Platformers

Super Mario 3D World is a 3D platformer action game for the Wii U that follows Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad as they rescue the Sprixie Princess from Bowser. Building on the classic 3D level-design conventions of its predecessor, the game challenges players to navigate linear levels within a time limit to reach the Goal Pole. Players can choose from multiple characters with unique playstyles and utilize new power-ups like the Cat suit to climb walls and defeat enemies. It introduces simultaneous four-player cooperative multiplayer to a 3D Mario title alongside intuitive Wii U GamePad touch and microphone features.

✦ Best for platformer fans and families wanting four-player local co-op.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is an action-packed 2.5D side-scrolling platformer developed by Nintendo. When Bowser Jr. and his minions crash Princess Peach's birthday celebration and kidnap her inside a giant Airship, Mario, Luigi, and their Toad companions embark on a daring rescue mission across numerous creative worlds. Building upon classic platforming roots, the game introduces exciting power-ups like the Propeller Mushroom and Penguin Suit alongside simultaneous multiplayer support for up to four players. Players can experience cooperative teamwork or competitive play as they navigate challenging new levels, defeat iconic enemies, and journey to save the princess.

✦ Best for families and platformer fans seeking engaging four-player multiplayer action.

Step into the mechanical, dimension-switching world of Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition, an award-winning action-puzzle-platformer. Players control Officer Patricia Wagon as she uses her Siren Helmet to manipulate blocks and apprehend escaped renegades across challenging stages. Experience high-definition visuals alongside tight platforming controls, tricky puzzles, and fast-paced shooting action. Rescue all the Hooligan Sisters and restore peace in this critically acclaimed enhancement of the classic title.

✦ Best for platform and puzzle fans wanting tight controls and hd art.

Developed by Double Fine Productions and legendary game designer Ron Gilbert, The Cave is a 2D puzzle-platform adventure game where players assemble a team of three unique characters from a selection of seven eccentric adventurers. Each character possesses distinct personalities and special abilities that unlock different paths and stories as you explore a vast, sentient subterranean world. Journey through bizarre and unexpected locations including a subterranean amusement park, a medieval castle, and a fully armed nuclear ICBM silo. Combining exploration, character swapping, and clever puzzle-solving, the game offers a darkly comedic adventure that reveals the inner depths of each adventurer as they seek what matters most to them.

✦ Best for puzzle-platformer fans wanting witty writing and unique character abilities.

Step into the shoes of Luigi in his very first starring role in a platform adventure, set within the world of New Super Luigi U. With Mario nowhere to be found, you must navigate over 80 brand-new, fast-paced courses where every level challenges you with a strict 100-second timer and Luigi's distinct physics, featuring high jumps and unique slides. Enjoy high replayability as you master each demanding course alone or with up to five players, including the invincible newcomer Nabbit. Whether playing via the downloadable expansion or the standalone physical release, share your triumphs with the community and help Luigi finally save Princess Peach's captured castle!

✦ Best for platformer fans seeking fast-paced courses with unique physics and cooperative play.

New Super Mario Bros. U is an engaging side-scrolling 2.5D platform game where players guide Mario, Luigi, and friends through imaginative worlds. Bowser's gang has seized control of Princess Peach's Castle, setting the stage for a classic rescue mission across diverse levels filled with secrets, enemies, and challenges. The game introduces the exciting Super Acorn power-up, granting players the Flying Squirrel ability to glide through stages. Featuring both single-player campaigns and multiplayer cooperative modes, alongside innovative Wii U GamePad features like Boost Mode and various challenge modes, it delivers timeless platforming fun for all ages.

✦ Best for platformer fans and families seeking classic cooperative side-scrolling action.

Step into the shoes of a crash test dummy in this standard platform game with a twist of questionable taste and purpose. Navigate through hazard-filled levels containing moving cars and blazing fireballs while racing against strict time limits. Every time you collide with a hazard, your character loses a limb, functioning effectively as a hit point system since mobility remains unaffected. Collect screwdrivers scattered throughout the stages to restore lost limbs and survive until the end of the level.

✦ Best for retro platformer fans wanting a quirky time-limited challenge.

Trouble brews when Gruntilda the witch captures the unbearably beautiful cub, Tooty, setting off a grand rescue adventure. Big brother Banjo and his fine-feathered friend, Kazooie, must combine their unique abilities to navigate treacherous worlds and stop the grisly hag. Together, the dynamic duo will explore miles of swamp, desert, and snow while battling armies of beasts. By collecting hidden puzzle pieces and musical notes, players unlock new paths toward their ultimate showdown with Gruntilda.

✦ Best for retro fans seeking a charming, expansive 3d collectathon platformer.

Mark of the Ninja is a critically acclaimed 2D side-scrolling stealth game developed by Klei Entertainment that pits ancient ninja traditions against modern technology. Players guide a branded ninja through meticulously designed security systems, deciding whether to slip by unnoticed or assassinate guards with brutal precision. The game features striking comic-book-inspired animation, dynamic sound and sight mechanics that dictate enemy awareness, and a branching progression system allowing players to unlock specialized tools and deadly new techniques. With its tight controls and rewarding rank-based challenges, it stands as a pinnacle of the stealth-action genre.

✦ Best for fans of tight stealth mechanics and gorgeous hand-drawn animation.

A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia is a classic 1989 platform-puzzle game developed by Imagineering for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Players control an unnamed young boy and his alien blob friend, Blobert, as they journey from the subterranean caves of Earth to the alien world of Blobolonia to overthrow a tyrannical emperor whose regime forces a strict diet of sweets upon its citizens. Gameplay revolves around feeding the blob various flavored jellybeans that transform him into useful tools and objects, such as ladders, jacks, and umbrellas, to solve environmental puzzles and navigate hazardous terrain. Blending inventive puzzle-solving mechanics with charming platforming action, the game offers a unique cooperative dynamic between the boy and his versatile companion.

✦ Best for retro platform-puzzle fans seeking a charming, family-friendly challenge.

Akimbo, renowned kung-fu hero of the seven seas, receives a plea for help from a bottled note detailing the enslavement of Turtle Island. Armed with his roundhouse kick and good intentions, he sets out on a perilous journey to defeat the evil dragon Fang and free the transformed natives. Players must navigate challenging platforming levels, utilize martial arts combat against brainwashed servants, and rescue the fading shamans before their powers disappear completely. Experience a classic action-packed quest filled with unique challenges and heroic moments across vibrant environments.

✦ Best for retro platformer fans seeking a charming kung-fu adventure.

Gomez is a 2D creature living in a 2D world until the existence of a mysterious 3rd dimension is revealed to him. This discovery sends him on a journey through time and space, challenging players to explore a serene, open-ended environment filled with intricate secrets and hidden treasures. Players must master the ability to rotate the world through four distinct classic 2D perspectives to solve mind-bending spatial puzzles. Unearth the mysteries of the past, uncover the truth about reality and perception, and experience a breathtaking blend of platforming and exploration.

✦ Best for puzzle fans seeking perspective-shifting adventure and open-world exploration.