Over the past 15 years, modern platformer games have made a big splash on consoles and PCs. They feature dangerous mountains, the villainous Bowser in a suit, and the ability to meet classic PlayStation characters as a cute robot.
The best modern platformers have imaginative-level designs and a gorgeous art style that will stay in many minds long after they’ve played the game.
A Hat in Time
How to describe A Hat In Time in one word? Quirky.
Players take control of an adorable girl with a hat. Her powers change depending on the headwear, such as faster speed and throwing destructive vials. The aesthetic takes on a comic book-like style with vibrant visuals and adorable character animations. The platforming feels inspired by classics like Banjo-Kazooie and Super Mario 64 as players dash and jump through wonderfully designed levels. Give this Dutch-developed game a try!
Astro’s Playroom
Astro’s Playroom has everything a gamer could want from a 3D platformer. Vibrant visuals, engaging mechanics that revolve around the controller, and exciting music. As a free game for all PS5 owners, new and old, players can experience the DualSense’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers through Astro’s Playroom‘s intuitive puzzles and platforming sections.
This game has it all, and PlayStation fans can enjoy the dozens of references to past games from the history of the platform. They can find Cloud’s Buster Sword, a samurai-clothed robot like Ghost of Tsushima‘s Jin Sakai, and even a reference to the cult-classic PS1 game Vib Ribbon. Download this for free.
Celeste
Celeste takes many gamers by surprise. Don’t let the retro art style fool you. The platforming can challenge gamers, but with it comes an impactful story that will take players’ breath away.
Lena Raine’s music lifts players off their feet as the protagonist tries to climb a mountain to overcome the character Madeline’s struggles. The intricately designed stages require tenacity with rewarding platforming challenges. Every completed section feels like a relief and adds to the emotional storytelling. Please play this game, however possible, because it truly makes an impact on those who suffer from anxiety.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time showcases some of the greatest level designs from Activision in the last decade. To coincide with the stellar gameplay, the energetic visuals, robust new mechanics, and tough but fair platforming sections make the game sing.
The new checkpoint system makes a big difference from past games, as it doesn’t matter how many lives Crash has. The lives provide a saving grace for many, but fans of the classic formula can also utilize the Lives format in the game. Crash 4 makes fans laugh multiple times with its slapstick comedy, too. Hopefully, this gets a sequel one day (after Spyro the Dragon gets his return, of course!).
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Another revival that deserves much praise, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze plunges players into an exciting 2D platforming world. This once Wii U exclusive (now on the Switch) furthers the series with a colorful fusion of frosty and jungle environments as well as the ability to choose different characters.
Long-time fans of the series appreciate the difficulty this game offers, and the levels have impressed many. Wealth of Geeks called it the best Donkey Kong in August 2023.
“There will never be a better 2D sidescrolling Donkey Kong title than Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze,” said our writer. “Retro Studios perfected the format of the classics on the SNES, refined the mechanics from the 2010 predecessor Donkey Kong Country Returns, and even successfully recruited original Donkey Kong Country composer David Wise back into the fold.”
The game currently has an 86 Metacritic score for its Switch port.
It Takes Two
The Game Awards 2021 Game of the Year winner It Takes Two constantly thrills throughout its 12 or so-hour playtime. The stellar co-op mechanics thrust no single-player option. Each level surprises with new, unconventional mechanics as adventurers play as two partners stuck as toys that grow further apart.
These two characters unravel into ridiculous situations in a stunning world that Hazelight Studios places them in. This includes fighting a silly vacuum as a boss fight and soaring across a wintry landscape inside a snow globe. By the way, if one person buys the game, a friend receives it for free. They just have to download the Friend’s Pass.
Psychonauts 2
The imaginative minds at Double Fine created Psychonauts 2, a platforming adventure featuring Raz exploring landscapes based on characters’ minds. The adorable (and odd) script feels like a Tim Burton movie, and the bosses added, after Xbox purchased developer Double Fine, ooze in cinematic style.
Raz learns how to become an agent and master new psycho-kinetic skills like the power of fire or running on a ball of energy. Psychonauts 2 acts as a rollercoaster as this kid ventures into unexpected worlds inside people’s brains and experiences a journey that has twists and turns along the way. Have an Xbox or PC in the house? Play this on Game Pass immediately. Otherwise, buy the game on PlayStation systems.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Many reviewers over the years say that Ratchet & Clank looks like a Pixar movie. They’re right. The beautiful graphics utilize the power of the ultra-fast SSD to have Ratchet zip through portals from one place to another in a split second. “Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart has nine different worlds you will explore during your journey,” says our review. “Each one does a great job of showcasing the game’s beauty.”
Rift Apart features a tour-de-force of explosions, sci-fi action, and frenetic platforming expected from developer Insomniac Games. The worlds also provide more open space, leading to further discovery and wonder than prior titles. The game introduces two new lovable characters, including Rivet, a high-spirited lombax who kicks touche and has a funny personality.
Rayman Legends
Every once in a while, Ubisoft shows the depths of its creativity. Despite the many repetitive open-world games it releases, this bucks that trend.
Rayman Legends showcases unique environments and scenarios that made the New Super Mario Bros. games look basic at the time. Additionally, some levels have secret agent-like scenarios with Rayman and the gang swimming and avoiding camera detection. Another has players using Rayman’s helicopter hair among windpipes to traverse across the level. It also features some fun music-based levels that have the team racing across a castle as cannon fire decimates its structure. Expect one of the best co-op platforming experiences out there. Don’t skip this underrated gem.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
LittleBigPlanet relates to the creativity of its players, but Sackboy: A Big Adventure ended up the better, more refined platformer.
With tight controls, inventive levels, and a charismatic charm, gamers shouldn’t skip Sackboy: A Big Adventure. It supports up to four players, and families can get into its simpler yet charming levels that encourage cooperation. Also, expect some riveting time trials that can be completed for the best score among friends.
Players can alter Sackboy with all sorts of unlockable costumes throughout the adventure. Plenty of free DLC waits for fans, too.
Sonic Mania
Recent Sonic games have been hit or miss. However, Sonic Mania‘s glorious adventure makes it the series’ highest peak so far. The graphics seem deeply inspired by the Genesis entries but have modern visual effects to keep the game exciting for new fans.
With a smile, players delight in running through the brand-new Studiopolis Zone. Inspired by the glitz and glamor of Hollywood, Sonic blasts through projectors, breaking glass and TV screens across the area. The color palette also stays true to the original 90s trilogy. Tee Lopes’ soundtrack brings it all together; sensational, funky music plays while the chaotic Sonic gameplay ensues, which sounds ripped from the 90s. The remixes from classic stages slap, too.
Shovel Knight
A game inspired by classic platformers became an instant classic itself. Shovel Knight‘s stellar platforming benefits from outstanding level design, exciting music, and gorgeous 8-bit-inspired art design. The main mechanic involves using a shovel as a weapon.
This unconventional weapon can swipe foes in front of him or bounce on their heads with it, causing heavy damage. Magical relics that Shovel Knight finds cast fireballs and throw anchors toward his enemies, just as two examples. This original indie platformer should be treasured for many years to come.
New Super Lucky’s Tale
Bright colorful visuals? Check. An inventive burrowing mechanic? Check. An adorable main protagonist? Double check.
Super Lucky’s Tale has it all. With a riveting borrowing mechanic, it should be considered one of the Xbox’s best modern platformers. This competent platformer has so much cuteness that players’ heads could explode. Xbox should hire this developer to make the next Banjo-Kazooie.
Super Mario Odyssey’s One of the Best Modern Platformers
Super Mario Odyssey brought players back to the series after getting bored by the similar locales and mechanics of the Wii U titles. This game takes on the collect-a-thon aspect of Super Mario 64 and brings them to a new audience. However, a huge twist makes a big impact on this game. Mario can throw out his hat and take on the form of almost any object or even a living being.
This opens up so many possibilities for puzzles and platforming challenges that continue to wow as players sink many hours into this 3D platformer. The visuals look the best they ever have, with epic boss battles and inspiring environments to explore. Players can also hear the astonishing music by Koji Kondo. All of these aspects coalesce into making this one of the best modern platformers.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
One of the best modern platformers from the past few years Super Mario Bros. Wonder provides plenty of charm. Similarly to Super Mario Odyssey, this game brought long-time fans back to the 2D Mario games after the uninspired New Super Mario Bros series.
It continues to surprise as players jump through the game with intriguing settings and mechanics to master. When collected, the new Wonder Flower mechanic creates mass hysteria on screen. It causes Mario to become a stretchy character or make the camera go top-down like a classic Legend of Zelda game. Intrepid players never know what they’ll get, and that’s so refreshing from a franchise that once struggled to stay fresh. Add on four-player co-op, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder‘s the next get-together game with friends and family.
“Super Mario Bros. Wonder features the most imagination and creativity in a game in quite a long time,” said our 10/10 review. “Nintendo has a way of inserting this magic into their games where the player feels complete joy going through the adventure.”
Super Meat Boy
Precision platforming terrifies many, but Super Meat Boy does a great job of helping the player progress at each level. They’ll wall-jump, leap great distances, and try to avoid dangerous obstacles like moving saws. The graphic novel-like art style still looks unique too.
It’s also one of the first indies that succeeded worldwide through Xbox Live, so it’s charming to play quite a historic platformer. Despite its age, Super Meat Boy deserves attention.
Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair
A hidden gem of a 2D platformer, Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair ignores the mediocre 3D jumping predecessor and elevates the genre.
This game includes a unique mechanic; everyone finishes the last level at any time. However, they’ll likely need to progress further into the game to survive. Yooka will be unlocking Tonics as the game progresses. This changes the gameplay by increasing health or improving the time players can spend underwater.
Chris has been a freelance games journalist for over 10 years with experience from Destructoid, GGRecon, Gamepur, and other outlets. He loves to play narrative games like Kingdom Hearts and Beyond Good & Evil.