Top Ten Platformers Reviewed by NuMetalManiak in July 2021
Well it's the end of another month, and I'm really having my scheduled tightened by classes, so unfortunately there wasn't a whole lot of time to play these games than I thought. July was a month where I played 12 platformers, but stopped about halfway through the month to focus on my work. So it's not all that different from June, really. Anyways, here is my favorites of the month.
As usual, a Mega Man game earns a high spot, even getting as far as #1. Mega Man X5 does of course provide the usual Mega Man X gameplay, but with Mavericks named after Guns N' Roses members, the ability to play as either X or Zero on any mission, and also pieces of new armors like the Gaia and Falcon armors. It helps to know these stages too.
This is the sequel to the classic Bubble Bobble, which in itself was already an interesting platformer, but this time you have better-looking levels and a few new powerups and much stranger level progression. It's as usual though, you kill all the enemies as quickly as you can with bubbles to move on. Many more unique enemies to defeat in each stage as you go along. As you might expect, it can be played cooperatively.
Two sequels to Bubble Bobble? It's really darn confusing really. This is supposed to be the real sequel to Bubble Bobble, as the dragons turn into boys now. And now, this game has the player character(s) using the power of rainbows to build bridges, shatter them over enemies, or just beating enemies. Tons of items to pick up for points, but you gotta hurry before the water level rises, plus avoiding contact with all enemies. A real strange one.
For the short-lived Wario Land series of games, Wario Land 2 grew the beard more or less. The gameplay is a departure from the lives and time-based platformer that was the previous installment. Wario has no worries about dying in any stage, and the goal is to be as rich as possible and get all the treasures. Therefore, there's a big emphasis on exploration, finding hidden passages and dealing with enemies that have a number of strange gimmicks. It took a lot longer than anticipated.
This would be the last platformer that involves Duke Nukem until Manhattan Project shows up. Of course, this is also the last time Duke goes adventuring without his signature shades. That being said, this is his FIRST contact with the aliens that he would obviously start blasting away in future Duke Nukem games. The gameplay is a lot like the previous Duke Nukem, 2D-side-scrolling with some exploration and multiple weapons to use. It's a blast.
A game about a pigtailed girl who is a goddess and gets her head eaten off in the opening cutscene. The undead known as Malice is voiced by Gwen Stefani and is guided by a large clock to find a bunch of keys, gaining access to bludgeoning weapons to defeat enemies in this 3D platformer. Shades of collectathon are throughout this game, and it shows with several items being permanently missable. This also marks my first PS2 platformer as well.
A classic that you've probably played at least once, on several platforms perhaps. I knew it first from the GBA Advance games of course, but the original Mario Bros is an arcade score-based platformer with completely different mechanics from future Mario installments, and it shows in the gameplay. No, you can't jump on enemies here. Like the Bubble Bobble games Mario Bros can be played with two players simultaneously competing for points.
Wario's first adventure as a playable character here. He's got more interesting mechanics than Mario, able to just bump into enemies that don't have physically harming capabilities. But his mechanics are of course different from the future installments. While he does get a charging ability, others have to be won by finding certain caps. And this is a lives-based platformer so keep on your tiptoes as you search not just to get to the end of each level but to get some good treasures.
While Wonder Boy went into a different direction altogether, its Hudson Soft counterpart Adventure Island stuck to its roots. Once again, a side-scrolling platformer with lives and a hunger meter, items that appear as you go along, projectiles to throw, and now there's even animal companions. This even has an inventory system, a bit like SMB3 where you can choose an item or an animal companion to start the next level out. Progression is a bit weird overall but this is a fun game.
This list ends with an obscure title called Psycho Fox for the Sega Master System. There's not much to really say about this game, as it's a Mario-style side-scrolling platformer. What makes it more interesting is that the fox can change to certain other animals using a Shinto Stick powerup, as well as get a bird ally that can protect him from any hit. It's otherwise a very classic platformer overall.