Jump, Double Jump!!

About 5 months ago I wrote an article on 3D platformers for a website but for some reason it never got published so I decided to post it on the blog.

With an increase in development costs, along with the introduction of digital download services in the form of Xbox Live, PSN and Wiiware the developers now have a medium as well as a need to create bite size games along with their console releases, while also giving opportunities to smaller and new companies to make a mark on the industry. You now have big and small developers making games for the download services and this has resulted in the miraculous revival of 2D platformers or the return of the old school gaming mechanics.

As the popularity of 2D platformers have started to rise again, many developers are now dangling their feet in the genre. Nintendo has used all of its retro experiences to give their in-house teams, big wig companies and smaller developers full support in making games for the Wiiware and DSiware services with games like LostWinds, NyxQuest: Kindered Spirits, Shantae or new iterations of Mega Man to name a few, while Sony and Microsoft also have followed suit in giving a free hand to smaller indie developers such as PLAYDEAD, Number None Inc. or Team Meat to create little gems like such as Super Meat Boy, Braid or Limbo.

This charge also has resulted in the big 3 churning out proper console releases of the 2D platformers genre. Nintendo pulled its own strings in creating a deluge of newer and slicker 2D platformers using their old franchises with the likes of New Super Mario Bros Wii, Kirby's Epic Yarn and Donkey Kong Country Returns, while Sony and Microsoft has stuff like LittleBigPlanet.

With the triumphant return of the 2D platformers complete the 3D platformer genre has kinda been left behind. The genre has basically become redundant and isn't as important as it was last generation. Either developers have grown tired of the tried and tested formula of the genre or gamers themselves want something (or old if you at look it). It is actually sad to see the pseudo demise of the genre for two reasons: a) it is following the same pattern of demise as was seen around a decade ago of the adventure genre and b) 3D genre started the new 3D gaming revolution back in the day. So as you can see the said genre has a lot of history behind it and the way developers and gamers are shunning it seems a little cold. But rather than painting a grim picture I would like to point of that the influence of the genre can not be ignored.

Many of the biggest action adventure games of the HD generation which includes games like Uncharted, Infamous, Assasin's Creed, Prince of Persia, Castlevania: Lords of Shadows and Prototype have in some form or the other roots attached to 3D platformers.

Yes all these games have white knuckle action sequences and and loads of shooting at things, but there are sections in these games which required jumping...alot of jumping. Be it over large chasms, grappling over tall building or traversing medieval city on rooftops, the 3D platformers hence in essence have not been forgotten, rather their influence on the industry are still been felt. But that's where the influence ends as many of the staples of 3D platformers have gone missing ranging from creative and zany worlds to explore, utilizing ridiculous moves, collecting a horde of a useless junks and of course over the top characters. It is these element which distinguishes the genre from the others.

Yes, the writing is on the wall for the 3D platformer, but even in such desperate times all is not lost. There are still some big developers out there who are still at it making 3D platformers. Developers who still realise the potential and the fun factor of the genre and are looking to innovate in a pretty saturated territory. Lets take a look at a few of them shall we: Nintendo's very own stout plumber has been the leading the charge with incredible games like Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel. Here you have particularly amazing level designs, culling many of the pitfalls of the genre, bring something new the plate and some truly creative and epic boss battles. Miyamoto-san who kick started the 3D platformer genre back in 1996 has come full circle with the Galaxy series with all the innovation and sticking to what work best for the genre.

Second in line is the California based company, Insomniac. The de facto developer for the Playstation brand did not forget its platformer roots when it created the FPS Resistance as the company still churns out delightful iterations of the fan favorite Ratchet and Clank series. PS3 owners were blown away when the first HD game of the series came on the system and highlighted the fact that 3D platformers are still relevant, and since then 2 more games in the series have been released.

And with each release the visuals and the game play elements are improved upon, which drums the point that if developers are willing to put the effort in the genre as they used it, then the HD generation will end up having more platformers. Insomniac is not done with the genre as a new Ratchet and Clank game was announced ironically alongside another Resistance game!

With two of the big hitters of the industry still focused on making 3D platformers, there are also a number of small companies making awesome games with examples like de Blob, Deadly Animals, Sonic (yes surprisingly enough) to name a few.


Sure the number of such games have dwindled in the last 4 years, 3D platformers are still holding on.

So in the end I just want to confess that the 3D platformer genre ranks as my favorite genre (yes even at age) alongside Japanese RPG, and would love to see more games in the HD generation. Although the genre may have seen last of its better days, there is no denying that 3D platformers are darn fun to play!

Games of the Year Awards 2010 Day 8

Climbing on to number 3 on my Games if the Year Awards 2010 is the little legendary plumber.

3:

Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii):

Super Mario Galaxy 2 maybe the only perfect platformer ever made. It just evolves everything found in the previous game and raises the bar for all future platformers, its really that good. Shigeru Miyamoto is called a genius for a reason and SMG 2 in my opinion his greatest creation.

The premise is the same: Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach, Mario off to the rescue. The blueprints from the years gone past have remained the same but the game play mechanics have changed and the game designs have been made perfect as evident by this game. SMG 2 game play is very tight, I mean never was I frustrated while playing it with its controls or its streamlined approach and to be honest I was bemused at the level of creativity in each stage and area. The stuff added to the core game play makes sense esp the introduction of Yoshi in the mix. It seems to me that Nintendo told the game developers to go nuts and hence the end product is unbelievable.

Again what bothers me is how little importance this game was given by a large of the gaming fraternity. I mean SMG 2 was the most fun I had playing video games this year. Yes it doesn't have an epic story line, multi layered characters or even a hint of online play, but in terms of pure gaming bliss, SMG 2 was tops. The levels were plenty in number brimming with extraordinary creativity, variable objectives of the levels, the perfect balance of the difficulty (the game was pretty tough but also fair) while the presentation were just awesome with no hint of slowdown and colorful environments and the sound track once again was appropriately epic yet whimsical.

As you can see by now that I have used the word perfect a fews times, and this is how SMG 2..Perfect...Almost (why cant the story lines for the core Mario games be a little different..this is a definite little nitpick..but ah well).

Super Mario Galaxy 2 epitomizes every thing good and holy about Nintendo. SMG 2 and a bulk of other releases in 2010 made this year probably Wii's best in its cycle, and easily toppled the PS3 and the 360 of their pedestal of elite gaming machines. Nintendo also got back their disfranchised fans who were lost due to Nintendo's follies of the past. If the Wii does start to go down in the next year, then 2010 was its incredible swan-song.

The perfect Galaxy...

Around two years ago I had the pleasure of playing a platform game that most probably had the greatest level designs ever seen in a 3D platformer. Miyamoto-san and his cohorts at Nintendo had brought their A game the party and delivered an incredible experience on the Wii with Super Mario Galaxy. Almost every level had amazing creativity, full of little touches which made me stop and be mesmerised and thought to myself that the level designs of Super Mario Galaxy cannot to be beat.



Lo and Behold in 2010 Miyamoto-san has pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat and brought us Super Mario Galaxy 2 and incredibly has level design which trumps the original. I shake my head in disbelieve as I write this statement: that the amount of creativity oozing from this game is staggering and miraculously the game manages to drawfs its predecessor. In the game industry its a common sight to see sequels of games upping the ante, but how do you react when a perfect game gets perfected in its sequel Super Mario Galaxy 2 is that awesome!!!

I once wrote a review for original game where I mentioned that I never liked any of the 2D Mario games, but the Galaxy series has made me a fan of Mario (albeit not of the tradition 2D ones). The polish in every department of the game, the challenge of each and every level, some totally amazing set pieces of platforming and creative bosses makes everything about game sparkle. I will even go on and say that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the greatest 3D platformer even made. Don't worry I have played many awesome 3D platformers in my time; games like the Jak and Daxter and Ratchet and Clank games, but this game kinda beats them by a country mile!

I heard a rumour some where that many of the levels present in the game were actual rejects from the previous game. If this is true then one can only wonder what sort of talent presides in the development arm of Nintendo. Take the following as an example; by just adding the cute dinosaur Yoshi, the game design opened up in awesome new ways which makes his levels quite a treat. Another addition was the streamline nature of Mario progress. Gone are the hub world of previous 3D Mario games, and replaced by the typical level selection menu: old school style. Sure many of the basic themes of levels have made it on the to Galaxy 2 from the original, but some how they have been made more intricate and complex, yet still retaining the typical Nintendo charm. Its stuff like that which made me take notice of the game and also made me think about the awesome development which made this game. Kudos to them!

Last week was a Mario rush for me as Super Mario Galaxy 2 was the only game I was playing, so much so that I even had dreams of the game for crying out loud!. The sad part is playing the game made me think of how less attention the 3D platformer genre gets nowadays as Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the very rare platform game in the HD generation

The only complaint that I have against Galaxy 2 is the abject storyline, to be precise the typical cannon fodder that has been seen time and again in previous Mario games. To many gamers this isn't much of a complaint as this is what we expect from a Mario game, but if you take a look at the Mario RPG games then you being to wonder why don't the main Mario games have such charming story lines. Take any iterations of the Paper Mario series of the Mario and Luigi series. These games have funny and genuinely charming storyline and also dispel the the notion that Mario games cannot have a proper plot. If only the plots of next Galaxy games are given attention then you will have the most perfect platform game.



So Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the best Wii game to date. There are no if and buts from me as the amount of fun I had playing this game was immense. I now eagerly anticipate the next inevitable Mario game and can't wait for what Shigeru Miyamoto has in store for us.