Fraser M: "The recent, shocking resurgence of 2D has paved the way for a revival of the side-scrolling platform game and a number of sub-genres within that loosely defined structure. We've seen the use of the jump button questioned in Bionic Commando Rearmed, had our sensory perception of level design retuned by Braid and marched willingly to the point of genuine outrage with the diamond-hard Mega Man 9. Even titles as diverse as Trials 2: Second Edition, the DS exclusive Contra 4 and LittleBigPlanet can be seen as playing a role in gamers' all too late rediscovery of the joys of hopping from left to right across a screen."
Poor reception hasn't killed this series. A document released this week by the EU Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), confirming projects it plans to help fund in 2018, has revealed that a number of indie studios are working on new games.
VGChartz's Taneli Palola: "Pulkkinen is a relatively new face in the video game industry. Thus far he has worked exclusively on games developed by Finnish game studios, but I wouldn't be surprised if at some point in the near future his music begins to attract attention from elsewhere as well. Given that he is only 34 years old he likely has many more years ahead of him in the video game industry."
"One of the oldest and most integral genres in video gaming is platforming. In the simplest idea, these games involve progressing an avatar through a series of obstacles by jumping from one platform to another. Originating back in the 1980s, platformers are not a pure genre; there is a tendency for other game types to mix in with platforming. For example, Contra gave rise to “run and gun” games; these are a cross of platforming and shooters."-- PlayStation Enthusiast
