VGMaps
General Boards => Gaming => Topic started by: Trop on September 30, 2011, 11:56:33 pm
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For no reason at all a couple of months ago I started a project to rate the skills of all SNES platform game characters. I always wondered what it would be like to have a character from one game in another game since some characters seem to outperform others. Wouldn't it be fun to select ANY character to play as in the game of your choice? I came up with a basic rating system and so far I've gone through about 30 games. I thought I'd post my results here for fun and to see if anybody disagrees with me.
My system:
Jumping is rated by
Jumping height, Jumping distance, Jumping control
Master jumpers can jump off screen or just fly.
Maneuverability is rated by
Speed, Turning, Weight
Super maneuvers should be able to land on a dime.
Offense is rated by
Attack Potential, Damage Inflicted, Attack Variety
Top killers can instantly destroy anything in front of them or everything on screen.
Defense is rated by
Damage Resistance, Special Evasion, Max HP
Tanks should be able to endure ridiculous damage without dying.
Versatility is rated by
Techniques, Shape Shifting, Environmental Exploits
Morphs never get stuck.
Here's a pic of the table I've been using. I'll post the games I've already finished now and post more as I go through them.
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Ardy & Pec (Ardy Lightfoot)
Ardy Lightfoot is a middle of the road character. Ardy can be quick but he's got a problem with acceleration. When Pec is around Ardy has good forward offense, but one hit and Pec's gone then one more and Ardy dies making him kind of a marshmallow. Along with the Ardy's ability to climb and duck Pec can grab objects, be upgraded to fly, and smash through walls so overall there's good versatility. I like Ardy because he's sure-footed and he has a nifty mirror blanket that gives him temporary invincibility whenever he wants it. He'd do well in other games.
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Reminds me of Super Mario Crossover, that flash game where you can play through the original Super Mario game with a bunch of NES heroes like Samus Aran, Mega Man, Link or even Sophia III. You'd think they would all be easier to use than plain old Mario, but since they've all been transposed pretty much straight with their gameplay intact, they all handle quite differently and in some case, are very awkward to use.
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I've never played that game, I'll have to look for it. I have played the one where you fight Arthur and Samus as Mega Man and get their powers. It was a lot of fun. Your right about the surprises in transposition, I've already had to change my opinion about some games and characters. In fact here's a good example now.
Gon (Gon)
At first I thought Gon would be totally badass. But he isn't. He has a variety of attacks but they can be work to execute and most have terrible range. He's vulnerable to combos. His maneuverability is the worst I've ever seen. He has to be moving before he jumps to get anywhere but his acceleration is so bad he's hard to control at speed. And on top of everything else the game is slanted so most enemies take a lot of hits to kill and are much faster the Gon. He has a few neat tricks but they don't make up for his shortfalls. He'd do better in a game with one hit monsters, but not a lot better.
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Mitch / Max (Mutant Chronicles Doom Troopers)
These guys suck. They run forward, they shoot, that's it. To spite carrying big guns, which that at the top of their game can shoot homing missiles and fire, Mitch and Max are really inept. They need to be precisely aligned to hit their target, they run out of ammo fast, and they can't really dodge incoming attacks. At least they can take a lot of punishment. In another game they might do better just because they have big guns, but then again maybe not.
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Pierre (Out to Lunch)
You could kind of consider this a puzzle game as well as a platform game. Pierre can be quick. And that's his only redeeming value. He dies in one hit. He slides and is difficult to control in midair. He can't attack until he finds a weapon, a process which must be repeated in each and every stage. In any other game he wouldn't live for more then a minute.
BTW This game would be a breeze to map.
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John Spartan (Demolition Man)
Quite the ass kicker is Sylvester Stallone here. John is fast and can shoot in all directions. He gets gun upgrades and other kinds of weapons. He can climb, ledge grab, and even bungee jump and zip line as he peruses Westley Snipes. His only problem is once he gets going he can be a little hard to control. But since he can take a lot of damage it doesn't hurt him overall. John would breeze through most platform games and most platform game characters would have a hard time in his game.
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Ackman (Go Go Ackman)
This is a character that looks like he'd be great but then falls kinda flat. He's fast and he's maneuverable but most of his attacks have no range at all. Go Go Ackman requires a little more precision then Ackman has naturally overworking the player. On top of that any weapon upgrade you have is lost if you take a hit and other then the ability to swim he's really not that versatile. Overall I think Ackman would have just as much trouble in other games as he has in his own.
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Ickis / Oblina / Krumm (Aaahh Real Monsters)
The Real Monsters are all generally average except for their unusually high defense. They also toss junk as their regular attack instead of jumping on enemies. Which would put them ahead offense wise but it extra damage equals extra ammo which can be hard to find so it doesn't. You'll probably want to play as Ickis most of the time since he's the only decent jumper. They can climb, cling, and zip line, and each monster has a special move but they're hard to execute and don't do much so I don't think exporting these characters would be anything other then a lateral move.
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Rex & Timmy / Tops & Jamie (Dino City)
Surprise they can kick ass, but not because of their offense. Because each kid can separate from their dinosaur to mess with things then get back together quickly for battle mode these four can be a versatile force. At first each team seems slow and weak but it's the exact same illusion you get with Mario. One second you're trotting along the next your doing combo damage everywhere. Unfortunately I also think a lot of this is down to the game their in and they probably wouldn't export well. BTW this game would be a breeze to map.
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Samus Aran (Super Metroid)
What's to say other then Damn! Always an ass kicker by the end of the game Samus can walk through and deal tremendous damage. She can also fly. Her single draw back seems to be a common one: acceleration. Fortunately for her there aren't a lot of big rooms in the game and if she was ported to any other platformer I don't think it would matter. I don't think Sigma or Count Dracula would give even mid level Samus much of a problem.
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Chiaki & Zenki (Kishin Douji Zenki: Denei Raibu)
Too fast for her own good Chiaki has the tendency to run right into damage. In fact that's her only real flaw, she's so quick she's hard to control. Other then that she's got a great forward attack, a great defensive attack, and she takes minimal damage from hits. She's a good jumper and she'll go wherever you aim her if you can keep up. Zenki fights in the boss battles and is only slightly more maneuverable then Chiaki. Either one of them would be great in about any other platformer you dropped them in.
BTW this game would be a breeze to map.
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Chuck (Chuck Rock)
Chuck is slow and chuck can't jump but his attack is good and he can take a pounding. Chuck does well in his game since his attack nulls and cuts through enemy attacks giving him a constant edge. Oh, and he can combo bosses to death in seconds. As great as his overall defense is I worry how he'd do in games where monsters don't fight fair. Anything other then head on attacks would probably finish him off pretty fast.
BTW this game would be a breeze to map.
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Slick (The Incredible Crash Dummies)
I hate this game. Slick is actually a great character. He can jump, he can take damage, he has good ranged weapons, and even a few cool moves. But in this game the screen is small and the enemies hit you as soon as you can see them. His size doesn't help this but if the game were balanced better his speed would save him a lot of pain. Slick would do better outside of a twitchy, a lot better. He might even last a little while in harder game.
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Ryo / Maria (Psycho Dream)
Neither character is very fast but both have a lot of attack power at their upgradable peaks. Ryo gets full circle defensive slashing and multi directional energy beams while Maria can hit anything from anywhere by firing six homing energy balls with each tap of the attack button. One downside is a lot of damage sends them both back to level one, but that's OK since they can take a lot and are still fully capable just not as dangerous. Maria trumps Ryo not only with her homing fire but also with the ability to glide using fairy wings her top form gets. Neither are versatile at all but with so much ATK and DEF few games would pose a challenge to them, they'd be great imports.
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Plok (Plok)
Another character dropped into a game too difficult for them. Plok is fast enough and quite maneuverable. He also has a great forward attack for character that doesn't carry a gun. His special attacks all require some kind of ammo unfortunately and his biggest problem is his game is, like I said, too tough for him. Too many monsters in Plok either have high HP or just invincible. But he is a good platformer and would kick ass in most other games.
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Shintaro (Nankoku Shounen Papuwa-kun)
He can't jump. It's a problem. Even though he gets EXP and levels up Shintaro is a terrible character. Getting him to be just where you want him so he doesn't get hit or gets to that hard to reach ledge is way too much work. The worse part is at first he seems fast. At least he can take a pounding. At his top level he does decent damage too but lose a life and that's over. I shudder to think how frustrating a character he would be in other games.
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Oscar (Oscar)
Now this is a classic platform character. His jumping and maneuverability are good. His defense and offense are predictable. He gets cute weapons and upgrades that are lost if he gets hit. He doesn't have a lot of special moves, he's just designed to run around, grab items, and jump on heads. You could switch him out with Mario and not really notice any difference. His game is short and he can do combos. He should do OK in most platformers.
BTW this game would be a breeze to map.
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Aero (Aero the Acrobat 2)
I couldn't get the first Aero to work. That's OK though since from what I remember this Aero is better. Aero can move! from doing bouncing combos to straight up flight sometimes Aero could almost keep up with Sonic. He's got good interwoven defense and offense too protecting himself more often then not by attacking. You won't notice his lack of versatility because his jumping and bouncing off things gets him easily by without it. He really is a great character. Any other game would be lucky to have him.
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Hero (Shounen Ashibe)
I don't know his name but he's a baby seal and he capable of all the things you'd expect from a baby seal. In midair he'll go where you point him but that's his only real strength. He has no attack, none at all. His cute little headbutt only acts as a way to find what you're looking for in each level. He has no defense, none at all. The only upside being he can't actually die from normal hits. He has no moves either. He just kind of bounces around the almost totally harmless levels in his game grabbing things then looking for the exit. He would die so fast in any other game I can't think of an analogy.
BTW this game would be a breeze to map.
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Rocky (Rocky Rodent)
More acceleration problems here but jumping and maneuverability are decent. Rocky is an unusual character because all his offense, upgrades that are lost when hit, double as tools. He can stab or swing with his hair, whip or grapple with his hair, slash or climb with his hair. It's a funny game. Rocky can be a dangerous versatile force one moment and a marshmallow just one hit later. If he could call on his hair styles whenever he'd be bad news. But he can't so I really don't think he'd shine in too many other games.
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Zero (Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel)
Should be Zero the flying squirrel with his maneuverability. Zero can double jump off the screen and use a variety of diving moves to more or less fly. Unfortunately he's harder to control then Aero since he skids. Other downfalls include a weak offense for a character that uses his body as a weapon. Overlooking the tricky control and tougher then average in game enemies Zero is one of the top platform game characters of all time. He's so fast in the air and on the draw I can't think of any game that would be trouble for him, provided the player is skilled enough to control him.
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Saul (Wolfchild)
Saul can take a lot of damage, and once powered up in wolf form can deal a lot too. He's a bad jumper and not very versatile but in his game that doesn't really matter. Unfortunately his cooler wolf mode moves require ammo and more unfortunately losing wolf mode due to too much damage takes all ammo away. In his human form Saul would be something of concern for your average game monster, and his wolf form would be something to be feared. But oh wait, there's no ramp up to that ledge, never mind. I wouldn't want to export Mr. wolf unless he gave up his lead shoes.
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Mr. Nutz (Mr. Nutz)
I'd like to say great things about this guy. Things like "really maneuverable" and "can do as many off enemy head combos as Mario". But he's really not that great. Not very versatile and lacking real defense Mr. Nutz requires ammo if he wants to get through a level without countless near death experiences. His game makes it worse requiring the player to land exactly on the center of an enemy's head to avoid damage. The platforming requirements are also more work then fun. I wouldn't bother exporting him. He's only average.
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Spot (Cool Spot)
Yay for unlimited ammo that can be fired in any and all directions at almost automatic speed. That said we have more acceleration problems here. Spot is a great jumper and can land on a dime and in some areas of this game you have to. He, it?, can also take a lot of damage before keeling over. Maybe with the exception of versatility all Spot's stats cap just short of awesome. Definitely cool Spot would make a great export to any other platformer... that allows for characters that are only a square inch in size, heh.
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The Kongs (Donkey Kong Country 1, 2 & 3)
This is gonna be long. The kongs are well rounded platform characters. They're all very stable and yet they can all pour on the speed or agility when they have to. Their forward attack requires no ammo, which I'm appreciating more and more. They're versatility is what you'd expect from monkeys, each having a unique trick. They're only weakness is there defense since they have none. Donkey has an extra forward attack for some reason and he's heavy so no deflection is protection for almost all enemies. Diddy makes up for Donkey's lax jumping and is a little faster but other then that there's no significant difference. Dixie goes even further in the maneuverability department by adding a fantastic gliding ability to Diddy's speed. Kiddy then tosses all these great upgrades falling back on Donkey's brute force method losing a little quickness in the process. For all the Kong's greatness I really don't know how they'd do in another game. Well, Dixie would do fine, but a lot of other games have faster moving enemies then the DKC series. Monsters also usually pack more tricks and attack from more angles, so the Kongs, excluding Dixie but especially Kiddy, would probably have to work a lot harder. I'd cautiously export Diddy or Dixie but I'd be waiting for trouble.
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Animal Buddies (Donkey Kong Country 1, 2 & 3)
This is too will be long. All together the animals would make the best character ever. Individually each is still more or less top of the line in their department. You've got all the jumping, maneuverability, offense, and versatility you need. Of course there's still the defense problem. And they all share it so I'm not going to bother mentioning it again. Enguarde is fast as hell and he doesn't even need to attack to kill what's in front of him, it's automatic. His only problem is one shared by Ellie, somewhat slow turning, but she makes up for it in the same way he does: by having awesome offense, that is in her case ranged. Expresso is not only fast he's the only character other then Dixie that can glide, which is as bad as good when he's so maneuverable you can't always see where he's falling. Rattly, with the best jumping out of all three games, has the same problem but fixes it half the time with landings that kill almost anything they hit. Rambi takes all of Enguarde's tricks and makes them easier to control putting all that power into a huge unstoppable body. Squawks maintains almost all of that too offense while maxing out maneuverability letting him kill from all angles. Squitter just can't be topped, quickly making his own platforms and firing unlimited webs that can kill even the toughest enemies. And while Squitter can't jump Winky soars and then drops like an anvil over and over at great speed. Each of the animal buddies could probably get through a lot of games by relying on their specific strength but I think Squawks and Squitter would really shine. Hell, there's no stopping Squitter. I'd love to try exporting all of them, and I'd love to wail on hated levels or bosses with Squitter.
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Hero (Incantation)
Possibly the only character that slides and yet still somehow has max maneuverability. This guy, whatever his name is, is just great. His forward attack is fast, damaging, and can be quite varied. He's fast too, with no wait recovery from hits and accidents. It's easy to quickly get him where you want to him to be and then blast the crap out of things. His versatility is only average, or maybe a little above, and he can take a pounding. He'd do great in other games.
BTW this game would be a breeze to map.
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Alfred (Alfred Chicken)
For the most part Alfred stinks. He needs ammo and a lot of space for better offense or cool moves. He's only basically versatile, and his defense is nonexistent. But his maneuverability! Holy crap! You can easily put him anywhere, move out of the way of an attack, wait in midair, then move back. Unfortunately being as light as the feathers on his body alone turns out to be not quite enough. He dies a lot. I really do appreciate all the agility though and can't think of a character that does better in that department. I'd export him for laughs if nothing else.
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Iria (Hyper Iria)
Imagine a stripped down Samus for Iria here. Don't get me wrong Iria's awesome. She has good defense, a lot of crazy offensive moves that she's quick with, and good jumping. But she can also be a brick in midair. Her better weapons need ammo, and unlike Samus she can only carry a certain number of power ups into each level. Iria is really saved by the quickness with which she can launch attacks. At the end of the day she's a great character and she would do great in just about any other platform game.
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Biomech (Realm)
Biomech knows how to shoot things and that's pretty much it. I'd like to complain about his defense but in truth he has it rough because his game is rough. His movement in general is about average and he has a lot of offense. That's his high point in fact. He gets a good variety of weapons that don't disappear in death, come with decent ammo, and can really kill. I'm not sure how well he'd do in other games. I'd have to test it and find out.
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Bonk (Super Bonk)
Ha, I love this guy. You don't think of many cave men being good shape shifters but Bonk can manipulate himself and his environment as well as Kirby. His jumping stinks but since his maneuverability is so good and he has a spinning gliding move it doesn't matter. His offense starts simple enough but upgrading it into something better is easy. He can take quite a beating too. I think Bonk is one of those characters that would really surprise by tearing up most games. I'd definitely export him.
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Boogerman (Boogerman)
He can't jump and his maneuverability could be better. Fortunately his game takes it easy on him. Still all his moves, even basic ones, require ammo, and it really brings him down. His offense as a whole could be better too. His other stats are largely average. If the designers of this game intended to make a clowning super hero that really doesn't know what he's doing they succeeded. I think he'd die early and often in most games.
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Storm (Skuljagger)
Storm is fast. He's a good jumper and he's maneuverable although sometimes he hangs in the air too long. His attack is decent and can be upgraded but then down grades with damage. And he really can't take any damage, which kills him in this game since enemies come out of nowhere often. At least his attack is defensive. Overall this is a bad game and Storm comes off as more clumsy then savant. Maybe he'd export well. But I don't know.
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Firebrand (Demon's Crest)
Another of Capcom's ass kickers here. Firebrand is slow but that's the only real mark against him. His upgrades which are fully varied raise every stat. Most noticeably Firebrand's offense and versatility rise together as each new weapon doubles as a new tool. He requires no ammo but can gain optional potions and spells and his defense is supreme. You gotta love Firebrand. There's not a game he wouldn't excel in.
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Princess (Magical Pop'n)
If you thought Firebrand was bad let me introduce you to a girl that could be Samus' daughter. The Princess is lightning freaking fast. She can surround herself with damage swinging her little pink light saber in all directions, and on top of that she gets a great magical arsenal that caps with screw attack. Her speed and maneuverability combine with this make her a death bringer, and of course all her spells double as tools. Princess could handle the hardest of platformers. She definitely makes my top list.
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Hamel & Flute (The Violinist of Hamlin)
Too bad you can't have one without the other because together they're a real oddball. Hamel just stinks. He can't jump, he gets stuck in the simplest situations, and his cooler offense requires fancy handwork on the controller. Flute on the other hand is awesome. She gains multiple forms thought the game that range from harmless to invincible and airborne. Hamel can be required to control Flute while she's in costume but other then that he's a weight around her neck. I'd trash Hamel and I'm sure Flute could handle almost any game.
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Jim (Earthworm Jim)
Jim's great asset is his attack speed and ferocity. While destroying things in all directions Jim is amazingly stable, more so then a lot of characters that have 360 fire. Jim is also a great mover requiring no recoil time between jumps or changing between running, climbing, or swinging. Jim's defense is great too and even green players will be able to get far since Jim can withstand so much. One drawback might be that Jim requires ammo, but his arsenal is varied and he's rarely short on destructive power. Jim is another character that would be great in any platform game. I'd like to try him in Mega Man.
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The Master (Actraiser)
Another lax jumper making up for his lead shoes with upper body strength. The Master makes a great tank being able to dish out and withstand tons of damage. For his lack of jumping and versatility he's quick and maneuverable. His game provides plenty opportunity to prove even heavy characters can get around if they can at least react with decent speed. I like The Master since he packs a kind of forward force that you don't see very often. Buuuut I'm not sure how he'd export. He just can't jump.
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Sam (Prehistorik Man)
Sam skids really bad. His maneuverability is great though and he's easy to direct in air. His offense is only average but it's also deflective and that's nice. Sam can take a beating and he has a decent invincibility period after a hit. He's more versatile then he looks too. Sam's speed, his best and worse trait, is what gives him his edge since he can quickly navigate a series of platforms or enemies. This requires attention on the part of the player though so I'm not sure how well Sam would do in most games. He'd probably be fine though.
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Sparkster (Sparkster)
Time for another glowing review. Sparkster is super badass. His only drawback is the player might have trouble keeping up with him. Sparkster has a ton of offensive moves that are all also defensive, and as if that wasn't enough he's one of the few characters that can create midair combos using different attacks. Sonic and Zero can do this too but Sparkster is much more stable. He'll go, blazing attack or not, wherever you want him, and then immediately blast off again. His defense is high, his versatility is decent, he can't jump but since he can fly it doesn't matter. I'd love to export him to all the toughest games and lay the smack down.
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Kirby (Kirby Super Star)
I don't think I need to tell anyone how super Kirby is. More then just high offense anything that gets in front of Kirby faces instant death. Which in turn leads to tones more offense, versatility, and even defense. Of course he can't jump and he's not very maneuverable. But with countless weapons that all double as tools at his disposal there's really no stopping him. Now Kirby has been in a lot of games and each one is somewhat different so at this point you've probably all seen just how annoying low speed and maneuverability can be. But he always does well for the reasons I just mentioned. I'm sure Kirby could either force or finagle his way through any platformer.
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Kirby can't jump? News to me...
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In superstar at least both his standing start and running jumps don't go very far. His straight up jump also is also pretty short. But you don't notice this as you play since he can fly. Which I guess I should've counted under jumping, oops. I just thought as I played through game that his jumping was clunky. I'd always hit my head or miss the ledge overestimating his ability. By the time I got to the great cave offensive I only dashing or flying, and ignoring ledges. I'm playing through Dream Land 3 now and it's the same problem. Kirby is not graceful.
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Mega Man (Mega Man 7)
The blue bomber appears to be an early attempt to add more attack power and potential to what was your average platform character of the day. Advance that concept seven games forward in time and you get an extremely powerful and versatile character that seems to fit his game perfectly. Mega Man convincingly pulls off the idea of a robot warrior with the high defense and low mobility you'd expect of a heavy metal body. With the weapons as tools concept in full swing here it's extremely hard to put Mega Man in a situation he can't fight or think his way out of. Another character that would excel in any game you dropped him in.
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Mega Man X (Mega Man X)
The. Ultimate. Character. When I set out to review X I knew he'd get high marks but not like this. Take everything I just said about Mega Man and add not just improved jumping and maneuverability but super jumping and maneuverability. X can, let's see, climb walls or land on a pin, jump to the other side of the screen, unleash highly varied massive attacks, use an incredible array of tools, withstand tons of damage, and even add more upgrades and add ons as if everything else wasn't enough. I'm not even counting things like his ride armor or water walking ability. It makes me wonder just how badly other characters would get killed in his game. There's not a platformer that couldn't handle X.
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Zero (Mega Man X3)
Zero doesn't quite live up to X. Maybe it's his size. Also he lacks the weapon/tool arsenal X gets, but of course that changes in later games. With the small exception of lacking X's perfect maneuverability Zero is top of the line. He's incredibly fast and will go where you want him. He can dish out tons of damage and more or less crush whatevers bothering him. His defense is as high as you'd expect from a machine but unfortunately his versatility lags at normal. Zero is awesome and there's not a game I'd be worried taking him into. All other characters named “Zero†need to take notes.
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Zenki (Kishin Douji Zenki Rettou Raiden)
This version of Zenki is considerably better then the Zenki from the previous Zenki game. First of all his offense is outstanding. A three part combo for his normal attack, a screen height upper cut, and an energy fist/ball all come ammo free. He's not very fast but he's a tank defense wise and that makes up for it. Unfortunately he also lacks versatility so he's kind of a brick. When in a pinch though I never had trouble clearing the screen or wiping out bosses. Like Saul or The Master he'd export well into platformers that focused less on jumping and climbing. Other wise...
BTW this game would be a breeze to map.
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Hairy Jr. (Pitfall the Mayan Adventure)
My love of this game may cloud my judgment. Hairy Jr. is a significant upgrade over his dad. Hairy Jr. is fast and maneuverable. His jumping could be better but he gets where he needs to go and his defense is good. His offense is nicely varied with ammo free attacks, to charged shots, to full screen blasts. His versatility lives up to the Pitfall legacy too since he can zip line, bungee, and hook swing. Hairy Jr. would do well in a lot of platform games due to his speed with attacks and with his footwork.
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Jack O'Neil (Stargate)
Jack is much tougher then he looks. He's a great jumper who goes where you want quickly and accurately. His offense is good because he can shoot in all directions and his machine gun creates a continuous path of fire. Weapon upgrades wear off though. He's not very versatile but he can take a lot of damage. One very nice thing about Jack is he usually has no landing recoil so he can be very swift. Combine that with his attack and you've got one dangerous character. Jack would make a great export, maybe even to the harder games.
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Sky (Sky Blazer)
One of the few characters that can walk, or crawl at least, up walls, sky is one tough cookie. Only his jumping is average, all other stats are above. Using the weapons as tools bit Sky's attack potential and versatility are huge. Combining his tricks with great maneuverability and his wall crawling makes him a deft platformer. High defense helps with this too and I don't think a lot of characters would have an easy time in his game. I think, to spite the fact that Sky seems average at first, he would do well in the toughest games.
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Reiko Mikami (Ghost Sweeper Mikami)
Another power house here Mikami's great strength is her speed. Her attack is fast, damaging, and versatile. It also mildly acts as a tool and is quite defensive. Mikami isn’t much of a jumper but she can take a decent amount of damage. She's not hugely versatile either but like I said her weapon makes up for that. Her great maneuverability is what makes her already powerful attack perfect. In other games Mikami might seem somewhat heavy but overall I think she'd do well in most.
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Putty (Putty Squad)
A more agile Kirby knock off Putty is fast and absolutely versatile. Putty's offense grows as you collect stars and it can be augmented by absorbing items and some enemies. This of course adds abilities. Putty can fly for a short time at the cost of health, has a high defense, and can stretch around walls or floors. Other then Ardy Putty is the only character I know with a total invincibility move, as long as he's holding still. And unlike Ardy Putty's can be held indefinitely. Some problems are Putty's lacking great maneuverability and his vulnerability to combos, but other then that he's one great character. I'd take him into a lot of games just to see what I could get away with.
BTW this game would be a breeze to map.
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That's all the game's I done so far. I'll post more as I play through them.
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This makes me realize just how many platformer games out there that I have never/barely heard of before.
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And there's a ton to go. I'm doing them 10 at a crack now and I might still be going this time next year. I wouldn't say there are a lot of bad platformers on the SNES but maybe a lot of questionable ones. I've only found myself hating a few so far and it's usually due to bad design elements instead of anything else.
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Animal Buddies (Kirby's Dream Land 3)
Of course all of these guys get their versatility maxed out being partnered with Kirby. Without him it would probably be different but you can't use them any other way so. Coo and Pitch get the highest marks for jumping since they can fly, and the only average level jumpers are ChuChu and Kine, not counting ChuChu's hot air balloon ability. Everybody is maneuverability, even ChuChu, although I did have a little trouble controlling Coo in air at speed. Everybody has great offense, but I think Nago has the best since a lot of his attacks are wide and fast. As for defense, Kirby's defense is Kirby's defense and is doesn't change from buddy to buddy. Some seem to be a little more evasive then others but everybody's high maneuverability makes that moot. For me Rick was Mr. jumping accuracy, Nago was the damage dealer, ChuChu was the odd ball, Coo was Mr. evasion, Kine was the battering ram, and Pitch was the creative solution. How would they do in any other game with Kirby? Just fine. Without him? Heaven only knows.
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Arthur (Super Ghouls and Ghosts)
Arghhh! Why do people love this guy, he sucks so much. I don't know what's worse, his dying in less then three hits or his total lack of maneuverability. Like Iria once Arthur jumps into the air he's going where he's going and you can't change it. Of course he does have a double jump so he can get good distance and height, but it's kind of like whacking an airborne brick with a stick. His defense is terrible. Two hits max, that's the end, put any of the Kongs in armor, same effect. Now his offense is good. A variety of fast attacks that can do decent damage in many directions. They can be powered up too and a few can act as tools, which brings me to versatility. And unfortunately since all cool techs are lost with a hit versatility is wrapped around defense and possible versatility is no versatility at all. How would Arthur do in another game? I think he would hit the same funny wall the Kongs would and do fine in a lot of games where the monsters have generally predictable behavior. In other words you'd probably be equally surprised by what difficult challenges he could overcome and what simple ones would crush him.
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Hero (First Samurai)
He'd be a tank if he wasn't vulnerable to combos. Seriously he's got a lot of HP and doesn't take a lot of damage from hits but leave him in a damage zone and it'll all be over in seconds. His attack, going from sword slashing to punches and kicks from too much damage, has a good range that repeats at high speed and his secondary weapons work much like those in Castlevania. His versatility is annoyingly item based but even without them he can climb and punch through certain walls. While his maneuverability is good his jumping is great and he'll often surprise by reaching ledges you thought he couldn't with ease. In other games the first samurai would have to rely on the wall of defensive damage he can create in front of himself to get around since he's not fast at all. I think he'd do well in most games as long as enemy aggression levels don't spike.
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Gomez Addams (The Addams Family)
Gomez is a perfect example of how a character might poorly import from another game. Not because he's a bad character though, but because he's a good one. Gomez is a good jumper and his maneuverability is about average, even if he does skid slightly. His offense is good too and he can collect weapons, lost if hit, to extend it. His Defense starts out very poor but that too can be upgraded. He can swim, duck, climb, and use tools, making his versatility about average. To spite his aptitude Gomez struggles somewhat in his game and this brings me back to my first comment. Difficulty from game to game can swing wildly, like in this game. Monsters can behave unpredictably, challenges might require out of the blue solutions, and decent characters with decent moves might not be enough. Playing through this game you get a sense of how fast difficulty can really slide and it makes you wonder about characters you thought were strong before.
BTW this game would be a breeze to map.
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Hero (Super Ninja Kun)
Yay for wall climbing, we need more characters that can do this. The Ninjas in Super Ninja Kun live up to the classic definition of Ninjas with great physical and offence versatility. You can climb walls, launch a rolling attack, use a variety of weapons from bombs to little lightning bolts. Only special attacks require ammo. Jumping is only really good when you're running so it can be a little tricky but it's the only real problem. The Ninjas maneuvrability is good and enemies in this game can be quick so it's a good thing. Defense is another place where these little guys shine. On top of having a high, expandable, defence the Ninjas can only be damaged by attacks or by obvious damage. A collision with an enemy just stuns the Ninja, or the enemy depending on who hit who, and stunned enemies can be then picked up and thrown. It's a great feature that lets you relax a little, and many more games should employ it then do. Overall the Ninjas would export very well being highly offensive and capable fighters.
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Mega Man X (Mega Man X)
The. Ultimate. Character. When I set out to review X I knew he'd get high marks but not like this. Take everything I just said about Mega Man and add not just improved jumping and maneuverability but super jumping and maneuverability. X can, let's see, climb walls or land on a pin, jump to the other side of the screen, unleash highly varied massive attacks, use an incredible array of tools, withstand tons of damage, and even add more upgrades and add ons as if everything else wasn't enough. I'm not even counting things like his ride armor or water walking ability. It makes me wonder just how badly other characters would get killed in his game. There's not a platformer that couldn't handle X.
YEEEEAAAAAAAHH!
Go X. ;)
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Absolutely. I mean, think about the fight with Byte in X3. With X I can hand Byte's ass to him but how many other characters that I've listed so far could take him? Probably Putty, Sparkster, and Samus. Maybe Maria, Sky, and some of the animal buddies, but it would be a lot of work. X can move away from incoming damage to any other spot he wants just like that. It's a hard move to top as far as platform games go.
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Jelly (Jelly Boy)
Giving morphs a bad name Jelly can only change shape when there's a convenient item nearby, and then there's a time limit on his shape shifting. His versatility would be max if not for that handicap. He's a great jumper and quite maneuverable but he slides a little. His offense, which is only average special form or no, kind of brings him down since the enemies in this game can be quick. Add to that a two hit max defense and he can die really fast if your not careful. With no items to assist morphing he'd only be an average character in any other game and I worry how he'd do. At least he can jump.
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Absolutely. I mean, think about the fight with Byte in X3. With X I can hand Byte's ass to him but how many other characters that I've listed so far could take him? Probably Putty, Sparkster, and Samus. Maybe Maria, Sky, and some of the animal buddies, but it would be a lot of work. X can move away from incoming damage to any other spot he wants just like that. It's a hard move to top as far as platform games go.
I definitely agree. When you first started this thread, the first character who came to mind was X, and I started realizing, "I can't think of a category X is deficient in." :P
Now at the risk of sounding obvious, where are Mario and Yoshi?
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You had to ask. I'm not completely finished with SMW2 yet but I'm tired of waiting and I've seen everything Yoshi can do so here he is. Later on I'm expecting Mario to get good marks all around with the probably exception of maneuverability.
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Yoshi (Super Mario World 2 Yoshi's Island)
Phew, how to categorize Yoshi. He's one of these strange characters that seems to get both high and low marks in individual categories. Yoshi can jump. He can hover to for a limited time, and then repeatedly, which sounds weird, but it makes him a superior jumper. His landings stink though and his stupid sliding screwed me up a lot, but he recovers quick so average maneuverability here. His instant death offense mimics Kirby's but isn't quite as universal. He can still jump on enemies and his egg weapon is really nice to spite requiring ammo so he has a high offense. His defense seems to be infinite as only instant kills take him out, but the littlest tap knocks him on his ass, and of course there's the baby Mario thing. I guess since recovering Mario isn't usually that hard he gets a good defense rating. Yoshi's versatility is a little better then average because his eggs are as much tool as weapon, and he comes with inventory potential and other moves. I think baby Mario would slow Yoshi down as much in any other game as in this one. If he could loose Mario he'd be unstoppable. I think he'd do well in most games regardless, but games that don't play fair would probably have you wanting to kill the next baby you see. I think it would be funny to see some of these other characters having to haul baby Mario around.
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Master Higgins (Super Adventure Island 2)
A great improvement over the original Higgins this guy is one tough cookie. Even though they took his high jump from the previous game he's still very springy and can cross the screen with a running jump. His maneuverability suffers a little at speed but since, bizarrely, no challenges require running it isn't an issue. This game is full of RPG style upgrades so Higgins' offense and defense can get pretty impressive. By late game you can equip a variety of weapons, armors, and shields turning Higgins into quite the damage dealing tank. And of course where would all those upgrades be if they didn't also act as tools. Again by the end of the game Higgins has a near Link level of versatility as far as weapons and moves go. One thing I really like about Higgins is his shear footed-ness. Even without all his accessories he moves fast and rarely meets and enemy that needs special tricks to deal with. I think Higgins would export generally well into most games and I'd take him into most without worry.
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Turrican (Super Turrican 2)
For this entire review I'll be comparing this guy to Samus because he is in fact a Samus clone. Happily like you'd expect from a character designed after Samus Turrican is awesome. He's not perfect though, his jumping is only average. On the flip side his maneuverability is better then Samus' since he goes faster through air then her. Other then that to make Samus into a character suited for a game with lives, score, and time limits here's what the designers did. Make offense a power up / item based weapon that can handle attachments and loses potency with each death. Make defense a more then averagely complex health bar so different enemies do different levels of damage. Make versatility more unique to each level and occasionally requiring ammo. Turrican has Samus' morph ball and morph mines instead of bombs, which cutely become morph missiles in midair, and all of which require ammo. Turrican has a grappling arm that, unlike Samus', sticks to anything, and a stun beam freezes enemies like Samus' grapple beam can. Turrican's weapons are a little more classic then Samus' featuring big laser beams, flamethrowers, and homing missiles. Interestingly enough this game gives you a good idea of what a kill fest it would be dumping a high offense character into a basic platofrmer. This is a great game, I highly recommend it, I'm sure Turrican would devastate in even the toughest platformers.
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Zool (Zool)
Much like Cool Spot this is the right way to do product placement. Well sort of, it's a good game. Living up to the ninja stereotype Zool is a badass. His offense and versatility are his top traits. He can climb walls, break walls, back flip off walls, jump off enemy heads, shoot enemies, slide kick enemies, and use a round house slashing move in midair. His jumping is quick and has a great range. His maneuverability could be better but still does everything you want it to, and his defense allows him to walk through a surprising amount of damage before dying. After a few levels of this game you appreciate just how tough Zool is since enemies in it are plentiful and quick and would probably chew up a lot of other characters. Zool's speed and versatility of attack make me think he'd do great in any game, I could even see him trucking through Mega Man X. Although I can't quite see how this game is supposed to make people want to eat lollipops.
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Wayne Campbell (Wayne's World)
Now how many people here other then me are old enough to remember Wayne's World. Yes, long before Shrek or even Austin Powers, Mike Myers was on this show called Saturday Night Live. Of course it was the movie that spawned this game not the SNL sketch. Wayne is a pretty flat character. His jumping is average. His maneuverability is average. His offense is average. His defense is average. His versatility is lacking. Everything you need for a simple, simple minded platformer, which is what a lot of reviews will say about this game. I don't hate it though, it can be fun. Although it is worth noting I'll be reviewing B.O.B. later and quite a few things were ripped off from that game for this one. Wayne is more of a silly character then anything else, so I guess in some way he'd make Mike proud. Far from being excellent in any other game he'd struggle, but I'd at least try him out for laughs. Cue Freddy Mercury.
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Buster Bunny (Tiny Toon Adventures)
Another thing that most of the people here are probably too young to remember. Heh, this show was part of my after school routine. To spite being less then nimble Buster is a great character. Falling into the same slot as Zool he has great offense and versatility. Buster's attack is a front flip that renders him temporarily invincible and can cut through multiple enemies. If anything hits him anywhere while he's attacking it receives damage not him. Buster is so versatile because this game is loaded with cartoon physics so he can comically run up walls. His jumping is slow and not very high but combined with his mad dashing can have a good range. His maneuverability as a cartoon character grants him more air time then most characters, which can be a double edged sword. His defense is OK and his health can be upgraded twice per level, although said upgrades are lost when moving between levels. I think skilled player could do real damage with Buster in most games since he can be so quick. But without a lot of practice he's just a typical toon and I wouldn't export him if there were alternatives.
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Mowgli (The Jungle Book)
As you would expect from a child character Mowgli is very light. As such he's a great jumper and has good maneuverability. He can combo off enemy heads easily and ledges are rarely out of reach. However the designers also extended the whole youth concept to his offense making the game excessively hard at times. Mowgli can fire a continuous stream of banana projectiles but they do little damage and the bosses are nearly unkillable. His defense isn't that great either but it's only because his post hit invincibility period is so short. He's as versatile he needs to be and he can handle jungle vines like a monkey but nothing too flashy. He's a decent character but I think overall you'd be doing more work then you wanted too if you used him in many other games. Still I'm sure he's more powerful as a game character then Kipling ever intended him to be.
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Dr. Franken (Dr. Franken)
This guy is the last thing most people would picture as a frankenstein. He's light on his feet instead of weighing a ton. He's a quick jumper and has good range. His maneuverability is is certainly above a lot of characters. He's a softie instead of a tank. He would have a decent offense except he's got almost negative range with his attacks. His defense seems high at the outset of the game but he takes tons of damage fast. With the exception of a ducking ability he has no versatility at all. This game is a good example of how not to be suckered into horrible game play by pretty graphics. Much like Mowgli Dr. Franken is bouncy and dies a lot. Most other games would probably cream him in no time.
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T-Bone & Razor (SWAT Cats)
These guys are great. They level up like RPG characters. As the game goes on they both get higher and higher offense, especially T-Bone, and ludicrously high defense. You can level buff them both into tanks. Unfortunately their levels don't apply to jumping and maneuverability though. T-Bone jumps like a brick but he's not completely unmaneuverable. Razor is the opposite with great jumping and maneuverability and he even gets a jet pack. Both cats can climb walls and T-Bone has a rocket launcher that destroyers special walls so their versatility is up there. Overall they're both great characters who only lack real speed. At Lv. 99 I'm sure they could survive most games, but there sloth would always cause issues.
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Bubsy Bobcat (Bubsy)
At first he looked cute but god how I grew to hate him. I usually play both games in a series, if more then one appears on the SNES, and pick the better of the two to rate and this time it's actually the first! Busby's only real positive trait is his jumping, which can go really damn high. He's not very maneuverable for something so small. He tends to be one of those characters that sticks to the ground. His offense is limited to jumping off enemy heads. His versatility goes as far as a weak gliding move. And his defense, heh, he has none. This is the real downfall of this game, he dies if he stubbes his toe. His speed makes it worse and makes this game the worst kind of twitchy. I'm sure he'd fail at even the simplest of other platformers if exported. A bad Sonic clone.
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Simon Belmont (Super Castlevania 4)
I'm sure you've all played this one. Simon is slow and he can't really jump. His maneuverability sucks too. Fortunately he can take a pounding, man can he take a pounding. In most of the boss battles, if you enter with full health, you can just attack like crazy and they'll die before you do. Of course Simon's upgradeable offense helps this. With a fully upgraded whip Simon has great range and does devastating damage in all directions. He even has a little move that lets you flail the whip around. His versatility is pretty flat but it's not an issue in this game. If exported to another game however it might be a problem. I think Simon would be a drag in most platformers since he's a walking brick. But he sure can kill things.
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Richter Belmont (Castlevania 5)
Richter isn't quite his ancestor. His offense lacks Simon's all around attack having exchanged it for something similar to area magic. An MP draining downgrade in my opinion. The Vampire Killer can no longer be upgraded, nor can it be used to hook on to things, so there's a loss of versatility too but neither problems bring down the game. Richter has great defense as you would expect from any muscle man character. And along those same lines his jumping and maneuverability suck. Fortunately his quickness when it comes to consecutive jumps saves him from constantly dieing. I think Richter would make a funny export. His ability to stand and deliver damage might get him through a lot, but I think more creative enemies might be too much for him.
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Whirlo (Whirlo)
I love this game but I hate it too. It's creative but Whirlo himself is a disaster of a character. His worst stat by far is his maneuverability, which would be non existent if not for all his moves. He has both high jumps and long jumps but they're hard to time given his lead feet. Much like Busby a slight breeze will kill Whirlo and he has to recover from jumps of almost any height so no points for defense. He's slightly versatile being able to climb and knock certain objects around. The single stat that gets him through the game is his offense. He can rapidly strike forward, spin strike while in the air, down strike while in the air, and launch a special attack. For reasons not related to any of this I could talk on and on about this game. I think something serious was dropped in translation. In any case I would never export Whirlo. His offense is great but he only really excels at getting himself killed.
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Chester Cheetah (Chester Cheetah 2)
More product placement with less then stellar results. Chester is a sky master. He has a high jump that takes him way off screen and he can continuously jump through mid air. His maneuverability is terrible though as he is just too cool rush so when he does run he dies fast. And speaking of dies he's about as tough as the Kongs, although his defense can be item bolstered. His offense is OK and he can combo jump off heads like Mario. His versatility is greater then it needs to be, giving his virtual flying ability, as he can swim, ledge grab, and break some ceilings or floors. Chester sure would be fun to use in another game since he can get away from danger so fast, but it would always be a survival challenge.
BTW this game would be a breeze to map.
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Yakko Warner, Wakko Warner, & Dot Warner (Animaniacs)
These three have almost negative defense. One hit returns any of them to their water tower and you have to exit whatever level you're in to go back and get them, so no DK barrel here. Their offense is OK but real damage can only be done when the local environment provides opportunity. Jumping and maneuverability are also basically average but fortunately this game doesn't often stress the player in either area. Versatility is the Warner's best attribute since they can form a tower to reach higher areas, break or pick up some objects, climb, ect. There's no performance difference between Yakko, Wakko, or Dot and like other toon characters they're a little too much like a beach ball, bright and bouncy, to handle rougher games. Export to simple games maybe but nothing with guns.
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Bonkers (Bonkers)
A bit of an oddball some of Bonkers stats are low because others are high. Bonkers main move is his dash which boosts his defense and acts as an attack. Of course his defense doesn't really need help since it's upgradable throughout the game and by the end he can wind up with a lot of health. His offense, also upgradable, needs no assistance either since he can toss or roll bombs or jump off enemy heads. While the dash extends Bonkers jump it doesn't really improve it from being average and his maneuverability suffers while he's moving at speed. His versatility however does get better the faster he goes as the dash provides new moves. If Bonkers' dash were as easy to control as Sparksters jet pack it would give all stats a boost, but it isn't. Also this game has unusually aggressive enemies that can be hard to hit. That said Bonkers would probably be a good export since he was designed for difficulty. Definitely not you're usual toon.
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Aladdin (Aladdin)
Aladdin fits the standard action man model. His jumping is of average height and distance. His maneuverability is slightly above what most people could do. And his offense is limited by his lack of equipment. But in this case at least he's more of a video game character then a movie character since his defense is expandable. Being Aladdin his versatility is where he really shines. He can ledge grab, swing, climb, duck, and even flip of some objects. Overall he's a little slow and there are characters that can pull similar stunts with greater accuracy. But I think he'd do OK in most games if exported.
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Rex Ronan (Rex Ronan Experimental Surgeon)
On to the after school special games, there are a bunch of these on the snes. Rex can shoot in all directions and his weapon can be upgraded, but that said he's probably got the worst version of such equipment in the video game universe. His defense is great to spite the fact that he's got no invincibility period and most of his deaths are due to exceeding the time limit. His versatility, except for his weapon changes, is nonexistent. His jumps are high but not very long and his maneuverability is extremely low. His game is in fact a little to hard for him. Of course I'm sure he'd flop in other games too. Rex would be great in any platformer where enemies mindlessly impale themselves on you but since that's not many for an export he is a no. Why do I get the sinking feeling that of all the other "let's learn about healthy living" games this will be the best one.
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Asterix (Asterix)
Normally if there's more then one game in a series here I'll just take the better of the two, but in this case the character in question is so different between games I'm splitting them up. Not to many comic book character's reviewed yet, hopefully Asterix isn't an average example for them. Asterix's attack does decent damage but it's range is almost nonexistent. His defense isn't great for his game either and he dies a lot. His versatility is OK and he can duck, climb, swim. I'm surprised by just how many characters so far reviewed die when faced with the challenge of getting their feet wet. Asterix's jumping is just what you want from a basic platform character but his maneuverability is weak and like Aladdin he has a slight slide when stopping. If it wasn't for his two inch attack Asterix would do alright in most games but I think exporting him would lead to more frustration then anything else.
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Umihara Kawase (Umihara Kawase)
This is kind of an odd platformer so it needs an odd review. Under certain conditions Umihara would make a great export. This is because to spite the fact she's a relatively simple character her game is up near the top as far as difficulty goes. Only super characters who can fly or wall walk would be able to get anywhere in it like Kirby or Mega Man X. Speaking of X much like him Umi's offense and versatility are one in the same. She uses a fishing line / grappling hook which can immobilize any target or get her just about anywhere in the level. Her maneuverability is also tied in with this weapon / tool as she can swing herself around by it and she spends far more time hanging from it then actually walking around. Her jumping is average at best but of course it's not regularly needed, again, odd for a platformer. Umi's defense is terrible but she can survive small hits only being stunned. Game play in Umihara Kawase borders on tactical but it never loses it's platform game feel and Umi certainly is a unique character.
BTW this game would be a breeze to map.
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Obelix (Asterix & Obelix)
Not a lot to say about Obelix, he's a pretty average character. His maneuverability is about average and he's not slow to spite his size. He's as versatile as he needs to be lacking any real tricks or moves. His jumping is weak and his offense is terrible, being ranged too short even with a charged attack, just like Asterix's. His defense could get a better rating but the game has an odd damage / healing system. With the exception of his attack Obelix might make a decent export to mid difficulty level games. So far comic book characters aren't holding up well. I hope that changes when I get to Spawn.
BTW this game would be a breeze to map.
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Speedy Gonzales (Speedy Gonzales)
Speedy's not Sonic, but he's close. Like the hedgehog the mouse can make incredibly long jumps once he's going fast. He's also very maneuverable and can practically land and jump off the head of a pin. The only problem is, like Sonic, once Speedy's going fast you have almost no time to react when you hit danger. Fortunately Speedy has a great forward attack that acts defensively, also like Sonic's. If Busby had something similar he'd be the same high ranking speedster echelon as these guys, but speed plus no defense equals death so no. Speedy's defense seems better then it is since he's got a case of one stat modifying the other; his speed allowing him to pass several dangers during post hit invincibility when a normal character could only pass one or two. He could do a lot better on versatility but he's OK overall. Speedy would make the same kind of export Sonic would: zipping around the level only to get stuck on a single puzzle for fifteen straight minutes. He'd probably do great in any Mario universe.
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Heroes (The Hurricanes)
Have I mentioned how much I'm surprised by how well all the characters adapted from cartoons are scoring? These guys, whatever their names are, are no exception. As soccer stars they kick around a soccer ball, which can gain various temporary upgrades, to attack enemies. It's an OK level of offense. Their defense is pretty good and they can withstand a decent amount of damage. Their versatility, the majority coming from their offense, could be better. It's in the jumping/maneuverability department that they shine/stink. You'd think a soccer star would have great maneuverability and kind of useless jumping, but these guys have the reverse. Both heroes can launch soaring high jumps leaping straight up to ledges you'd swear were out of reach, but then they'll skid off those ledges. They even have a funny running in mid air animation before they fall. I don't know maybe I'm not giving them enough credit. Action and stat wise both characters play exactly the same with good attacks, resistance, and speed. But for some reason I see them having a hard time on export, skidding into damage more often then avoiding it, and waiting helplessly for another soccer to appear ball having popped the first somehow.
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Busby (Busby)
At first he looked cute but god how I grew to hate him. I usually play both games in a series, if more then one appears on the SNES, and pick the better of the two to rate and this time it's actually the first! Busby's only real positive trait is his jumping, which can go really damn high. He's not very maneuverable for something so small. He tends to be one of those characters that sticks to the ground. His offense is limited to jumping off enemy heads. His versatility goes as far as a weak gliding move. And his defense, heh, he has none. This is the real downfall of this game, he dies if he stubbes his toe. His speed makes it worse and makes this game the worst kind of twitchy. I'm sure he'd fail at even the simplest of other platformers if exported. A bad Sonic clone.
Catchiest music ever. Btw, his name is Bubsy.
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Fixed. And yes, too bad the music in Bubsy 2 is so god awful. Sounds like a cartoon character farting various musical instruments.
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I remember renting the first Bubsy game (along with a SNES since I never owned one) after several work-in-progress reports in Nintendo Power magazine singing the game's future praises. Unfortunately, the game was really bad with horrible controls and boring stages that are so big the moment you jump high and start gliding you have no idea where you're going to land. At least that's what I remember of it, having only made it to the first amusement park stage at the time, and I never even felt like giving it a second chance on an emulator, much less tried the second game. Bad Sonic clone is a good descriptor.
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Animal Forms (Claymates)
Another group rating here this time revolving around a main character that turns into his animal buddies instead of tagging along with them. First off Clayton, the main character, can't do very much. He's a clay ball and he's got all the powers you'd expect from one. Yet somehow he beats almost all the animal forms in at least one area. Jumping. Clayton can. It's his best trait in fact. Being a cat Mukster's should be better. Oozy, a speed demon mouse, can practically fly with running jumps, which is funny since Doh-Doh, a bird who can fly, can't jump for anything. Globmeister, a gopher, and Goopy, a fish, are about average. Maneuverability. Clayton stinks and so does Goopy, although somehow Clayton, who is again a clay ball, is actually more maneuverable in water then Goopy, who is again a fish. Everybody else is average except Doh-Doh who, when airborne, blows the rest away. Offense. Average to sub par across the board except for Globmeister who can be a damn destroyer, and Goopy who once again somehow manages to do poorly even when he excels. Defense. None of them have any. Think of the animal buddy system in DKC, it's just like that. Versatility. Here's where they're all different. While Clatyon really has none Muckster can climb, Oozy can jump about any gap, Globmeister digs, Doh-Doh can fly, and of course Goopy swims. This has gone on way too long and I promise it won't happen again in the future. No good exports save Globmeister and then it's hairline. The end.
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Mr. Bloopy (Mr. Bloopy)
This is as much a puzzle game as it is a platformer and Bloopy's abilities show it. I'll make this quick. Mr. Bloopy can't jump, he can't maneuver, there's only 2 kinds of enemies he can actually kill, and he dies at the slightest tap. His high versatile it only really helps with the puzzles. Masochists only need apply for export. See? Quick.
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Kyle Reese (The Terminator)
Yet another standard action hero Kyle excels at all the things most of them do. His offense is average for his game and he can shoot in more then one direction. His defense is high and he can take a lot of damage before he dies. His versatility is confined to moves that would only be useful for an action hero and upgrades are by item only. Kyle's jumping is much greater then it needs to be making me wonder if the designers were planning something more and his maneuverability is only really average. Sometimes I wonder if the action hero type character is destined to have less of a variety gradient overall compared to other types of platform characters based on what I've seen so far. Anyway Kyle would export well into most games blah blah blah movie jokes.
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Stanley Ippkiss (The Mask)
Preforming much better then most movie to game characters Stanley really stands out. In fact he beats most other characters period. You can think of Stanley in Earthworm Jim terms: he's got a lot of good moves that get a lot better if he has enough ammo, or in this case MP. Jumping is Stanley's top stat. He can easily jump straight up off screen or forward several screens if he's going top speed. His maneuverability is boosted by his quickness and again by his speed. His defense, high for his game, would be huge in most games. His versatility is another would be average but it gets boosted by other stats. Stanley's offense, just like Jim's, is something to behold. He has more then one full screen attack, more then one tackle attack, he can use combos, and unlike most characters he can attack while running without breaking stride. Stanley has more then enough firepower to survive even a Metroid game. He'd make a great export into any game you wanted to show who's boss. I'd like a Mask with a god trapped in it.
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James Pond (Super James Pond)
James, who is some kind of fish, takes after mario. In other words he jumps on heads and has limited upgradeability. I should add a warning here: the sickening levels of cuteness in this game may cause convulsions. James is a great jumper. In fact he fell just short getting the Sky Master ratting. In other games he certainly would but characters are rated by how they do in their games not by how they might do in games I can't test them in. James has good maneuverability and decent offense and defense. He'll stop where you want him to and enemies don't last long or do to much damage. As for versatility James has a very unique trick. He can stretch himself straight up continuously like a rubber band until he reaches the ceiling, at which point he grabs on to like a ninja. This cool move changes the game since as long as there's something above James there's nowhere he can't go. It's a bizarre move and I could talk on about it for a while but suffices to say this ladder fish can get some things done. James is odd and cute but I think he would really do well in other games. A definite export.
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B.O.B. (B.O.B.)
I hate this guy, but not for any good reason. B.O.B. is pretty close to how you'd expect a lot of machine characters to be, slow and dangerous. And compared to most characters he really is quite slow. His average jumping and maneuverability are held down due to his robotic weight and it takes him too long to get moving fast. His defense would be a lot better if he wasn't so vulnerable to combos. But moving on to B.O.B.'s better traits he has a variety of great weaponry that can inflict a lot of damage and get around almost any enemy defense, the only draw back being ammo requirement. B.O.B.'s versatility is even better since he can use all kinds of gadgets to fly himself around, stop time, create a personal forcefield, and do a bunch of other things. But unfortunately these too require ammo. If he was a little faster he'd be a lot better. Sadly that combined with his lack on an invincibility period cripples him and I think in most games he'd just add unnecessary difficulty. But hey, if you like a challenge.
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Pugsley Addams (Addams Family Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt)
Been a while since I've done one of these. Not quite an action hero Pugsley is a little too easy to kill. His jumping is fast and far but he skids and it hurts him a lot. More then it would if he was in a different game. As such he loses a maneuverability point. His offense and defense are garbage. He can only take three hits max, and he can only inflict one hit at a time via a head stomp. His versatility should be a lot better but it fails and unlike his jumping problems he can't blame this one on his game. He crawling and climbing don't work with his jumping, and the one cool wall kick jumping trick he has is harder to use the Samus's wall jumping. Over all he fails, but most of those failings would be fixed if he had a little more offense and defense.
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Lester Knight Chaykin (Out of This World)
Poor Lester, you were never meant for platforming. Lester is probably a good example of what would happen to a real person dumped into a video game: death. Lester has no defense at all, one hit, any hit, will kill him. Conversely the weapon he gets makes his offense spectacular. One shot kills all around. It's also the only real place he gets his versatility from even though the games environment makes it appear otherwise. His maneuverability is nonexistent but at least his jumping is easy to control. Even if it's really bad. I get the feeling that the only other game he might have a chance in is Abe's Odyssey.
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Lester Knight Chaykin (Out of This World)
Poor Lester, you were never meant for platforming. Lester is probably a good example of what would happen to a real person dumped into a video game: death.
I wonder if you've played the sequel, Heart of the Alien (disavowed by the designer of the original game, Éric Chahi) because that comment you just made turns out to be quite ironic...
All these posts about platforming heroes actually make me wish you'd do a quick review of each game instead. Then again, I really don't need to add any more game to the queue...
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No I hadn't heard of Heart of the Alien. *watches video* So you play as the alien instead of Lester? Still looks pretty easy to die. If I did full game reviews I'd take forever. I have to stop myself with certain character reviews since some could go on and on with comparisons of character ability to game environment. You'd be surprised just how much the game itself can diminish or boost a characters abilities. With Out of This World for example almost all enemies are deadly as hell. You could take otherwise tough characters like Firebrand or Simon Belmont and they would have a really hard time. Then of course Lester would still die in the easiest of games. Out of This World just happens to have put a marshmallow of a character into a crucible of a game. Sometimes it's in reverse, or there's great balance, or something else entirely. I could pick apart the details for pages.
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No I hadn't heard of Heart of the Alien. *watches video* So you play as the alien instead of Lester? Still looks pretty easy to die.
I was trying to avoid spoilers, but let's say the sequel (which is a pretty shitty game with worse controls and traditional instead of vector graphics like the first one) spells out pretty graphically Lester's ultimate fate :(.
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Al Simmons (Spawn)
Lead foot. Total lead foot. Spawn has other problems too but his lack of maneuverability makes the game almost unplayable. I could rant. His jumping is OK but it probably wouldn't be in another game. In fact his versatility is all about jumping making both much better. He's got great wall climbing and gliding. His defense is where he shines since he's more or less immortal. He has a health battery that's almost impossible to exhaust. His Offense SHOULD be fantastic too but there's an overall game problem that holds him back. This game can't decided weather it wants to be a platform game or a beat em up. It mixes both components badly and in doing so handicaps Spawn. He's got tons of great attacks, more then Samus even, but they're hard to use since they're all button combinations. He could have been a truly awesome character, instead he's just another muscle man who walks around with his chest puffed out and talks in an extra deep voice.
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Don't you think that makes games feel cheap? "We don't want to make more games in this series so we'll just kill off the main character instead of ending it right."
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I've always hated such cheap drama, and it's one of the reason why I don't consider the sequel canon. The original was perfect all the way through and I much prefer an open ending to a crappy closed one.
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And so many series have sold out that way. Games ain't what they used to be.
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Kit Walker (Phantom 2040)
A silly outfit beguiles a lot of ability. Much like Samus or Firebrand the Phantom starts off relatively weak and grows throughout the game. In fact the only thing holding him back is lack of balance so I'll just talk about that. He can jump high but not far and lacks jumping control. Which is strange since he's very sure footed on the ground, dividing his maneuverability awkwardly. His offense is truly mighty by the end of the game but it too is awkward and lacks real force trump cards. His defense only grows via HP extensions so it feels kind of cheap. Like Batman he has good tools boosting his versatility but they never seem to be useful right when they most would be. Overall the Phantom is a great character, I just can't bring myself to like the guy. He'd stomp almost any other game.
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Alex (Dragon View)
What's this? An RPG character!? Well for an action RPG I thought this game was built like a platformer so. Alex is a great character. He's fast and hits hard. In fact the only average part of him is his jumping which is ...average. His maneuverability is twitch fast and he turns on a dime. His versatility is boosted by all the little event items and trinkets you get in any RPG. Alex shines the most with his offense, like most RPG characters. By the end of the game he's got a variety of moves, magic, and techniques, and he can really be a devastator. His defense grows in the same way with armor and levels. It makes me wonder how powerful other platform character could become if they could level up. And yes I know that's kind of cheating for Alex but even at level one most of his stats make a great platform character and he'd be tough to beat in lots of games.
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Hercules (Gods)
Doesn't quite live up to the legend. Hercules has stuck to the ground syndrome, just like Spawn or The Master. He mimics them in a lot of ways in fact. His jumping is OK but slow which makes his maneuverability bad. His offense is high but would be higher if it was easier to control. His defense is only poor since he has no invincibility period. His versatility is based largely on his game so in other games he'd suffer. Gods is a fun game but if you have to pick a beefcake to play as pick a different one.
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Mazinger Z (Mazinger Z)
Ouch, no lives or continues. One death in this game and you have to start all over. Much like several other games Mazinger Z is a good example of why you shouldn't cross a beat em up and a platformer. Bad jumping plus bad maneuverability makes Mazinger Z another "stuck to the ground" character. On top of that it has no versatility whatsoever. Fortunately it can take a beating and it's got lots of different attacks. You won't find many enemies out of reach and only sluggishness keeps Mazinger Z from being a total destroyer. An OK character for other games I guess but you might want to make sure you've got your scale right so you can just step on your foes as a giant robot.
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Fievel (An American Tail Fievel Goes West)
Nothing to see her folks, move along. Fievel is more or less an average character. His jumping is just fine. His maneuverability is ever so slightly slippy and he goes off edges. His defense is about what you'd expect and can be slightly upgraded. His offense is bad even with upgrades, and his versatility largely comes from his offense. If he had adjustments to his offense and maneuverability he'd be a quick little assassin, but otherwise Fievel is just a humdrum character. His voice sound strangely like Whirlo's.
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Alex Murphy (Robocop 3)
GOD AWFUL. Really bad game featuring a really bad character. Robocop is a total brick with no maneuverability and almost no jumping ability. Not that it matters since there's almost no platforming in this platform game. Being Robocop he does have great offense but he runs out of ammo fast and then your dead. His defense looks great from the outset but he has no invincibility period so combos take him down fast. He has no versatility at all. His terrible game is almost perfect for him since it's just straight forward beefcake butchering. ...Anything more from me here would just be a rant so I'll stop now.
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Alex Murphy (Robocop Vs. the Terminator)
Now this is how Robocop should be. Slow yes but lots of power. This Robocop is slightly more maneuverable then the last so his jumping is a little better. A decent invincibility period and a lot of health give him above average defense. He's versatile with the ability to swing from hand rails and his weapons can destroy some objects. Of course his offense is where he shines as the game allows him several different devastating guns. In fact the only reason he lacks a max offense rating is that the terminators are so damn tough. In any other game Robocop would destroy most bosses in seconds. And it would be lots of fun to see how he'd handle being in another game with so much force and so little speed.
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Packy and Marlon (Packy & Marlon)
This is one of those product pushing, disguised as educational, games about diabetes. I shouldn't say much here since I can't clear a single level of the game without dying in a diabetic coma. I'm just not sure how to keep the little elephants alive. They are clones of each other gameplay wise. They jump poorly but make up for it with an albeit weak gliding ability. Their maneuverability is standard. Their offense is low damage but but their rate of fire and variety of weapons brings them back up to a normal rating. Their defense is slightly better then average. Their versatility is perfectly average. They'd be as weak in any other game as they are in this one.
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Michael Jordan (Michael Jordan Chaos in the Windy City)
Michael is great. I'll say it right now, he'd be great in almost any other game. Michael can jump almost three times his own height and has a screen clearing spinning jump. His versatility is just short of total due in no small part to his Mega Man style weapons. Weapons, different kinds of basketballs, which give him incredible offense like homing, elemental, exploding, or multiplying shots all at great speed. His defense is naturally high with expandable HP. Michael's only slip is his slipping on landings which lowers his maneuverability to normal. Overall a great character. Play this game now.
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Harry (Hammering Harry)
Not completely sure what's going on in this game. Harry is a funny character. He's got great offense, swinging his upgradable hammer around in all directions. In fact he's only just shy of max offense since his special moves are overly difficult to use. Also like many characters his weapon provides a versatility boost. His defense is good too since he can take quite a few hits and upgrade this and that. His jumping will surprise you. More then once I thought I couldn't teach ledges above me but I was wrong. He only falters in his maneuverability being a little slow and not reacting when you want him too. He's a great character though. Quick and dangerous he'd do great in other games.
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Whizz (Whizz)
Magic mushroom downing rabbit stars in only 3D SNES platformer. Whizz is indeed the only 3D platformer on the SNES, and it's pretty boring. Ratings can still be applied though. Whizz isn't much of a jumper but he can surprise you since he's so fast. Unfortunately he's a little too fast costing him maneuverability and lives. His offense is average at simple but effective. His defense is a strange combo of vulnerability to combos along with a good amount of HP which balances out. He has no real versatility but all the tools in his world balance this for him. This game could have been made by someone on mushrooms. It could also be the inspiration for Sonic 3D Blast. Don't export Whizz. He can't handle the harsh requirements of standard 2D platforming.
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Jonathan Harker (Bram Stoker's Dracula)
This game is essentially a bad Castlevania. It seems like one of those games that was supposed to be 8 bit but ended up 16 instead. Jonathan has horrible defense and dies quickly and frequently. His offense is just as bad, making you think you're playing Lagoon, running out of what little ammo you can find almost immediately. His jumping and maneuverability are perfectly average, and his versatility is more or less not there. He feels like a Bitmap Brothers reject, don't export him.
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Milon (Do-Re-Mi Fantasy)
None of the musical games I've ever played have really been about music. And this one is no different, but at least it's got a great character. On the surface Milon might seem like a push over, and defense wise he is since he can only tolerate three hits max. But he's remarkably quick and can out maneuver almost any enemy, so his maneuverability is high. His jumping is greatly boosted by an item that turns his falls into glides, think Dixie Kong, so he's great there too. His offense is somewhat strange though. He can jump on enemy heads to stun them and turn them into platforms, or he can shoot bubbles at them then give them a hit to send them flying. Since Milon is an item using character his versatility slowly grows and by the end of the game it's pretty good. In total he's a little strange since he's so surprisingly quick and his offense seems to be a subsidiary of his defense. He be a wild card outside of his game, which is why I'd totally export him.
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The Beast (Beaury and the Beast)
How not to build a super maneuverer. Beast's design is a failed attempt to build a max ability character. His jumping is great, greater then it should be, but only if he's moving. His defense is high and his offense is usually one hit kill but he makes an easy target and his attacks miss easy. He's got a special move that boosts his versatility but it's not often used. All these things are poorly woven together. Beast's maneuverability problems are kind of a hallmark of his failed hero design. He's fast but then he has stuck to the ground syndrome. He doesn't slide but an automatic quick step recovery move he does makes you fall off ledges more often then it saves you. And when he quickly needs to get off a crumbling or moving platform he can't do it in time. His other abilities also subtlety fail but with his maneuverability it's most obvious. Maybe his game is just too hard for him but it seems like all his stats are a little askew. Probably a bad export, maybe good for twitchies?
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Ellen Ripley (Alien 3)
Samus would be proud of Ripley. To bad this game sucks. Ripley's stats are great. She's a good jumper and a solid maneuverer being able to dodge most aliens and land where you want her to. Her offense is great too. She starts with all her weapons and they all do a lot of damage. They run out of ammo fast though and can be tricky to aim. Ripley's versatility is a little better then average and is boosted somewhat further by the game giving her just what she needs when she needs. More then anything else though her defense is spectacular. She can take hit after hit just like Samus and even when an alien KOs her she gets up fast with little ill effect. She only gets one life though so don't die. She'd kick major ass in any other game, it would almost be like cheating.
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Josephine (Kendo Rage)
Is this based on an anime? Jo is a great character, she's fast in both movement and attack. Her stats seem to be even for her game though but even with overall average jumping and maneuverability she moves around really quickly, faster then most characters. Her offense is her strong point since she's got a variety of multidirectional attacks. The only thing holding her back from max offense is her lack of screen clearing attacks. Not counting the fact that her offense is defensive her defense is bad. She's not very damage resistant and her HP runs out fast. Her versatility is decent. She can swim and chop through some objects. With slightly better defense Jo would make for an outstanding character. She'd be a great export to most other platform games.
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Casper (Casper)
Friendly ghosts aren't that useful, next time let's go with Beetlejuice. This is one of those "keep your partner alive games" that gets so grating. Casper gets max jumping since he's always floating but his maneuverability is poor and you have to work to keep him damage free. His versatility is max since almost all his weapons are tools and he can just float right through walls. Casper's offense is bad though. Each of his weapons only damages a certain kind of enemy, using weapons drains health, and his accuracy is garbage. Speaking of draining energy Casper's defense is totally bizarre. As I said using weapons, or tools, drains his health. Overall he can't take a lot of hits and his invincibility maneuver also drains health. He has to consume wisps (health) all the time and items that are made to raise your score also increase your HP. I guess it's fitting in a way since he's a ghost that his health system would be backwards. He seems like he should be unstoppable but in the end he's just a pillow. Finally there's Kat, whom you have to keep safe throughout the game. She could be useful like Flute but no she's just a stone around Casper's spectral neck. The design of this game feels rushed. Casper sure would be a strange export and I wouldn't recommend him.
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Captain Novolin (Captain Novolin)
I think they've stopped making these diabetes games. So this guy, to spite being dressed like Superman, is essentially Mario. His jumping is his best stat and he even has a spinning jump. It's also his only offense; pounding down on enemy heads. Captain Novolin's maneuverability is about average but it's kind of hard to tell since his game is set up like a beat em up. He has no versatility. There's just no reason for him to have any in this game. His defense, while decent, is wrapped around keeping him out of a diabetic coma like in other games like this. Overall he's too vulnerable and simple to make him a good export.
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Rex (Radical Rex)
More cute then radical. I don't know what the designers were thinking with the radical theme, it makes as little sense as the rest of this game. Rex is small and slow but he makes up for it with great maneuverability and defense. He can land on a dime and withstand a ridiculous amount of punishment. He can't jump thought and his offense is twisted. He needs to burn enemies to char and stun them so he can kick them to kill them but if he takes damage he loses attack power. It gets crazy. His versatility is about average and he can swim and climb. Oh, and he can skateboard. Rex is a strange character who would be a dubious export.