magic Game Sample - Playstation

[TheouAegis]

I've played that! ... Won't say how I played it. 

Earthworm Jim, Vector Man, and Pulseman are the Gen games I remember. Blaster Master on the NES always been one of my faves.

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/best-sega-genesis-action-platformers
Dunno about including Ecco in this list.

Then there's Bonk (and Bonk's Revenge). One of my friends really liked Tomba (PS).

And of course there's the Ghost&Goblins/Ghouls&Ghosts series.

The new Shinobi  on 3DS is decent but I hadn't beaten the first level yet.

Dunno if it would be to your liking, but there are the GeGeGe No Kitarou games. The SNES one is flippin hard (basically just boss battle after boss battle) but the sprites are large and for the most part nice (Buckbaird's sprite sucks). The Gameboy Advance and DS ones are pretty similar 2D platformers. I beat the GBA one, it was pretty fun for me. I'm working on the DS one now. Both of the games though kinda urk me because they take unique yokai and make them generic enemies scattered throughout the stages. Both games are really all about the boss fights. The Playstation game seems to be like the handheld ones in that it generalizes unique yokai, but the stages seem to be a little shorter and the game focuses more on boss fights, which I think is a good thing.

[Munchy]

If you've got a Turbo Grafx, Legendary Axe is incredibly awesome.

[X]

Did nobody here mention Vice: Project Doom? An interesting game with a mix of plateforming stages that are broken up with an overhead car-chase stage (like Spy Hunter), a first person shooter-style sides-crolling stage and cut scenes like in the NES Ninja Gaiden series.

[PFG9000]

It's not exactly obscure, but Rayman is absolutely essential for Platformer fans.  If you find the PS1 or Saturn versions of the original Rayman too hard, try emulating the Jaguar original.  It's missing the parts that make the PS1 and Saturn ports frustrating, and with a much more melodic soundtrack to boot.  Also, Rayman Origins recently brought the series back with one of the most perfect 2D Platformers ever made.  It's like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but with a more refined, less frustrating multiplayer mode.

Have you ever played Shadow of the Beast?  It's totally a classic.  Some ports (SNES, Genesis) can be frustratingly difficult, but it has this cool pseudo-Metroid gameplay and astounding graphics for its time.  I know the Atari Lynx isn't the most popular platform out there, but it has a killer port of Shadow of the Beast that's toned down just enough to make the gameplay enjoyable.