A platformer is a video game in which the gameplay largely revolves around players controlling a character who runs and jumps across platforms, floors, ledges, stairs, or other objects displayed on a single or scrolling (horizontal or vertical) game screen. Although similar, it is not the same as an auto-runner game. It is often classified as a subgenre of action games.
4 Types of 2D Platformers to Play (and Where to Find Them!)
The first platform games were developed in the early 80s and are one of the first genres within video games. However, the term platform game or platformer was only used to describe the games a few years later.
Many gaming historians and fans consider the 1980 release of Space Panic to be the first true platform game, while others consider the 1981 release of Nintendo's Donkey Kong to be the first. While there is debate as to which game actually started the platform genre, it is clear that early classics like Donkey Kong, Space Panic, and Mario Bros. were highly influential and all had a hand in shaping the genre.
Besides being one of the first and most popular video game genres, it is also one of the genres that combines elements from another genre, such as leveling and character abilities that you can find in role-playing games. There are many more examples where platform games also contain elements from other genres.
