Your Top 10 2D platform games

[hudson]

Spent some time with friends thinking back of amazing 2D platforming times on MegaDrive, NES, SNES etc... I wondered what you guys regard as 2D plaforming goodness by listing a top 5.

To make it a bit more insteresting, I'm forcing you to write at least one sentence of what level, scenario, feature etc was great about the game?

In no particular order...

Super Mario World (SNES) - The secrets e.g. Flying under finishing post to find a new world.

Super Metroid (SNES) - Slowly building up your powers in order to progress to previously inaccessible areas.

Castlevania Symphony of the Night (PS) - See above!

Magical Flying Hat Turbo Adventure (MD) - I bought this back in the day, just because it was the latest game in stock at my local indy game store, the cover, and I had money burning a hole in my pocket. My goodness, I had bought a gem.

Strider (MD) - Excellent music, cool character design, great moves, the sampled speech.

Wonder Boy in Monster Land (SMS) - Secrets, charm, equipment, coins coming out of nowhere as a reward for jumping in none important parts of the screen.

Rainbow Islands (MD) - Amazing and addictive. Fruit and jewellery!

E-Swat (MD) - I love suit. Building it up to the Fire one. Great soundtrack too.

VVVVVV (PC) - This game is full of retro charm. Like a mix of Jet Set Willy and Metroid. Crying out for a console port.

Jet Set Willy (ZX Spectrum) - I have to put this. I still love playing just to see how far I can explore. Climb a swinging rope by walking left and right.

[abigsmurf]

Super Mario World - The secrets, the varying routes, the ghost houses... I've never really understood why SMB3 is rated more highly than this and why Nintendo went back to SMB3 principles for NSMB.

Super Metroid - To this date the finest exploration platformer. Nothing comes close (not even the GBA ones).

Symphony of the Night - Almost comes close but really, aside from an identical mapping and the slow gaining of ability, this game is a lot more different to Metroid than it's given credit for.

Wonder Boy 3 (I like exploration in my platformers ok?). If this had been on the NES it would've been raved about as a timeless classic. Sadly, as it was on the MS and PCE, it doesn't get half the plaudits it should.

Mickey Mouse: Castle of Illusion. Lots of people seemingly dismiss this game thinking their like of it is down to nostalgia but I replayed it recently and it still holds up. It goes all out to ensure that each stage is completely different to the last (even within the same world).

[hudson]

Wonder Boy 3 (I like exploration in my platformers ok?). If this had been on the NES it would've been raved about as a timeless classic. Sadly, as it was on the MS and PCE, it doesn't get half the plaudits it should.

Mickey Mouse: Castle of Illusion. Lots of people seemingly dismiss this game thinking their like of it is down to nostalgia but I replayed it recently and it still holds up. It goes all out to ensure that each stage is completely different to the last (even within the same world).

I knew I should of made it a top 10

Castle of Illusion had some amazing music. The leaf/spider's web and toy level being most memorable.

Oh and you reminded me of Wonder Boy in Monsterland on the Master System. Amazing game (back then).

[ShadowDancer]

Viewtiful Joe. Of course this isn't strictly 2D, but, this is a game I dreamed of playing as graphics got more enhanced, When you were playing spectrum, atari, acorn, nes, sms, e.t.c...wasn't graphics a big talking point. I can't stand this shiny hd nonsense now, i find it repulsive. VJ is one amazing game.

SMB. Amazing game, I'd dream of finishing school to put this on, and get lost in a 'mario' world. Underwater parts in 2d work! Very special game, to me, and to video games.

Sonic II. This is my favourite sonic, the gameplay was good, and nice pacing making the game not just about 'sheer speed' you actually had platforms and timing to negotiate all topped off with an amazing soundtrack.

Sonson II. (PCE) This game is godly. absolutely amazing. only played it in recent years. One hell of an action platformer.

Splatterhouse (arcade) Loved this is a kid, and here i go with dreams again...When playing in the arcade, I always thought of one day owning this 'cabinet' Well, I eventually got the orginal arcade PCB and played it through a sigma Raijin many years later. The music through the ending credits, amazing moment, stunning piece of music, and I never did complete it until I got the PCB to myself.

EDIT

Really needs to be a top ten.

[hudson]

Really needs to be a top ten.

You're right. Done

[Team Andromeda]

In no order

Super Mario IV - The level design and how many secrets each world held, some great bosses (loved the Mode 7 ect) and just loved the music with Yoshi.

Revenge Of Shinobi - The 1st time you see a enemy explode, those ripp-off bosses, the Jumps (loved the waterfall logs Part ), the Paralax scrolling, Ninja Magic and GOD that music.

3) Castlevaina IV - Nailed everything made great use of the hardware, but What I really loved about it... Was how with new each level, the game got better and better and more interesting ; both in gameplay terms and graphics and sounds

Manic Minner - The title music, and pixel perfect level design(which trademarked that one more go urge)

Wonderboy - The music and being able to skate board through the levels (still to this day so cool and so much fun) .

Super Metroid - Loved the way how each level opened up more and more (the more power ups you collected) and the sense of being on a total alien forgien planet on your own, Thanks to the incredible atmosphere generated by the Art and the brilliant music score

Quack Shot - Awesome visuals , one of the best soundtracks and snow levels to any game. Loved the Globe trotting too

Astal - Brilliant visuals , great bosses and even a fun 2 player mode

Ghouls 'n' Ghosts - The music, the visuals; loved the rain and tree's bending in the wind) and the Pixel perfect jumping

Wonderboy II - I just think it was the perfect blend of RPG meets Platformer

[Max P.]

Can't think of 10 but easily No.1 is SMW - still the best game of any type ever IMHO.

[Jay]

On my iPhone but I'll edit in some details when I'm next at a PC.

Super Marioworld - SNES
Turmoil - Spectrum
Bomb Jack - Arcade
Mario vs Donkey Kong - GBA
Flicky - Arcade/Megadrive
Donkey Kong Country - SNES
Kirby's Adventure - NES
Pac-Land - Arcade
Parasol Stars - PC Engine
Toy Bizarre - Commodore 64

[abigsmurf]

Loved Parasol Stars, much more fun that bubble bobble and it had great music.

Taito seem to ignore its existence though.

[chocklo]

I'm using the iphone excuse as well

1) super mario world
2) super mario brothers
3) super mario bros 3
4) pc kid
5) strider
6) revenge of/super shinobi
7) wonderboy 3 Dragon's trap
8) mickey's castle of illusion
9) super mario bros 2
10)kirby funpack (cant remember the name of the main game in it)

[Nu-Eclipse]

Love Parasol Stars like Smurfy & Jay...but it isn't really a platformer, is it?

[eastyy]

flashback for the amiga...though not strictly sure it can be classified as a platformer

[nakamura]

I hate threads like this because it is almost impossible to decide!! Still there are a few standout choices.

Super Mario World.
For me this is the perfect game. The levels are so well designs, so many ideas crammed into a game. Red dots denote two exits, yellow just the one! It is the little things like that which add up to make something truely remarkable.
Then there are the graphics. At the time of launch it wasn't noted for being a stunner, but looking back not once did I ever here anyone ever say it could be improved. Sound is another perfect area. The tunes never irritate, the echo effects underground were superb and the addition of drums when on Yoshi was a masterstroke of design.

Super Metroid
Amazing title that still managed to enthrall like the first time I played it. Crafty design, feel non-linear when it is in fact linear. Great control method and responsiveness. Lovely moody visuals and a score to move even the most stone hearted.

Sonic the Hedgehog (MS)
May seem like a wild choice but I feel this is the best Sonic title. It has superb levels, amazing music and all the great control of its MD brother. The reason I like it more is the fact the Chaos Emeralds are hidden in the levels which for me is far better than tacked on bonus levels. Played this so many times.

Donkey Kong Country
Yes the visuals play a part, as does the music but it is all part of the experience that still keeps me playing 16 years later. Really superb levels, great swinging controls and a cool tag element. The Wii revival has brought back all of the joy of first playing this, albeit without the water levels.

Castlevania SotN
How can one simple 2D game suck you into its world so much? Well this one did to me. I love the story and characters(despite the funny voice overs!). The games is as we know, a Metroid rip off but it does it perfectly. The upside down castle was a superb idea and for once when you were gutted a game had ended, you had to do it all again!

Castlevania IV
Love this game, even to this day. Not many games have given you the feel of starting far from your desination as this. It genuinely feels like an epic adventure to the castle and beyond. The game is full of clever moments, the mod5 7 shrinking boss, rotating rooms and chandeliers that swing from left to right speakers were standout moments.

Super Mario Brothers 2
At first I didn't like this at all. It felt wrong and didn't like the setting. However I kept playing and came to love it more than any other NES Mario title. The 4 characters gave the game some nice depth and replay value and I grew to love the levels. Really love the bosses with that shoot the eggs too!

Blue Shadow
Brilliant NES game called Shadow of the Ninja in Japan. Used to play this a hell of a lot in the day. The tight controls and huge levels were a joy to explore. Lots of different locatation too and the combat was very strong.

Sonic
Perhaps the best 16 bit Sonic game, certainly close between this and no 2. So many good things here, Sega did a bang up job offering an alternative to Mario without ripping it off. Pity they never really recaptured the feel of the first two games. (not played Colours yet)

[Jay]

Love Parasol Stars like Smurfy & Jay...but it isn't really a platformer, is it?

Wikipedia says it is so it MUST BE.

[MikeRox]

Sonic the Hedgehog (MS)
May seem like a wild choice but I feel this is the best Sonic title. It has superb levels, amazing music and all the great control of its MD brother. The reason I like it more is the fact the Chaos Emeralds are hidden in the levels which for me is far better than tacked on bonus levels. Played this so many times.

This! Thought I was the only one who rated it over the MD ones.