Single-Screen Platformer
One screen, infinite challenge
Single-screen platformers contain entire levels within one fixed view, from Donkey Kong to Bubble Bobble to modern puzzle-platformers.
Overview
Before scrolling became standard, platformers fit entire levels on single screens. Players saw everything at once: platforms, enemies, hazards, and goals. This constraint created clarity—you knew what you faced—and enabled precise level design. The format dominated early arcade and home computer platformers before scrolling took over, though it persists in puzzle-platformers today.
Fast facts
- Definition: complete level visible in one screen.
- Origin: hardware limitations and design choice.
- Advantages: complete information, precise design.
- Defining titles: Donkey Kong, Bubble Bobble, Manic Miner.
- Modern use: puzzle-platformers, arcade-style games.
Design characteristics
What single-screen enables:
- Full visibility: players see entire challenge.
- Precise timing: exact platform placement.
- Pattern learning: memorise screen layouts.
- Quick sessions: levels can be fast.
Notable examples
Classic single-screen platformers:
- Donkey Kong (1981): four screens, iconic design.
- Bubble Bobble (1986): 100 screens, co-op classic.
- Manic Miner (1983): Spectrum platforming.
- Lode Runner (1983): puzzle-platform hybrid.