14 DAY TRIAL // 
After launching Joe Danger for the PS3 in 2010 and for the Xbox 360 in 2011, independent developer Hello Games released the sequel, Joe Danger 2: The Movie, back in 2012 for the two consoles.
Now, the studio has finally decided to bring the franchise to the PC platform in the form of improved versions of both Joe Danger 1 and Joe Danger 2: The Movie.
Besides delivering the same great content from the console editions, the developer promises lots of new features, like Steam Workshop and Steam Big Picture support, not to mention new playable characters like the Team Fortress 2 cast.
Do Joe Danger's adventures translate well to the PC platform or should he stay on consoles? Let's find out in this special two-game review.
Joe Danger 1 and 2 follows the adventures of the titular character, a stuntman who needs to restart his career after a terrible accident in the first game, and who goes on to work in all sorts of movies in the second title.
Both have the same core gameplay mechanics, as they're side scrolling puzzle platformers that hark back to the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog of Super Mario Bros., although there's a much bigger emphasis on pulling stunts and riding the bike in the most stylish way possible.
Joe can collect different stars, coins, and other such things throughout the levels, and some even feature different objectives, from hitting certain targets, like in first game, or doing all sorts of crazy things in the second one, like deactivating missiles.
Besides driving and going up ramps, Joe needs to avoid spike traps and bumps, not to mention other hazards, while hitting all the right spring-based platforms to ascend up perilous platforms. You can also use a boost function to accelerate through levels and refill the gauge by pulling off different tricks, like popping wheelies.
While Joe Danger 1 feels a bit more like a regular side-scrolling stunt game, where there aren't a lot of different objectives besides beating the par time, collecting all the stars, or getting all the bonus items, Joe Danger 2 is much more outlandish both in terms of design and variety, as Joe gets to go through parodies of many famous movies.
The first game is also a bit more bare-bone, as it includes the single-player campaign, a local split-screen multiplayer, a sandbox-style level editor, as well as the Ultra Hard experience.
Meanwhile, the sequel features a story campaign, which is much more diverse, a similar split-screen multiplayer experience, the Ultra Hard set of challenges, as well as bonus "Deleted Scenes," which consist of even more outlandish races, not to mention the level editor that's renamed as the Movie Maker.
While the game is best played using a controller, it's quite manageable using a mouse and keyboard, which also makes it much easier to create new levels using the dedicated editors. These tracks can then be shared easily using the Steam Workshop system, which means players can enhance the experience after completing the regular stages made by the team at Hello.
In terms of visuals, both games look really good and in their transition from consoles they haven't lost any sort of quality. Framerate issues, however, are present, especially when running at maximum settings and when there are plenty of items on the screen. Even so, these moments aren't that numerous, so you'll be able to play both games really well on the PC.
In terms of sound, the two titles are also quite good, managing to keep an upbeat tone throughout most of the challenges while ramping up the action during timed events or head-to-head races between Joe and members of Team Nasty.
Conclusion
Both Joe Danger 1 and Joe Danger 2: The Movie are examples of what PC ports should be. They haven't lost any of bit of their already high quality and gained plenty of great features, including support for Steam Workshop.
While the two games should definitely be purchased together, PC owners who can only afford one of them should go with the more varied and more hilarious Joe Danger 2: The Movie.
