Unsung Megadrive platformers?

[Alianger]

It's still among the worst you can get for the system :P Rastan on the SMS was better.

[acdc]

zombies or does that not count
ghoulest and ghost
shinobi all parts even shadow dancer
batman 1 and 2 return of the joker
bonanza brothers
b o b
crash dummies
comix zone
lion king
jungle book
alladin
warlock
valis 3
tiny toons
pagemaster but need a password or save system
addams family
sunset riders
dynamite headdy

fun games

[David J.]

And all this time, I thought I was the only one who actually liked Ex-mutants. Decent game, honestly...!

[KenshiroX]

It's decent all right. Hate the mine cart level...grr. I mean, couldn't they have made it an actual cart, not a wheeled board?

[Baleog]

Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure - Popular in its day, but seems to be dismissed nowadays. Really great game once you get used to the somewhat slippery controls.

Recently snagged a (complete) copy of this, a (sadly late) friend of mine used to share her copy with me. It’s better than I’d remembered it being. Of course, the “hidden” original Pitfall game is a nice added bonus!

Also, I notice no one’s yet mentioned a sentimental fave of mine: Sparkster, the underrated and unjustly neglected sequel to Rocket Knight Adventures.

Recently snagged a copy of Bubsy. There’s stuff I like about it, but it’s mostly been an exercise in frustration.

Definitely need to track down copies of Ristar and Dynamite Headdy. Played both of them on a friend’s Wii, and they’re fantastic!

[Henry Spencer]

I think Sparkster can stand as a game, on its own legs. Despite not being as amazing as the original, it's still a fabulous game.

I do think Pulseman and Ristar are the clear winners of this topic, for being the two least appreciated platforming titles on the system.

Oh, and Marko is a childhood favourite of mine. Been meaning to get that one again.

[Elusive]

Pulseman shouldn't be a good game. It's got the akward enemy placement and 'knock-back' once you're injured (you know what I mean) of Mega Man, and it's certainly not as fast nor smooth as Sonic. The level layouts, while nice-looking, are pretty linear, and dull.

So why is it so fun?? I love the game, but I don't know why! If I spoke a word of Japanese I'd probably ridicule the plot, but I can't even do that

[Kollision]

Fatal Rewind - I love, love, love, love, this game. I may be the only person in the universe who really loves this game.

No, you are not alone.
I also enjoy this game very much. It's pretty challenging and atmospheric.

[K.K.]

Ristar!

They could've killed of the gaming industry right there, since making a better game is impossible.

[tomaitheous]

Pulseman shouldn't be a good game. It's got the akward enemy placement and 'knock-back' once you're injured (you know what I mean) of Mega Man, and it's certainly not as fast nor smooth as Sonic. The level layouts, while nice-looking, are pretty linear, and dull.

So why is it so fun?? I love the game, but I don't know why! If I spoke a word of Japanese I'd probably ridicule the plot, but I can't even do that

But the game's been translated.

[esb09]

Ristar!

They could've killed of the gaming industry right there, since making a better game is impossible.

If they had better marketing skills and made the game longer, they could have easily made Ristar to DKC what Sonic was to Mario.

[TmEE]

Ristar beats DKC anytime, at least for me...

[Smii]

It's decent all right. Hate the mine cart level...grr. I mean, couldn't they have made it an actual cart, not a wheeled board?

GRRRR, mine cart levels! The curse of the platform classes.

(Don't lynch me - someone explain why Ristar is so much loved? I don't understand.. )

[VinnyT]

Because after all the mascots and gaming gimmicks, Ristar came and was technically a mascot, but he featured a SOLID game with memorable graphics and music. Also, it's Sega born and bred, so it's got that going for it.

[The Jackal]

Here's a list of platformers not alot of people know are good games...

Puggsy (Brillant game - you must own this!)
Universal Soldier (It's Turrican - what's not to like?)
Bubba'n'Stix (Stuck on the first level, but I liked it)
Boogerman (Pure gaming goodness)
Beavis and Butthead (Confusing, but still great)
Rolo To The Rescue (Good game, just stick with it!)
Ristar (Need I say more?)
Ghouls n Ghosts (It's by Capcom! Rock hard classic!)
Rocket Night Adventures (Konami at their platforming best!)
Sparkster: Rocket Knight II (More of the same - but the original is better!)
Tiny Toons: Buster's Treasure Hunt (Great Sonic clone!)
McDonald's TreasureLand Adventure (It's by frigging Treasure!)
Bubsy (Sloppy game engine - Great game if you get passed that fact)
Earthworm Jim (It's JIM! So sing along!)
Earthworm Jim 2 (More of that Groovy worm!)
Addams Family (Great Mario type platformer - hard, but cool all the same)
Gunstar Heroes (Don't like this? Then you are the devil himself...)
Chuck Rock (Awesome game! Must play this!)
Chuck Rock II: Son of Chuck Rock (Plays differently than CR1, but great still!)
QuackShot (Donald Duck in a good game? Believe it...)
Castle Of Illusion (The first Disney game on the MD - and a classic at that)
World Of Illusion (Short, but great co-op game!)
Comix Zone (Brill game from the gods at STI)
The Lion King (The best Disney game on MD; period.)
The Terminator MD (Short but brillant game that captures the film perfectly!)
The Terminator SEGA CD (A different game to the MD - and better!)
Sonic 1 (The original Sonic. You must of played this surely?)
Sonic 2 (Bigger, faster and better - the best standalone Sonic on Genesis)
Sonic 3 (Feels rushed, but still great!)
Sonic & Knuckles (The same as S3, but miles better - plus you lock on to other carts!)
Sonic 3D (Ignorned game by Traveler's Tales - Brill is all I can say...)
Sonic Spinball (More pinball, but still retains platform elements)
Wiz n Liz (I love this game. You must own this quirky little title!)
Shadow Of the Beast (The utlimate in classic take-the-piss gaming!)
Shadow of the Beast II (More toned down than the original, but still near impossible to beat classic!)

!!GAMES TO AVOID!!

Zero The Kamikaze Thing (Dreadful game by Funsoft)
Aero The Acro-Bat (More dreadful game. By... yup, Funsoft)
Aero The Acro-Bat II (More of the same crapness from Funsoft)
The Page Master (Collision dection is terible - avoid!)
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (Aweful game - Ugly graphics, plus the music sucks!)
Bubsy II (Didn't like the first one? Then you gonna hate how they've made number II)