Platformers 1980-1985

[Gamerforlife]

Well, while it may not have been an actual platform game, Frogs was the first game to have a jumping character in 1978. It was published by Gremlin, which would eventually merge into Sega

So platforming began with Sega. Suck on that Nintendo

Space Panic came out in 1980. It didn't have jumping, but it did have platforming. You moved between platforms using ladders

[BurningDoom]

Fine, Frogger isn't a platformer. I don't like the game enough to make a case for it. But "simple"? Man, I must just suck at the game, then.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Fine, Frogger isn't a platformer. I don't like the game enough to make a case for it. But "simple"? Man, I must just suck at the game, then.

Simple does not mean easy.

Also, lets not forget many awesome C64 games such as Impossible Mission.

I'd also like to argue that Joust could be considered a platformer.

[ExedExes]

Pac-Land is pretty impressive, never bothered to look up footage of it until now despite constantly reading about it. Is this game any good?

I was gonna mention Pac-Land but since the thread said 1980-1983, I knew it would be out of the time range. Now he changed it and it's too late to be smart

But yes, a great YouTube channel I follow by the name of GamingHistorySource, his latest "Let's Compare" video this week happens to be Pac-Land! Check out how the computer and console ports stack up to the arcade original. The Famicom has very tiny characters, but the later computer ports and of course the version on PS1's Namco Museum are best.

[Original_Name]

Well, while it may not have been an actual platform game, Frogs was the first game to have a jumping character in 1978. It was published by Gremlin, which would eventually merge into Sega.

Thanks for bringing this one up. It's very primitive, but a fascinating artifact considering it's the first known instance of the genre that basically built the gaming landscape as we now know it.

Some other examples of pre-Super Mario Bros. platformers include:

Kaos (1981. Precise arcade release date is unknown. If it was released early in 1981, it may have beaten Donkey Kong to the arcades by a scant margin.)
Hopper-Robo (1983)
Flicky (1984)
Teddy Boy Blues (1985. Precise arcade release date is unknown, but the later Master System port arrived literally one day after Super Mario Bros.)

[Nemoide]

I just remembered another: Bomb Jack (1984)