Top 10 Best Platformer Games

10.Sonic Adventure 2- This game featured fast 3-d sonic platforming in arguably Sonic’s best 3d game to date. It featured story elements of the first game but showed great improvement with better gameflow and better, more expansive stages. Though the game features some treasure hunting/ shooter levels, the adrenaline pumping action of the Sonic and Shadow levels featured about the fastest 3-d platforming at that time.

9. Rayman 2- A widely overlooked platformer at the time, over shadowed by greats like Super Mario 64, Rayman 2 delivered a long, competent quest with a variety of things to do along the way. Rayman’s lum shooting and helicopter abilities allowed for different gameplay than an average Mario game in that there were large sections of platforming combined with smaller sections opposed to platfroming and to jump on to killing enemies. The special abilities have Yoshi transforming into things like a mole tank and helicopter and expand the platforming game play. Though Mario usually gets the spotlight, Yoshi deserves it for this game.

8. Yoshi’s Island- Yoshi’s Island for the Super Nintendo is one for favorite platformers of all time for several reasons. For one, You get to play as a dinosaur that they ground pound, turn enemies into eggs, and shoot eggs, all while acting as a transportation utility for a baby. The other reason why I like it is because of pure zaniness and innocence the game gives you with adorable yet catchy music and just really enjoyable lighthearted levels and bosses. You can’t beat fighting a boss called Raphael Raven on a circular moon in the sky all while hearing a whiny Baby Mario every time you get hit.

7. Kirby Canvas Curse- This game was a very unique and different Kirby game in that you play the game simply by moving Kirby around with the use of the DS stylus. Instead of sucking up enemies, you simply draw rainbow lines for Kirby to navigate to the end of each level. This made for a fun but sometimes challenging game as you had to rethink strategies for bigger obstacles and harder puzzles. The stylus controlled gameplay along with the pure awesomeness of Kirby games made this not only an fun game but a game that reinvented platformers.

6.Crash Bandicoot 2: The Wrath of Cortex- This was Sony’s answer to Mario, and at first the Crash games featured original platforming, varied levels, and an likeable character with an interesting moveset, reminiscent of the Tasmanian devil. While Crash has now bit the dust, Crash 2 was a really impressive platformer to me because it featured chase levels with things like polar bear and sharks which was fun as well as levels where you’d ride polar bears or another wacky vehicle. This variety really made for a different yet fun platforming experience.

5. Super Mario Galaxy- This was by far one of the most groundbreaking platformers I’ve ever played. It managed to blend the elements of older platformers such as Super Mario Bros yet it still felt new and introduced new level designs, powerups, and ideas from beginning to end. One of it’s greatest contributions was the use of gravity in the gameplay, which enhanced the gameplay by intertwining it in the levels to make the player think about gravitational forces in a way that had not yet been done in a platformer before.

4. Super Mario 64- This is the one that started them all, in the third dimension anyway. Super Mario 64 has inspired countless platformers since it’s release in 1996 and for good reason. It established great level design from the standard mountain level, to the ice and lava levels, and even to the adjustable camera during platforming. Sporting classic music, levels, and powerups its still one of the most sought plat formers to this day.

3. Sonic the Hedgehog 2- This game featured great speed for a platformer and more memorable designs than that of the first game. From a laboratory swimming in acid to an under ground canvern this game featured classic levels all at high speeds and with the use of the spin dash which allowed Sonic to launch himself from a ball to go even faster. The introduction of Tails led to new possibilities in sonic gameplay as the player could now access new areas with the ability of flight. One of the most memorable levels in the game was Chemical Plant which put Sonic in the middle of a factory like area with tubes shooting blue liquid and the rising of hazardous purple acid, at one point forcing Sonic to quickly climb up moving platforms to escape his demise.

2.Super Mario Bros 3- This game defined the NES simply doing what Mario does best which is jumping… a lot. Through in new powerups like the raccoon tail and the toonuki suit and a great concept becomes even better. Great level designs like the big world and sky world didn’t hurt either and the number of secrets and shortcuts found in the game is untouchable. The game also had a comprehensive map screen filled with mini games and hazards, as well as access to the all the game main levels and bosses. This game simply one upped everything that made Mario great in the first place and was so highly anticipated that it needed a movie (The Wizard) to announce the existence of this game.

1.Super Mario Bros- Without this game, platformers would not be where they are today. This game established a beginning and an end, a basic story, and how a platformer should be set up with a multitude of different level designs as well as simple power ups and secrets. The secrets that could be found in this game astonished everyone such as the hidden pipe in the underground in world 1-2 which could bring you to a different world. This was the game that revived the video game industry back in the 80s while at the same time beginning a long line of brilliant platformers that have lasted to this day.

Author: Tim Rounds