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Discussion 2D indie platformers

B. Spaceman

B. Spaceman

Piranha Plant
2D platformers are my favorite genre. And, honestly, despite what many people believe, not that many are made nowadays. And in the indie field, even less. But what irks me is that there are barely any indie 2D platformers in that classic style of 2D Mario, Donkey Kong Country or Rayman games. We mostly get precision platformers inspired by Super Meat Boy, which I love (like Celeste) but it's not the same, or metroidvania games which have platforming but it's not the main focus.

We recently got Pizza Tower which is fantastic and the kind of thing I want more. AntonBlast looks amazing and I can't wait to play it. I've known about this cute game called Leilani's Island for a long time but it doesn't seem like it'll ever get released. But this style of game seems so rare to actually see, same things with Zelda inspired games, actually... Maybe they're too hard to do properly.

What do you think? Do you have any recommendations or do you know about any upcoming interesting games in this style?
 
I feel like i've brought it up a few times across various threads, but my favorite recent "hidden gem" 2D indie is Curse Crackers



It's kinda doing the Shovel Knight thing but for GBC games rather than NES games. Tight controls and fun movement with a decently high skill ceiling, a lot more content than I was expecting, and a fun cast and story that doesn't take itself too seriously. One of those games I picked up mostly on a whim and then 15 hours later I was just wondering why more people weren't talking about it. It rules
 
B. Spaceman said:
there are barely any indie 2D platformers in that classic style of 2D Mario, Donkey Kong Country or Rayman games. We mostly get precision platformers inspired by Super Meat Boy
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At least for DKC we have Yooka Laylee and Marsupilami. I guess it's not just a popular platforming style to emulate though.

For 2D Mario, hmm... I remember Fancypants Adventures and Salaryman Shi being quite similar. I have a feeling that most devs don't try to copy 2D Mario too closely because it's hard to match their broad appeal, so that's why the home in on other gameplay mechanics.
 
BlackthornOrion said:
I feel like i've brought it up a few times across various threads, but my favorite recent "hidden gem" 2D indie is Curse Crackers



It's kinda doing the Shovel Knight thing but for GBC games rather than NES games. Tight controls and fun movement with a decently high skill ceiling, a lot more content than I was expecting, and a fun cast and story that doesn't take itself too seriously. One of those games I picked up mostly on a whim and then 15 hours later I was just wondering why more people weren't talking about it. It rules
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That looks right up my alley, thanks

meatbag said:
At least for DKC we have Yooka Laylee and Marsupilami. I guess it's not just a popular platforming style to emulate though.

For 2D Mario, hmm... I remember Fancypants Adventures and Salaryman Shi being quite similar. I have a feeling that most devs don't try to copy 2D Mario too closely because it's hard to match their broad appeal, so that's why the home in on other gameplay mechanics.
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For DKC there's also Kaze and the Wild Masks, with has some really nice level design but the game is lacking in the personality department... I enjoyed it though.
 
Kero Blaster is more of a run-and-gun and you might have already played it, but it's a great little game from Pixel of Cave Story fame. It's also deceptively long with essentially two forms of NG+.
 
B. Spaceman said:
2D platformers are my favorite genre. And, honestly, despite what many people believe, not that many are made nowadays. And in the indie field, even less. But what irks me is that there are barely any indie 2D platformers in that classic style of 2D Mario, Donkey Kong Country or Rayman games. We mostly get precision platformers inspired by Super Meat Boy, which I love (like Celeste) but it's not the same, or metroidvania games which have platforming but it's not the main focus.

We recently got Pizza Tower which is fantastic and the kind of thing I want more. AntonBlast looks amazing and I can't wait to play it. I've known about this cute game called Leilani's Island for a long time but it doesn't seem like it'll ever get released. But this style of game seems so rare to actually see, same things with Zelda inspired games, actually... Maybe they're too hard to do properly.

What do you think? Do you have any recommendations or do you know about any upcoming interesting games in this style?
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Kaze and the wild Masks is an absolute banger; probably as good as it gets if you're looking for something in the style of the classic DKC games.

 
There are many, many indie 2D platformers. Mario-styled ones are rare, but that was true in the genre's heyday as well for whatever reason. I think we actually get more of them nowadays. In recent years there's been Marsupilami, Impossible Lair, Grapple Dog, and Kaze just off the top of my head. I know some more that haven't come out yet too.

There are definitely a lot of Super Meat Boy and Celeste clones (as well as somewhat more original games in that format), but there isn't a shortage of throwback action platformers either that blatantly channel Mega Man, Castlevania, or Ninja Gaiden and ilk. And I think over time we're maybe starting to get more games in that in-between space occupied by the likes of Wario Land or Yoshi's Island too? But that's harder to read at a glance.

There are also a ton of 2D Zelda-inspired indie games, for that matter, although few really become well-known. And on that note:
BlackthornOrion said:
I feel like i've brought it up a few times across various threads, but my favorite recent "hidden gem" 2D indie is Curse Crackers



It's kinda doing the Shovel Knight thing but for GBC games rather than NES games. Tight controls and fun movement with a decently high skill ceiling, a lot more content than I was expecting, and a fun cast and story that doesn't take itself too seriously. One of those games I picked up mostly on a whim and then 15 hours later I was just wondering why more people weren't talking about it. It rules
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I've been aware of it for a while, and it looks cool, but I played the dev's previous game, the 2D Zelda-like Prodigal, and it was a baffling mess that compared unfavorably in every category to every other Zelda and Zelda-like I've ever played. I'm very wary of Curse Crackers after that.
 
Stilt Village said:
I've been aware of it for a while, and it looks cool, but I played the dev's previous game, the 2D Zelda-like Prodigal, and it was a baffling mess that compared unfavorably in every category to every other Zelda and Zelda-like I've ever played. I'm very wary of Curse Crackers after that.
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Curse crackers is in a completely different level. I did find Prodigal mediocre (not bad, but there are way better options), but Curse Crackers is really good, NINTENDO platformer good. And once you unlock relics and advanced movement speedrunning get wild
 
Alright, going to actually recommend some games here before the sales end. Linking directly to the Steam pages instead of embedding trailers for space reasons. Not all of them are extremely recent, but eh, more recent than any notable big name releases in this style apart from Mario Wonder.

I have to say, I've never seen an actual straight up Super Mario Bros. clone, perhaps because New Super Mario Bros. filled that niche of "watered down nostalgic repackaging of the classic games" for the series already. Still weird I've never found any also-rans from back in the day though, all the biggest names in the genre were primarily games of this style, why are they the only ones?

For DKC, Marsupilami (which is a mere three dollars right now) is the best one out there today. Its quality approaches Returns and actually surpasses Retro's efforts in some areas, which is crazy for a licensed game. It is only half the length though, and much easier, so keep that in mind. Then there's the upcoming Windswept, an honest to god DKC2 clone. Blazing take, but based on the demo I think it has a genuine argument for being a better sequel than DKC3 in terms of gameplay. This feels even more authentic to DKC level design than Kaze, and much more creative. The main thing going against it though is that the presentation is completely forgettable and it has no identity whatsoever, although the pixel art is nice at least.

For Rayman, Splasher (also three dollars) was done by some ex-Rayman devs I believe, but it didn't quite do it for me. It was alright, I never finished it though. IIRC it takes the Portal 2 gel mechanics and puts them in a 2D platformer that has the pseudo auto-runner thing of Rayman Legends going on combined with the "your jump barely gets you off the ground but you can fly five miles horizontally if you tilt the stick a bit" physics of Super Meat Boy.

Sonic plays pretty different from almost everything else, but I would be remiss not to mention Sonic Triple Trouble 16-bit, a free fan remake of an obscure 8-bit Sonic game as if it had been a Mega Drive sequel to Sonic & Knuckles. It's one of the best Sonic games, and a pretty decent starting point too due to being I would say the easiest classic Sonic, despite realistically being no one's first Sonic game.

Grapple Dog is not directly aping any particular game, but combines a decent amount of Sonic and DKC sensibilities. It's got GBA style aesthetics and a grapple mechanic that works similar to Super Metroid, very fun movement. The two major blemishes are the baffling decision to make one piece of music play for an entire world straight, and generally poor usage of enemies in the level design. It has a sequel on the way as well, which will hopefully address those points and be even better in general.
 
Stilt Village said:
Alright, going to actually recommend some games here before the sales end. Linking directly to the Steam pages instead of embedding trailers for space reasons. Not all of them are extremely recent, but eh, more recent than any notable big name releases in this style apart from Mario Wonder.

I have to say, I've never seen an actual straight up Super Mario Bros. clone, perhaps because New Super Mario Bros. filled that niche of "watered down nostalgic repackaging of the classic games" for the series already. Still weird I've never found any also-rans from back in the day though, all the biggest names in the genre were primarily games of this style, why are they the only ones?

For DKC, Marsupilami (which is a mere three dollars right now) is the best one out there today. Its quality approaches Returns and actually surpasses Retro's efforts in some areas, which is crazy for a licensed game. It is only half the length though, and much easier, so keep that in mind. Then there's the upcoming Windswept, an honest to god DKC2 clone. Blazing take, but based on the demo I think it has a genuine argument for being a better sequel than DKC3 in terms of gameplay. This feels even more authentic to DKC level design than Kaze, and much more creative. The main thing going against it though is that the presentation is completely forgettable and it has no identity whatsoever, although the pixel art is nice at least.

For Rayman, Splasher (also three dollars) was done by some ex-Rayman devs I believe, but it didn't quite do it for me. It was alright, I never finished it though. IIRC it takes the Portal 2 gel mechanics and puts them in a 2D platformer that has the pseudo auto-runner thing of Rayman Legends going on combined with the "your jump barely gets you off the ground but you can fly five miles horizontally if you tilt the stick a bit" physics of Super Meat Boy.

Sonic plays pretty different from almost everything else, but I would be remiss not to mention Sonic Triple Trouble 16-bit, a free fan remake of an obscure 8-bit Sonic game as if it had been a Mega Drive sequel to Sonic & Knuckles. It's one of the best Sonic games, and a pretty decent starting point too due to being I would say the easiest classic Sonic, despite realistically being no one's first Sonic game.

Grapple Dog is not directly aping any particular game, but combines a decent amount of Sonic and DKC sensibilities. It's got GBA style aesthetics and a grapple mechanic that works similar to Super Metroid, very fun movement. The two major blemishes are the baffling decision to make one piece of music play for an entire world straight, and generally poor usage of enemies in the level design. It has a sequel on the way as well, which will hopefully address those points and be even better in general.
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awesommme, Marsupilami was already on my eshop wishlist but now Grapple Dog is, too. Dunno how I missed that one.
 
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I've been meaning to post in here for several days. Thank you @Stilt Village and others who have posted lots of the games I planned to recommend.

I have to say that one of the games I'll diverge from Stilt on is Splasher, I really absolutely loved that game. The Rayman Origins/Legends design philosophy shows through remarkably. The levels are tight and focused with engaging designs and very satisfying, DKC/Rayman-esque collectibles. It's definitely been one of my favorite platforming experiences on Switch.

Here's sometihng a bit longer I wrote about the game at a previous forum:

Man, this is an absolutely incredible 2D platformer that mixes aspects of what I loved about Retro's DK games and the modern Rayman games, especially Origins. The latter influence is particularly felt in the game as the game comes from Romain Claude, former Game Designer and Level Designer at Ubisoft (Rayman Origins, Rayman Legends), as well as the Rayman Origins sound designer and a talented art director in Gromy. The Steam page mentions the game was also developed in partnership with famous speedrunners.

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You can really see this influence in the final product. I've been waiting with bated breath for a new Rayman since Legends released nearly 4.5 years ago (man, time flies!). Splasher fits the bill. Each perfectly choreographed moment of platforming momentum mayhem brings to mind hours spent mastering time trials in Origins or going for a Diamond Cup in Legends. If Rayman is one of your faves, you absolutely must play this. 2D platformers are my favorite genre overall and the momentum you get with DK or Rayman in their above-mentioned games, despite their significant differences in level design, cohere in each entry to provide a seamless and engaging experience where each jump leads to just barely enough opportunity to make the next. Splasher offers the same style of platforming and the buttery smoothness with which the titular janitor slides through the levels puts me right in that platforming happy land of Tricky Treasure and Homecoming Hijinx.

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Anyway, the game is set up across 20+ quite lengthy (think DK and Rayman) levels with 7 S-P-L-A-S-H-! letters to collect, akin to the puzzle pieces or K-O-N-G letters in DK or the Lums and Teensies in Rayman. Well, the '!' letter is always obtained by grabbing 700 units of paint and freeing the last janitor. If you remember the Rayman Origins level ending sequence with lums filling up a meter, it's very similar to that. Each level also has a time trial available with various cups to obtain and there are full game speedrun options as well.

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I was concerned at first the game was actually going to be too similar to Rayman Origins/Legends but it is the paint mechanics that significantly set it apart. The controls take a bit of getting used to, but each different color of paint greatly enhances the experience and makes it increasingly unique. The learning curve is very reasonable and not at all steep with plenty of checkpoints a la Rayman Legends. Red paint lets you wall climb by sticking to it, water lets you reach new heights or erases red paint, and yellow paint gets you bouncing across floors and walls. This mechanic is tied in ingeniously throughout the game's levels to make a cohesive and engaging game.

Technically I encountered the occasional slowdown, and a glitch requiring a reset in the final level, but otherwise I had no issues and the game ran great on my Switch.

Alternately, I tried Grapple Dog recently and was pretty disappointed after getting myself hyped up for it. It's a very charming game but what made it not playable for me is that the camera/screen move left and right every time you swing left and right. I found this very dizzying and motion sickness-inducing. There were lots of accessibility options on offer, and if this had been one I gladly would have continued playing.

I'm not sure if the likes of Elechead is too outside of these criteria because it's not really level based and it's more of a pure puzzle platformer, but it sure was memorable, creative and satisfying in a wonderfully BoxBoy!!-esque kind of way.

I'm sure you've played Shovel Knight, @B. Spaceman, but did you end up playing the DLC campaigns? We ended up playing Specter of Torment and King of Cards a couple years back and I was amazed how much I loved both games compared to very much liking but not loving the original game. The base movesets are so unique and rewarding in both games, they're really complete-feeling games that totally feel like separate individual releases. The Joustus card game in King of Cards was a gateway into even considering trying a roguelite deckbuilder for me.

I also want to second recommendations for the absolutely sublime Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair and Kaze and the Wild Masks.
 
Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider

Cyber Shadow

Gunborg: Dark Matters

Astalon: Tears of the Earth

Save me Mr Tako: Definitive Edition

Demons of Asteborg

Get-A-Grip Chip

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood
 
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A lot of cool stuff to check out here but yeah, been replaying Pizza Tower lately thanks to The Noise update and I still absolutely adore it; hard for me to decide if it or RE4make were my favorite games of last year.
 
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Just so you know, Pizza Tower's creator is a right winger pos. In case anyone is planning to buy, please take that into consideration.

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Carrion isn't quite a platformer, it's more a Metroid-like (but also not quite), but it's 2D and it's amazing. Can't recommend it enough for horror fans out there.

I also recommend Kaze, it's a very good game especially if you like og DKC. The artsyle is whatever, but the gameplay is very solid.
 
Leo said:
Just so you know, Pizza Tower's creator is a right winger pos. In case anyone is planning to buy, please take that into consideration.

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He isn't though?? That was just some rando with a twitter account trolling someone, unless I'm missing something?
 
Quoted by: Leo
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Nabbit said:
I have to say that one of the games I'll diverge from Stilt on is Splasher, I really absolutely loved that game. The Rayman Origins/Legends design philosophy shows through remarkably. The levels are tight and focused with engaging designs and very satisfying, DKC/Rayman-esque collectibles. It's definitely been one of my favorite platforming experiences on Switch.
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I played this game on your suggestion a few months ago and loved it. I'd say it's on the difficult side but one that every platformer fan should at least check out.
 
Very happy to see so many mentions to Kaze. I played the game a bit when it was still in development and had a chat with the devs. Could see it would be solid even then. Bought it as soon as it came out, but haven't finished it yet.

Grapple Dog I played a bit at a friend's house and it seemed enjoyable. Reminded me a bit of Drill Dozer in concept, for some reason.

For some recommendations that aren't here, I'd recommend LOVE and 140. Not recent games but I really love them.

Edit: oh god YOKU'S ISLAND EXPRESS!
 
PlatinumClover said:
Very happy to see so many mentions to Kaze. I played the game a bit when it was still in development and had a chat with the devs. Could see it would be solid even then. Bought it as soon as it came out, but haven't finished it yet.

Grapple Dog I played a bit at a friend's house and it seemed enjoyable. Reminded me a bit of Drill Dozer in concept, for some reason.

For some recommendations that aren't here, I'd recommend LOVE and 140. Not recent games but I really love them.

Edit: oh god YOKU'S ISLAND EXPRESS!
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Yoku's Island Express is wonderful, but I avoiding mentioning that and my other fave Metroidvanias because the OP seemed to not want those. If they do though I've got some to add including Yoku! Still hoping we see a sequel one day!
 
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I was gonna share some old freeware indie games, but then I re-read the OP. Yeah, you're basically right. Precision platformers and Metroidvanias have dominated the scene for as long as I'm aware of.

The only game I can think of at the moment that doesn't fit exactly into either category is Runman: Race Around the World (free online, but coming soon to Steam in preparation for a sequel). Haven't played it in years but if I remember it's kind of like a stripped down Sonic? Plus the original was co-created by Maddy Thorson (no involvement in the sequel).

I guess Nifflas's Knytt games aren't quite Metroidvanias, but they are exploratory (and can be downloaded here).
 
I'm playing Crypt Stalker and it's a very decent Castlevania-like, they really got the feeling but the main character has way better jumps physics, and they even included a gameboy like version of the game. Plus it's like $2 bucks

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ermitron2 said:
I'm playing Crypt Stalker and it's a very decent Castlevania-like, they really got the feeling but the main character has way better jumps physics, and they even included a gameboy like version of the game. Plus it's like $2 bucks

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Holy cow that GB version looks legit.

Is it weird that I think it looks better than the NES-styled version? It's just so crisp, damn.
 
chocolate_supra said:
Holy cow that GB version looks legit.

Is it weird that I think it looks better than the NES-styled version? It's just so crisp, damn.
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yeah it looks nice and it also plays very good. In both the NES and GB version the character moves faster and is more responsive too A shame the GB version is only 4 stages but I admire the dedication to create it
 
ermitron2 said:
I'm playing Crypt Stalker and it's a very decent Castlevania-like, they really got the feeling but the main character has way better jumps physics, and they even included a gameboy like version of the game. Plus it's like $2 bucks

pLIzzse.jpeg
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n4RMdFH.jpeg
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This stuff is my jam, and I didnt even know it existed!
 
chocolate_supra said:
Holy cow that GB version looks legit.

Is it weird that I think it looks better than the NES-styled version? It's just so crisp, damn.
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Nah, the NES-styled one looks pretty garbled. It took me a while to figure out what was going on with the environment in the first image because almost none of the tiles in the upper right connect to each other. They tried to do more complex backgrounds than their assets could really create. I associate this look where tiles don't fit seamlessly into their surroundings more with very graphically primitive RPGs like Dragon Quest and Pokemon than sidescrollers, but even those were coherent if simple. Meanwhile, look at how Dracula's Curse has no trouble portraying more than one thing per background tile:
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The GB one in comparison is much cleaner and feels more authentic to how GB games like Donkey Kong 94 actually looked.
dk94-screenshot-5.jpg
 
i'll recommend Even the Ocean as this site's resident Analgesic Productions freak. it's a narrative-heavy 2D platformer with really lovely visuals that are somewhere between hand-drawn and pixel art

iu


it uses an interesting "polarity" system for movement where you absorb two different colors of energy—more purple energy makes you move quicker and more blue energy makes you jump higher. absorbing one lowers your level of the other, and if you max out in either direction, you die. in that way, the various energy-imbuing stage elements act as both power-ups and hazards—it's really clever! it's got some other fun ideas too and while the platforming never gets especially tricky, it's nicely paced and is built around a quite fascinating & unusual story about climate, energy, power, and more. check it out!

iu
 
And finished Crypt Stalker. Overall it's a solid 8 for me. The better jump physics and controls makes it a good experience and the regular levels haver their challenge but not nintendo hard. The "sequel" leves on the other hand do have some cheap enemy placement so those require more memorization and patience but are still doable, and the gameboy levels were amazing, but also harder than the regular ones.

I also finished all the challenges and those are very good. There are multiple ones like not beig able to attack, have a time limit to reach the goal, you can only jump a certain number of times, etc. They are shorter but are very fun, particular the one hit kill stages:

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Really my only complaint would be as @Stilt Village mentioned, the first worlds are ugly but fortunately later levels do look better, and that the soundtrack is mediocre, not bad, but nothign stands out. But still for 2 bucks the package has about 2-3 hours of platform goodness
 
Enjoying Crypt Stalker. I wish you could reassign controls though. I don’t get why the default Switch controls is to have attack on A and jump on B when that’s the opposite of every action platformer of the era, including those it’s evoking.

The casual mode is extremely easy and obviously just a taster for the full retro mode which is fun. I love that the handheld mode has a glowing GB battery light, that’s cool.
 
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Finished the main retro mode of Crypt Stalker. That was a lot of fun! (It’s also fairly easy as such games go, as you get nine lives and a save point at the start of each level). Also finished the GB levels. I like the way the GB game felt so slow and cautious compared to the main one, they got the feel of GB games right.

Gonna try the ‘forgotten sequel’ levels and the challenges next, but yeah this was a great buy for under £2 for me.
 
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BlackthornOrion said:
This came across my timeline and seemed like something this thread might be interested in. Looks cute, like if you mixed Kirby's Adventure with a Yoshi game. And it's less than a dollar. From what I can tell it's only on PC at the moment

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Damn that looks slick. Gonna see if I can get that on my Deck.
 
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While I know OP wanted more variety, I still have to mentioned Jubilee. It's a precision platformer where you have to collect gems and escape from a dungeon. You just have your jump, a little swirl that gives you extra air time and that's it. The main difference is that instead of having levels, everything is interconnected in one big map with different areas (and you can fast travel once you get to each shrine). There is a lot of variety in each world, each one with it's own hazards and some collectibles too if you want 100%. As for difficulty it's on the hard side, but it's not Super Meat boy hard and there are a lot of checkpoints (which you need t to touch to bank the collected gems), plus you don't even have to collect all the gems if you want to escape the dungeon, it's just a bragging right really

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BlackthornOrion said:
This came across my timeline and seemed like something this thread might be interested in. Looks cute, like if you mixed Kirby's Adventure with a Yoshi game. And it's less than a dollar. From what I can tell it's only on PC at the moment

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$.99, are you kidding me? This looks great. Bought. Gonna see how it plays on Deck for sure.
 
BlackthornOrion said:
This came across my timeline and seemed like something this thread might be interested in. Looks cute, like if you mixed Kirby's Adventure with a Yoshi game. And it's less than a dollar. From what I can tell it's only on PC at the moment

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Just finished this 100%, great little game. Reminiscent of Kirby and Yoshi, as you say.
 
BlackthornOrion said:
This came across my timeline and seemed like something this thread might be interested in. Looks cute, like if you mixed Kirby's Adventure with a Yoshi game. And it's less than a dollar. From what I can tell it's only on PC at the moment

Click to expand...

Alright, finally got around to playing this one. Works on the deck no problem. The game is super short, and weirdly difficult. I found myself frustrated at how twitchy controlling the frog is most of the time, and baddies are all over the place. It’s really easy to take a hit or fall down a pit. It was to the point that I didn’t even want to go for any of the gems or hard-to-reach coins because I knew it would just result in dying. Thankfully there are unlimited lives and levels have checkpoints, but they didn’t help the frustration much. It all culminates in a truly brutal final boss fight that is obnoxiously challenging, without any signposting on how to actually damage the boss.

Good art and music for sure. Hard to feel bad about a game that cost $.99. But I didn’t have fun with it.
 
Tails of Iron isn't exactly a 2D platformer, there's very little if no platforming here. But it's still a 2D sidescroller action "soulslike" game, so I want to point out it is pretty solid.
Combat is satisfying as you'd expect, it never gets frustrating due to the enormous amount of save points, particularly before every boss. It just lacks a little variety, imho. I'm currently clearing some remaining quests but I've already restored the kingdom of rats. Yes, you control a rat in a war against, er, frogs.
 
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