Know any good side-scrolling action platformers?

I'm creating a game with a friend of mine and I'm looking for inspiration / reference material. The game is a 2D side-scrolling action platformer and has you controlling a ninja down a straight path (so more Alien Hominid than Castle Crashers) through the levels slicing enemies with your sword.

At the moment I'm playing Castle Crashers and Alien Hominid, but there are a few similarities in the design of the games and I'm wanting to look at as wide a spectrum of gameplay as I can.
I've also got Gunstar Heroes, Castlevania IV and the original Ninja Gaiden on my Wii which I dip into every now and then.

And now the question: What games, other than the ones listed above, would you recommend I play through?

Cave Story?

Ah, yes, that one I know. Brilliant game.

Astro Boy: Omega Factor on GBA.

Echarin wrote:I'm creating a game with a friend of mine and I'm looking for inspiration / reference material. The game is a 2D side-scrolling action platformer and has you controlling a ninja down a straight path (so more Alien Hominid than Castle Crashers) through the levels slicing enemies with your sword.

At the moment I'm playing Castle Crashers and Alien Hominid, but there are a few similarities in the design of the games and I'm wanting to look at as wide a spectrum of gameplay as I can.
I've also got Gunstar Heroes, Castlevania IV and the original Ninja Gaiden on my Wii which I dip into every now and then.

And now the question: What games, other than the ones listed above, would you recommend I play through?

Off the top of my head: Protector/Contra. It's got that "you get hit, you die" approach that appeals to me* more than the energy par powered shennagins of Alien Hominid or Gunstar Heroes.

Probably the classic Castlevania games as well, and maybe ActRaiser on the SNES, which has enjoyable platform segments interspersed with gentle god-sim puzzle sections.

Oh, and Strider is a fine Capcom classic in that mould, though I'd probably recommend the arcade version over the Megadrive port.

I'm focussing on the games here that have strictly linear progression. If you want a fine example with somewhat more of an exploration feel, any of the later Castlevania games would do, but the source of that gameplay mechanic is the legendary Super Metroid.

*I know some prefer that approach though, which is fair enough. It just feels irritating to me though.

What about the first two Duke Nukem games?

Raze

Check out Bionic Commando: Rearmed. It's somewhat different to what you're doing but a pretty relevant example of the genre, what with it being pretty new. Plus it's ace, so even if it doesn't help you'll get to play a good game.

It's not new. But it is unique, since BC was never really cloned that I'm aware of.

Raze

I meant the overhaul parts of it.

Like it's a good example of an old style being updated, yet remaining the same at its core.

sounds like a remake of shadow dancer! just throw in a ninja dog and your there!

[youtubeuk]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=y-9kw96gNHw[/youtubeuk]

Ah, in that case I definitely agree with you. Touches, like the way enemy corpses ragdoll and fall off the screen is a fantastic modern solution to handle a classic gaming problem (too many sprites on screen) in a modern way, for example.

BC and Final Fantasy IV on the DS are both excellent remakes that manage to update while keeping the "spirit" of the game intact. I've played many retro remakes that somehow manage to lose something near indefinable in translation.

Sunset Riders
Metal Slug
Shinobi

If you're going to bring up Shinobi then I am legally required to mention Rolling Thunder. The arcade one, not the Megadrive sequels.

YouTube

Alien Soldier on VC is your friend for bosses and the weapon system!

Abes Oddyseeeeeeeee

I can't believe no one has agreed with Astro Boy yet, its better than any of the other Treasure games that have been mentioned.

YouTube

This is me breathing wrote:I can't believe no one has agreed with Astro Boy yet, its better than any of the other Treasure games that have been mentioned.

I'd say I prefer Alien Soldier slightly (And possibly Gunstar Heroes) but Astro Boy is still fantastic. Gunstar Future Heroes on GBA is good as well apart from a few duff levels.

Jazzem wrote:
This is me breathing wrote:I can't believe no one has agreed with Astro Boy yet, its better than any of the other Treasure games that have been mentioned.

I'd say I prefer Alien Soldier slightly (And possibly Gunstar Heroes) but Astro Boy is still fantastic. Gunstar Future Heroes on GBA is good as well apart from a few duff levels.

Hmm, after having played Astro Boy, the other 2 GBA games Treasure made (GFH and AGH) both seemed a bit uninspired by comparison. At first I thought that they'd just miss stepped slightly with those games, but after going back to the likes of the original Gunstar Heroes, I had to conceed that Astro Boy just ruined the other Treasure sidescrollers for me.

I'd recommend Ikaruga, Gradius V and Astro Boy Omega Factor as the three truely unmissable Treasure games that everyone should try.

EDIT - Although having said that I haven't played Radiant Silvergun or the original Guardian Heroes.

Mischief Makers was the best Treasure game and is an excellent side-scrolling action platformer. You can make friends with a cat which tries to beat you in dodgeball which can also surf missiles! What's not to love?

Neo Cortex wrote:Abes Oddyseeeeeeeee

And Exodus.

Know any good side-scrolling action platformers?

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