Who doesn't like to start up a platformer every once in a while? There's something gloriously nostalgic about side-scrollers that even the over-powered Next Gen technical specs can't compete with when done well. And right now there's a resurgence of sorts that is seeing more and more platformers released for your consideration. Mind you, it hasn't always been like this. The newest platformer wave began just a couple of years ago with the rise of the indie scene. Until then, in the gap created after the early days of the industry when Mario and Sonic were no longer kings, most platformers were deemed unworthy of playtime compared to the latest when there is a Call of Battlefield: Modern Resistance of War 7. That was a sad development, but not one that was entirely uncalled for, since most games of the given genre at that time weren't all that good. Of course, there were exceptions to the rule: Bionic Commando Rearmed, Rayman Origins, Trine - those were the prototypical platform games of the new age, and a sign of things to come. And with that retrospective revolution now in full swing, we're looking at some of the greatest modern additions to the genre. We will be discussing the newest iterations of Rayman and Trine, but the focus will be on the entirely new IPs such as Starbound or Mark Of The Ninja. While the genre has its limitations, it wouldn't be fair to think of it as archaic, and in short, there's respect to be paid. Onwards!