Platformers are as almost old as video games themselves, having been around since the early 80s with all their arcadey gap-hopping and colourful pixelated graphics. They’ve certainly come a long way since then, with a staggering variety of fantastic 2D and 3D games that span all eras.
2013 was a particularly brilliant year for platforming games, as it built upon and rebooted some of the most classic and well-received games in the genre. It also introduced a variety of brand-new experiences that are still going strong ten years later. Here are some of the very best platformer games that were released a decade ago that are all a celebration of one of gaming’s oldest and most revered genres.
10 The Swapper
While not the most traditional platforming experience, The Swapper is a unique indie gem that sticks out as one of the most interesting puzzle-platformers released in the past ten years. You must use your brand-new sci-fi gun to create numerous clones of yourself in order to solve puzzles and escape a wrecked space station.
The puzzles ramp up in difficulty as you clone your way through the moody and head-scratching levels. It’s surprisingly dark, as your trusty clone gun will literally swap your consciousness into another clone body, leaving the original one behind like a forgotten keepsake. The atmosphere is fantastic and a lot of the graphical assets and textures were handcrafted from clay, which is a nice touch.
9 Risk Of Rain
Before it became a 3D bullet-hell shooter, Risk of Rain was a fantastic 2D side-scrolling action platformer. It’s a roguelike at its core that merges shooting and platforming expertly and makes for a very compelling and rewarding gameplay loop.
With the threat of permadeath just around the corner, you must try and make use of each unique character and the plethora of random item pickups that will add power to your run. You’ll need it too, as the longer you stay in a run the more hordes of enemies will be thrown at you, and their difficulty will increase.
8 DuckTales: Remastered
DuckTales: Remastered is a wonderfully realised remake of the deceptively difficult eight-bit SNES platformer based on the beloved Disney cartoon.
You control the same old pogo-hopping Scrooge McDuck, but he is now revitalised as a hand-drawn animated sprite against gorgeously detailed painted backdrops. The soundtrack sounds just as good as ever, with the option to switch to the original eight-bit versions. To keep things as authentic as possible, Capcom and WayForward brought in some of the original voice cast which is the icing on this very colourful Disney cake.
7 Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
Donkey Kong has come a long way since his eight-bit arcade glory days. He was one of the first platformers to ever exist, but after squashing his beef with Mario, he’s proven that he can produce a high-quality platforming experience all on his own. One of those was Nintendo's ported reboot of their fantastic Donkey Kong Country series with Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D.
Although previously released on the Wii, its introduction with the Nintendo 3DS allowed the game to make great use of the system’s super stereoscopic 3D screen. The same beloved platforming of the original games is here with all its jumping, rolling and monkey ground-pounding intact. The 3DS version introduced eight new levels as well as a new easier mode to try out.
6 Rogue Legacy
The original Rogue Legacy is a roguelike action platformer with a twist - with each inevitable death you will then play as the next successor of a very long and unlucky family line of heroes and heroines. Each generation has unique genetic traits that will help or hinder you, making each run feel fresh and unique.
As is familiar with most roguelikes out there, each stage is randomly generated as you move from room to room. After each death, you have the option to upgrade the next character by choosing gear and perks, as well as expanding the sections of the castle. Rogue Legacy influenced many indie roguelike games that came after it and went on to produce a fantastic sequel with Rogue Legacy 2.
5 Puppeteer
Aside from LittleBigPlanet, Puppeteer is one of the best PlayStation platformers that was released at the tail end of the PS3’s lifespan and was unfortunately overlooked at launch. In any case, Puppeteer is a gorgeous semi-3D side-scrolling platformer with all the charm and whimsy you could possibly ever want.
You play as Kutaro, a headless boy-turned-puppet who can swap his heads for different powers and abilities. The whole game takes place on a central theatre stage, where you will receive cheers and boos from an observing audience based on your actions in the game. The visuals are just as theatrical - they are strikingly beautiful and atmospheric as you transition from one dramatic location to the next, all appearing as hasty set changes. It’s a magical adventure, with innovative platforming and a deeply alluring appeal.
4 Guacamelee!
Originally released on the PS3 and PlayStation Vita, Guacamelee! is a colourful modern Metroidvania platformer with an emphasis on action and puzzle solving. As a resurrected luchador, you will use various satisfying melee combos and grapple moves to throw about your foes, all within gorgeously vibrant levels inspired by Mexican folklore.
In true Metroidvania fashion, you will eventually unlock more moves and abilities, which will allow you to backtrack to previously blocked-off areas in the game’s semi-open map. It fits perfectly on a handheld and with the option to now play it on a Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck, it feels just as great as it did on the Vita.
3 Tearaway
Media Molecule’s Tearaway was another excellent platformer for the Playstation Vita that showed off the console and everything it was capable of. The world you inhabit, including the player-controlled character, is entirely made of paper and the game does a fantastic job of selling you this illusion.
It has you use every tool in the Vita’s arsenal as a way of solving puzzles and progressing through the game’s gorgeous papercraft design. Prod the back screen and see ‘your’ finger tear through the ground during combat and touch the front screen to peel away hidden areas. It’s a unique and joyful platforming experience that was later released as an expanded remake on PS4 with Tearaway Unfolded.
2 Rayman Legends
Rayman Legends is a sequel to Rayman Origins which was a return to form for the Rayman series. Like Origins before it, Legends goes back to the series’ roots as a vibrant and lovable 2D side-scrolling platformer.
There are many colourful and varied stages to run around in, and the innovative 3D boss fights are a visual treat. Unlike most platforming titles, you are expected to keep moving forward through the levels at a rhythmic pace that encourages multiple repeats in order to maintain a fluid momentum. The more you can time your jumps and zip lines to the beat of the game’s fantastic original soundtrack, the better. It was a relief to see that Rayman was finally back where he belongs.
1 Super Mario 3D World
Super Mario 3D World was undoubtedly the best platformer on the Wii U and brought so many refreshing and unique ideas to the Super Mario series. It inexplicably merged Mario’s adventurous 3D outings with the beloved retro 2D style of the classic games. Both are interwoven perfectly, allowing 3D players and 2D purists to get the most out of this joyous package.
The levels are fantastic and will see Mario and his pals run and jump their way through a variety of gorgeous locales. 3D World was later re-released on the Nintendo Switch with Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury - a brilliant open-world expansion that merges the best of 3D World and Super Mario Odyssey - and teased the tantalising potential for where the franchise could go in the future.