Nintendo has built a longstanding record of producing gaming’s most treasured series, including that of the world-renowned jumping plumber, Mario. They are the self-appointed kings of platforming, with their red-capped wonder hopping at the helm of his many flagship titles. Nintendo consoles, for years, have been home to the greatest platformers in gaming history – and they never shy away from good, old-fashioned fun with friends.
Now more than ever, the Nintendo Switch has become a one-stop shop for varied party play and hours of family entertainment. If you’ve had a fix for parkour in pairs, or not-so-friendly competition in fours or more, the following platformers are guaranteed to have you and your crew jumping for joy.
7 Cuphead
A double-whammy of genius game design and unparalleled art direction, Studio MDHR’s sole labor of love is a brilliant platformer in a class of its own. Very few games so effortlessly blend tight controls and gorgeous graphics while also simultaneously challenging a player’s intelligence – and patience – the way that Cuphead does.
The satisfying ‘snap!’ from a finger gun blasting into a boss as funky jazz blares in the background is even better in twos, with the entirety of the game’s fast-paced main campaign beatable in two players playing co-op. If you and your best bud happen to make it to the end in one piece, Cuphead’s most recent DLC, The Delicious Last Course, will be there waiting for you, including a new playable character and up to six hours of additional content that’ll have you coming back for seconds.
6 Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze
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Nintendo’s favorite banana-collecting gorilla and his spider monkey nephew made their big Switch debut in this stellar port of the original Wii U title that was launched back in 2014. The game’s transition to the Switch only further improved upon its solid foundation, allowing for a slew of graphical upgrades and other fun additions while maintaining the series’ charming visuals and hallmark old-school difficulty.
Thanks to its new player-friendly Funky Mode, you and a friend can also choose to play as Funky Kong, a chill surfer dude who enjoys a health bonus and some handy abilities that help make the game’s more difficult platforming just a bit more forgiving. Whether you’re a pair of Donkey Kong Country vets or a couple of friends hoping to just monkey around, grab a set of joy cons and enjoy barrel-blasting your way through some of Nintendo’s most beautifully-designed environments to date.
5 Ultimate Chicken Horse
A true pinnacle in party platforming, Ultimate Chicken Horse is a round-based game where you and up to three other furry friends construct an absurd Mario level meant to ruin everyone else’s chances of winning while still giving you the edge you need to clear the stage. At the start of each round, every player chooses a new piece to add to the stage. The trick is to pick pieces that will make it easier for you, but ridiculously difficult for your friends. Whoever successfully reaches the end of the level earns points, with first place going to the player with the most at the end of the game.
Whether you place a crossbow that shoots projectiles at your friends or you build a set of stairs that will help you quickly reach the level’s exit, there are many diabolical paths to victory that reward the creative player. Think of this one like a real-time, competitive Super Mario Maker with some Mario Party levels of deceit and betrayal mixed in, and you get the platforming mayhem that is Ultimate Chicken Horse.
4 Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
Fans of both cats and classic 2D Mario games can expect many hours of co-op fun in this all-around fresh take on the series’ timeless formula. Super Mario 3D World’s levels are quick but absolutely jam-packed with a medley of collectables, secrets, power-ups, and amusing interactions that make every stage feel like its very own amusement park ride. Three other friends can join in the fun, each with playable characters that come with their own unique quirks, such as Luigi and his superior jump height or Toad with his ludicrous speed.
Toeing the line between cooperation and competition, every level boasts a point system that rewards the highest-scoring player with a shiny crown – one that can be fleeced by anyone at any time. And once you’ve had your fill of 3D World, boot up Bowser’s Fury and bring along one other friend to play as Bowser Jr. as you two tackle a gauntlet of levels, which take place in an even bigger Mario level where no loading screens have a chance to slow down the action.
3 Fall Guys
Nearly two years after its hugely successful launch in late 2020, the chaotic minigame mania born from the zany game shows of yesteryear is now playable – and free-to-play – on the Nintendo Switch. For those who have yet to dip their toes into 2020’s most accessible Battle Royale, Fall Guys is a game about being the last bean standing in one of the industry’s wackiest variety game shows. Hop, dive, push, and shove your way to victory as you and your friends scramble through a cavalcade of obstacle courses and minigames where contestants are eliminated each round.
Modes are broken into “Shows,” each allowing you to go it alone in the Solo Show, with another friend in the Duo Show, or alongside an entire bean team in a Squads Show. Regular content updates introduce new Shows that mix up the traditional Fall Guys gameplay. They also provide more ways for you to customize your character with witty, new costumes to rise the ranks – or fall to your doom – in style. If your friends have been debating who’s really the best platformer in the party, look no further than Fall Guys.
2 Human Fall Flat
It takes a real dastardly developer to make a platformer totally reliant on ragdoll physics, but it's another story entirely for a developer to be dastardly enough to make one that actually works. Enter Human Fall Flat, an ingenious platformer that asks you to make deliberate, and creative, use of your body to solve environmental puzzles.
You’re tasked with finding different ways to grab objects, ledges, levers, and more to eventually make your way to the end of 20 imaginative levels across a wide range of locales. Rewarding out-of-the-box thinking, there are a surprising number of ways to overcome the game’s many tough puzzles and inventive obstacles. Each level can be completed by one person (somehow), but why do that when you can employ the collective brain power of up to eight floppy friends online?
1 Kirby Star Allies
Built from the ground-up to be a four-player cooperative experience, Kirby Star Allies is an excellent introduction to what Kirby games are all about: smacking up baddies, copying their abilities, and looking absolutely adorable while doing it. The game’s light difficulty and flashy cartoon action make this a perfect choice for casual family fun.
Its core offerings include a bunch of puzzle pieces to collect throughout its joyfully inspired levels, as well as hidden switches that give access to secret stages. Additionally, more modes, such as The Ultimate Choice, become available and present new, exciting ways to experience the main game once you’ve completed the story. Although it may lack overall length and difficulty, there is still a sea of replay value here – and plenty of post-launch fan service in the form of popular Dream Friends for the pink puff buffs out there.