25 of the best platform games ever | Stuff - The first knowledge sharing application in Vietnam

The platform game has a storied history. The genre has given us some of the most exciting games on the most ancient consoles to the very latest titles available today. There’s not a games system created that doesn’t have a platform game of some sort available for it, and the genre only exploded when the 3D consoles appeared.

For the format is usually defined by (sometimes infuriating) jumping and climbing gameplay, a little puzzle solving and, more often than not, a cutesy, endearing protagonist. But a great platform game not only evolves the genre as a whole, but can define the platform itself. Can you think of the N64 without Super Mario 64? Think of Tomb Raider, and the Playstation startup music plays in your head.

Characters jump from one to another, sometimes shooting enemies, other times just trying not to touch the floor. Timing those jumps, and making sure you land where you need to be, are where the challenge of the game can be found.

From Mario to Sonic, Strider, Chuckie Egg and more besides, platform games have given us iconic characters as well as hours of devious acrobatic entertainment. Here are some of the best.

Donkey Kong (1981)

Donkey Kong may be lauded as the first ever platform game, but that’s incorrect. Depending on who you ask, that title belongs to games like Taito’s Basketball (1974) or Space Panic (1980). But no title had the impact that Donkey Kong did on a generation of teenage gamers and _____.

Jet Set Willy (1984)

_____. Jet Set Willy was written for the ZX Spectrum home computer, and _____.

Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Super Mario Bros. is the game that made Nintendo a household name and properly introduced Mario the plumber to the world. Yes, we’d already met the moustached man in a Donkey Kong outing, but Super Mario Bros. is where the dungareed hero first saved Princess Toadstool from the evil Bowser – and became probably the most iconic video game character of all time.

In Super Mario Bros., Nintendo had created a simple good vs evil storyline that pretty much every single Mario game has ran with since. It also helped save the US video game industry after the crash of 1983. Not bad for a humble plumber, eh.

Ghosts ‘n Goblins (1985)

If ever you wanted proof that young ‘uns have got it easy, get them to play this. Trying to get Sir Arthur through this epic knight’s tale with his armour and dignity intact is surely one of the toughest gaming challenges ever.

Rainbow Islands (1987)

The sequel to Bubble Bobble saw Bub and Bob in human form, no longer blowing bubbles but producing solid rainbows they could use to dispatch enemies or bridge gaps.

Prince of Persia (1989)

It’s spawned countless sequels and a rather forgettable movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal, but this gorgeous 2D platformer for the Apple II is where it all started. The realistic animation of the hero was achieved using rotoscoping, and the swordfighting was a real departure from the projectile-based combat in its contemporaries.

Strider (1989)

Thanks largely to the runaway success of Super Mario Bros., by 1989 the video games industry was in a pretty great place. Arcades were packed, the NES was shifting units, and developers were taking risks with their titles. Some wouldn’t pay off, but the hack-and-slash title Strider would go on to influence franchises like Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry, and God of War.

Notoriously difficult for the time, this Capcom-made platformer was praised for its unique dystopian setting, bangin’ soundtrack and innovative gameplay. Sliding through tight gaps, cartwheeling across gaps or slicing opponents with your plasma sword were all done with grace and style. Numerous power-ups made things interesting – and were absolutely essential to progress.

Turrican 2 (1991)

The first Turrican game was received as the finest platform shooter ever – and the sequel was even more awesomer. Tons of innovative, destructive weapons, varied enemies, terrifying bosses and some of the most polished graphics of the era combined with slick gameplay and just the right difficulty level to birth a true classic.

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)

The sheer speed of Sonic the whizzy blue ‘hog was enough to make our youthful eyes widen, then ache, then look around for people to mug so we could afford a new Mega Drive. Hard to believe Sonic recently turned 20 years old – truly a gaming great.

Flashback (1992)

Flashback was a visual tour de force. The engrossing story of a futuristic secret agent trying to recover his lost memory was made wonderfully cinematic by the super-realistic movement of the main character. It was hard not to ooh and aah when you first saw him pull himself up a ledge or do a wild leap to a distant platform – like Prince of Persia with far lusher scenery.

Super Metroid (1994)

This SNES classic is widely considered to be Samus Aran’s finest hour, though the recent (and very different) Switch remake of Metroid Prime surely runs it a close second.

Tomb Raider (1996)

The first ever Tomb Raider showcased the capabilities of the PlayStation, while giving sadistic gamers everywhere the tools to lock creepy butlers in freezers. It made an instant cult character in Lara Croft, a name we’ve seen reincarnated on the big screen as well as newer Tomb Raider titles for next-gen consoles.

Almost 30 years after its original release, this run, roll, jump and dodge heist caper continues to hold a strong influence on modern gaming. The Uncharted series is an obvious comparison, but from Röki to Horizon

Selling poorly at first but becoming a cult hit, this is one of the games that put the -vania in Metroidvania. Originally released for the original PlayStation, you’ll find it today on PS4, Android and iOS.

Super Mario 64 (1997)

This N64 launch title was one of the first 3D platformers and revolutionised gaming with its camera angles and analog control. Luckily it was also bloomin’ good fun, guiding Mario around Princess Peach’s castle and defeating Bowser.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997)

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Braid (2008)

Sure, you run, jump, climb and solve puzzles in Braid, but the twist is that in each chapter time acts a little differently. Originally released for Xbox 360’s Live Arcade, you can play the Anniversary Edition on most consoles and PC today.

LittleBigPlanet (2008)

LBP’s sleeve-filling trick was the ability to create your own levels and share them online, establishing an amazing gaming ecosystem that was strengthened by the launch of an equally awesome sequel. And one of the cutest characters ever in Sackboy.

Limbo (2010)

Few games in recent years have set tongues and imaginations alight like Limbo, the moody monochrome tale of an anonymous boy in search of his sister. Initially exclusive to Xbox Live Marketplace, it’s now available on Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox, iOS and Android.

Sonic Generations (2011)

Released 20 years after the original Sonic game, this title celebrates the series’ heritage with platforming levels in both 2D and 3D thanks to some wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey mucking about.

The 3D Sonic series has an iffy reputation for quality, and while the nostalgic 2D levels in Generations are the best, the 3D worlds gift Sonic a whole new range of attacks and moves that lift them above previous missteps.

A wonderful-looking platform game with hints of Studio Ghibli, Ori and the Blind Forest sees a cat-like creature trying to save its beloved forest home from the machinations of a giant owl.

Ori is a forest spirit, and gains abilities as you play to unlock new areas. She has a basic attack that you get for free, but other moves deplete an energy supply that you can top up by exploring and finding collectibles. Her health bar works on the same system, so becoming more powerful hinges on being thorough and winkling the upgrades out of every location.

Super Mario Odyssey (2017)

An open-world platformer that builds on Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy in the same way that game built on, and revolutionised, the games that had gone before.

The game begins in traditional fashion, with Princess Peach once again being kidnapped by Bowser, who intends to marry her whether she likes it or not. Mario ends up diving from an airship and landing in a country full of talking hats, one of which he wears for the rest of the game. Known as Cappy, it enables Mario to take control of creatures or enemies if he throws his hat on them, using their abilities to complete levels. Throwing Cappy can also be an offensive or defensive move, and can extend Mario’s jump distance.

When written down, it sounds like a very strange game indeed, but Super Mario Odyssey is one of the best reasons to own a Switch.

Hollow Knight (2017)

A Metroidvania-style platformer starring insects, and largely set underground, from an indie developer and conceived as part of the Ludum Dare game jam.

It’s a tough game, that doesn’t hold back on combat difficulty, and also doesn’t provide you with much direction. It’s up to you to find your way through the game, and you need to be thorough in your exploration to get the most out of it. Despite this, a playthrough can be very rewarding, and you might not see the same things twice, depending on which direction you choose.

A sequel, Silksong, is expected in the summer of 2023.

Cuphead (2017)

Famously tricky but amazing to look at, Cuphead takes its inspiration from the ‘rubber hose’ animation style popularised in the 1920s, and is as close to an interactive cartoon as you’re going to get.

After making a deal with the Devil and losing, Cuphead and his brother Mugman are sent on a quest to collect ‘soul contracts’ from others in debt to Old Nick, or risk the removal of their own sould. It’s a chilling premise for a bright and cheerful world, but Cuphead isn’t afraid to go to dark places.

There’s also a DLC expansion, The Delicious Last Course, and a Netflix animated series based on the game.

Dead Cells (2018)

You’re a prisoner, fighting your way off an island to slay the king. That may sound straightforward, but there’s a lot standing in your way, including an infestation of the undead, acid-filled sewers, and a clock tower full of spinning wheels and floating brickwork.

Your character is actually a strange parasite creature that reanimates dead bodies to use as a mobile shell. Every time your current host is killed, you’re sent back to the prison where a new corpse is waiting for you to begin again. It’s certainly a macarbre game, but your character’s fighting abilities, and the amount of detail that’s been put into their effect on enemies, make it a stand-out platform title.

Spelunky 2 (2020)

A procedurally generated 2D platformer about exploring underground, Spelunky 2’s caves and chambers are unexpectedly deadly. You never know when a mole will tunnel up underneath you or a steel trap spring shut, and don’t you dare pull a gun on the shopkeeper.

Making multiple runs and seeing how far you can get each time is the way to play, and the rewards include just putting yourself in greater danger. Unmissable.

Psychonauts 2 (2021)

Playing as Raz, a kind of psychic spy with a sideline in acrobatics, you explore characters’ psyches, help them with their problems, and root out a huge conspiracy.

It all comes from the mind of Tim Schafer, who was behind games such as Full Throttle amd Grim Fandango at Lucasarts, and it shows in the game’s excellent dialogue and surreal jokes. It’s deep too, with metaphors and themes that touch on mental health issues, and living with them in the real world.

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