Classic Platform Games

Zzaped! · **on:** February 25, 2010, 12:33:30 pm

I think it would be nice if we also had a stickied 'classic platformer' video collection.
Sticky or not, kicking off with a really early one.

Miner 2049er on the Commodore.

C64 programmers hadn't learnt the many tricks to get really superior graphics at the time, so just with default programming techniques, it doesn't look better than the Atari 800 XL version.

... and on the Atari 800 XL (better video, one above was the best I could find for the 64).

spacefractal · **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2010, 12:41:36 pm

There is a sequel to that game with named, Bounty Bob Strikes Back. That game have one of the most famous hiscore table I ever have seen. I love these birds.

Also someone (not remember the username directly, I finding that thread soon) at retroremakes also created a pretty nice cute version of this game to Windows recently. Try that.

flash · **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2010, 12:53:35 pm

This was always one of my fave platformers from the early days. Bloody hard, though the chap makes it look easy.

Zzaped! · **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2010, 01:08:16 pm

Spacefractal:
Playing games too much (buy new/2nd hand commercial games if I think I'll like them), getting through 2049er again wouldn't be nearly as much fun as playing Manic Miner LL lately, but still might be interesting, by the time the sequel came out knew about it but there were a lot of other good games on tape and cart (and all pretty pricey relative to cash at hand). Pitfall also came along around that time.

Should try the Windoze ver. and 2049er sequel, though.

Downloaded the XMs and graphics for your MMLL soundtrack (thanks for them). Fine in Moonshell, Nitrotracker can't handle one properly, suppose I should tell the (Nitro) programmer.

Flash:
Missed that one, probably in my gap between earliest C64 days and best of the later ones, but often heard/read of its legendary status.

spacefractal · **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2010, 01:22:56 pm

I played that sequeal very much when I was a kid, due its have a excellent gameplay, nice very clear graphics (same graphics style like Miner 2049), nice sound, and bloody awesome hiscore. Sad I cant fine snippet of the hiscore on youtube.

hm? Which graphics? Its Lobo's awesome graphics

, hehe. I only released the soundtrack and the music in the game. The XM's was created in ScalaTracker as well Milky Tracker. Should been playable in Winamp, XmPlay (un4seen.com) and such software.

This one is one of my all favorite early platform game for C64 (yes I known there is a protytope one for Atari 800, before it got sold):

This game was very cool early game too:

Zzaped! · **Reply #5 on:** February 25, 2010, 01:27:47 pm

Off topic, but graphics = files, cover and back cover, by Lobo.

Back on topic, not the best play or sounds, but a great concept, pretty addictive, still copied in recent years. Video play is not bad, but the player isn't trying hard enough to land the gherkins and fried eggs in the burgers.

Enjoyed Montezuma, too, but Henry's house is new to me.

flash · **Reply #6 on:** February 25, 2010, 01:29:16 pm

I have played Montezuma to bits - it is also one of my fave platform games, and a tough nut to crack, though fairly easy when you know the way. Can complete it every time now. Love it!

sverx · **Reply #7 on:** February 26, 2010, 02:45:00 pm

Quote from: Zzaped! on February 25, 2010, 01:08:16 pm

Downloaded the XMs and graphics for your MMLL soundtrack (thanks for them). Fine in Moonshell, Nitrotracker can't handle one properly, suppose I should tell the (Nitro) programmer.

I suggest you to use XM7Play to play them on a DS. Moonshell uses libmikmod, which is not so accurate, and Nitrotracker can't handle effects (at least I remember that last time I've seen the webpage)

flash · **Reply #8 on:** February 28, 2010, 12:46:20 am

And this was just C64 magic..

Apex at their (belated) best

Zzaped! · **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2010, 11:53:06 am

Lest we forget the earlier effort of the Rowlands brothers.
Why the Nintendo products looked lame to real gamers at the time.

Also thanks Sverx, haven't really had problems with Moonshell, but did with the Mikmod program.

Zzaped! · **Reply #10 on:** March 05, 2010, 01:18:29 pm

Quote from: spacefractal on February 25, 2010, 01:22:56 pm

This game was very cool early game too:

Henry's House really looks great: ahead of its time on quite a few points. I wrote to Go! 64 (pen and paper) to get some copies at the very start of the nineties (or end of the eighties), was really impressed by the contents of their discs. Henry's House was well before.

OK, an arcade port, but a classic platformer and the SID soundtrack sounds better.

Zzaped! · **Reply #11 on:** March 19, 2010, 03:21:07 pm

C64 version was (and is) very playable but a cheap port (no music and no background graphics). Still, prefer the 64 version's sound effects.

flash · **Reply #12 on:** March 19, 2010, 03:45:23 pm

I was never a great fan of RodLand myself (on any format).

I did love Wizzard though (by him that did Jumpman Jr.)

Zzaped! · **Reply #13 on:** March 19, 2010, 04:03:21 pm

Unfortunately missed Wizzard. Was really trying to find a decent video of Defender (still can't recall the name of the rather good C64 clone with bees and fairies) but gave up. The whole Rodland/Parasol
Stars/Rainbow Islands etc. thing was a pretty major stream for a few years. Almost uploaded a Snow Brothers video, liked the GB version, but playing through the arcade one on emu lately, saw it really was just a coin eater (stylish one at that).

flash · **Reply #14 on:** March 19, 2010, 04:57:26 pm

Accidental 2 ZZ's, but hey!

Zzaped! · **Reply #15 on:** March 21, 2010, 11:36:34 am

Oh no, an ugly voiceover!

spacefractal · **Reply #16 on:** March 21, 2010, 01:16:53 pm

look like a clone (but fun) of this Epyx classic:

Zzaped! · **Reply #17 on:** September 19, 2010, 02:21:20 pm

Brilliant game from Rare for Nintendo, a classic
platformer indeed though not all agree.

Better video. The point of this one is mainly
beating the bosses except hidden ones without
taking damage or using Dixie's ponytail spin but not
missing any attacks. Not really
enough platform action in this one, but worth a look.
Will find a better one again soon. 'Makes it look easy
but it isn't' also applies here.

Loved and still love it.

flash · **Reply #18 on:** September 22, 2010, 11:55:33 pm

No, I am perhaps going to be an outcast here,

But...

I never liked the Rare Donkey Kong SNES games. Sorry, I always found them like B&O Tellys... All style and no substance.

Sokurah · **Reply #19 on:** September 23, 2010, 09:09:41 am

Quote from: Flash on September 22, 2010, 11:55:33 pm

No, I am perhaps going to be an outcast here,

But...

I never liked the Rare Donkey Kong SNES games. Sorry, I always found them like B&O Tellys... All style and no substance.

Neither did I. And didn't like Sonic either. Give me something more Manic Miner'ish any day...or Horace.

flash · **Reply #20 on:** September 23, 2010, 09:17:01 am

And, however bloody long is that ship? Jesus!

spacefractal · **Reply #21 on:** September 24, 2010, 08:42:27 pm

This thread got locked addication without none of the admins was aware of it, so...

Anyway. The first DKC was pretty nice and good. My favorite Donkey Kong game is Donkey Kong (yes same name, hehe) for the Gameboy version of it. That was a kickass version of it and the reason I brought Gameboy for that (or one of them, I only owned 4 games total).

Zzaped! · **Reply #22 on:** September 26, 2010, 01:42:33 pm

Yes, GBC version was alright, but if you get past the early levels (will try to
find a better video), Super DK II becomes very challenging.
What impressed me at the time was how Rare upped the ante for a machine
with a CPU that was just a later version of the 6502 (or 6510 for the C-64), competing
visually with rendered games. Also one of the few games on the Superfamicon where
the graphics (and size of maps) surpassed most comparable games on the Amiga.

Speaking of Sonic, Sonic Rush Adventure has a few levels that are heavily
influenced by Super DK II (and at least two of the ships are even longer

).
Mayhem in Monsterland was more fun than Sonic at the time, but
Sonic (and Sega's 'no license' policy) *was* the inspiration. I like them,
but wouldn't post a Sonic game as a classic (except the first on the
Dreamcast, but that is 3D so probably doesn't qualify as a classic, got to
draw the line somewhere).

Zzaped! · **Reply #23 on:** October 05, 2010, 02:33:48 pm

Frustrate-o-rama, but Pitfall surely deserves a mention.
64 version, best looks of the original lot.

Anyone else try the GBC version? Like MMLL for jumps but *with* the added

pleasure of horizontal scrolling.

flash · **Reply #24 on:** October 05, 2010, 03:53:53 pm

Strangely, I have never really thought of this as a platform game. I expect a platform game to have at least one tricky jump. But, it does have two play levels and ladders.. Sp...

I did like this in the original 2600 version.

flash · **Reply #25 on:** October 06, 2010, 12:19:17 pm

No idea why this topic keeps getting locked? It happens everytime I reply?

Sorry!

Zzaped! · **Reply #26 on:** October 07, 2010, 11:53:35 am

Can see what you mean about old Pitfall, but much of Mario wouldn't qualify as a platformer
by the same criteria (no real levels most of the time, few tricky jumps, more about timing
to dodge things and jump in time). Kid Clown (on Super Famicon) might be the closest
descendant of the original Pitfall.

To continue the run, I'll offer another possibly controversial one, Speccie release came
first if recall is correct but the video is for the C64 version.

Video (or player) is pretty useless, old one got taken down.
No soundtrack, only about half a dozen sound effects, but great gameplay and
effective graphics. A soundtrack would have driven anyone nuts with the need
to concentrate.