There seems to be a severe lack of platformer games in the likes of Ratchet and Clank style. Insomniac have released 3 games in the Ratchet and Clank franchise over the last couple of years, but they seem to be the only ones doing these types of games anymore? A few years ago we had Naughty Dog had the Jak and Daxter series, but even that moved way from the platformer style with the sequeals. There was also Crash Bandicoot and Spyro (spyro has changed a lot these days too). I don't know about everyone else, but I like these kinds of games and I think it's a shame to see them disappearing.

Uncharted?
Little Big Planet?

You could probably put Uncharted in the same category as Tomb Raider but I'd hardly call it a platformer. The thing that I miss the most is the puzzle solving style.

Little Big Planet is a bit pointless. I mean, what are you actually trying to achieve in the game? I don't mean to be too critical, I'm sure there is an audience out there for it but it just doesn't grab me as fun.

Neither of these games are bad, but they don't fill the same shoes as your typical platformer.

Anyway, it might seem like I'm just complaining.. but the point of my post was to get people thinking about this unfilled niche market.

The first question is, how many more people are out there like me itching for games like this?

The second question is, why are there not so many games in this niche? Is it because it's not big enough to make money, or is it because these games are particularly difficult to develop? (okay, that was 2 questions)

"There seems to be a severe lack of platformer games..", then you discard LBP because you think it "pointless"?

The point of a game does not determine whetever or not it's a platformer, it either is or it isnt.
You don't seem to have any clear question or point, especially not related to programming :)

Shadow Complex?

'Splosion Man!

The Lego games...Lego Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Batman. The God of War games have lots of platfomer bits along with beat-em-up gameplay. Prince of Persia series. Super Mario Galaxy. Megaman 9, and ZX series.

The platformer genre is still around, just has become intermixed with other genres to form new styles...The cinematic action adventure Tomb Raider/Prince of Persa style...the platformer + beat-em-up style as seen in God of War, Devil May Cry, Shinobi, and even the new SplatterHouse game...The more puzzle platfromer games like the Lego series...and even rpg platformer style with the later Castlevania games.

Im actually thinking of doing a platformer next mainly cause its the game genre Ive always hated the most, even back at the start with manic miner. Mainly due to missing the per pixel jumps + then having to repeat the same section over again.

I was thinking of giving the main guy a rope attached to a gun that they shot out + thus it sticks to something, which can then be used to swing across gaps. Or has this already been done in a game?

Worms had Ninja Rope...

Quote: Original post by dorix
'Splosion Man!

Yeah, this one. I found this game to be the perfect fit in my mind of what platformer gameplay should be like. Some areas have that slightly frustrating find-the-right-sequence of moves, but this is balanced by relatively painless death/restart cycle, and the opportunity to skip a hard area (along with the proper amount of poking fun at you for doing so).