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Viewtiful Joe
It's a crying shame, but with the advent of consoles able to create viable 3D worlds, the 2D platformer has been dying a slow death. Very few appear on mainstream systems anymore, and 2D platform fans are forced to go handheld to get their fix.
Bust 'em up Super Hero style
And that's just one of the things that made Capcom's Viewtiful Joe so special when it first appeared on the Gamecube. Not only was it a great 2D platformer, with clever gameplay elements that elevated it beyond the norm, it had a unique cell shaded look and Japanese feel that gave it a special brand of cool.
Based in a 50's inspired Japanse superhero movie world with an anime twist , Viewtiful Joe is more than a little unusual. It tells the story of Joe, a boy who loves the movies of Captain Blue, being drawn into the superhero movie world to save his kidnapped girlfriend. He is aided by Captain Blue, and has been granted special powers, all of which are linked in some way to the idea of him being able to control film and special effects or VFX. These powers are gained gradually through the course of the game but include the ability to slow down and speed up time and zoom in.
The 2D platformer isn't dead, it's just gone to the movies
Viewtiful Joe has inspired level, puzzle, character and boss design. It's a gorgous game to look at unlike anything else out there. While the game plays on a 2D plane, it is rendered in polygons, giving it a unique look and feel.
Playing Viewtiful Joe is like being emersed in a bright loud comic book and the combination of the clever puzzles, exciting levels and great giant boss fights makes it a classic that should be enjoyed by all. Long live the 2D platformer !
Written By : Sam Bandah
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