Hey. New to the forums so I thought I'd start a thread where we can talk about gaming.as a way of getting to know the community.

I recently made this list of game - https://www.gog.com/mix/kinesthetic_2d_platformers

But I was wondering if people had any other 2D platformers they'd like to recommend or just talk about, any platformers you're hoping will come to GoG that haven't yet, or if you simply want to second one of the recommendations I make in my list and explain what you like about the game, that's cool too.

Looking forward to hearing what people have to say in response.

What do you think about Valdis Story, Apotheon, Guacamelee or the first two Oddworld games?

As for games not on GOG, I really like Heart of Darkness, (Captain) Claw and Max: The Curse of Brotherhood (not *quite* 2D though).

To be honest, not sure what kinesthetic means regarding platformers, but 2 of my recent favourites:

Escape Goat
Escape Goat 2

Welcome to the forums! I'll start by echoing ZFR in that I'm not sure what kinesthetic means...

Regardless, I was a bit surprised by your list since all of the platformers that you listed are relatively new. For me, I like pure platformers that aren't tied down with too many gameplay or story elements. I'm also driven by nostalgia, so I would recommend adding some of the golden oldies from Apogee such as Bio Menace and Monster Bash. Personally, I'm still hoping to see the Commander Keen series and Jazz Jackrabbit 1 & 2 added to GOG sometime in the future!

This one comes to mind for me. Challenging, but fun once you get the hang of it and looks great.

Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams Expansion

Steamworld Dig 1 & 2?

kinesthetic means strains in muscles and joints. there is also the term "kinesthetic learning" where the learner is always in physical movement.

Speaking of 2D platformer (at least 2D :) ), for those who pre-ordered Cuphead, the OST is already available in your library in MP3 and FLAC formats...

Kinesthetic means literally "of or concerning movement and action". So yes, as one person said it can mean strain in muscles and joints, but in the context it's being used here it's referring to quality.

Kinesthetic in that case, is the equivalent of Aesthetics for movement. If something feels right in motion and controls well, it has good kinesthetics. Hopefully that explained it well enough. It is admittedly an obscure word.

Thanks guys for the suggestions by the way, will take a look at them.

I've never seen the word used before. Could you give some examples of what you would consider bad kinesthetic games, even though the games are viewed as good platformers?

Using your list, I would call them all good/very good platformers.

The only platformer I ever really got good with was (Captain) Claw. Don't know why, something just clicked with me the first time I played the demo way back.

I really doubt it comes here, but I really loved this.

dude that looks impossible! :P

fun, but impossible.

Spelunky, Giana Sisters series (there's more on steam than there is here).

If you like games that require lots of difficult inputs and you have a controller, Guacamelee! is a good choice. (Just don't try playing this game with a keyboard; it is rather clunky and isn't fun, plus many keyboards have limits on simultaneous key presses, which will likely affect this game in partuicular.) The Gold Edition does have one mechanic that may cause difficulty for color-blind players, however.

If you would rather have a game with less required inputs, try VVVVVV. There are only 3 actions you can do; move left, move right, and flip (which replaces jumping in this game). The game can still be a challenge, but it's one that can be tackled with only one hand. Note that VVVVVV is a pure platformer; there's no combat or puzzles involved. The game is non-linear, but the order you attempt each "dungeon" area doesn't matter (unless you are into glitches).

There's also:

Shovel Knight is good if you like classic Mega Man, though it takes influence from a few other games. Plague of Shadows is my favorite quest (bomb setups are fun, plus Plague Knight has the most interesting healing ability), but Spectre of Torment is notable for the fact that the stages and music are actually remixed for him.

Cave Story (not on GOG, but the original version is available as a free download) is a classic indie title. Note that this game isn't really a metroidvania; the game is extremely linear.

La Mulana (remake is on GOG, but the original version is available elsewhere as a free download if you would prefer that version) is a metroidvania, but it is worth noting that said game has puzzles that are rather difficult and sometimes unfair. The game is not linear.

I've heard of a game called Hollow Knight (and actually bought it because I like the game's music), but have yet to actually try playing the game. Supposedly, it is not exactly linear. I also hear of a part that has been compared to Super Meat Boy in terms of difficulty.

Speaking of Super Meat Boy (not on GOG), that game is a rather difficult pure platformer (pure in the sense that there's no combat or puzzles involved).

Shank and Shank 2 by Klei Entertainment are fun 2D platforming action-y beat-em-ups. They aren't on GOG but Klei's other 2D platforming game, Mark of the Ninja is. It's a really great stealth/action game with emphasis on the stealth. Any attempts to go Rambo in that game are most likely to end poorly.

Thomas Was Alone is another favourite of mine. Much more puzzle oriented but the story and narration is very good and the music is fantastic.

There's also a free downloadable game made by one dude called You Have to Win The Game. It's very much a love-letter to 2D platformers. A difficult game, but a well-made one and made with a lot of love for the genre and for video games as a whole.