I want to preface this by saying that I don't enjoy 2D collectathons as much as their 3D counterparts (frankly I don't think I've played a good one without Yoshi or Wario in the title) so I'm going to pick on the actual platforming mechanics rather than gameplay objectives and such. Without wanting to seem too harsh, here goes nothing:
Octoroc wrote:If I was to suggest anything, I'd like to slide down walls a little quicker.
I agree with this and I'd go one further: the physics feel too floaty, just a little bit off. Maybe it's because it jars with how quickly you're capable of moving horizontally at times, but we'll get onto that.
Octoroc wrote:I haven't played Super Meat Boy or N so I also found the controls a bit counter intuitive at first- for example I'd expect pressing the direction key towards the wall to slow my descent rather than climb it.
OldSoulCyborg wrote:The walljumping in my game is vastly different to Super Metroid. It's more like Super Meat Boy in that regard.
I completely agree with both of these too. As much as I like the walljumping in SM, it's way too tight for a game where it's going to be required at all skill levels. This begs the question: why do you climb up walls when you push into them? You've got a perfectly serviceable single-wall walljump mechanic there, and every game I've played of this type has taught me to press into the wall either to fall under the platform I'm sliding down or to enable said walljumps. It just seems like an entirely unecessary mechanic, bordering on irritating because of how (needlessly) different it is. I keep trying to do one thing and I end up with something else entirely. I wouldn't be so harsh on this but in a self-proclaimed 'twitch' platformer, reactions are everything.
Other things:
1. Why does moving decrease your jump height so much (seemingly by a third)? Platformers, especially 2D ones, are at their most fun when they have a bit of pace to them -there's a reason a lot of them have a run button. Having to slow down to make higher jumps is anathema to that. It's even worse when you walk (ie you're moving, but haven't attained full running speed yet) into a jump, because you still lose the height but you don't gain any of the acceleration a running takeoff creates.
2. Why does your air speed vary so much? If you take off from a running start, you accelerate immediately and then quickly deccelerate back to walking speed. This goes back to the last point - there's a lot to be said for maintaining momentum and it's constantly flying up and down here. In a game about running and jumping, it's not ideal that the fastest way to get around is to spend as little time in the air as possible off each jump.
And I know I said I wouldn't pick on anything bar basic mechanics, but: I don't think invisible collectables are ever a good idea.
That came out a lot more brutal than intended, sorry.
Hopefully some of it's helpful.