Platform
Description
Platform games (platformers) are action games in which the playfield is set up as a series of planes (floors, levels, or platforms) for the player to navigate.
Platform games often involve combat, but include additional challenges by making navigation hazardous. Often the challenges of overcoming environmental dangers surpass those posed by combat. The player character is usually required to jump over gaps and damaging areas, or to access a different platform. In many platform games the player character is very vulnerable and can die easily from falling damage, environmental traps, or enemy attacks.
Early platform games (e.g.
Donkey Kong) were confined to one screen and required the player character to climb in order to reach higher platforms. Later platformers, popularized by
Super Mario Bros., began to focus on traversing side-scrolling levels, often within an allotted time limit, fending off upcoming enemies and jumping. This style, commonly referred to as
jump-and-run, has preserved itself in many later platformers as well.
Other platform games, such as
Prince of Persia, emphasize exploration, combat, and problem-solving in addition to the usual platform challenges. Such games have become known as
cinematic platformers. This style has had a considerable influence on many 3D platformers (e.g. later
Prince of Persia games,
ICO, etc.), which incorporate extensive puzzle-solving.
 Game Title |
Nintendo DS (2008) Insecticide is a handheld take on the PC version. In the future, Insects have become the dominant species on Earth... |
Windows (2008) Insecticide: Part 1 is set in a world that has been overtaken by insects. It takes place a long time... |
PlayStation (2001) According to the story of Gadget's Crazy Maze, Inspector Gadget's mysterious arch-nemesis is up to no good once again. This... |
Game Boy Color (2000) Go Go Gadget!!! Once again the evil Dr. Claw has brought misery onto the world by unleashing a horrible new... |
Windows (2003) Something sinister has happened at Misanthorpe Manor. Old Aunt Agatha, the wealthy and mean owner of the Manor, was murdered.... |
DOS (1993) and Amiga (1993) It is a collection of ten classical board games. Each of them runs from a common menu. These games are... |
Atari ST (1991) Invaders is a Space Invaders clone. A large group of aliens ordered in 5 rows with 9 columns moves back... |
Game Boy Advance (2002) Trouble at Stark Enterprises: Tony Stark aka Iron Man finds that one of his Iron Man suits has been stolen.... |
Xbox 360 (2010) Irekae Maho-chan ("Exchange Maho-chan") is a puzzle platform game where the player controls the young girl Maho-chan, who has the... |
Windows (2006) Iron Chef is a single player timed platform game.Cookie and Bread are two cute characters living in the village of... |
NES (1988) The mighty warrior Kuros has defeated the evil wizard Malkil in the previous game. However, Malkil did not perish, and... |
Android (2011) In iRunner the player takes control over Mr. I, a yellow character with a feather on his head whose goal... |
Amstrad CPC (1985) The purpose of this game, which take place on the 12x12 matrix board is to block the opponent (computer). Every... |
iPhone (2009) In iStunt the player controls a snowboarder, helping him to get to the finish of the level. In-between are hills,... |
SNES (1994) and Game Gear (1995) They fight! and fight! and fight, and fight, and fight!... Itchy & Scratchy, from The Simpsons, are a cat and... |
Commodore 64 (1997) It's Magic is a jump 'n run game about a tomcat called, well, Tommy who is trying to get back... |
iPhone (2010) Itsy the Spider has only one goal: get as high as possible. And to fulfill that goal, he requires the... |
Nintendo DS (2010) and Wii (2010) Ivy the Kiwi? takes place in the Quiet Forest. One day, an egg falls from the sky, and from that... |
Windows (2007) The player is the Kid -- a rather diminutive, yet very ambitious character, whose goal in life is to gain... |
Atari 2600 (1983) Poor Teddy the bear. He's just had a bad dream and wants a hug from his mommy. Help Teddy climb... |
Commodore 64 (1984), Amstrad CPC (1985) and ZX Spectrum (1984) Jack and the Beanstalk has the player controlling Jack, a young boy determined to steal the giant's treasures. The game... |
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Browser (2007) Jack Frost is a platform game where the object is to cover the entire level in order to proceed to... |
PlayStation 2 (2004) The insidious Dark Hand clan, lead by Valmont, a man possessed by a Chinese demon called Shendu, are planning to... |
Game Boy Advance (2001) Side-scrolling brawler, reminiscent of Double Dragon or Final Fight. Players take control of Jackie Chan and kick and punch their... |
