Best Platformer Games

The golden era of platformer games fell on the 1990s. Users were going wild over Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario, and other games where the protagonists would be running and jumping on multilevel platforms (hence the name). Times change, but this sort of dynamic, adrenaline-fuelled entertainment still remains relevant. So the developers took the old hits and successfully adapted them to our current era. New top-notch projects are being built from scratch, catering both to die-hard fans of the genre and enthusiastic newcomers. In this review, you’ll find our hand-picked selection of the best platformer games. We played them all, and we can confirm that they all are true masterpieces.

Press X to double jump. Best platformer games.

10. Yoshi’s Crafted World

Yoshi’s Crafted WorldAmong all the platformer games from our rating, this one probably has the cutest 3D visuals. Yoshi, the dinosaur, tries to retrieve the stone that is capable of fulfilling every wish of its owner. By its ambiance and mechanics, the game distinctly resembles the seven previous installments of the Yoshi series. It’s funny, child-friendly, and not too challenging.
As soon as it was released by Nintendo in 2019, it took Yoshi’s Crafted World only three days to sell 1.1 million copies worldwide. It was nominated for the Game Awards, the Golden Joystick Awards, and some others.

Available on: Nintendo Switch.

9. Sonic Mania

Sonic ManiaIn the 1990s, Sonic the Hedgehog played on Sega Genesis, stood at the dawn of the best platformer games. Back then, it was all about speed and drive. Unfortunately, when the developers first tried to transfer this gem to 3D, it completely lost its charm — but the team behind Sonic Mania managed to resurrect the original drive.
After 15 years of hit-or-miss releases, the Sonic series finally delivered a superb game, then won the IGN award for its soundtrack, was nominated for The Game, Destructoid, and PC Gamer awards, and received unanimous critical acclaim.

Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC.

8. Snake Pass

Snake PassWhile most of the best platformer games involve running and jumping, this one is focused on slithering. You take control of a cute snake called Noodle and traverse themed floating islands. Adjusting to the peculiar movements of this creature might be challenging at first, especially given that each world has its own distinctive mechanics.
Released in 2017 by Sumo Digital, Snake Pass received mixed reviews from critics. But even those who slammed its steep learning curve hailed the unique gameplay and the extraordinary concept.

Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC.

7. Celeste

CelesteIt deserves to be featured in our list of the best platformer games for its extraordinary plot. A girl with mental health issues decides to reach the top of a mysterious mountain while her wise grandma tries to discourage her. The girl meets her dark doppelganger and has to overcome diverse obstacles, which involves a lot of climbing, jumping, and avoiding murderous spikes.
Presented in 2018 by Matt Makes Games, this one received well-deserved trophies at the Independent Games Festival, the Game Awards, the Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, and other ceremonies.

Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC.

6. Spyro Reignited Trilogy

Spyro Reignited TrilogyToys for Bob developer released the first installment of the original Spyro series in 1998 and the third one in 2000. Two decades later, the upgraded HD version of the trilogy hit the shelves. Its main protagonist is a funny and charming dragon. It tries to restore justice in a conflict-ridden fantasy world while repelling attacks and collecting helpful gems and dragon eggs.
In the UK, the trilogy topped the all-format sales chart in its first week. It outperformed both Pokemon Eevee and Pikachu but sold slightly less than Pokemon: Let’s Go.

Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC.

5. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical FreezeThe adorable Donkey Kong gorilla is a legend of platformer games. This character was first introduced to the public in 1981. In 2014, the Tropical Freeze installment by Retro Studios saw the light. Arctic invaders freeze the warm cozy island of Donkey Kong, your mission is to bring summer back. If a friend joins you, they can control the additional characters.
The Tropical Freeze received 10 out of 10 on Destructoid, 9,25 out of 10 on Game Informer, and 9.1 out of 10 on Game Trailers, to name a few.

Available on: Nintendo Switch.

4. Super Meat Boy

Super Meat BoyThe red cube-shaped Meat Boy is rescuing Bandage Girl from an evil-minded doctor. The adventure consists of over 300 levels where you’ll have to die quite frequently. The critics unanimously added this game to their lists of the best platformers exactly because it’s that challenging. The gameplay is so exciting that you keep on trying after each fail — and when you succeed, you’ll be more than gratified.

Meat Boy was released in 2010 by Team Meat. It won the IGN, GameSpot’s, and GameTrailers’ awards and was nominated for many others.

Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC.

3. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Ori and the Will of the WispsIt is praised in each rating of the best platformer games thanks to its outstanding controls. The main protagonist is a guardian spirit taking care of a baby owl named Ku. The action takes place in an enchanted forest and involves a lot of magic, up to raising the dead.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps saw the light in 2020 thanks to Xbox Game Studios Iam8bit. It quickly gained popularity being a sequel to the famous Ori and the Blind Forest game. Over 2 million users played it in 3 months.

Available on: Xbox One, PC.

2. Astro Bot Rescue Mission

Astro Bot Rescue MissionUsing their heads, players control the movements of an astronaut robot in virtual reality. The ultimate goal is to rescue 212 bots scattered around 5 worlds and 20 levels. Thanks to VR technologies, you fully immerse yourself in the 360-degree reality. There, you need to carefully explore the surroundings, occasionally confronting level bosses.
Immediately after it was released in 2018 by SIE Japan Studio, Astro Bot Rescue Mission was honored as the VR game of the year at both the Edge Awards and the Game Awards. In 2019, Metacritic rated it as the best VR game ever.

Available on: PlayStation 4.

1. Super Mario Maker 2

Super Mario Maker 2This was an obvious entry to our best platformers rating. As its name suggests, in this game, you can not only complete levels but also build them and share with Mario fans online. Up to 4 online players can join forces in this game simultaneously. The single-player mode is available too.

After Nintendo released Super Mario Maker 2 in 2019, it remained the best selling game in Japan for two weeks. In 2020, it won the Annual D.I.C.E. awards as the Family Game of the year and received 88 points on Metacritic.

Available on: Nintendo Switch.

Keep On Talking About Games

We could keep on discussing the best platformer games for ages. If you want to get more news and opinions about gaming, we would like to invite you to our WhatsHappening YouTube channel. There, we share insights, reviews, and previews of the most exciting games of all genres. This channel is our major labor of love. We have been enthusiastically playing on PCs, PlayStations, Nintendos, and all sorts of devices for years and have accumulated impressive expertise in the field. Even though video blogs about gaming are quite a competitive sphere, we saw a niche that was as if waiting for us. Without flattering ourselves, we are proud to say that the content we deliver clearly stands out from the rest. Feel free to watch our videos, comment on them, and share with friends!

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