Highlights

• There are many platformers everyone should try at least once, whether they have enjoyable co-op gameplay or just fantastically creative game mechanics.
• For example, Little Nightmares offers a creepy and engrossing platforming experience with trial and error gameplay, showcasing its mystery and horrific charm.
• Super Mario World is a classic platformer you can play, featuring mechanics that were way ahead of its time.

Oh, the platformer. One of the oldest and most beloved game genres of all time. Its simplicity and ability to get progressively more challenging makes it a favorite to many players, and at one point, it was a go-to for Nintendo and Sega to sell consoles.

Whether you were team Sonic or Team Mario, each offered something different, and that continues to this day. There's a deep history with this genre so listing the best will surely rub some players the wrong way, but anything worth doing will always be difficult. So, with that in mind, here are the platformers that should be considered required reading for practically any gamer with a taste for them.

The games that have made it onto this list take into account the title's impact on the genre, innovations brought to the table, and a degree of subjectivity on the part of the author!

Updated March 6, 2024 by Amanda Hurych: When looking at all the many great platforming games that have come out over the years, it's difficult to select which we should consider the best of the best. But that won't stop us from trying! We've updated this list to include a creepily atmospheric puzzle-platformer that shouldn't be missed by fans of the genre.

Inside

A platformer game does not need to possess frenetic action to be considered one of the greats; sometimes, all it needs is atmosphere, and Inside has that in spades. From the creators of Limbo (another iconic platformer game you can find further down in this list), Inside tells the gripping story of a boy on the run, and it does that with zero words. Not a single intelligible word is spoken throughout the entirety of the game.

Instead, as you lope across sodden fields, slink past dilapidated buildings, and work your way through this strange, dystopian society, you slowly pick up bits and pieces of what's going on. There's a disturbing mind-control technology in effect, implemented by those in power, and you're playing as a small child with no resources at their disposal, simply trying to escape. Or are you? Inside's mysterious narrative aside, the art style and puzzle-platforming are top-notch, making Inside one of the best in the genre.

Pizza Tower

With a wonderfully distinct aesthetic and more personality in a single animation than you might see in the entirety of most triple-A titles, Pizza Tower is a platforming game you shouldn't sleep on. It's got a strangely Sonic vibe as you rush, slide, and whomp your way through levels. And if you know how classic Sonic feels like, you know that Pizza Tower just feels fun to play. So as you're making your mad dash up the titular Pizza Tower to save your pizzeria, there's never a dull moment.

It might sound like I'm describing a simple platforming game where you play as a guy trying to save his pizza place because that's essentially what the game is. But the creativity behind its art and combat and platforming speaks for itself. Pizza Tower is a joy and should stand proudly as one of the best platforming games you can play today.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Spoiler warning, you'll see an array of Super Mario titles on this list of greatest platformers, and for good reason. As the grandfather, nay, the great-grandfather of platforming games, Nintendo has shown it knows what it takes to make a fantastic platforming title, and it continually iterates on the conventions of the genre it helped create.

Nowhere is this more clear than in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. The sheer delight you feel as you play through Wonder solidifies why "wonder" is in the game's title at all. From the rhythm-based levels to Sproings in the Twilight Forest, the creativity on display here is astounding.

Battleblock Theater

Given it's been years since Battleblock Theater first released, you could be forgiven for never having heard of it. But consider this entry to be added education to your knowledge of platforming games if that's the case. The hilarity inherent in Battleblock Theater is a huge part of its appeal. The wacky narrator who tells the tale of Hatty and friends being stranded on an island where they need to perform in platforming arenas for the amusement of sadistic cats is a major draw.

But the game doesn't rest on the laurels of this comedic win. It also provides an enjoyable co-op romp through said arenas, with game mechanics like tossing buddies, reaching down to give them a boost, and literally crying for help all contributing to making the cooperative aspect of Battleblock Theater its crowning achievement.

Little Nightmares

The creepy aesthetic of Little Nightmares is enough to warrant a playthrough. Oddly proportioned enemies haunt the swaying environments of the game, and it's up to you to guide the yellow raincoat-clad Six as she tiptoes her way past them.

If you're a fan of games like Limbo and Inside, then you'll be familiar with how to play through Little Nightmares. Successfully passing through areas is reliant on trial and error, and you can expect to see Six squashed by falling debris, grabbed by a waddling man with snake-like arms, and swallowed by an invisible shoe monster many times. But the mystery and horrific charm of Little Nightmares is engrossing, and makes it a platformer definitely worth the easily digestible playtime.

LittleBigPlanet

Few games divided critics and audiences as much as LittleBigPlanet. In hindsight, this game was ahead of its time, with realistic graphics, high-end physics, and the ability for an entire community to create their own content and increase the longevity of the game infinitely.

No game has quite captured what LittleBigPlanet set out to do, not even the sequels in the series. If any game deserves a remaster from its humble origins, this one would set the world on fire with a larger and more creative audience.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time

Loyal fans of the series were afraid when they heard that Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time was going to be reconning many of the established seven games that came before it. Changing the events of a beloved franchise is a risky endeavor that fails more often than it succeeds.

But the result respected the characters and source material. Here's hoping Crash Bandicoot is up for a sequel soon, he's one of many platformer characters due for a comeback! In addition to the story, the platforming in this game is unique, a mix of player movement, decisions, and running for dear life.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy

As players wonder why they haven't been treated to a new Spyro game in a while, those who haven't played should understand why the demand exists. The Spyro series keeps the brand fresh with a mix of speed challenges, jumping, combat, racing, and physics.

Many platformers stick to doing one thing and doing it well. Spyro gamers are challenged on all fronts and flourish. Thanks to the Reignited Trilogy, players from the classic generation got to show their friends how remarkably well the series holds up in the modern era.

Psychonauts 2

The genius of Psychonauts 2 lies in its subtlety. When games try to have symbols for mental states of mind, they can be on the ham-fisted side. Something like "shoot the brain sprite" is outdated and, frankly, demeaning to the intellect that gamers have. But the gameplay is something that kids using the Xbox Series X/S can appreciate as well as adults.

There is beauty to the parallels that everybody understands but they don't have to be explicitly stated by the characters. Aside from the beautiful storytelling with this medium, it doesn't hurt that the game itself has perfectly balanced challenge with reward.

Dead Cells

Many "roguelike" games are actually roguelite games, allowing players to make incremental progress every time until they can finally power up enough to beat the game. Dead Cells is a true roguelike, using a permadeath system that forces players to start over from the very beginning.

This would be a problem if the game weren't so much fun. Mastering the abilities and gathering cells for each run is rewarding. Gathering cells, even if they will be reset, feels much more important than picking up coins. First-timers to the genre have some great starting points, Dead Cells is closer to the ending point.

Spelunky 2

Getting through the first Spelunky meant getting the admiration of millions of gamers. The second game proved to be just as challenging. Players have to start over every time they lose, hopefully gaining more talent along the way.

Unlike Mega Man games, the entire game is procedurally generated, so there is no way to memorize your way to victory. Players will need to master the basics before making a push to the end of the game and coming away with the win. With roguelike gameplay, it's one of the best platformers on the PS4.

Super Meat Boy

Platformers use many fun gimmicks to keep the experience fresh. They often bring around fun stories, goofy characters, or harder enemies. But the point of the platformer is the platform and Super Meat Boy makes the most of that literal definition.

Players will hurdle from safety to safety. The windows on these safe places grow smaller as each incredible chapter unfolds. Eventually, only the most hardcore platform gamer fans with elite hand-eye coordination are going to be able to declare victory.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Most games that try to do everything right for everyone end up being boring and lacking an anchor. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart challenges that notion at every step. With the immersive plot that is true to the originals, the beautiful background, the developed gameplay, and the incredible arsenal, there is no part of this game that wasn't well thought out.

The game doesn't rest on its good reputation or settle for merely doing things right. There are risks that it takes with new and friendly alien races, complex new mechanics to design that are simple for players to execute, and legitimate player choice when it comes to how you'd like to tackle any task or battle. The love and polish in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apar needs to be played to be believed.

Shovel Knight

It's shocking how many people have played a Mario game but missed out on Shovel Knight. As Mario went into a 3D direction, the spiritual successor to the old school platformers was unquestionably Sovel Knight, with its bright animations and poppy music.

As one of the best modern retro games of all time, it's impossible to play this without a smile. For older gamers, it's nostalgic, but for newer audiences, it's just a great game with creative moves and exciting opponents to fight.

Ristar

Ristar is an often overlooked title made by Sonic Team with the mind behind Sonic himself, Yuki Naka, taking the reigns. But don't worry, Sega has made sure to put it on every platform imaginable and it's included in every possible Sega Genesis collection the company's released in recent memory. It plays nothing like the Blue Blur's titles, however. Instead, the game focuses less on speed and more on Ristar's stretchy arms. He reaches out like a Lovecraftian monster and grabs his enemies before thrusting his body at them at full speed.

The platforming also uses this freakish ability to traverse the terrain with poles and platforms placed just far enough that players need to swing from spot to spot. Where Ristar does share a similar art style and level progression as Sonic as levels are divided up into acts with fun little intro screens to send players into each area.

Cuphead

There is absolutely nothing standard about Cuphead. If this were a list of the most unique games in platforming, Cuphead would be the winner. Second place wouldn't be particularly close. Every aspect of this game must be experienced to be fully appreciated.

The music and artwork are ripped right out of an era when televised cartoons were just barely becoming colorized. The gameplay itself is intensely fun, even if it does tend to err on the difficult side. The animated enemies are cute, but they pack a challenge for even the most tenured veterans of platforming.

Sonic Mania

While we could pick almost any of Sonic's 2D titles to put on this list, Sonic Mania encapsulates the original trilogy (& Knuckles) better than any single Genesis title. With a mix of redesigned retro levels all-new ones designed by fans who Sega hired after seeing their work online, Sonic Mania is a title that feels like it was made with love.

The game focuses on the player's momentum. The better a player reacts to enemies and obstacles, the faster Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles go. This is a concept the franchise seems to stray further from in every new title, so, oddly, this retro throwback feels fresh.

Rayman Legends

Rayman has been one of Ubisoft's major franchises since its inception in 1995. From his humble origins as a 2D platformer hero, the limbless wonder transitioned into 3D like every other platformer from that era. Interestingly enough, the Rayman franchise made the jump into the new dimension pretty smoothly, but in 2011 as 2D jump-em-ups came back in vogue, the franchise went back to its roots.

While Origins was a strong return to the familiar, Legends built on the formula set out by its predecessor and made bigger levels with more interesting hooks. Whether that's a rhythm-based castle escape to the tune of "Black Betty" or a Legend of Zelda-inspired temple dive, this game offers variety on a level you don't see from a typical 2D platformer.

Super Mario Galaxy

Not everything went in a positive direction for the Nintendo Wii, but it's definitely not the fault of Super Mario Galaxy. This game is still tied for the highest-rated platformer on Metacritic after more than a decade and it alone makes the Wii a vintage item worth holding on to.

No game will ever be truly fourth-dimensional, but this one comes close. Dealing with gravity and trying to keep Mario facing the right direction made players use every ounce of energy that human minds can demand. The reward, as can be expected, was well worth the challenge.

OlliOlli World

As one of the best 2D games with 3D graphics, OlliOlli World has a sense of style in every area of it. The art design is simple and coordinated. The platformer is like a running game but with horizontal pieces to interact with. And the gameplay mixes racing with style.

The gameplay is so unique and fun to master that gamers can accidentally beat the entire game in a single session. Mastering each course is far from frustrating with frequent checkpoints, but the challenges are requisitely significant, a balance not many other games can say they've achieved.