The Platformers Turning 30 In 2025

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 16, 2025 3 Views 11 Min Read
The Platformers Turning 30 In 2025



Summary

  • Jumping Flash was an innovative 3D platformer with a unique camera mechanic.
  • Kirby’s Dream Land 2 introduced animal buddies and new abilities to the series.
  • Rayman’s challenging 2D platformer set the stage for the iconic series.

Picture 1995. A time of pastels and dreams that we usually associate with the ’80s, when in reality, we had only just begun to escape the brown, nicotine-stained walls that actually made up the previous decade.

A split image of gameplay from Ice Climber and the cover of Ghosts 'n Goblins with a pixelated Super Mario from Super Mario Bros. over top.

Related


8 Games Turning 40 Years Old In 2025

If you remember these launches, how’s your back doing?

But it was also a time of reinvention for the video game world, with developers just starting to crack the code of 3D graphics and others mastering the 2D look after years of practice. This era gave birth to some legendary games, especially in the movement-oriented platformer genre, and so many of them hold up to this day.

8

Jumping Flash!

April 28, 1995 (PlayStation, Japan)

A forgotten gem of innovation, Jumping Flash is considered by many to be the first true 3D platformer. An early PlayStation game, it sees you playing as the robot rabbit Robbit as you explore open levels with a focus on jumping around platforms.

One of the most creative innovations in Jumping Flash that other developers might not have thought up at the time is how it handles the camera. You play from a first-person perspective, and when you take a double or triple jump, the viewpoint automatically looks down so you can better plan where you want to land. It’s barely remembered these days, but at least it got an Astro Bot cameo.

7

Kirby’s Dream Land 2

March 21, 1995 (Game Boy, Japan)

A sequel to the very first Kirby game, Kirby’s Dream Land 2 maintained the gameplay that remains largely standard to the series. He can jump, float, inhale, and swallow enemy abilities like always, but this time, he’s got some friends along for the ride.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land Kirby Looks Ahead, Kirby Planet Robobot Kirbys Hops Into Mech-Suit, Kirby 64 Kirby Stands With DeDeDe and Ribbon

Related


Ranking Every Main Kirby Game From Worst to Best

The powerful pink puffball has been on some wild adventures. These are the very best Kirby video games of all time.

Kirby’s Dream Land 2 introduces animal buddies who can carry Kirby and serve as mounts, adding new abilities on top of the ones he unceremoniously sucks out of passersby. The animals cover the land, sea, and air, making traversal easier and a bit more fun in the process, because owls make everything better.

6

Rayman

September 1, 1995 (Atari Jaguar, Europe)

Long before he was tossed aside in favor of the extremely not-annoying-at-all Rabbids and even longer before he made his incredible hand-drawn comeback in Rayman: Origins, Rayman stuck to a simple 2D platformer that was way harder than it probably needed to be.

Split images of Rayman Origins, Rayman 2, and Rayman Legends.

Related


Every Rayman Game, Ranked

Lanky. Limbless. Legendary. Here’s every game in the Rayman series, ranked.

Releasing first on the Atari Jaguar of all things in Europe before heading to the PlayStation in North America a few days later, the first Rayman introduced much of the series’ identity, like fairies and Electoons that remain part of it to this day. But its difficulty is possibly its most notorious aspect, inspiring many a rage quit for three decades and counting.

5

Castlevania: Dracula X

July 21, 1995 (SNES, Japan)

It’s nice when more people get to experience a good game, and that’s what happened when the previously Japan-only Castlevania: Rondo of Blood got remade with new content for the SNES and released around the world. Castlevania is a classic series for a reason, and Dracula X is just one showcase of many.

Despite mixed reviews at the time, the game is still held in decent regard. Aside from Dracula X being probably the coolest title of all time to kids back then, it retains the memorable (and hard-as-nails) monster-whipping gameplay fans expect, and it still looks truly striking decades later.

4

Ristar

January 1995 (Genesis, Europe)

Oh, what could have been if Ristar had come out just a couple of years earlier. Releasing at the end of the Genesis’ life cycle, this creative platformer didn’t really have much time to marinate in the minds of players before the next big thing came along.

The titular star’s stretchy arms are the main focus here, with gameplay revolving around using them to attack enemies and otherwise interacting with the environment. It’s a shame, because Ristar arguably had a shot at being as big as Sonic, but the timing just didn’t do it any favors.

3

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island

August 5, 1995 (SNES, Japan)

If you need proof that some games can be truly timeless, look no further than Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. Even just on the surface, this game is gorgeous. This extends to the audio as well. Just listen to that underground theme.

Yoshi rides Poochy, Colorful Yoshi's stand around, Yoshi with Baby Mario on his back

Related


Every Main Yoshi Game, Ranked

The iconic dino has more than a few games to its name – here’s our picks for the best of the bunch.

The gameplay is as solid as ever, throwing eggs still feels satisfying, the big Mode 7 faux-3D bosses still feel unreal, and touching fuzzy to get dizzy remains entertaining. Sure, Baby Mario screaming when you get hit is still an unfortunate sound, but that just makes you really want to get better so you stop getting hit. Either that, or it makes you really want to film a YouTube rant.

2

Mega Man 7

March 24, 1995 (SNES, Japan)

There’s something immensely satisfying about a long-running series that just keeps cranking out hits. The idea behind Mega Man is simple: you run, jump, and shoot while gathering new weapons as you go. Some games add new gimmicks, but it’s tough to argue with the classics, and that’s where Mega Man 7 shines.

Artwork of Copen, Vectorman, and Epsilon Eagle

Related


13 Games To Play If You Like Mega Man

Gear up for an electrifying adventure with these captivating games that channel the spirit of Mega Man!

Some fans and critics may have seen it as a step backward since the more involved Mega Man X had come out a couple of years prior. That’s understandable, but as a part of the original Mega Man series, 7 remains among some of the tightest experiences in that particular list. Plus, it introduced Bass. Who doesn’t love Bass? (Mega Man doesn’t count.)

1

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest

November 21, 1995 (SNES, Japan)

Donkey Kong Country felt like an impossibility when it first released. 3D graphics on a SNES? What is this witchcraft? Despite the simple yet still fascinating explanation regarding digitizing 3D models into sprites, it remains a classic to this day. After all, graphics aren’t everything. But then, how would the sequel make its own splash?

Well, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest (and no, it’s not called “Diddy Kong’s Quest”, so sorry to break your reality) did just that by taking everything its predecessor did and improving it. Level design? Incredible. Soundtrack? Somehow even more timeless. Gameplay? Just enough added to make it feel even smoother and more gratifying.

Add in Diddy and Dixie’s victory dances and you’ve got a legendary 30-year-old classic.

Split image from Oddworld Abe's Oddysee, Limbo, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

Next


10 Best Cinematic Platformers

Platformers are usually games that focus on gameplay, but there is a sub-genre that focuses entirely on telling a story.

Source link