Platformers, and in particular 2-dimensional ones, allow the budget-less indie developer to sprout their creativity without taking another mortgage. Perhaps that’s why so many innovative leaps are first made in these kind of games.

As freeware gamers, the internet allows us to experience them first-hand. Sure, we’re not talking about Portal and Braid, but simple downloadable and flash games have not yet lost the ability to amaze.

This article will review three of those freeware platformer games, entirely dissimilar, save in two aspects: platforming and brilliance.

Continuity

This first title is an online flash game. You can play it on your Mac/Windows/Linux web browser. If you want to enjoy it from your desktop, read Aibek’s article on how to download and play flash games offline.

Continuity is that amazing combination of platform and puzzle. Although the level design is often simple, beating it is a whole different story. Consisting of four, six, or more parts, you need to rearrange your level several times before you’re able to reach the exit. The game gradually grows harder with more elaborate (and confusingly similar) level designs, and an increasing number of dead ends.

Pressing space respectively zooms in or out on the little guy, the latter option allowing you to view the big picture and start puzzling. Before you even think of running to the tiny fire exit, you need to gather one or more keys around the level. Continuity delivers casual fun, but don’t expect it to be easy.

Hint: if you’re really stuck on one of the puzzles – not uncommon in these games – you can skip the level in the options menu (Esc).

madnessMADNESSmadness

This is not your regular platformer, and you might get seriously hurt here. Turn back now, while you still can. We won’t judge you. On the contrary, it would probably be the wiser decision.

Still here? Good. This is madness. You’ll love it.

Forget what you thought you knew about physics. In here, the levels are round (in a 360° kind of way). There’s only one minor complication, the level gradually disappears. That red beam you see in the screenshot goes round and round, redrawing the ground beneath your feet. If you want to survive, you have to be fast and time it right. And then there are still those spikes. They’re kind of sharp. Madness, if you ask me.

madnessMADNESSmadness is available as a Windows download.

Saut

Saut is an incredibly simple game. You’ve got only one control to worry about: jump. The level flies beneath you when you’re in the air, and you can only choose between big leaps and small hops. Just your luck that you’re on a floating island, who knows how far above the ground.

There are two things that come to mind when you’re playing Saut. First of all, for monotonous space-bashing, the game is incredibly fun and addictive. Second, it’s incredibly difficult – you’ll waste quite a lot of lives before you get the controls down.

Like madnessMADNESSmadness, Sault is available as a Windows download. Perhaps someday we’ll see a Mac/Linux port, but until then let’s be grateful that the game’s so light and emulator-friendly.

Do you like a little challenge in a game, or would you rather have us reviewing more casual games? Let us know in the comments!

Tagged: flash • fun • old-school • online games