For me the nostalgia glasses are turned up to the max for Crash Bandicoot.
I love the character designs, and the music is an absolute bop to listen to. (Got the first games theme as my ringtone even at 27!)
And I enjoyed a good challenge with some of its levels. The bosses were neat and I thought it was just an unusual neat idea that you jump on boxes to progress rather than punching a block for a fireflower.
You?
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Sonic 2. It came bundled with a lot of Sega Genesis consoles.
A fantastic game that you can technically complete in a sitting.
Earthworm Jim deserves a mention. Remember when games were funny?
Doctor Monkey-for-a-head remembers!
Super Mario World on the SNES. That game is just great. I love playing it every so often.
This for sure. There are other great examples, like Yoshi’s Island or Mario 64, but World is the one I grew up with and have the most nostalgia for.
Yes! This is my standard for a good platformer.
I think being the “free” game that comes with the system hurt it’s reputation. We all got bored of it, but going back to it after playing some terrible platformers really shows you how great it really is.
Sonic 2 or Sonic CD depending on the day for me
If it’s got platformer elements, then it’s a platformer, right? Yes? Then Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is it for me.
I won’t say it’s my favorite, but I didn’t see it mentioned, yet, and it definitely deserves at least one mention: Earthworm Jim
If it’s got platformer elements, then it’s a platformer, right?
Yes!
But I also argue that the second half of '89 counts as 90’s and that Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap was the best platformer I played in first half of the decade.
Probably Mario 64, just because it was so revolutionary at the time.
It created a genre. And it was surprisingly competent at what it sent out to do. In hindsight it was a miracle. Brand new technology harnessed to birth the 3D platformer. It was amazingly ambitious all around.
I feel like I’m the only person that grew up with Mario 64 but doesn’t love it. I was really excited by it initially but when I played the game properly it just had this oppressive feeling of isolation and melancholy to it that was so off-putting.
6 golden coins. Mario is so slippery and floaty
Mega Man X. The first one for SNES.
It was such an evolutionary leap forward from the previous MM games. Everything was bigger and better. The graphics, the music, the controls. It blew my mind at the time.
The soundtrack is absolute fire
I spent so many hours on this game. Probably replayed it hundreds of times. The boss battles were so epic. SIGMA! And then discovering the secret shouryuken move from Street Fighter! Wow!
Sigma before the kids started saying it. 😂
Donkey Kong Country 2 will always be the pinnacle of 2D Platforming, though Yoshi’s Island comes in a close second place.
Agreed. Peak platforming.
Don’t know about 90s, but Jet Set Willy was pretty great in the 80s
I’m rather a fan of Apogee’s Secret Agent. I loved it back in the day and then enjoyed the HD remaster of it a few years back.
If you can call it a platformer: Spyro
Yeah. I do think Spyro is a platformer. It’s a bunch of things, but I would have a hard time arguing any genre fits it better than platformer.
Edit: Also, great choice.
Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie
I’m a bit boring in terms of my favorite 90s platformer, but absolutely love Sonic 1 & 2.
