Jake brings two decades of experience with him, having covered major industry events, breaking news, one-on-one interviews, and more.
When he’s not playing World of Warcraft, he’s usually on the hunt for good food and a refreshing beer to wash it down.
The humble platformer genre has come a long way over the years.
Back in the day, it was all about Super Mario, with every new release delivering something fresh, new, and fun. There’s more to the genre than just Nintendo and company, though. Sure, there’s going to be several Nintendo games on our list of revolutionary platformers, but in reality, there’s been a lot of advancements made by AAA and, especially as of late, indie studios as well.
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By Jake Valentine
That innovation is still going strong in the indie scene today, with so many new and unique titles delivering fresh gameplay twists that have us coming back for more. The truth is, we could really be here all day, so let’s limit ourselves and present ten of the most revolutionary platformers everyone needs to play.
This list is ranked in no particular order.
10 Donkey Kong
The One That Started It All
Donkey Kong
Arcade
Released July 31, 1981
ESRB e
Developer(s) Nintendo R&D1, Ikegami Tsushinki
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Franchise Donkey Kong
Platform(s) Arcade, Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System, Commodore 64, Nintendo Game Boy Advance
Genre(s) Arcade
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Without 1981’s Donkey Kong, there arguably would be no platformer genre today.
It wasn’t the first platformer, but like Wolfenstein 3D, this is the one that forever changed the world of gaming as the first “true” platformer. The introduction of jumping over obstacles, vertically climbing, and scaling each level, all while dealing with everything Donkey Kong threw our way, gave us a brand-new way to play video games.
The result was not only the introduction of a new genre of gaming, but also the birth of major names in the gaming industry: Donkey Kong and Mario, Nintendo, and Shigeru Miyamoto.
9 Super Mario Bros.
Let’s A Go!
Super Mario Bros.
Platformer
Released November 17, 1985
ESRB E For Everyone
Developer(s) Nintendo R&D4
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Franchise Super Mario
Platform(s) Nintendo Entertainment System
Genre(s) Platformer
How Long To Beat 2 Hours
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After the success of Donkey Kong in arcades, Nintendo decided to innovate the platforming experience for home consoles. The result was 1985’s Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
The platforming gameplay established and popularized by Donkey Kong a few years prior has been brought to the world of 2D side-scrolling. Instead of heading up, you’re making your way from left to right, dealing with even more obstacles and enemies. Thanks to the super precise controls, though,
Its success would help revive the gaming industry following the crash of 1983 by delivering one of the most iconic video games of all time. It sure helps, too, that the gameplay is timeless and has held up over 40 years later.
8 Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Gotta Go Fast!
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Platformer
Released November 21, 1992
ESRB E for Everyone
Developer(s) Sega
Publisher(s) Sega
Engine Proprietary Engine
Multiplayer Local Multiplayer
Franchise Sonic
Platform(s) Sega Genesis, Switch, 3DS, PC
Genre(s) Platformer
How Long To Beat 3 Hours
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What if Mario were lightning fast? Then he’d be Sonic the Hedgehog.
Sega’s mascot had his own platformer series, debuting in 1991 for the Sega Genesis. It was a great alternative to Super Mario, but it wouldn’t reach its full potential until a year later with Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
What makes Sonic 2 such a revolutionary platform is its level design and how it plays perfectly with the sense of speed and momentum Sonic builds. It feels like a roller coaster, working your way to the top of a hill before being unleashed.
7 Crash Bandicoot
Sony’s Platformer
Crash Bandicoot
Platformer
Released September 9, 1996
ESRB e
Developer(s) Naughty Dog
Publisher(s) Sony Computer Entertainment
Engine Havok
Franchise Crash Bandicoot
Platform(s) PS1
Genre(s) Platformer
How Long To Beat 6 Hours
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Okay, going fast was nice, but what about precise platforming in a 3D environment? No, we’re not walking about an open 3D world just yet; Crash takes place in a linear 3D environment.
That’s Crash Bandicoot, proving that the platformer genre can live beyond a 2D world.
Is it a little difficult? Sure, but I’d argue that’s part of the allure here. Prior platformers mastered accessibility, but Crash Bandicoot’s charm is its difficulty, along with far and away some of the most personality you’ll ever see in a game. It’s a formula that’s proved iconic, whether you’re playing the original games or the more recent Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time.
6 Super Mario 64
Wahoo!
Super Mario 64
3D Platformer
Released September 26, 1996
ESRB E for Everyone
Developer(s) Nintendo
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Engine Nintendo 64 SDK
Franchise Super Mario Bros.
Platform(s) N64
Genre(s) 3D Platformer
How Long To Beat 12 Hours
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It’s only fitting that, for a franchise that has already changed the way we play games once, it would come around a decade later and do it once again.
Super Mario 64 brings the world of video games into a fully 3D environment. No limitations, no smoke and mirrors; Mario was free to explore the world around him, and does so with the impressive, precise controls we’d expect from a Nintendo platformer.
Armed with an impressive arsenal of moves, Mario has never controlled better than he did on the Nintendo 64. While there are certainly better 3D platformers out there (Banjo-Kazooie), none are as revolutionary as Super Mario 64.
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5 Portal
An Innovative FPS Puzzle Platformer
Portal
Puzzle
Released October 10, 2007
ESRB t
Developer(s) Valve
Publisher(s) Valve
Engine Source Engine
Franchise Portal
Steam Deck Compatibility Verified
Platform(s) PC, PS3, Switch, Xbox 360
Genre(s) Puzzle
How Long To Beat 3 Hours
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One of the nice trends in modern gaming is a developer’s ability to blend genres together.
There is no better example of this than 2007’s Portal, which was nothing more than a free tie-in with The Orange Box alongside Half-Life 2 Episode 2 and Team Fortress 2. As it would turn out, Portal would end up stealing the show.
On the surface, it doesn’t look like a platformer. In reality, it uses platforming puzzles to drive forward its FPS gameplay. The innovative hook of the portal mechanic only adds to the game’s allure and charm.
4 Mirror’s Edge
A One-Hit Wonder
Mirror’s Edge
Action
Platformer
Released November 11, 2008
ESRB T For Teen due to Blood, Language, Violence
Developer(s) DICE
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Engine Unreal Engine 3
Platform(s) PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Genre(s) Action, Platformer
How Long To Beat 6 Hours
X|S Optimized No
File Size Xbox Series 6 GB (November 2023)
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Portal isn’t the only platformer to offer players a first-person view. Mirror’s Edge goes all in on that gimmick, delivering more traditional platforming gameplay from that first-person point of view.
It would have been incredibly easy to see the game stumble; platforming in Crash Bandicoot was hard enough, now you want to do this in first person? That wasn’t the case, though. Mirror’s Edge is a breath of fresh air.
Sadly, Mirror’s Edge wasn’t a major blockbuster hit upon release, with many struggling to comprehend the game’s controls. Over time, however, it’s rightfully become a cult classic thanks to how revolutionary it is. I wish we saw more developers take risks with the genre like this; the market feels more welcoming to this type of game.
3 Super Meat Boy
Prepare to Die. A Lot.
Super Meat Boy
Platformer
Released October 20, 2010
ESRB T For Teen due to Animated Blood, Cartoon Violence, Crude Humor, Language
Developer(s) Team Meat
Publisher(s) Team Meat
Engine Proprietary Engine
Multiplayer Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
Platform(s) PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Switch, Nintendo Wii U, PC
Genre(s) Platformer
How Long To Beat 10 Hours
OpenCritic Rating Strong
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Super Meat Boy’s gameplay doesn’t seem all too innovative at first glance. It’s an incredibly solid, notoriously difficult 2D platformer, but that’s been done in the past before.
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What makes Super Meat Boy such a revolutionary platformer, though, is specifically where it comes from: a smaller independent team.
Super Meat Boy is far from the first indie game. Still, it’s one that broke through to the mainstream and proved that smaller developers were more than capable of delivering experiences on par with, or exceeding, those of established industry veterans.
2 Shovel Knight
More Than Just Nostalgia
Shovel Knight
Platformer
Released June 26, 2014
ESRB E For Everyone due to Mild Fantasy Violence
Developer(s) Yacht Club Games
Publisher(s) Yacht Club Games
Engine GameMaker Studio
Multiplayer Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
Franchise Shovel Knight
Platform(s) PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Switch, Nintendo Wii U, 3DS, PC, PS Vita
Genre(s) Platformer
How Long To Beat 7 Hours
OpenCritic Rating Mighty
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With indie gems like Super Meat Boy and Fez paving the way, the floodgates were opened.
Indie developers are known for their creativity, and there’s no better example of that than Shovel Knight.
It would have been easy to deliver a classic 2D platformer with old-school NES visuals and call it a day, but Yacht Club Games goes the extra mile. Not only does it look like a classic retro game, but it also plays like one, blending together old-school design with modern ideas. Best of all, Yacht Club kept innovating through a seemingly endless amount of incredible DLC releases.
1 Celeste
A Challenging, Emotional Platformer
Celeste
Platformer
Released January 25, 2018
ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
Developer(s) Extremely OK Games
Publisher(s) Extremely OK Games
Engine microsoft xna
Steam Deck Compatibility Verified
PC Release Date January 25, 2018
Xbox Series X|S Release Date January 25, 2018
PS5 Release Date January 24, 2018
Nintendo Switch Release Date January 25, 2018
Platform(s) PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Stadia, Steam
Genre(s) Platformer
How Long To Beat 9 Hours
X|S Optimized No
File Size Xbox Series 1 GB (November 2023)
PS Plus Availability Extra & Premium
OpenCritic Rating Mighty
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When talking about the most revolutionary shooters, I mentioned that Mass Effect 2 was the result of years of innovation, design, and a strong narrative structure, all coming together into one package.
In the world of platformers, that’s Celeste. The precise platforming that’s been a foundation since the Super Mario Bros. days is here, combined with a steeper challenge we’ve come to expect from games like Super Meat Boy.
The one thing that gives Celeste an extra edge and makes it such a revolutionary platformer is how well it ties its storytelling into the actual gameplay. As you’re climbing up the mountain, you’re also climbing up your own metaphorical mountain as you’re working to overcome struggles and anxiety. There’s a reason why Celeste is one of the highest reviewed games of all time; it deserves to be played by every platformer fan.
Next
Every 3D Mario Game, Ranked
Every 3D Super Mario game has a special place in my heart, but screw sentimentality, let’s rank these things!
Posts 1
By Monica Phillips
