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Platformers – video games in which players must jump, climb and traverse obstacles to reach their goal – have been at the very forefront of the gaming world for decades.
While platform games started out in 2D, with maps stretching from left to right, the invention of 3D gaming on the PlayStation and N64 revolutionised what platformers could do.
From timeless Nintendo classics like Donkey Kong and the Mario franchise, to more modern independent gems such as Limbo , the genre has always found new ways to keep itself feeling fresh.
See below for a list of the 20 best platformers from down the years, ranked.
Show all 20 1 /2020 Best Platform Games 20 Best Platform Games 20. Spelunky (2008) In Spelunky, players travel through procedurally generated caves, making each playthrough completely unique. Initially released on PC, the game was celebrated for its robust, addictive gameplay.
Mossmouth, LLC
20 Best Platform Games 19. Sonic Mania (2017) After years of substandard Sonic the Hedgehog sequels, this back-to-basics platformer was hailed as a sparkling return to form for the nippy hedgehog.
PagodaWest Games
20 Best Platform Games 18. Shovel Knight (2014) Focusing on a sprightly shovel-wielding medieval knight, this retro-style indie game wowed audiences in 2014. It has since spawned a number of successful follow-ups.
Yacht Club Games
20 Best Platform Games 17. Pitfall! (1982) One of the earliest platform games, this Atari 2600 release proved hugely influential. Pitfall Harry is the now-forgotten hero who must make his way through a treacherous jungle environment.
Activision
20 Best Platform Games 16. N++ (2015) Fiendishly difficult in parts, this beloved platformer forces players to dodge, jump, climb and bounce their way through smartly designed levels to collect gold coins.
20 Best Platform Games 15. Donkey Kong (1981) A monkey throws barrels, and a man must jump over them. Donkey Kong is the oh-so-simple arcade game that sowed the seeds of a franchise that would make Nintendo £28bn.
Nintendo
20 Best Platform Games 14. Super Meat Boy (2010) In this vaguely gross but eminently entertaining platformer, you play as a cube called Meat Boy, who slides around trying to save his girfriend, called Bandage Girl.
Team Meat
20 Best Platform Games 13. Braid (2008) Time is your ally in this prestige-swaddled indie game. Players traverse the game's short but sweet story armed with a handful of inventive abilities that let them manipulate the passage of time.
Number None
20 Best Platform Games 12. Prince of Persia (1989) A couple of underwhelming sequels (and the dismal Hollywood film adaptation) have made it easy to forget just how impressive the first swashbuckling Prince of Persia game was.
Ubisoft
20 Best Platform Games 11. Celeste (2018) Showered with praise upon its release, Celeste lets people play as Madeleine, a troubled girl who has to scale a perilous mountain.
Matt Makes Games
20 Best Platform Games 10. Limbo (2010) This stellar indie game tells the story of a boy who travels through a sinister underworld to rescue his sister. Compelling and creepy, Limbo deftly balances platforming, horror and fantasy.
Playdead
20 Best Platform Games 9. Mega Man 2 (1988) 1987's Mega Man didn't sell a lot of copies when it was released, but this sequel was a surprise hit – and is now considered a classic of the genre.
Capcom
20 Best Platform Games 8. Super Mario 2: Yoshi's Island (1995) Baby Yoda, eat your heart out: this hugely enjoyable game sees the egg-throwing dinosaur Yoshi look after hapless Baby Mario while navigating the perils of classic Mario environments.
Nintendo
20 Best Platform Games 7. Castlevania (1986) Simon Belmont faces off with Count Dracula in this seminal and spooky adventure platformer. The game has recently been adapted as a series for Netflix.
Konami
20 Best Platform Games 6. Super Mario Odyssey (2017) This slick, endlessly inventive 3D platformer was a big reason for the Nintendo Switch's quick success. A high point for the franchise.
Nintendo
20 Best Platform Games 5. Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) With whippet-fast Sonic, Sega created a character to rival Nintendo's mustachioed plumber – and the game brought a frantic, colourful edge to the classic side-scrolling format.
Sega
20 Best Platform Games 4. LittleBigPlanet (2008) One of Sony's most prized PlayStation original properties, this cute, eminently enjoyable platformer gave players the chance to create their own experience, with a sea of user-generated content now available.
Sony
20 Best Platform Games 3. Mirror's Edge (2008) This platformer was a brilliantly original spin on the genre, combining first-person gameplay, idiosyncratically stylish art design, and an engaging dystopian storyline.
Electronic Arts
20 Best Platform Games 2. Super Mario Bros (1985) Almost everything about this game is iconic – from its characters, to its level design, to its music. What's more, it's still a blast to play.
Nintendo
20 Best Platform Games 1. Super Mario 64 (1996) The N64 game that revolutionised platforming forever, making the transition from 2D to 3D with astonishing aplomb.
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