These games are either presented from the side view, using two-dimensional movement, or in 3D with the camera placed either behind the main character or in isometric perspective. In spite of this, platformers are still being commercially released every year, including some which have sold millions of copies.Ī platformer requires the player to maneuver their character across platforms to reach a goal while confronting enemies and avoiding obstacles along the way. By 2006, the genre had experienced a decline in sales, representing a 2% market share as compared to 15% in 1998. The term platform game gained traction in the late 1980s, as did the alternate form platformer.ĭuring their peak of popularity, platformers were estimated to comprise between a quarter and a third of all console games. (1985) was a defining game for the nascent genre, with horizontally scrolling levels and the player controlling a named character-Mario, which became a mascot of the company. Another popular game of that period, Pitfall! (1982), allows moving left and right through series of non-scrolling screens, expanding the play area. Donkey Kong inspired many clones and games with similar elements, such as Miner 2049er (1982) and Kangaroo (1982), while the Sega arcade game Congo Bongo (1983) adds a third dimension via isometric graphics. Donkey Kong, released in 1981, established a template for what were initially called 'climbing games'. The genre started with the 1980 arcade video game Space Panic, which has ladders but not jumping. Other acrobatic maneuvers may factor into the gameplay, such as swinging from vines or grappling hooks, jumping off walls, gliding through the air, or bouncing from springboards or trampolines. Platform games are characterized by levels with uneven terrain and suspended platforms of varying height that require jumping and climbing to traverse. SuperTux is a platformer based on Super Mario Bros.Ī platformer (also called a platform game, and sometimes a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. For the tech newsletter, see Casey Newton § Platformer.

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