I think it is quite sad that Chuck Rock II always tends to be forgotten. Maybe it is because it is so much less of a Europan platformer and more like a Japanese one: you don't have to bother about collecting X items to open the exit (like in Superfrog, Zool, Robocod, Kid Chaos), you don't have maze-like levels (like in Turrican and so many other games). Also, there's classic boss-fights, the style of the graphics is warm and colourful in a tasteful way and the levels are VERY varied throughout the game and the details are everywhere and top-notch, the soundtrack is melodic and memorable... actually, everything about the game seems just so right. The only thing I dislike about the game is the fact that the MegaDrive/Genesis version is superior graphicswise (but I don't care since the Amiga version stands well on its own).
Maybe not the best platformer. But certainly neglected and forgotten. Just like The Addams Family, which I also find rather intriguing (but not nearly as good as Chuck Rock II).
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Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd
I know what you meant, platformer is to vage. For me it looks like this:
Platformer:
Rainbow Island
Parasol Stars
Snow Brothers
Rodland
Bubble Bobble
Jump'n Run:
Giana Sisters
Superfrog
Fire & Ice
Aladdin
B. C. Kid (awesome PC-Engine port of Bonk)
Jump'n'Shot & Arcade games:
Turrican I & II
Lionheart
Ruff'n'Tumble
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What? I mean, genres are never static, that is one thing that I am certain of... but the ones you list as regular platformers are what I would call classic arcade platformers (one screen or scrolling). The ones you call jump'n'run is what I would call classic platformers (and I would certainly place Lionheart in that category). Turrican I & II and Ruff'n'Tumble would then be run'n'gun (just like Gunstar Heroes, for the MegaDrive/Genesis... a platformer + shooter, all in one... but not a SHMUP, which is games like Gradius, R-Type and Ikaruga). It might sound a bit odd, but if you turn to console players I think they would in a majority agree. While there seems to be some kind of doxa concerning the genres of games when looking at the console market I have never understood why there is so many different ways of dealing with genres when looking at the computer market (specially when it comes to older games).
Wikipedia on run'n'gun (Turrican is listed there).