2D platformers are burned into my soul and mind. I’ve been playing them since I was a little kid, and I’ve always found them to be some of my favorites to dive into. Even when I had my “I’m too cool for platformers” phase in my teenage years, I found myself gravitating back to them as I got older. For good reason, too. They’re simple to play and provide some of the most gratifying gameplay around. In this episode of Waypoint Wishlist, we chat about our favorite 2D platformers and which games we’d love to see get a second chance at life.
Welcome Back To Waypoint Wishlist: We’re Stuck on a 2D Plane for Now
Ana Valens – Contributor
I was ridiculously scared of the game-over screen from Clockwork Knight as a little kid. Even as an adult, I still get goosebumps thinking about it. Nonetheless, Clockwork Knight was one of my favorite games on the Sega Saturn growing up, a quintessential representation of the ill-fated console for me: Quirky, strange, but still a lovely piece of gaming history. Released in the U.S. in 1995, Clockwork Knight follows a toy knight on his quest to save Princess Chelsea, who brings all the toys to life at night by singing from her clock. The game predates Toy Story, as it came out in Japan a year earlier, but it’s a bit like “Toy Story meets an action-adventure 2.5D platformer adventure.”
The platforming in this game was creative, properly used a mix of 2D sprites with a 3D environment for immersion, and offered a bizarre and imaginative toy world to explore over the course of two (yes, two!) games. Why Sega hasn’t done anything with the Clockwork Knight property since, I don’t know. Not even a rerelease on modern consoles? But I’d love to see one finally drop in the near future. If not, a whole new entry in the series.
Brent Koepp – Contributor
For this week’s Wishlist about 2D Platformers, I want to recommend Castlevania. I know the series has technically evolved into the Metroidvania genre, but I’m going to say this counts as it still has platforming. While I know this is unrealistic, I would love to see a modern Castlevania become a 2D Platformer roguelike. My eyes were first opened up to this possibility when I first stumbled upon Dead Cells in 2018. I mean, seriously. Imagine the same game engine, except now you play as Trevor Belmont with his whip. And as you progress through each level, you unlock power-ups such as the Cross or Holy Water.
The game is practically made for the roguelike formula. I know it’s not the same genre, but Vampire Survivors is another example of how Konami’s IP is being underutilized. Plus, a roguelike would bring Castlevania back to its 2D side-scrolling roots, while keeping it fresh. One of my biggest problems with the franchise is how overly complicated it became with later games. I still remember picking up Castlevania N64 from Blockbuster Video back in 1999 and just being confused. And no, it wasn’t because I was just a child. I revisited the title years later as an adult, and Castlevania’s jump to 3D was an absolute mess.
‘Castlevania’ on the N64 was legitimately not Great, though
A 2D Castlevania roguelike would legitimately be awesome. Each level could be a section of Dracula’s castle. The further you progress through each run, the closer you get to his lair. And then, of course, the dark lord himself would be the game’s final boss. And since it’s a roguelike, Konami could make Count Dracula extremely difficult. You have to build up your character and get a good run of power-ups to even have a chance to take him out. I would also be down with just a modern remake of 1986’s Castlevania. Just keep it simple, and I would be a happy man. Then again, at this point, I would take anything Castlevania-related. I can’t believe Konami has reduced the once great franchise to pachinko machines.
Anthony Franklin II – contributor
I want nothing more than a new Steamworld Dig game. Not any of the Heist games or anything else. Just give me another Steamworld Dig. I’ve been dying for a third game in that particular series since I finished the second one. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy Build and Heist. It’s just that they aren’t Dig. I can’t remember a game I enjoyed more on my first time playing it. Except maybe What Lies in the Multiverse…which you know, also falls into this category.
SHaun Cichacki – COntributor
I would do terrible things for a new PLOK game. Originally discovered in my Grandpa’s bin of games, alongside other childhood favorites like Cybernator, PLOK was one of my first introductions to 2D platformers. Did I ever beat the game as a child? Absolutely not. The game was deceptively difficult, with an adorable aesthetic hiding one of the most difficult games I’ve ever played. To this day, I still haven’t properly beaten PLOK without save states. Maybe someday, I’ll finally make it happen.
But more than anything, I would love to see how the music would translate. PLOK has, unironically, one of the greatest game soundtracks of all time. The Follin Brothers created one of the most memorable soundtracks, utilizing the sound chip of the SNES in unholy ways. Fan projects for a hypothetical sequel have arisen on YouTube, but we’ve only gotten one PLOK game in our lifetime. I hope it’s not the only one.
How Did They Make The Soundtrack This Good, Though?!
Seriously, though. Just take a listen to the Boss Theme from PLOK! and tell me this isn’t the most fire thing you’ve heard today. The magic that the Follin Brothers could perform with these sound chips is otherworldly.
Matt Vatankhah – Contributor
Demon’s Crest is not only one of my favorite retro platformers, but all-around favorite games ever. Its macabre aesthetic, coupled with its Castlevania-like soundtrack, is a hell of a vibe. It’s a 2D platformer, sure, but it also has lite RPG and Metroidvania elements sprinkled in, making it one of the most unique platformers of the SNES era. It even has a world map, allowing you to fly around and revisit previous stages with your newly-acquired demon powers!
Unfortunately, because gamers are dumb, Demon’s Crest is considered a commercial failure. Capcom even turned down a potential Game Boy Advance port, and thus, we’ve never heard from Firebrand again. We’ll likely never see a Demon’s Crest reboot, and it’ll go down as one of the many IPs buried under SNES-era obscurity. It is, however, based on the Ghosts ‘n Goblins universe, a much more successful series, so.. Who knows?
Waypoint Wishlist Has Ended For Today, Tune Back in Next Week For More Goodness
There have been so many fantastic 2D Platformers over the years that it was nearly impossible to pick and choose all of them for this Waypoint Wishlist. No matter if they’re obscure or popular, new or old, there’s an inherent joy that this genre brings to players of all skills. Thanks for tuning into another episode of Waypoint Wishlist, and keep on being amazing.
The post Waypoint Wishlist: 2D Platformers Edition appeared first on VICE.
