History Main / CollectAThonPlatformer

* ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers'' (While having prominent elements from modern WideOpenSandbox games, the Starfall Islands are billed as "open zone" rather than "open world" due to them being successively unlocked after beating an island boss, which require Chaos Emeralds to be collected)

* ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' (TropeMaker and [[TropeCodifier Codifier]])

In the late [[TheNineties 90s]], [[MediaNotes/TheFifthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames 3D polygons were ready to take over the gaming industry]]. A good chunk of the market at the time consisted of 2D {{Platform Game}}s, so developers had the job of figuring out a way for those obstacle courses to properly transition into a 3D space. The answer was to seemingly downplay the "obstacle course" part.

The genre would eventually lose popularity somewhere in the mid-00's as games like ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'' would expand further on the [[WideOpenSandbox open-world concept]], thus making Collect-a-Thons redundant for the most part. That said, the notion of exploring worlds in order to find and collect things was not lost in many modern games. In fact, it still persists even two decades later. 3D Platformers, however, would fall to the wayside by the late 00's just as 2D ones returned to viability in the market thanks to the success of ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' and other games of the type that thrived on handhelds and even consoles. The term "Collect-a-Thon" itself is relatively recent (back in the 90's, those were just good old Platform Games, except in 3D) and sorta carries a derisive tone to it, but there are many who still utilize it unironically, especially for more modern takes of the genre. The [[MediaNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames eighth generation]] would see a small-scale revival of the collect-a-thon in some indie circles with games like ''VideoGame/SuperLuckysTale'', ''VideoGame/AHatInTime'', and ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'', though the difficulty of developing with the UsefulNotes/PolygonalGraphics required of the genre compared to sprites has limited the number of indie developers attempting to take it further, unlike the large-scale 2D platformer revival in the [[MediaNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh generation]].

In the late [[TheNineties 90s]], [[UsefulNotes/TheFifthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames 3D polygons were ready to take over the gaming industry]]. A good chunk of the market at the time consisted of 2D {{Platform Game}}s, so developers had the job of figuring out a way for those obstacle courses to properly transition into a 3D space. The answer was to seemingly downplay the "obstacle course" part.

The genre would eventually lose popularity somewhere in the mid-00's as games like ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'' would expand further on the [[WideOpenSandbox open-world concept]], thus making Collect-a-Thons redundant for the most part. That said, the notion of exploring worlds in order to find and collect things was not lost in many modern games. In fact, it still persists even two decades later. 3D Platformers, however, would fall to the wayside by the late 00's just as 2D ones returned to viability in the market thanks to the success of ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' and other games of the type that thrived on handhelds and even consoles. The term "Collect-a-Thon" itself is relatively recent (back in the 90's, those were just good old Platform Games, except in 3D) and sorta carries a derisive tone to it, but there are many who still utilize it unironically, especially for more modern takes of the genre. The [[MediaNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames eighth generation]] would see a small-scale revival of the collect-a-thon in some indie circles with games like ''VideoGame/SuperLuckysTale'', ''VideoGame/AHatInTime'', and ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'', though the difficulty of developing with the UsefulNotes/PolygonalGraphics required of the genre compared to sprites has limited the number of indie developers attempting to take it further, unlike the large-scale 2D platformer revival in the [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh generation]].

* ''VideoGame/SpongeBobSquarePantsBattleForBikiniBottom'' (Console version only. The [[UsefulNotes/GameboyAdvance GBA version]] was more of a standard 2D Platformer, and the PC version was a MinigameGame)
* ''VideoGame/TheSpongebobMovieGame'' (Console version only. The [[UsefulNotes/GameboyAdvance GBA version]] was more of a standard 2D Platformer, and the PC version was a point-and-click AdventureGame.)

** ''VideoGame/BowsersFury'', a side mode included with the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch UpdatedReRelease of ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld''

The genre would eventually lose popularity somewhere in the mid-00's as games like ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'' would expand further on the [[WideOpenSandbox open-world concept]], thus making Collect-a-Thons redundant for the most part. That said, the notion of exploring worlds in order to find and collect things was not lost in many modern games. In fact, it still persists even two decades later. 3D Platformers, however, would fall to the wayside by the late 00's just as 2D ones returned to viability in the market thanks to the success of ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' and other games of the type that thrived on handhelds and even consoles. The term "Collect-a-Thon" itself is relatively recent (back in the 90's, those were just good old Platform Games, except in 3D) and sorta carries a derisive tone to it, but there are many who still utilize it unironically, especially for more modern takes of the genre. The [[UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames eighth generation]] would see a small-scale revival of the collect-a-thon in some indie circles with games like ''VideoGame/SuperLuckysTale'', ''VideoGame/AHatInTime'', and ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'', though the difficulty of developing with the UsefulNotes/PolygonalGraphics required of the genre compared to sprites has limited the number of indie developers attempting to take it further, unlike the large-scale 2D platformer revival in the [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh generation]].

** ''VideoGame/SonicDreamTeam''

* ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers''(While having prominent elements from modern WideOpenSandbox games, the Starfall Islands are billed as "open zone" rather than "open world" due to them being successively unlocked after beating an island boss, which require Chaos Emeralds to be collected)

* ''VideoGame/AstroBoyOmegaFactor'' (a Downplayed 2D example, as the levels are mostly linear, but meeting every character is crucial to upgrading your Omega Factor).

* ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' series (TropeCodifier)

* ''VideoGame/Bubsy3D''- Downplayed in that levels are Point A to Point B but the collectables are needed to get a different ending.

* ''VideoGame/DrawnToLife'' (The first game is a rare 2D example. The player has to retrieve book pages and missing Raposa in order to complete levels, which are very explorable)

* ''VideoGame/{{Hargrave}}'': You need to collect enough energy cells to unlock access to bosses and their weapons, as well as the final section of the game. There are 69 cells in all, but you only need 60 to beat the game. You ''do'' need all of them to unlock the Grave Sectors, which don't have any cells, but are bonus platform levels for dedicated players.

* ''VideoGame/{{Poi}}''. A completely straight example intended by the developers and takes cues from many games in the genre.
* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' Zigzagged. The game has loads of collectibles, but progress is mostly independent of them. We say "mostly" because there are many instances with obstacles requiring abilities only obtainable under a specific rank. Collecting figments and challenge markers is necessary in order to rank up in the first place.

* ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers'': While having prominent elements from modern WideOpenSandbox games, the Starfall Islands are billed as "open zone" rather than "open world" due to them being successively unlocked after beating an island boss (which require Chaos Emeralds to be collected).

The genre would eventually lose popularity somewhere in the mid-00's as games like ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'' would expand further on the [[WideOpenSandbox open-world concept]], thus making Collect-a-Thons redundant for the most part. That said, the notion of exploring worlds in order to find and collect things was not lost in many modern games. In fact, it still persists even two decades later. 3D Platformers, however, would fall to the wayside by the late 00's just as 2D ones returned to viability in the market thanks to the success of ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' and other games of the type that thrived on handhelds and even consoles. The term "Collect-a-Thon" itself is relatively recent (back in the 90's, those were just good old Platform Games, except in 3D) and sorta carries a derisive tone to it, but there are many who still utilize it unironically, especially for more modern takes of the genre. The [[UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames eighth generation]] would see a small-scale revival of the collect-a-thon in some indie circles with games like ''VideoGame/SuperLuckysTale'', ''VideoGame/AHatInTime'', and ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'', though the difficulty of developing with the UsefulNotes/PolygonalGraphics required of the genre compared to sprites has limited the number of indie developers attempting to take it further unlike the large-scale 2D platformer revival in the [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh generation]].

Enter the Collect-a-Thon (short for "Collection Marathon"). A style of PlatformGame that was very popular in that era, inspired by the advent of ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', which sought to take advantage of the new axis provided by 3D polygons through large, explorable worlds where players could move around freely. This, however, led to some new problems: traditional {{Level Goal}}s at the end of linear paths looked a bit pointless in this new open-world reality. 3D perspective also made it harder for players to gauge height and distance during jumping sections, which wasn't helped by the camera now being [[FreeRotatingCamera dynamic]] instead of fixed (player breaks for camera adjusting were frequent back then). The solution was to sideline the actual platforming and turn exploration into a major part of the experience, but that also meant having to incentivize the player with some sort of reward that could also function as a goal in order to do so; that's where the collection aspect comes in.

* ''VideoGame/{{Bubsy}} 3D''- Downplayed in that levels are Point A to Point B but the collectables are needed to get a different ending.

* ''VideoGame/ConkersPocketTales'' (A rare 2D example)

* ''VideoGame/{{Glover}}''

* ''VideoGame/StarshotSpaceCircusFever''

* ''VideoGame/HavenCallOfTheKing''

Enter the Collect-a-Thon (short for "Collection Marathon"). A style of PlatformGame that was very popular in that era, inspired by the advent of ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', which sought to take advantage of the new axis provided by 3D polygons through large, explorable worlds where players could move around freely. This, however, led to some new problems: traditional {{Level Goal}}s at the end of linear paths looked a bit pointless in this new open-world reality. 3D perspective also made it harder for players to gauge height and distance during jumping sections, which wasn't helped by the camera now being [[FreeRotatingCamera dynamic]] instead of fixed (player breaks for camera adjusting were frequent back then). The solution was to sideline the actual platforming and turn exploration into a major part of the experience, but that also meant having to incentivize the player with some sort of reward that could also function as a goal in order to do so; that's were the collection aspect comes in.

* ''VideoGame/{{Poi}}''

* ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers'': While having prominent elements from modern WideOpenSandbox games, the Starfall Islands are billed as "open zone" rather than "open world" due to them being successively unlocked after beating an island boss.