3D platformers used to be the go-to genre for children's licensed games. Their disappearance feels like another casualty of the industry's higher budget, higher risk production cycles post-Wii.
The 3D Platformer Thread
- Thread starter Undrey
- Start date
Has anyone completed Corn Kidz 64 on Switch? I'm currently on the boss where you need to aim the bomb bird and the way the control scheme works, it doesn't seem possible to properly aim and then shoot considering aiming is tied to the right stick and shooting is the Y button (so on the same hand)… So frustrating that I can't just simply aim and shoot and seems like something that wasn't tested before release.
EDIT: Welp I'm dumb. Just hold the R trigger and aim (thought it was a tap-one-of-the-triggers to enter aim mode situation 🤦♂️)
EDIT: Welp I'm dumb. Just hold the R trigger and aim (thought it was a tap-one-of-the-triggers to enter aim mode situation 🤦♂️)
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Marsupilami Hoobaventure is on sale for $5 in Canada on the Xbox Store, so I went ahead and grabbed it after hearing good things from platformer fans. I'm a few levels in and really enjoying myself so far. Not a 3D platformer, but I really love colorful, cheerful mascot platformers like these. Just puts a smile on my face.
View: https://twitter.com/CyberWolfBia/status/1788032692153704866
I think I'm good on doing a 100% completion run lol
Probably will do a review for the Nintendo fansite I am write for
I really need to go back and do a 100% run on it at some point as well. Its an excellent game, and yeah that tower was nuts but in a really fun way (I loved the movement/control myself). Its one of those platformers where I feel they really clicked with the time period they were trying to mimic, so it truly feels like a N64 platformer in the best kind of way.
Some really kind soul woke up one day and decided to make a complete overhaul mod for Crash Bandicoot 4 that streamlines the game and makes it playable easier to complete and I'm very excited to try this out sometime as someone who started this game but never got too far because it felt frustrating to play. I honestly considered making a new thread just for this but settled for posting it here instead.
www.nexusmods.com
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAwoTSo5z0M
Crash Bandicoot 4 - N.Hanced Completion Edition
A thorough revamp of the completion system, collectibles, and level designs, including removing N:Verted mode, toned down hidden crates, improved crate puzzles, new relic times and quality of life imp
www.nexusmods.com
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAwoTSo5z0M
Simply beating the game will be challenging, but nothing too haunting. Completing 100%, on the other hand, will destroy your soul and send you to the Shadow Realm.
Just finished Corn Kidz 64 and absolutely loved it. If you're lurking in this thread and haven't checked it out yet, what are you doing?! Fantastic mechanics, tone, sense of exploration, depth — please give this dev your money.
For just completing the levels and seeing everything its not too bad. The levels are fairly long, and some have some tricky segments later on, but honetsly with how checkpointing works, and how you can basically switch off lives if you want, its not all bad.
What makes things tougher and/or longer is the following:
Replaying levels several times due to different challengers/requirements.
Finding all the darn hidden crates (seriously some are completely off screen, its almost impossible finding them without a guide.
The "hit all crates in one life" challenge can be trying since certain hit boxes for them can make the boarding stuff more annoying than they should be.
Time trials are a bastard.
I did everything except the time trials, which I still wanna try and go back to. Its an excellent game dont get me wrong, but yeah they went nuts for completionists. I blame the people who shout about how a 3D platformer cant cost X amount of dollars without it being bloated content wise.
I'm a Crash veteran and 4 is still the only one I haven't 100% completed. It's brutal. The other ones I 100% complete on every replay (currently in the middle of 3).
But just playing to finish the levels and story I don't think is any worse than the original trilogy, especially with the "unlimited lives" option.
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Pumkin Jack dev game:
View: https://twitter.com/akimbot_game/status/1788193263259681122
Pants game:
View: https://twitter.com/PantDevOfficial/status/1788578602256138317
Looks cute! Love the main mechanic idea, might give it a shot once it's out of EA.
Saw this and love the idea behind it. Still think there's things that could be improved, but I'm all on board for the idea.
View: https://twitter.com/akimbot_game/status/1788193263259681122
Pants game:
View: https://twitter.com/PantDevOfficial/status/1788578602256138317
I think I read or heard somewhere that they're probably making a platformer after P2 because they've perfected their mechanics and that it'd be a waste to use it on just one game. Psychonauts is definitely one of the best series out there, and the fact that a cult classic managed to get a just-as-good sequel will never not make me happy.
That was my one main disappointment with the sequel. The first game felt like it bent the rules so many times and did so many unexpected things as opposed to P2, which, while more consistently great, doesn't reach those highs, and feels like a more typical game. One game that made me feel a bit like P1 in its game rule bendyness was It Takes Two.
Looks cute! Love the main mechanic idea, might give it a shot once it's out of EA.
I think Hotel Transylvania had a pretty bad platformer a few years ago. There's also Tad the Explorer (I think that's what it's called). Other than that there's not too much right now, and I'm not expecting too much anytime soon with the crash in the industry.
Hope you enjoy it! Heard good things about the DLC too! Need to give the game a try some time.
Some really kind soul woke up one day and decided to make a complete overhaul mod for Crash Bandicoot 4 that streamlines the game and makes itplayableeasier to complete and I'm very excited to try this out sometime as someone who started this game but never got too far because it felt frustrating to play. I honestly considered making a new thread just for this but settled for posting it here instead.
Crash Bandicoot 4 - N.Hanced Completion Edition
A thorough revamp of the completion system, collectibles, and level designs, including removing N:Verted mode, toned down hidden crates, improved crate puzzles, new relic times and quality of life imp
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAwoTSo5z0M
Saw this and love the idea behind it. Still think there's things that could be improved, but I'm all on board for the idea.
I think if it weren't for the 100% (106%) requirements, it'd have been my absolute favourite Crash game. Unfortunately the 106% requirements bring it down to maybe tied for second. I really hope they do end up making a Crash 5 that's less insane in what it asks of you.
Agreed! The game deserves all the success it gets. It's one of the few N64 inspired platformers that proper felt like a proper 5th gen platformer in its design and general vagueness.
Another series I keep saying I'll get to playing but never do. Hope this port does well! Think the Switch ports always do well for these types of games.
Spark 3 on Switch looks better than I thought it would.
Sadly, in my opinion, this game needs to be 60fps.
Sadly, in my opinion, this game needs to be 60fps.
Bang On Balls has just had a new Wild West World added as free DLC!!!
store.steampowered.com
Bang-On Balls: Chronicles - Saddle Up for the Wildest Update Yet! FREE FOR EVERYONE! - Steam News
The MASSIVE FREE Wild West Map update is now here!
This looks like it could be promising, despite the awful voice-over. Seems like it could be leaning towards a Ratchet & Clank style platformer.
Bang On Balls has just had a new Wild West World added as free DLC!!!
Bang-On Balls: Chronicles - Saddle Up for the Wildest Update Yet! FREE FOR EVERYONE! - Steam News
The MASSIVE FREE Wild West Map update is now here!
Is this game good? What's the length if you go for 100% (which I would do for sure if I played).
I found it to be great! Massive open levels with multiple objectives (I think this DLC makes it 6 worlds?), lots to collect etc and a fun sense of humour.
I haven't gone for full completion yet but howlongtobeat reckons around 18 hours? I've just had fun dicking around as nearly all the environments are destructible!
Sounds excellent! Might have to give this a try, thank you!!!
Sad to say I think the camera on A Hat in Time on console is pretty terrible for me. The right stick also controlling zooming in and out is so touchy, and the auto zoom into your character when you get near any sort of wall is super frustrating. No idea why they had to configure it this way, but I think I'm gonna be falling off this one pretty quickly. Just doesn't feel nice to play for me.
I actually dropped this game for the same reason, the camera is terrible and even tweaking some settings I couldn't get it to work well enough for me. I really wish I could like the game more but it's really weird how so many people recommend this game and never mention how bad the camera is. I tried a few times to get into the game over the years but I can never get too far without being frustrated.
I'm at least glad to hear I'm not alone. I may give it a try again in the future, but for now I was just getting way too frustrated in the first world. Oh well, onto the next one
I finally got around to playing Tinykin and it was absolutely wonderful. I was expecting it to be a bit more of a "Pikmin-like" game, but it ended up not really feeling much like Pikmin at all: no combat, no RTS elements, etc. The tinykin each having their own abilities and carrying objects was about as "Pikmin" as it got.
What I got instead was an addictive little collectathon platformer, and it's the first time I've felt this sense of wonder in a game in a very long time. It's the kind of game I could have seen myself playing back on the PS2, Gamecube, or even the N64/PS1, and it would have felt right at home, alongside all the other great 3D platformer collectathons with expansive explorative levels of that time like Banjo Kazooie, Psychonauts, Mario 64/Sunshine, Spyro, Jak & Daxter 1, etc.
It was a little on the short side, taking me only 8 hours roughly to 100%. Though it also felt like the perfect length, it didn't outstay its welcome, but also had me craving more with a sequel. And it was also pretty easy, but it was a very chill game so I have no complaints about that at all, especially when I've been playing a more difficult/frustrating game recently with Metroid Dread.
I actually can't really think of any negatives to say about the game. The story wasn't anything too special or interesting I suppose, though it was serviceable and this isn't the type of game I'd play for the story anyway. Art was great, music was also pretty good, controls mostly felt intuitive and there weren't any frustrating moments due to poor controls or camera (something that's definitely been an issue in some 3D platformers for me before).
What I got instead was an addictive little collectathon platformer, and it's the first time I've felt this sense of wonder in a game in a very long time. It's the kind of game I could have seen myself playing back on the PS2, Gamecube, or even the N64/PS1, and it would have felt right at home, alongside all the other great 3D platformer collectathons with expansive explorative levels of that time like Banjo Kazooie, Psychonauts, Mario 64/Sunshine, Spyro, Jak & Daxter 1, etc.
It was a little on the short side, taking me only 8 hours roughly to 100%. Though it also felt like the perfect length, it didn't outstay its welcome, but also had me craving more with a sequel. And it was also pretty easy, but it was a very chill game so I have no complaints about that at all, especially when I've been playing a more difficult/frustrating game recently with Metroid Dread.
I actually can't really think of any negatives to say about the game. The story wasn't anything too special or interesting I suppose, though it was serviceable and this isn't the type of game I'd play for the story anyway. Art was great, music was also pretty good, controls mostly felt intuitive and there weren't any frustrating moments due to poor controls or camera (something that's definitely been an issue in some 3D platformers for me before).
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Got this on the PS5 a while ago but haven't had access to it since. Might try it out on the Deck. Online co-op was impossible to figure out on PS5, hoping it's easier on PC.Bang On Balls has just had a new Wild West World added as free DLC!!!
Bang-On Balls: Chronicles - Saddle Up for the Wildest Update Yet! FREE FOR EVERYONE! - Steam News
The MASSIVE FREE Wild West Map update is now here!
Whoop. I watched the trailer on mute, had no idea there was voice acting. Doesn't sound too great but it's something I overlook (looking at the Kao the Kangaroo reboot).
Oh yeah the camera does take a bit to get used to. It's a pretty good game but if you're not feeling it by the end of the first world then you're probably not going to love it. If it's just the camera though you might get used to it down the line. Don't think I noticed it last time I played the game.
Love seeing more Tinykin love. Think it's one of the few unanimously praised games on this thread, and it's 100% deserving of it. I really hope we do get some sort of sequel or spiritual successor (or games inspired by it) in the future. It was definitely one of the highlights of its release year. Think the dev's doing some other type of game entirely right now, but it feels like the game did too well not to get more content eventually.
Been playing PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC on Xbox lately, got it on a nice discount. Never played the original back when it came out, but I've been having a lot of fun with it. Wouldn't mind seeing another one of these games someday, would be cool to see the character in a fully 3D space.
View: https://youtu.be/2Apw6NKJk_U?si=hi3NaIpJfmFi1fvQ
This just released today and it looks pretty cool.
Some really kind soul woke up one day and decided to make a complete overhaul mod for Crash Bandicoot 4 that streamlines the game and makes itplayableeasier to complete and I'm very excited to try this out sometime as someone who started this game but never got too far because it felt frustrating to play. I honestly considered making a new thread just for this but settled for posting it here instead.
Crash Bandicoot 4 - N.Hanced Completion Edition
A thorough revamp of the completion system, collectibles, and level designs, including removing N:Verted mode, toned down hidden crates, improved crate puzzles, new relic times and quality of life imp
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAwoTSo5z0M
I could do without the level design """improvements""". But toning down gems and removing n-verted shit is gold.
I have this one on my wishlist, just waiting for a few reviews before diving in (3D indie platformers feel like a crapshoot at times - either something amazing, or something real bad! Im trying to avoid spending out for stuff that frustrate to an extent that I dont even finish them, hoping its good though as it looks really good.
I posted the below in the most recent thread for RKGK | Rakugaki, but I'm guessing that thread will be pushed off the front page unnoticed in no time flat. So I figured it'd make sense to post it here too:
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Doesn't seem to be much interest in this one, but I decided to take a punt on the game so I might as well share some thoughts for undecided folks.
First up, the art and animation departments are doing a ton of work to make this game look higher budget than it is. In the place of cutscenes, expect still images and unvoiced text dialogue. This isn't a criticism, just a statement on how to position your expectations. This absolutely isn't Hi-Fi Rush.
In terms of control, it plays more like a traditional 3D platformer than something strongly momentum-based like Sunset Overdrive or Jet Set Radio. You don't really flow smoothly and rapidly from move to move like those games; it's more like Jak and Daxter, for example. You do however have a glide move that allows you to zoom around smoothly over solid ground; in its default state it isn't very fast, but when your character is in a powered-up state it's a good bit faster.
I'm very early on, but the levels don't seem particularly bespoke; they have an "obstacle course" vibe to them, feeling like they're built from lots of repeating pre-fab pieces. Levels end with a score card and a list of objectives, such as beating the level in certain times, collecting all coins, defeating all enemies etc.
From what I can tell, the story is a pretty thin fight-the-system type thing that you've seen a million times before.
That all may sound pretty negative, but really I just want to be clear about what the game is and isn't, because it's expectations that'll kill this one for some people. I'm actually enjoying it so far; it feels good to control, the goals are simple and straightforward and the presentation is really nice. I'm keen to see how things evolve over the the coming stages.
It also performs very nicely on my system, with a few of the expected stutters when new effects/visual elements appear for the first time, but none of the more pervasive stuttering problems we've come to expect this gen. It includes DLSS and FSR, which I'm always happy to see. Oh, and it runs very nicely on Steam Deck, with a reasonably stable 60fps possible even with settings around the medium mark.
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Doesn't seem to be much interest in this one, but I decided to take a punt on the game so I might as well share some thoughts for undecided folks.
First up, the art and animation departments are doing a ton of work to make this game look higher budget than it is. In the place of cutscenes, expect still images and unvoiced text dialogue. This isn't a criticism, just a statement on how to position your expectations. This absolutely isn't Hi-Fi Rush.
In terms of control, it plays more like a traditional 3D platformer than something strongly momentum-based like Sunset Overdrive or Jet Set Radio. You don't really flow smoothly and rapidly from move to move like those games; it's more like Jak and Daxter, for example. You do however have a glide move that allows you to zoom around smoothly over solid ground; in its default state it isn't very fast, but when your character is in a powered-up state it's a good bit faster.
I'm very early on, but the levels don't seem particularly bespoke; they have an "obstacle course" vibe to them, feeling like they're built from lots of repeating pre-fab pieces. Levels end with a score card and a list of objectives, such as beating the level in certain times, collecting all coins, defeating all enemies etc.
From what I can tell, the story is a pretty thin fight-the-system type thing that you've seen a million times before.
That all may sound pretty negative, but really I just want to be clear about what the game is and isn't, because it's expectations that'll kill this one for some people. I'm actually enjoying it so far; it feels good to control, the goals are simple and straightforward and the presentation is really nice. I'm keen to see how things evolve over the the coming stages.
It also performs very nicely on my system, with a few of the expected stutters when new effects/visual elements appear for the first time, but none of the more pervasive stuttering problems we've come to expect this gen. It includes DLSS and FSR, which I'm always happy to see. Oh, and it runs very nicely on Steam Deck, with a reasonably stable 60fps possible even with settings around the medium mark.
To the person that recommended Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara from that recent bundle;
Good looking out. Game was really enjoyable even if a bit basic. Think all the characters are from some other game that I'll probably never play but enjoyed their interactions. That I was literally only roll jumping the entire game with little nuance would seem to get old, but because of of fast the game is it never wore out it's welcome. Not the biggest fan of time based goals since it just meant I played every level twice but again because of how simple the game was it was fine. Loved all the extra "fluff" of the game even if it was all superficial. Enjoyable easy course based 3d platformer. I wouldn't put it up there with a game like Lunistice, but the extra town/world exploration of it really appealed to me.
Another one I did recently was New Super Lucky's Tale. Also a good/competent easy 3d platformer with a bit of charm. Could have used a restart level option as well as the ability to skip cutscenes. Also was weird that there was no way to look at a level overview with information of all the levels you have done/how much you have completed. There is more to this then the previous game (Koa), but still not real advanced movement tech. Looks like the dev is off making a moba now so guess it Lucky didn't work out for them. Would have played more in the series.
Good looking out. Game was really enjoyable even if a bit basic. Think all the characters are from some other game that I'll probably never play but enjoyed their interactions. That I was literally only roll jumping the entire game with little nuance would seem to get old, but because of of fast the game is it never wore out it's welcome. Not the biggest fan of time based goals since it just meant I played every level twice but again because of how simple the game was it was fine. Loved all the extra "fluff" of the game even if it was all superficial. Enjoyable easy course based 3d platformer. I wouldn't put it up there with a game like Lunistice, but the extra town/world exploration of it really appealed to me.
Another one I did recently was New Super Lucky's Tale. Also a good/competent easy 3d platformer with a bit of charm. Could have used a restart level option as well as the ability to skip cutscenes. Also was weird that there was no way to look at a level overview with information of all the levels you have done/how much you have completed. There is more to this then the previous game (Koa), but still not real advanced movement tech. Looks like the dev is off making a moba now so guess it Lucky didn't work out for them. Would have played more in the series.
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I played the original just last year (or whenever the remake came out) and had a pretty good time with it. I've heard a lot of good things about the second game, so I'm hoping that one gets the remake treatment some time soon too. Just got Re-PAC through Steam thanks to a sale so might give it a shot some time soon.
Hard to find reviews of this, but it does look pretty cool.
Seems like a reasonably good time, which I think I'm okay with. Though obstacle course platformers like this one don't do it for me. Hope you enjoy the rest of it! Thanks for sharing your impressions here. Hopefully it gets some polish through the next few months.
If you'd like more Koa, Mail Mole's pretty much the exact same game, just with less polish, but still a fun time.
Yeah I don't think we're seeing a sequel any time soon, though I'd love to be proven wrong. Feels like a Lucky 2 would be a great step up from an already pretty good Lucky 1.
New Astro Bot sounds great! Hope it's as fun as Playroom. I'm wondering what they'll do theme-wise if not celebrating PlayStation.
Hope we get some more platformer announcements soon! Seems like Toys for Bob is teasing something with their website having a purple tiki mask. Would love a new Spyro.
Oh wow, I hadn't seen that. Any idea how long that purple tiki mask has been there? That definitely seems like a Spyro tease. Considering Crash 4 and Rumble were their last games, and I believe they were partering with Xbox on their next game, Spyro does seem very likely. Hope we find out soon.
I'm also very curious to see what Playtonic have been working on, presumably the next Yooka Laylee game. Infinite Lair was fantastic, but I'm really hoping they try their hand at at 3D platformer again next.
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I think it's been there for about a week or two. I'm not entirely sure if it's a Spyro tease or a Crash tease. Or if it's some cross-over thing. Might find out during the Xbox showcase in a few weeks.
Playtonic's confirmed to be working on a Yooka 2 IIRC. It was semi-announced during some investor or corporate conference thing. No idea when it's being formally revealed though. I really enjoyed Yooka 1 and what I played of the spin-off, but I'm ready for a new 3D game from them. I think they've been split into multiple teams as well, so hopefully their output's a bit more frequent some time soon.
Started A Hat in Time over a year ago (and didn't get very far) but recently got back into it and finished today. Definitely enjoyed the whimsical tone and appreciated the mission design variety but the level design and overall game feel wasn't great. It felt especially weak coming off of other fantastic collectathon-style games like Corn Kidz 64 and Tinykin but I still enjoyed my time.
Which leads me to ask: are the DLC chapters worthwhile?
Which leads me to ask: are the DLC chapters worthwhile?
The Nyakuza Metro is a progression of the overall level design and mechanics that the game had been going through and probably the best overall peace of content that they game has. Takes how the later worlds of the game have already been going more open to another level. Seal the Deal is a series of challenges using past levels with some sort of new twist and objective. If you want more of the game build with the parts that area already there then that's what it is. I enjoyed it but it's also the only thing in the game that will keep me from 100%ing since it can get pretty tough.
But yeah, the game overall is something I've been meaning to make a longer post on since I finally just got to it at the end of last year. Actually was the first game I finished this year since I put it down on the 2nd of January. Think the only thing I had to get use to was the weird camara controls.
I'm far from a completionist and I didn't find it too hard to see all the levels. I don't think it's harder than, say, Crash 1 without save states (though it's a LOT longer).
That's a pretty interesting mod though. My biggest complaint with Crash 4 - which I generally loved - was they went WAAAAAY overboard with the boxes and gems. I mean, hundreds of boxes in the later levels is just absurd.
Yes! I had no problem beating the game, but my god the number was just too high. It just put me off of wanting to even try (and I usually get an OCD need to see that number completed haha)
The same thing happened to me with Mario Odyssey, just too many damn moons.
The thing that really drives me crazy about the moons in Mario Odyssey is how meaningless so many of them are. There are a lot of genuinely great ones, a huge number of mediocre ones, and then some that you just... buy from a store? The obsession with quantity taints the whole experience.
I understand the main reason for the store moons is an accessibility 'feature' to let people move ahead in the game more quickly but... why not just have an accessibility menu for this? There are so many other ways they could have worked around that - if playing the game is a genuine issue. There are already an abundance of easy-to-get moons. Why not just reduce the number required to move on? At a certain point you wonder why progression is locked behind moons at all.
[LOL, you got me going with the moons thing! Although I could say the same for so many games. There's rarely a modern game I've played that I didn't wish was at least 15% shorter. Just trim the freaking filler. It adds nothing. I'd much rather have a shorter game I feel compelled to replay than a long one that becomes a drag.]
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I always prefer that kind of thing to be an in game function and not a menu option. As in it already is an accessibility function and why would it need a menu? The brilliance of Odyssey is that you can play it literally however you like to completion beyond a few hard stop blocks. You want to explore the world and find stuff; you will be able to proceed. You only want platformer challenges; you will be able to proceed. You want to just follow the direct story; you will be able to proceed. All while only needing to engage with the ingame/ingameworld functions., no difficulty options, no toggling menu items.