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What was the first water level in a platformer? (self.retrogaming)
submitted 1 month ago by frezik to c/retrogaming@lemmy.world
14 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I think Super Mario Bros might have been the first. Might depend on what counts as a "platformer" or a "water level".

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[-] xyzzy@lemmy.today 23 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Jump Bug (late 1981) is the earliest. It has an entirely underwater level, and the car moves more slowly in it. It was also one of the earliest platformers, beaten only by Donkey Kong (mid 1981) and a couple others.

Super Mario Bros. (1985) introduced a significantly different mechanic for its water levels from the rest of the game, specifically swimming, and it was about a bajillion times more popular than Jump Bug. But it wasn't the first.

[-] who@feddit.org 16 points 1 month ago

Anybody have one that predates Pitfall II: Lost Caverns (1984)?

[-] seppesai@infosec.pub 6 points 1 month ago

Jungle Hunt was '82.

[-] who@feddit.org 3 points 1 month ago

Huh... I see swimming through water in this video, but I don't see platforms.

[-] otp@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago

A lot of water levels in Platformers have swimming instead of platforms like the entire rest of the game does

[-] who@feddit.org 2 points 1 month ago

Sure, but I don't see platforms anywhere in that particular game.

[-] just_another_person@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Sub Hunt, Frogger, White Water

[-] who@feddit.org 6 points 1 month ago

Water, sure, but none of those are platformers.

[-] KnitWit@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago

I’d call frogger a platformer, but the water aspect is only aesthetic. So disagree with OP on that but for different reasons.

[-] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Upvoted, but I'm not sure frogger counts. I haven't heard of the other two.

[-] ideonek@piefed.social 6 points 1 month ago

I'm worried that you may be a time-traveler with a gruge.

this post was submitted on 11 Jul 2025
34 points (100.0% liked)

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