I am a big fan of 2D platform games. I have been playing them since I was in school. And I have had a fair share of ups and downs in those games. Some good ones and some bad ones, but in my book, the king of 2D platform games is...
In my book, the king of 2D platform games is not Mario. It is Megaman X! I have played Mario games and they rock, but for me, nothing is quite as fun as Megaman X 2D platform games.
2D platform games are side-scroller games that require you to move a character from side to side, through various levels and stages, defeating minions and bosses on the way and progressing through a storyline.
What is so different about Megaman X games is that in each series, you can gain armor upgrades, get special secret items, obtain weapons from bosses you defeat and eventually reach a secret stage where you get to fight Sigma, the ultimate boss. And unlike other platformers, Megaman can climb walls!