Platformers

A platformer is built around movement: jumping between platforms, timing leaps, and navigating a space where falling is the main failure. The genre is as old as home gaming and remains one of its most reliable pleasures.

The essential quality of a good platformer is how the character feels to control. Weight, momentum, jump arc, air control — these are what separate a great platformer from a mediocre one, and they cannot be judged from screenshots.

The main forms

2D platformers — side-on movement. Super Mario Bros., Celeste, Hollow Knight, Rayman.

3D platformers — full three-dimensional spaces. Super Mario Odyssey, Astro Bot, Crash Bandicoot.

Metroidvanias — interconnected worlds where new abilities open previously unreachable areas. Hollow Knight, Ori, Metroid.

Precision platformers — very difficult, built on repeated attempts at tight sequences. Celeste, Super Meat Boy.

What are classic platformer games?

Super Mario Bros. and its successors define the genre, and Nintendo remains its strongest publisher — which is a real consideration when choosing a console. Sonic, Crash Bandicoot, Rayman, Donkey Kong and Kirby are the other long-running names.

Among modern titles, Celeste and Hollow Knight are widely considered among the best games of the last decade in any genre.

Why they suit a lot of people

Platformers are usually readable immediately — you understand jumping — and they work well in short sessions. They also tend to be appropriate for a wide age range, which makes them a sensible choice for a family console.

Difficulty varies widely within the genre, from gentle to extremely demanding, so check before buying for a child. Many modern platformers include assist options that adjust the challenge without removing it.

See our Nintendo Switch page — it is the platform with the deepest platformer library.