Best Platformer Games: 5 Titles About Finding Ground Again

Whether 2D, 2.5D, or 3D – in many games, you can jump from platform to platform, from level to level. Many remarkable titles have emerged from this basic idea. We show you particularly successful titles with this Top 5 of the best platformer games.

If you want to discover more platformer game worlds, it might help to take a closer look at these particularly successful titles of the genre.

5. Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

The latest title in the series is, in our opinion, also the most mature version of Crash Bandicoot and comes with a fresh 2.5D look on the Unreal 4 engine. The popular badger revisits Cortex Castle and the pirate haven Salty Wharf from the old games. It’s About Time returns to its roots while integrating many new characters and game modes into the title. For example, Crash has the ability to defy gravity or slow down time. Here you won’t be bored for a second and encounter a game designed with great attention to detail. However, the latest title also includes a very high difficulty level that will challenge even hardcore veterans of the genre extremely.

Here we see the cover of the game Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time. You can see the famous pouch badger Cash Bandicoot at the top left of the image along with his companions in the game, who are standing behind him in formation ready to fight. They have just punched a triangle-shaped hole in the blue space seen in the foreground. Shards of glass fly in the direction of the viewer. The entire crew is reflected in the highly reflective floor. At the top left of the main figure, the title of the game is shown in capital letters with slight deformation. The title consists of the colors yellow, orange, and white. These colors can be found in the reflection on the floor and in the main character itself and provide a color balance. In the distance is the game world disappearing into the turquoise fog. This title is one of the best platformer games out there. — Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (Source: Toys for Bob, Beenox, Activision)

This game is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and PC and can be purchased via the official Crash Bandicoot website.

4. LittleBigPlanet 1 to 3

LittleBigPlanet on PlayStation 3 did indeed create a very original game series, and the sequels continued that success. Here you have to solve fun puzzles and play with the laws of physics. Some features are still quite innovative today: As “Sackboy” or “Sackgirl”, you’ll have to be creative and show skill and logic to solve the many riddles and reach the level’s objective. The first LBP already made a great contribution to online level creation, providing a lot of freedom to make your own levels, and thus numerous high-quality community-based maps with custom content are available.

The cover of LittleBigPlanet with the typical characters in the colorful world can be seen here. The main character — LittleBigPlanet (Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment)

This popular game series is available on PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 and can be purchased for PS4 via the PlayStation Store.

3. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

This platformer is a breathtaking Jump ‘n’ Run spectacle on every level and has an enormous emotional scope. Also, the prequel, Ori and the Blind Forest, was a blast. The sequel was able to follow up on this success and even surpass it. As Ori, you once again fight as a little ghost through numerous levels, this time with your buddy Ku by your side. Together you not only wander through forests but also the new land called Niwen, which sank into darkness. Immediately you find the game and its gameplay style coherent and likable and dive into an amazing, lovingly told story. As in the first game, you’ll start with no abilities, but quickly you’ll gain unexpected powers and abilities that will make you a fearsome fighter.

The fact that platformer games have very nice graphics is shown by the jump 'n' run — Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Source: Moon Studios, Xbox Game Studios)

The game is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC, and xCloud and can be purchased on Steam via Steam.

2. Super Mario Galaxy

This platformer game for the Nintendo Wii sends the hero Mario into space with the objective of exploring numerous wondrous planets. At the same time, fighting many different enemies to save princess Peach once again. Mario jumps around on planets that are often not much bigger than himself. This offers a completely new level of experience in 360° visuals and makes the feeling of gravity even more real. The levels and enemies are very cutely designed: You often get that fantastic feeling of endless things to discover, which always drives curiosity. This WOW effect is unleashed even more by the innovative controls of the Wii Remote and the Nunchuck controller. Through that combination, new and unique movements are possible with the plumber.

We are looking at the cover of Super Mario Galaxy, a very successful platform game from Nintendo. In a long shot, the famous plumber can be seen flying with his arms outstretched. His view falls to the upper left, where we see a blue small star character. Below, another star character is shown in white, and a yellow one is shown in the upper right. These stars help Mario in the game, which should be made clear through eye contact. At the bottom right, a huge turquoise planet can be seen in the crop and behind it, in a blue-black color gradient, the endless galaxy is seen. At the bottom left of the image, we see the title of the game in white and variously colored capital letters. — Super Mario Galaxy (Source: Nintendo)

The title can be played on Nintendo Wii, purchased via the Nintendo store, or get the cartridge version for the Nintendo Switch via Amazon (affiliate link).

1. Banjo-Kazooie

This game for the Nintendo 64 gave players an extremely original gaming experience. Especially due to its story, gameplay style, and unique game mechanics. Super Mario 64 appeared a short time before and completely redefined the 3D platforming genre. But Banjo-Kazooie immersed us in a completely new, colorful world with new surprises and puzzles. The story is deeply touching, and the cute characters and levels were very diverse. Most notably, you always team up with your partner, Kazooie. With the help of the bird, you can perform special attacks or fly through the world. A noteworthy feature in the game is shape-shifting: Let Mumbo the Shamen transform you into a small pumpkin and gain new access to certain places. This Jump’n’Run is still a jewel for many gamers today and evokes nostalgic feelings in many of us.

The two main characters from Banjo-Kazooie, a cute brown bear, and a cheeky red bird, are shown in a long shot on the right side of this image. In the background of the picture we see several tiered fir trees standing on a grassy landscape, and to the left in the middle ground of the picture, a large stone statue in the shape of a hand rises up, holding a golden cage. In the distance, in a reddish mist, a mountain can be dimly glimpsed. This is an N64 3D platformer. — Banjo-Kazooie (Source: Nintendo)

The title can be enjoyed on Nintendo 64 and also on Nintendo Switch with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.

What platformer games do you want to get into next?

We hope it will be easier for you now to find your next platformer game. If you are also interested in other game genres, you might want to look at our lists for the best free RPG games, the best free FPS games, Co-op games like It Takes Two, the best Survival Games on PS4 / PS5 or the best RTS games.

Do you have a favorite title that you think should be on our list as well? Let us know in the comments below.

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