When it comes to 2D platformers, your objective is almost always moving from the left side of the stage to the right side. There may be some vertical movement, but it’s just another means to continue eastward.
Ice Climber is an oddity as it only scrolls straight-up. You jump and use your hammer to knock away bricks in the ceiling to make a hole to advance. There is some horizontal movement as monsters come in from the left and right to attack you, but you’re only progressing if you’re going up.
Ice Climber is an okay curiosity. It’d be more satisfying to play if the jumping wasn’t finicky. There’s little horizontal momentum in the air and the character will pass through parts of the ice bricks. It’ll look like you’re about to barely make a jump, but over and over again you’ll clip through the brick and fall to the floor below.
If you have an interest in the early NES library, it’s worth checking out. But if you want to play something fun, the NES has no shortage of better platformers.
