A diverse list of great platforming games! 

After playing many of the great exclusives on the PS4, you will need something different to cleanse your gaming palette. Nothing beats a good old fashioned platformer. With a wide selection of games from the retro style to beautiful modern graphics, you’ll find something that catches your fancy. Engaging gameplay and fantastic worlds will you compel to press that jump button.  

15. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy gameplay

Breaking boxes and outrunning boulders, Crash Bandicoot provides many rewarding challenges. Visit jungles and castles in this beautiful world remade from the PS1. Encounter eccentric scientists and ferocious polar bears in the first 3 of Crash’s energetic adventures. 

One way Crash Bandicoot games differ from other platformers is their obsession with death. From becoming an angel to a goat kicking you offscreen, this trilogy has many animations that make you want to die on purpose. 

14. Downwell

Downwell gameplay

Explore this deep and dangerous well with only a pair of gun boots to protect you. Fall down with considerable speed and maintain precision to dodge enemies. Shoot at and stomp on these creatures to gain upgrades, making your way down farther and farther.

Everytime you start a new game, it puts you at the beginning. The only way to get to the end is to improve your skill and go through the whole game in one life.

13. Rayman Legends

Rayman Legends gameplay

Rayman must save their world's inhabitants from the nightmares that have invaded. Fight sea beasts, luchadors, and dragons. Traverse colorful worlds inspired by Day of the Dead and Ancient Greece.

You can play Rayman Legends by yourself but why would you. Gather three more friends to play Co-Op. 

12. Thomas Was Alone

Thomas Was Alone gameplay

Take a deep breath and enjoy the minimalist and atmospheric Thomas Was Alone. Narrated by a smooth british voice and accompanied by peaceful electronic music, the experience of Thomas’s adventure becomes all the better. Go through each level to progress the story and to make some new friends. 

Each character in Thomas Was Alone has their own unique mechanics. As depicted here, the red box, Thomas, can jump while the blue box, Clarie, can float in water. 

11. SteamWorld Dig

SteamWorld Dig gameplay

In this old western themed platformer you play as Rusty, an old mining steambot. Dig into the plentiful earth, find shiny minerals to bring back to the surface and sell them for upgrades. Find the many treasures and secrets that have stayed hidden underground. 

With your pickaxe, you can break most of the dirt in the underground. But be careful. The more dirt you break, the fewer platforms you have to make your way back to the surface. 

10. Rogue Legacy

Rogue Legacy gameplay

Fight and jump your way through this ever changing castle. With many different attributes you can acquire and the variety of castle layouts, every playthrough of this game feels nothing like the last. Try to collect as much gold with every run to rank up your character. 

When you die, your character permanently dies. That means with every playthrough you get to choose one of a new generation of knights to take inside the castle. 

9. Guacamelee

Guacamelee gameplay

Explore a rich and vibrant Mexican inspired world. After Carlos Calca has kidnapped the president’s daughter, an agave farmer must wield the magical luchador mask to save her. But he doesn’t have to go at it alone, as this game supports two players.

The Luchadors encounter many bosses like mariachi skeletons and aztec inspired warriors.

8. Castlevania Requiem

Castlevania Requiem gameplay 

After Dracula has once been defeated by Simon Belmont, generations later, one of Dracula’s followers steals Richter Belmont’s love. The follower uses the girl as a hostage, leading Richter into Dracula’s goolish castle in order to dispose of him. Richter will fight skeleton monsters and reapers in this gothic quest. 

I didn’t even mention that whole other Castlevania game in this package. In Symphony of the Night, Alucard goes to destroy Dracula's castle after it has mysteriously reappeared.

7. The Messenger

The Messenger gameplay

In this throw back to the old Ninja Gaiden games, The Messenger follows a ninja on his way to deliver a scroll to the top of a mountain. This game does a great job recreating the speed and the swift slashes of a ninja. Explore damp caverns and thick bamboo forests that put skills to the test. 

At one turning point in the game, The Messenger changes genres in a bold way. I’ll let you find out what the change is and how it’s done once you play it. 

6. Sonic Mania

Sonic Mania gameplay

A love letter to Sega Genesis Sonic games, Sonic Mania puts together new and classic worlds. With the rush of that iconic Sonic speed makes this game hard to put down. Nothing is as beautiful as seeing a new game use the nostalgic turbo graphics of classic Sonic. 

The game itself is impressive but wait til I tell you that the team behind Sonic Mania is composed of Sonic fans who have created Sonic fan games in the past. Their work most definitely shows their passion for the blue hedgehog. 

5. Celeste

Celeste gameplay

Unlike many other platformers on this list, Celeste takes the time to build its characters. Madeline suffers from depression and her journey up Celeste Mountain makes her confront a side of herself that she would rather ignore. Not to say that the gameplay suffers because of the characters, it’s controls feel tight and the challenge rewards players sufficiently. 

Madeline’s negative emotions create a second version of herself. This picture shows the Evil Madeline trying to catch up and kill her. 

4. Mega Man Legacy Collection

Mega Man Legacy Collection gameplay

Some games are played for their great difficulty, the Mega Man franchise provides expertly crafted levels that provide challenge to the hardcore platformer enthusiast. Mega Man has a rocking soundtrack that keeps you going and levels that can be played in any order you want. The straight forward structure of these six games makes it easy to jump in and play whenever you feel ready to improve your skill. 

When you defeat a boss in Mega Man you get to take their powers and use it as your own. Using the right powers against other bosses can make a fight much easier. 

3. Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight gameplay

Play as a traveler going through the bug-filled world of Hallownest. Traverse through beautiful garden areas and creepy spider infested caverns. Fight tons of bosses and explore the cryptic past of this insect kingdom. 

All the characters in Hollow Knight are hand drawn. The developers put tons of effort into designing each character distinctly and making every background feel like a living world. 

2. Ratchet & Clank

Ratchet & Clank gameplay

Ratchet & Clank’s look into space and aliens construct an absolutely charming world. The diverse selection of planets, from resort to metropolis, keep the game feeling like there’s always somewhere new to explore. I should mention a great arsenal that makes dealing with enemies exciting the whole way through.

Ratchet’s selection of weapons appear quite zany. One weapon is a disco ball that forces enemies to dance. 

1. Shovel Knight Treasure Trove

Shovel Knight gameplay

Shovel Knight takes the player back to the Super Nintendo days but also creates its own identity. It’s levels are long and varied, they have a checkpoint system that lets the player decide how hard or easy they want their experience to be. Beautiful pixel art and iconic bit tune music brings classic platformers to the next level. 

One of the many inspirations taken by this game is the pogo stick in Ducktales. In Shovel Knight, the shovel will make the player bounce off of enemies. 

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• [Top 15] Best Platformer Games for PC
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• [Top 15] Best Platform Games on Steam
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