15 Best Video Game Platformers Ever
5. Mega Man 2
Deciding between Mega Man 2 and Sonic The Hedgehog 2 for the fifth spot was an incredibly close call. Both games build upon their sequels in the best way and prove that graphics are far less important than gameplay when it comes to surviving the test of time.
Unfortunately, both series have fallen in stature since their early heyday too. At their peak though, they were brilliantly innovative.
Mega Man 2 just beat out the blue hedgehog by virtue of its precision.
Sonic is built to be played at speed, and you can fluke your way through some sections by just gunning it and having coins in reserves, hoping your jumps find safe ground and not spikes. Mega Man though demands skill, concentration, and in the tradition of platformers, lots of trial and error.
That said, it did a fantastic job of keeping the gameplay balanced and addicting. Adding in tons of new power ups and puzzles, the weaknesses of the first game weren’t just fixed, they were turned into strengths.
The boss battles, another platform staple, were much cleaner this time around too. It’s easy to see why this is still the reigning champ of Mega Man games.