tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604980045122375946.post5058022535331257675..comments2024-03-08T17:29:26.280-08:00Comments on Retrogame Deconstruction Zone: What was the first platformer, Space Panic or Donkey Kong?RetroAnalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10633021712932756737noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604980045122375946.post-30377321998888952092022-01-24T17:12:22.541-08:002022-01-24T17:12:22.541-08:00Space Panic should be considered a platformer. No... Space Panic should be considered a platformer. No asterisk needed. <br /> The "dig" mechanic, I would argue, serves the same function as a vertical jump, albeit with an extra awkward step (burial) to secure points. Striking foes with a hammer is eerily similar to whacking them with a shovel. <br /> Additionally, the player can fall through a hole (once dug) to avoid enemies, strategically implementing a "shortcut" of sorts--a complexity Donkey Kong doesn't offer. The freedom of a quasi-malleable playfield is a stark contrast to early maze games were static play fields (unalterable by the player) were the norm. <br /> Lastly; there is a countdown timer (Oxygen Meter) in Space Panic. This sets the pace of gameplay, and incentivizes the player to complete a round / stage / board / level quickly--with bonus points. The faster the level fades the more bonus are rewarded. The exact same mechanic exists in Donkey Kong and would never be associated with a maze game; which didn't rely on clocks. Countdown timers are the province of the platformer. Which Space Panic certainly is.<br /> <br />fauxwoodgrainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05262246096660236504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604980045122375946.post-20479478409557006252020-07-19T11:14:26.495-07:002020-07-19T11:14:26.495-07:00I agree that the mechanics of Lode Runner and Mr. ...I agree that the mechanics of Lode Runner and Mr. Do's Castle do more closely resemble Space Panic than Donkey Kong, but once a bomb drops, it's difficult to claim that you weren't influenced by the fallout. In fact, if this link is to be believed, Lode Runner was actually born from a second- or third-hand description of Donkey Kong:<br /><br />https://lifeandtimes.games/episodes/files/14.html<br /><br />But I think you're right that the term "platformer" ended up enveloping a range of games that may have been more closely related to other evolutionary branches than the one started by Donkey Kong. That's a great point about Pitfall -- scrolling platformers are a fascinating case that I'm looking forward to blogging about. RetroAnalysthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10633021712932756737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7604980045122375946.post-55807405905606126932020-07-19T10:31:31.537-07:002020-07-19T10:31:31.537-07:00Lode Runner and Mr. Do's Castle are both direc...Lode Runner and Mr. Do's Castle are both direct descendants of Space Panic, and neither has any obvious influence from Donkey Kong. If they can be considered as platformers, then I think Space Panic should be too.<br /><br />I agree that Donkey Kong should be credited for establishing the genre, though, for the same reasons as you. That said, I think there's a family of platformer-like games without any clear influence from Donkey Kong - "runner" type games where there is jumping over and avoiding obstacles, but lower emphasis on platforms. Arguably Pitfall and Smurf Rescue fit in this category.Ahabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04131989140638867919noreply@blogger.com