Favourite 3d platformers?

[shadobeni]

I have not developed the same affinity for 3d platformers as I had for 2d ones. I've played and beaten the first Spyro and the first Ape Escape on PSX, All the Sly Cooper games, Jak & Daxter, Rachet & Clank: Going Commando. I've tried a bit of Crash 3 and Mario 64.

Out of all of those I'd say the Sly Cooper games are my favourite. Although the games, particularly the first two are quite easy, I enjoyed playing them immensely because I felt like the sneaking and acrobatic elements were done very well. Being able to so easily control the very mobile Sly offered a sense of freedom and immersion that I think really took advantage of the 3d environments. This was very evident in the hub worlds of Sly 2 & 3 although Sly 3 got bogged down by extra characters you were forced to play as at certain points in the game.

Spyro was the first 3d platformer I played and I collected all the gems for 100% completion but I don't know if I'd enjoy it as much today since I'm not really into games that are about collecting so many gems/coins/stars/whatever to unlock levels. I have a feeling I'd find the platforming a bit repetitive. What was really impressive for this game at the time were the far draw distances when most games tried to hide their short draw distances with lame fog effects.

Ape Escape was innovative with the use of both analog sticks and using various tools to capture apes which had different behaviours/patterns. Despite all the cheesiness the ending is surprisingly poignant. I had fun with it but I think I had issues with the camera and short draw distances. Environments also weren't particularly expansive but gameplay was pretty unique and different from collect-a-thon platformers.

Ratchet & Clank 2...this arguably is more of a 3rd person shooter than a platformer and while I did enjoy blasting with the multitude of upgradeable weapons, I've never really had a desire to play it again or try the other games in the series. I also never found the game particularly funny like some reviewers.

Jak & Daxter is a solid platformer and I like that it's this big island in which almost all parts are accessible but I also got kinda bored with it and didn't feel like anything I did in the game was really fun. It was honestly a bit of a chore to finish it.

[Frizz.Meister]

The Jak and Daxter series is my favourite when it comes to 3d platformers. The first one as you said has some dull bits, but the sheer range of different things you have to do to get the power cells stops it getting repetetive. Not to mention the second and third installments are far better in just about everyway.

Aside from that i could only reccomend the obvious choices, which you already mentioned. 3d platforming games seem to be so flooded with terrible ones i've never really looked into researching any good ones.

O looking at my shelf i forgot to mention Brave. Its cheesy and simple but surprisingly good fun.

[Gamerforlife]

Sly Cooper series is easily my favorite and is just as good an any classic 2d platformers I've played. Sly 3 is the best overall, but I feel that the series has to be played in its entirety from beginning to last to get the most enjoyment from the story. Out of Sony's big three platform developers on the PS2(Naughty Dog, Sucker Punch and Insomniac), Sucker Punch was always in a league of their own

I do enjoy the Ratchet and Clank series though, the action is fun, epic and satisfying and the rpg elements give the games an addictive quality as I simply HAVE to purchase and upgrade EVERYTHING. I find the battle arenas to be the best parts of the games. They're funny and they're action packed

Conker's Bad Fur Day is another favorite, there's still no other platform game out there quite like Conker. It's surreal, clever and more obscene and foul mouthed than any other platformer I've ever played. Excellent movie parodies as well. Lastly, the graphics and sound were a real impressive use of the N64's hardware. You look at games like Conker and Resident Evil 2 to see what the system was really capable of

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is awesome and better than every other one that came after it. I did enjoy Two Thrones for its interesting mix of stealth and platforming though, which reminded me of the Sly Cooper games. The Prince of Persia reboot that came out for the 360 and PS3 with Elika in it had some interesting ideas, but poor execution. Doesn't make it a bad game, but it was dissapointing

Tomb Raider Legend and Tomb Raider Underworld are great when you're platforming and puzzle solving, but crap when you actually have to fight something. Anniversary is good too, but way harder than it needs to be. It does have better combat than the others though, at least up until you get near the end of the game when the fights start getting annoying. Going up against fierce animals in the first half of the game and using the adrenaline dodge to take them out unscathed is great though

Crash Bandicoot Warped is classic, but I loved the whole series, back when Naughty Dog didn't suck, which started to happen right around Jak II. I still find the Crash Bandicoot games incredibly fun even today. I like the original Jak and Daxter, but the others are crap. Nothing Naughty Dog does these days is all that great.

Spyro was a fun game, I only played the orignal Playstation one though. It was basically a solid, collectathon platformer much like the original Jak and Daxter

I love, love, LOVE the Maximo games, which are more fun than the old Ghouls n Ghosts games ever where. I wish someone would make a third one

I really enjoyed Lego Batman, which is better than the Lego Star Wars games

[latenitevacancy]

oh man, I've been on a medium-sized 3D platformer kick here lately. I've got a few to talk about

The first big one for me is Super Mario 64, I've been playing it on VC lately and I forgot how magnificent the level design in this game is. I completed it in like 98 or so, but haven't dedicated a lot of time to it until now. I'm about 40 stars in and loving every second of it. I feel like the first few levels, while a little easy, are really fun to explore. And the later levels (particularly those after the basement segment) especially get really creative

I see a few mentions of Jak already. I've played through most of the first. I enjoyed it for the most part but as stated before it feels a little bit bland. The 2nd I've probably spent the most time with. I'll admit that the games dynamics could be a little better (some of the run n' gun segments, ALL of the driving) but if you can get into it, its a fun game. Its got that good kinda difficulty where you just wanna keep going, to see how much further you can inch yourself in the mission, but its not retard hard as to where you just get pissed. I think I'm about 70% into the 3rd one and I've enjoyed it a lot. It fixes a lot of the issues presented in 2 (DRIVING), and just feels more polished. The difficult is almost perfect, where its not too hard but never stupid easy. I really need to pick this one back up.

I remember playing through the 2nd Spyro game around the time it came out. Recently I started playing around with the first 2, and they just feel a little bland. The battle mechanics seem so basic, and a lot of the platforming is competent, but not mind blowing. Like I said, just a little bland. Also, I could probably say the same thing about Crash 3. But that one maybe just a little better. These aren't terrible games, they just didn't age too well.

[Gamerforlife]

I'm gonna throw in a mention of the Sonic Adventures games too. While they get a bad rap from some people(like the douchebags at IGN), I found the Sonic and Shadow stages in those games were just as fast paced and fun for me as the old 2d Sonic games. Everything else in those games were hit and miss though. Hated those goddamn Knuckles stages in SA 2

[latenitevacancy]

I'm gonna throw in a mention of the Sonic Adventures games too. While they get a bad rap from some people(like the douchebags at IGN), I found the Sonic and Shadow stages in those games were just as fast paced and fun for me as the old 2d Sonic games. Everything else in those games were hit and miss though. Hated those goddamn Knuckles stages in SA 2

I was never crazy about the 1st SA. From what I remember of 2, I enjoyed it, but as you said the Knuckles stages sucked. I actually didn't like the Tails/Robotnik stages either. But I do remember the Sonic/Shadow stages feeling how 3D Sonic should feel, or close to it.

[Red_Skies]

ctrl+f maximo

Thanks Gamerforlife. Not many people talk about the Maximo games but they're both good examples of games that have a high level of difficulty and yet, surprisingly, remain very accessible and perfectly beatable but just about anyone. I too would appreciate a 3rd Maximo but Capcom has apparently forgotten that the series even exists and that's a shame because Ghosts to Glory and Maximo vs. the Army of Zin were both a joy to play through. If you haven't played these platforming classics yet, you should.

But what is my favorite 3D platformer of all time? Without a doubt, it's Super Mario Galaxy 2. Whether it's the inventiveness of the level design, the challenges that are difficult without being maddening, or the extremely polished audio-visual presentation, everything about this game is excellent. After 25 years, Mario is still the undisputed king of platformers.

[(-_-)]

I love, love, LOVE the Maximo games, which are more fun than the old Ghouls n Ghosts games ever where. I wish someone would make a third one

The sony trio of platformers are all super fun. Unique, clever, solid, and polished. I also agree completely about Maximo. It was so hard but so fun to play. I haven't played through the second one completely yet but I would love to play one on a current gen system. If they could do it well, I wouldn't even mind playing it with the play station move.

[prfsnl_gmr]

I am going to add some love for the Maximo games. While I enjoyed them both, Ghosts to Glory edges out Army of Zin in my book because it felt more like a continuation of the Ghouls 'n Ghosts series.

I am also going to agree that Mario remains the undisputed king of platformers. Super Mario Galaxy was ridiculously good, and I am looking forward to the playing through Super Mario Galaxy 2. I also think that every serious gamer should at least play through Super Mario 64. It was so revolutionary, and it is still the standard by which all 3D-platformers are judged. Even Mario's biggest 3D misstep, Super Mario Sunshine, is really, really good.

If you are looking for something a little different, I would recomend the Jumping Flash! games for the PS1. Even thought you play them from a first-person perspective, they really are the first 3D-platforming games (and in many way they have never been replicated). As OPM wrote in their 100 PlayStation Games You Must Play Before You Die article:

Most people would probably claim that Super Mario 64 was the first 3D platformer- those people would be wrong. Though it features a first-person perspective, Jumping Flash is a 3D platformer in every sense of the phrase, and it's a good one, too. It charges you with taking control of a mechanical rabbit capable of making huge leaps from platform to platform. Jumping Flash! is a top pick for Bungie's Jason Jones (Halo, Halo 2), who says, "By the time you're practically jumping into the atmosphere, the feeling of vertigo gives way to a feeling of elation."

I have to agree with the Jason Jones quote; playing the Jumping Flash! games just feels incredible. I would love to see the experience replicated on modern hardware.

EDIT: I would be remiss if I did not mention Psychonauts. It starts out a bit slow, but it once it gets going, it is an incredible experience.

[VincentX]

Super Mario 64 is my obvious choice; I've loved it ever since I played it on a friend's N64 back in 1996 and I remember how excited I got when I got my own copy with my N64.
I loved the months I spent with it, getting every single star and I'll always remember jumping for joy when I got the 120th Star (100 coin star in Rainbow Ride). I'm even listening to the ending theme as I type this up. To me, this is still one of the best 3D platformers of all time (if not the best) and I can't remember a time when I haven't enjoyed playing this game.

The Jak series is another that I really loved; the original brought back some memories of Mario 64 thanks to the collecting of the Power Cells. Jak 2, despite it's insane difficulty and terrible races; was fantastic and I loved the storyline. Jak 3...was just about perfect (though the races and rail segments still irked me) and I still wish Naughty Dog would drop Gears of Tomb Raider and the Temple of Doom (Uncharted) and continue this series on the PS3.