4 Types of 2D Platformers to Play (And Where to Find Them!) 

You're right, and not the only one to call out the missing action-platformer category. At some point I will need to correct that in a future version of this video!

Action Platformer has become a bigger category in the last 10 years or so - that's a good shout-out. I'd not heard of collectathon platformers but seeing games like Super Mario 64 and Crash Bandicoot in there makes a lot of sense! I may need to make a follow up video in the future 😀 Thanks for watching!

Thanks for checking out the video! 😀

Thanks for watching! Ghost 'n' Goblins has an interesting mix of fighting against the enemies and the level itself so it doesn't fit into either category 😀

Thanks for the kind words 😀

Thanks for checking it out 😀 Spent longer than I'd like to admit figuring out the groupings...

Glad the content was helpful 😀 Thanks for watching!

Thanks for the feedback - a few people have called out some missing types for games like the ones you mentioned. I should start planning a part 2 of this video 😀

Thing about this is that some people also apply games like Mega Man into the Precision Platformer type

@theARDISAN It is true, but they would probably classify more towards other sub-genres due to their different play styles.

I would put Mega Man 1 in a precision platformer genre if I could group these again.

Thanks! I've queued up some of yours too 👍

@@WhatGameBefore I appreciate it!

Thank you so much!

Thanks! The goal is for the next one to not take 6 months 😀

That's fair. There is probably enough platformers with and without weapons to be their own types. I did stay away from most arcade platformers as they are a mixed bunch, with a lot of one game features from those early days 😀

@@WhatGameBefore Yeah for sure, I just feel like Ice Climbers and the like are an interesting version of the genre.

There's so many great 2D platformers out there and it's great they're still being made too in this 3D age! I'll confess that I'm working through more Castlevania games and I've not got to Symphony of the Night yet 😳 I will play it this year! Thanks for watching 😀

Thanks for watching!

Glad it was helpful!

That's fair and Three / Lost Vikings is a great puzzle platformer. I made the choice to only include games I own, and I don't (yet) own that game.

Thanks, I appreciate you checking out the video!

I've not seen The Final Station before - it looks cool 😀 it's on the list now!

And thanks for the comment! I'd agree on Exploration being the favorite type out of the 4 - so much variety and so many games to keep you busy 😀

Thanks! I've saved a few of your videos to check out tomorrow!

@@WhatGameBefore oh! Thanks!

Thanks!

Well said! This was an early take of mine on 2D games and I aimed to find groupings of game sub types with platforms. I would counterpoint that the platforms are a necessary part of each game format, even if they're not the central game feature, but a lot of it is personal preference too. Thanks for watching and I apologize if you felt it was misleading!

Thanks for the comment! Do you have some example games for the new sub-genres?

@@WhatGameBefore yeah, super meat boy and Celeste for the precision platformer. Another world and Abe odyssey new n tasty for the cinematic platformer.

@@danielclemente1253 That's fair 😀 Thanks for the feedback!

Mario has for sure evolved beyond 2D and are still great games! Maybe that could be a future video? 😀

It's a good call out - I didn't mention a lot of great PS1 platformers.

@@WhatGameBefore great video regardless though!

@@SaijeMage Thanks! I only included game captures for ones I owned, and I'm not collecting for PS1 which is why you don't see it in the video.

I will have to check out the new Switch release - seen a lot of people playing it recently! Thanks for watching 😀

to be fair i felt like i was replaying kirby 64 when playing it but it was still fun

I never played Kirby 64 but I will try it if I get the expansion pass, also i think klonoa came out before Kirby 64

Thanks for sharing what you've been playing - that's a lot of games on the go! DK gets into a lot of trouble so it's good to help him out where you can 😀 I'd not heard of Freedom Planet and just checked out the trailer - that looks awesome! I'll definitely get a copy!

@@WhatGameBefore Hell yea. The story is a little too big for it's britches in freedom planet and a bit corny and anime cringe at points but it basically plays like a if the sega Saturn had a 2d platformer like sonic 3 combined with what I guess is treasure style leveled. I'm sure you've heard of them having played in the 90s but if you haven't they made a lot of the bombastic 2d action games on the genesis and whatnot in the 90s. So it's a nod to games like gunstar heroes (which I believe is made by treasure) and sonic with a mix of other 90s sega inspiration. Most of which probably are treasure titles. Anyway the gameplay feels amazing and it's one of the few 2d platformers to hook me in immediately and keep me playing for a good bit without taking a break from it until I was near end of the game. I've beaten it before on wii u. Bought it on switch recently as playing sonic origins really made me want to play freedom planet again and it has 3 campaigns which I only played 1 of on wii u so I figured I'd go through it again and yea, it's been a blast. Can be brutally challenging sometimes but when I played it on wii u, I had the most fun when it was a particularly tricky boss fight. To which this game has a couple that'll give you a run for your money and a few more that are still decently tough.

@@WhatGameBefore oh, and thanks for responding. I appreciate that a lot. One of these days I'll complete dk 2 tho lol.

@@strawhatmonty22897 Honestly, I've not finished any of the Donkey Kong Country games 😳 I will finish the first one this year though!

@@WhatGameBefore I've completed the first one. But I beat the gba version as a kid at least twice. Across emulation and wii u new 3ds and switch I must've beaten it 3 times at least but possibly 4 or 5. Not including the gba version I beat as a kid at summer camp. But only one fully completed playthrough. Beat 2 on 3ds a couple years ago but never 100% it. So I decided to do that towards the beginning of the year. Got 3 worlds in game overed 2 worlds now and a fat break lol. But yea it's definitely worth a full playthrough. It's difficult but I suck at video games and my playthroughs are like 20 some odd hours so if you have skill unlike me it should only take like 8 to 14 for a casual run.

I've not played Captain Claw - after having a look at the gameplay I'd say it's a classic platformer. Traversal of the levels seems to be your main goal. Have you played Captain Claw and if so, how did you like it? It reminds me of some early Amiga platform games 😀

@@WhatGameBefore Yeah that game was really popular where I grew up. I just loved the dialogue in that game, it made for a really immersive experience as compared to other platformers I had played where it felt just like me slaying same monsters in different sprites.

I don't have to imagine - this is me already 😀 There is an audience for Switch Online though over emulators - people without a PC or a Steam Deck, kids who have a switch already but don't know how to get emulators set up, etc. Go with your preference for these retro games though!