What was the first "platform" game?

[Mind Master]

By a platform game, I mean a game in which your character climbs ladders from platform to platform, such as in the original Donkey Kong or Pitfall.

 

There used to be a game called "Apple Panic" for home computers (I assume apple). Perhaps it pre-dated Donkey Kong and Pitfall?

 

I believe Donkey Kong came out prior to Pitfall, did it not?

[The Historian]

Universal's Space Panic 1981

[Inky]

I used to LOVE that game!

[Godzilla]

DK was 81 also. I remember playing basic platforms and ladders games on old pcs like trs80 mainframes and such, long before dk, but they were not commercial. but I believe dk was the first arcade platform game, and i believe it pre-dated console platform games

[Inky]

DK was 81 also. I remember playing basic platforms and ladders games on old pcs like trs80 mainframes and such, long before dk, but they were not commercial. but I believe dk was the first arcade platform game, and i believe it pre-dated console platform games

I thought Space Panic pre-dated DK by several months...

[Godzilla]

If anyone knows the actual dates? I would assume Japanese release would be where the true first release occured? All I've heard said that DK came first...

[sku_u]

For the Atari, wasn't the first platform game Pitfall?

[The Historian]

TRS80 as a mainframe?

 

I was off by a year, sorry...

 

Oct. 1980 - Space Panic

 

Space Panic was also released for the Colecovision home game system and for the Apple II computer as "Apple Panic."

[Godzilla]

yea, they were huge, w/ b/w monitors, and giant 8" discs

 

So, when did DK first hit in Japan? Was it before or after Space Panic? and was pitfall the first console platform game?

[The Historian]

The best I can offer is 1980 in Japan. Not sure of the month. So it was a damn close race.

 

Hope you all have the Japanesse charater set installed.

 

Space Panic (スペースパニック)

Donkey Kong (ドンキーコング)

 

Both in 1980, in Japan. However Space Panic made it to the USA ahead of Donkey Kong.

[Shannon]

To me a platform game means jumping as well. Space panic didn't have jumping, or bouncing objects, etc.

 

DK also takes dibs for first multi-leveled game (4 diff screens)..

[Christopher Tumber]

The TRS-80's are all desktop computers (micro-computers). They used cassette drives or 5 1/4" floppies. They did NOT use 8" disks, nor were their monitors particularly large. You're thinking of something else.

 

http://www.kjsl.com/trs80/

 

(The TRS-80 Model III was the first computer I ever really used)

 

 

For first platform game, I would nominate Stunt Cycle (Atari, 1976) as the embryonic platform game.

 

 

Chris...

[jhd]

The TRS-80's are all desktop computers (micro-computers). They used cassette drives or 5 1/4" floppies. They did NOT use 8" disks, nor were their monitors particularly large. You're thinking of something else.

 

Actually, there were a few models that sported both the TRS-80 name and 8" floppy disk drives: the Models II, 12, and 16. They were aimed at the business (rather than consumer) market. The 12 and 16 (not sure about the II) were based upon the 68000 cpu and ran Xenix. I believe they were mostly off the market by 1983-4.

 

As the model 16 could run in multi-user mode (with a VT 100 class terminal attached), the definition could be stretched to call it a small mini-computer. You are correct, however, that Tandy/Radio Shack never produced anything that could be confused with a mainframe.

[Retro Rogue]

The TRS-80's are all desktop computers (micro-computers). They used cassette drives or 5 1/4" floppies. They did NOT use 8" disks, nor were their monitors particularly large. You're thinking of something else.

 

http://www.kjsl.com/trs80/

 

(The TRS-80 Model III was the first computer I ever really used)

 

 

Chris you're wrong, JHD is right. The Model II used 8" floppies and could run a multi-user Xenix setup, as seen here, as well as the updated versions of the Model II - the Model 16 and the Model 12.

 

Likewise, from the very link you refered to above:

http://www.kjsl.com/trs80/trsother.html#MOD21216

 

"These machines were all pretty much "business" computers, more than anything else. The main difference between them and the others was in the use of 8 inch disk drives. The Model 2 was a Z-80 based machine, while the 16/6000 used a combination of the Z-80 and Motorola 68000. The Z-80 served as the disk I/O processor, and ran the machine when it was booted in Model 2 mode. "

 

 

The model II represented a different series than the Model I series (represented by the Model 1, Model III and Model IV) and was incompatible with the I, III, and IV for this reason.

 

For first platform game, I would nominate Stunt Cycle (Atari, 1976) as the embryonic platform game.

Chris...

 

I wouldn't exactly call a split screen effect used to get around lack of side scrolling a "platform" game. There are no platforms to climb or interact with, and the game wasn't created with that in mind.

[Retro Rogue]

To me a platform game means jumping as well.  Space panic didn't have jumping, or bouncing objects, etc.

 

DK also takes dibs for first multi-leveled game (4 diff screens)..

 

That may be for your personal definition. But the generaly accepted view of a platformer is the one mentioned previously. And Space Panic is widely accepted as the first platform game. Feel free to do a google search for '"space panic" history', and don't take my word for it.

[Godzilla]

yes, there were many huge 'main frame looking' giant trs-80s back in the day that were not consumer models. and they were home to the first platform games i saw, chronologically, before space panic. but they obviously werent commercial, and may have just been something written by someone at my school for all i know.

[Shannon]

To me a platform game means jumping as well.  Space panic didn't have jumping, or bouncing objects, etc.

 

DK also takes dibs for first multi-leveled game (4 diff screens)..

 

That may be for your personal definition. But the generaly accepted view of a platformer is the one mentioned previously. And Space Panic is widely accepted as the first platform game. Feel free to do a google search for '"space panic" history', and don't take my word for it.

 

Huh? All space panic has is levels connected by ladders on one screen. No jumping, on climbing and digging..

 

By that definition lode runner would be considered a platformer, but I consider it more strategy. Maybe strategic platformer?

 

hmmm

 

Arcade game producer Universal (not the movie studio) gives birth to one of the most venerable categories in gaming history with Space Panic, the first platform game, released in 1981. Platform games generally deal with the player climbing ladders and running across platform levels, avoiding bad guys and other life-ending objects. In Space Panic, the enemies are little evil space-apples intent on taking a bite out of the hero's backside.  

 

I dunno... just don't remember the term platformer being used till waaaaay after space panic, or even my 8-bit atari computer days. Never specifically heard it till around the nintendo generation.

[MattG/Snyper2099]

DK also takes dibs for first multi-leveled game (4 diff screens)..

 

I'm fairly certain that Gorf predates Donkey Kong as being the first multiple level arcade game.

[NoahsMyBro]

The 2 earliest platform games I can think of are Space Panic and Lode Runner. No scientific research here, and I'm ignorant of non-US areas, this is just my best recollection of things.

[Godzilla]

DK also takes dibs for first multi-leveled game (4 diff screens)..

 

I'm fairly certain that Gorf predates Donkey Kong as being the first multiple level arcade game.

 

even 2600 star ship has 4 screens, and iirc its even older than gorf. and how about street racer? adventure? superman?

[Mike88]

This is strictly the consensus opinion of most gamers so if you disagree its all good....

 

A platform game is defined by:

 

1) Jumping

 

2) Scrolling, multiple levels, often with a "boss" type character at the end of certain levels

 

3) A flat land area that you do your travelling on. Note that most platform games have other flat areas that you can jump or climb to

 

Super Mario Brothers is generally considered the first true platform game, although Moon Patrol is argued by many to be a true platform game.

 

The games already mentioned here like Space Panic and Donkey Kong are typically considered to be "stage" (also called "wave", "board", or "repetitive") games. Most classic arcade games fall into this classification.

 

Pitfall seems to be best classified as an "Action/Adventure" game.

[Godzilla]

nah, if its got a 'platform' its a platform game. thats where the name came from, in terms of classic era. just the notion of an on screen platform that your character stands on was at one point something that had NEVER been seen.

[ZylonBane]

Mike88, you have some very strange ideas lodged in that head of yours. I've been into gaming since the 2600 era, and your so-called consensus opinions are all news to me. So let's see if we can disabuse you of a few confused notions--

 

A "platform game" is a game in which your character runs around multiple platforms. When games like Super Mario Bros came out, they were commonly referred to as "scrolling platformers". And SMB (1985) wasn't even the first game of its type. That honor belongs to Pac-Land (1984).

 

Games like Space Panic/Donkey Kong were never referred to as stage/wave/board games. Yes, they had stages, but so did most games back then. That's exactly why they weren't described that way. Categories are named after distinguishing characteristics, not common ones.

 

And Pitfall is not by any stretch of the imagination an Action/Adventure game. Action, yes. Adventure, no. At the minimum, a game has to have exploration and puzzles to qualify as an adventure. Pitfall has neither.

[Xot]

And Pitfall is not by any stretch of the imagination an Action/Adventure game. Action, yes. Adventure, no. At the minimum, a game has to have exploration and puzzles to qualify as an adventure. Pitfall has neither.

 

I would think Pitfall actually has an exploration factor. Since you have to discover the correct underground passages needed to reach all the screens without missing any treasures, that's exploration.

 

Agreed on all other points. I've never heard the term "wave" used as a genre of games.

[Xot]

And Pitfall is not by any stretch of the imagination an Action/Adventure game. Action, yes. Adventure, no. At the minimum, a game has to have exploration and puzzles to qualify as an adventure. Pitfall has neither.

 

I would think Pitfall actually has an exploration factor. Since you have to discover the correct underground passages needed to reach all the screens without missing any treasures, that's exploration.

 

Agreed on all other points. I've never heard the term "wave" used as a genre of games.