The Platformer genre and was killed The game has been linked to each other since its early days. Few other series have managed to conquer the entire space like this one, but even though Nintendo's flagship franchise has dominated the platformer scene for more than four decades, there are still plenty out there. Other exceptional triple-A platformers Out there for the players to enjoy.
The genre is diverse and innovative, including franchises with a long lineage of influential titles, one-off hits with awe-inspiring worlds, and cooperative adventures for players of all ages to appreciate. While the space is full of smaller games from indie devs, it's always nice to go for a polished and refined triple-A platformer with a big budget and the support of a big development team behind it.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
The perfect successor to the PlayStation Legend
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time Represents the series' first mainline entry in two decades, picking up directly after the previous game's cliffhanger ending. Both Neo Cortex and N. Tropy have escaped imprisonment, tearing holes in the fabric of space-time and threatening the entire multiverse. It forces players, as Crash, to jump between dimensional rifts, encountering alternate timelines and universes as reality races to repair itself.
Activision's Triple-A support gave the developers of Toys for Bob all the freedom they needed to create over 100 detailed stages in a range of settings and eras, with greater graphical fidelity than the series had seen before. This high production value, combined with sophisticated controls and mechanically rich platforming, shows how beloved franchises can be transformed into contemporary masterpieces that honor classic gameplay while pushing technological boundaries.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
True next-generation platforming
rift apart is the last chapter Ratchet and clank The series, a bold step forward into separate realities and dimensional evils. The story follows the tyrant Emperor Neferius and his reality-conquering mission, and the titular heroes are tasked with saving the universe from collapsing dimensions and stopping the Emperor's greed.
From a technical standpoint, the platforming and level designs are exceptionally fluid, giving players a lot of control over how they want to approach each challenge. The stages flow together seamlessly, and the overall look and feel of the game was only made possible by the talent and extensive resources that the team at Insomniac had access to.
LittleBigPlanet 3
Player creativity driving the entire experience
LittleBigPlanet 3 represents the culmination of a series of successes, bringing together all the warmth and wit that made the original so much fun and going above and beyond for one ultimate adventure. This time, players can switch between several different characters, each with their own unique abilities, turning simple platforming segments into satisfying thought puzzles.
The graphics are slightly improved, but the real revelation comes from the world design and creation tools that players can access to create their own custom levels. Despite being removed from stores and servers shut down, LittleBigPlanet 3 A genre icon and a testament to how creativity is always the driving force for success.
Portal 2
A benchmark for cooperative platforming
Portal 2 Combining technical perfection with a world that is both fascinating and fun at the same time, remains one of gaming's crowning achievements. Valve is known for quality above all else, and their platforming games are no different, taking the simple concept of a portal gun and creating a game that's still talked about a decade after launch.
What makes the game so fun is the help aspect of each puzzle. Lending a unique communal feel to proceedings bolstered by a notoriously strong and technically polished gameplay core, players need to communicate and time their moves to cross gaps and avoid turrets.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Bringing back Blades to the big screen
The prince returned with him Prince of Persia: The lost crownBlending Metroidvania action with precision platforming in a way that feels familiar yet completely new. Players must fight through corrupt warriors and legendary creatures, using time-bending abilities to uncover ancient secrets within the looming Mount Cough.
With studios like Ubisoft supporting it, The lost crown There was always going to be a huge amount of production value in terms of graphics and gameplay. Thanks to the passion of the dev team and the support of a huge developer, the game was able to revive a dormant franchise in a big way, demonstrating that old IPs can survive even after a long break between mainline entries.
Split Fiction
Modern day co-op excellence
Split Fiction Taking players on a physical and emotional journey into the minds of two aspiring writers, Hazlight's bold foray into a whole new world of platforming madness. The game switches between genres on the fly, thrusting players into a cyberscape for one level and a fantasy world filled with dragons for the next, opening the door for new challenges and new ways to surprise the audience along the way.
What makes the game even more special than the developer's previous titles is the level of ambition on display, which is perfectly executed at every stage. With each new environment setting a new standard for what modern, big-budget platformers could and should be, there was no limit to what the devs were willing to create.
Donkey Kong Banana
More chaos and more destruction
Mario may be Nintendo's poster child, but Donkey Kong can still have some pretty incredible platforming adventures of his own. in Donkey Kong BananaThe lovable gorilla teams up with Pauline to recover stolen banana diamonds taken by a group of villainous apes in order to make as much wealth as possible.
Although the first 3D Donkey Kong Since the 90s banana Feels as modern as any other first-party Nintendo game, combining open-world exploration and sandbox levels with their own themes and biomes. compared to Super Mario OdysseyBoth games take simple concepts and go above and beyond in their exploration, delivering experiences that transcend traditional platforming and setting the tone for future games to come.
Astro Bot
Amazing players with charm and humor
Astro Bot It's the success story that no one saw coming, winning Game of the Year at the Game Awards and showing the world that sometimes, all a game needs is whimsy and some tight controls. The game is a love letter to the history of the PlayStation, taking players on a journey through forests, cities and other environments filled with references to iconic PS franchises.
What began as a tutorial for the PlayStation 5 and DualSense controller in 2020 quickly grew into a fully-fledged triple-A release, with as much ambition as any other established platformer in the space. every aspect of Astro Bot Expertly crafted, and each stage not only feels like a variation of the previous one, but offers new and exciting challenges and obstacles for players to overcome, keeping everything relaxed and fun at all times.
