Forget Mario! These characters need their time in the spot light.
With series like Super Mario Land and Rayman becoming popular once more it’s interesting to think about how other platformer heroes would fare in this day and age. The history of video games is chalked full of platforming titles, some great, some awful, and some just plain weird. The 3DS deserves to house some of these forgotten heroes! Let’s take a look at the…
10. Bonk
Original System: TurboGrafx-16, 1990
Last Seen: Bonk 3: Bonk’s Big Adventure (Wii VC, 2007)
Though Bonk didn’t have the best launching platform he still made enough of mark to gardner two legitimate sequels and a rereleases on various consoles. Fighting his way though dinosaur baddies and prehistoric obstacles, Bonk is one of the greatest lesser know platformer heroes. Though Bonks main attacks include his gigantic noggin he also can use his teeth to climb trees and scale walls. Apparently cavemen had very strong jaws. A new Bonk title may be out of the question, but a enhanced remake (a la Cave Story 3D) could be a hit.
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9. Crash Bandicoot
Original System: PlayStation, 1996
Last Seen: Crash: Mind Over Mutant (GC, 2008)
Crash Bandicoot, much like Sonic the Hedgehog, was the star of a direct Nintendo competitor. No one ever though we’d see a Crash game on a Nintendo system, but just like Sonic he eventually made his way over to the Big N. The first three Crash Bandicoot titles are classics and feature some of the best 90′s platforming known to gamedom. Crash has fallen on hard times since he was dropped by developer Naughty Dog, so why not rive the spunky marsupiale? Spyro has made a HUGE come back with the Skylanders series, so it could definitely work out.
8. Gun Star Heroes
Original System: Sega Genesis, 1993
Last Seen: Gunstar Heroes (Wii VC, 2006)
Famed developer Treasure is well know for turning bullet hell in to bullet heaven. The studio behind theSin and Punishment series knows plenty about how to put together a stellar run-and-gun platformer. Treasure’s first game, Gunstar Heroes was one of the must-have Sega Genesis titles of the early 90s. The Heroes have already made the jump to a Nintendo handheld with the release of Gunstar Super Heroes on the Game Boy Advance, but we need a new Gunstar Heroes in our lives. Treasure is still going strong so let’s hope they give the 3DS a chance. I’d love to endlessly blast robot goons with a pal via the Nintendo Network.
7. The Lost Vikings
Original System: SNES, 1992
Last Seen: Lost Vikings (SGBA, 2003)
You’ve never heard of The Lost Vikings?! That’s actually not too surprising. Erik the Swift, Baleog the Fierce, and Olaf the Stout have been “lost” to the video game world for almost ten years. Back in the SNES era The Lost Vikings were well known as one of the best puzzler platform titles in all the land. Instead of focusing on a single hero, the Lost Vikings had to relay on one another to finish levels. The best part about Lost Vikings is that the vikings were lost intime, meaning the levels could literally take place anywhere and any time. If only a new developer would pick this wonderful and quirky IP…
6. Wario
Original System: Game Boy, 1992
Last Seen: Wario Land: Shake It (Wii, 2008)
Mario’s bizarre doppelganger has been delighting gamers for years with his whacky antics. Know for his lust for gold and…um… mini-games, Wario truly deserves his own 3DS title. Whether Nintendo goes for a three dimensional (Wario Land on GameCube) or hand drawn (Wario Land: Shake It for Wii) look they could certainly make an eye popping platformer we all could enjoy. Super Mario 3D Land was a critical and financial success so it shouldn’t take much for Nintendo to whip up Super Wario 3D Land, right?
5. Toku
Original System: Wii, 2008
Last Seen: LostWinds: Winter of Melodias (WiiWare, 2009)
Of all the characters on this list, Toku is probably the least known. Toku has only stared in two games to date and they have both been Wii Ware titles. That being said, they are two of the best Wii Ware titles to ever grace Nintendo’s virtual marketplace. Toku is a young boy who is tasked with saving his village by harnessing the smooth and forceful power of the wind. The LostWinds titles have been ported to the iPad, and they work very well with touch controls. What other handheld devices are known for their touch screens? Oh yeah, the DS line. Players could control the top screen’s wind action by using the touch screen! Woosh!
4. Mega Man
Original System: NES, 1987
Last Seen: Mega Man Z Collection (DS, 2010)
Mega Man has taken many forms over the years, but his platforming roots run deep. The Mega Man X series is a particularly awesome showing of how Mega Man titles can be both difficult and fun. Blasting enemies as the Blue Bomber would be a sight for sore eyes since Capcom decided to cancel the highly anticipated Mega Man Legends 3 for the 3DS. It would be nice to see developers go the 2.5D route with Mega Man, giving him a sleek futuristic backdrop and an arsenal of new power-ups. We already know destroying baddies looks great in 3D, now we just need Capcom to follow through and give us the Mega Man platformer we’ve been waiting for.
3. Klonoa
Original System: PlasyStation, 1997
Last Seen: Klonoa (Wii, 2008)
Though many think “Pac-Man” when the name Namco comes up, the name you should be thinking of is “Klonoa!” This peppy little bunny with a heart of gold has been saving the world for longer than you know. Though he started on the PlayStation, Klonoa has had two Game Boy releases as well as a remake for the Wii. Klonoa has only starred in roughly four titles to date, but he has quite the cult following. Why not breath new life in to this wonderful character with a new 3DS outing? Did I mention that Klonoa has Pac-Man on his hat?
2. Kirby
Original System: Game Boy, 1992
Last Seen: Kirby’s Adventure: 3D Classics (3DS, 2011)
Is there anything more adorable than a pick puff ball with an insatiable appetite? Kirby has been stealing abilities and floating around Dreamland for over 20 years now and it’s high time he officially made his way to the 3DS. Last year’sKirby Mass Attack was a fresh new take on the series, giving players the ability to control, not one, but ten mini Kirbys (Kirbi?). Nintendo doesn’t need to pull out all the stops for a 3DS Kirby title, because if there is one thing fans want it’s classic Kirby action. Why not simply give us a sequel toKirby’s Return to Dreamland?
1. Donkey Kong
Original System: Arcade, 1981
Last Seen: Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii, 2010)
With the exception of a certain pudgy plumber, Nintendo has never produced a better platformer hero than the amazing Donkey Kong. One would be hard tasked to find a better platforming trilogy than the Donkey Kong Country series on the Super Nintendo. With the run away success of Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Wii, it’s time Nintendo gave us chance to put DK through his paces on the R4i 3DS. Jumping, climbing, pounding the ground – Donkey Kong was made to rule the jungle. Though Rare Ware, the company that made DK a platforming icon, was bought out by Microsoft years ago Nintendo still has the entire Donkey Kong world under it’s belt. Let’s hope King K Rool starts stirring up some trouble soon so we can come to the rescue as the mighty king of swing.