The gaming industry does not lack icons, but Nintendo’s Mario exists at a tier above pretty much any other alternative. Since the early ’80s,Super Mariohas been a staple of excellence, particularly the mainline 2D and 3D platformers that constantly sit among the genre’s greatest efforts per console generation. Be it the industry-savingSuper Mario Bros., the masterfulSuper Mario. World, the revolutionarySuper Mario 64, or the flawlessSuper Mario Galaxy, the franchise casts a wide shadow over the entire gaming industry, regularly inspiring evolution and growth in the process.
Nintendo Switch owners have quite a few great Mario games at their fingertips, withSuper Mario Bros. WonderandSuper Mario Odysseyrepresenting the IP’s 2D and 3D types at their peak. Fortunately, people who are not part of the Nintendo ecosystem have a couple of platformers they can pick up to scratch a similar itch.
The focus will be mainly on relatively modern releases rather than classics that apeSuper Mario’s format.
While not PlayStation’s bread-and-butter, Sony occasionally throws out a platformer that would not seem out of place on Nintendo hardware.Astro Botmight just be the best PlayStation 3D platformer of all time; at the very least, it is the genre’s greatest option on the PS5. Building beautifully onAstro’s Playroom’s blueprint, the 2024 release is bigger and better in every way, delivering gorgeous visuals, precise controls, and a lot of nods to PlayStation’s history.
Astro Botshares a few direct similarities withSuper Mariothat indicate Team Asobi referenced the franchise during development (which is hardly surprising). Putting aside mechanics, the most important element it shares with Nintendo’s IP is its wholeheartedly joyous nature, creating a celebration of gaming capable of plastering an indefinite smile on the face of players.
OK, this might come across as cheating sinceBraidis hardly modern, with the game originally debuting in 2008. However, the2024 anniversary editionexpands on its predecessor well, supplying improved visuals and a fantastic implementation of commentary tracks. The soundtrack was also updated, so the changes are fairly significant, even if the gameplay has remained fairly static.
Braidis among the greatest indie games of all time, one that has aged like fine wine. A platformer that emphasizes puzzles, the “hook” mechanic revolves around reversing time, allowing players to instantly retry whenever they make a mistake. This concept complements the story well, which also subverts some expectations related toSuper Mario Bros.
Double Fine’sPsychonautstook the family-friendly 3D genre in a psychedelic direction that indulged in the bizarre and absurd. The 2005 game has aged brilliantly and is still worth a playthrough; however, its belated sequel is arguably better in every way. Now, compared to mostSuper Marioplatformers,Psychonauts 2is way more story-intensive, telling a charmingly unpredictable tale revolving around agents who enter people’s minds. The franchise’s lore goes deep and is ridiculously entertaining, and players can spend a great deal of time exploring the sequel’s hub areas that are filled with NPCs, collectibles, and information.
That said,Psychonauts 2does not rely on sharp wit and lovable characters to carry the campaign, as the gameplay is also fantastic. While the core loop is fairly conventional for a 3D platformer, it is heightened by an array of unique psychic abilities that present novel ways to deal withplatforming challenges and enemies. Most of the stages are quite open as well, allowing room for exploration and experimentation.
Super Mariomight dominate the Switch platformer discourse, but the console’s genre offerings are extensive and varied. 2D entries are not that difficult to find, but 3D variants are somewhat rarer and tend to revolve around established IPs (although, games likeDemon TurfandA Hat in Timeshow that exceptions exist).Kirbyshould need no introduction at this point, and HAL’s franchise has amassed a huge selection of masterpieces that can rival any of its contemporaries. Still, for decades, the series appeared reluctant to make the full jump into 3D, which caused Kirby to seem to be a step behind Mario; however, that finally came to an end in 2022 thanks to the arrival ofKirby and the Forgotten Land.
Through a cosmic force, Kirby is sent to a new world that has seen better days, sending the adorable protagonist on an epic journey filled with whimsy, imagination, and plenty of sucking (in a good way).The Forgotten Landretains most ofKirby’s classic abilities, translating them into 3D in a way that feels like an evolution of everything that came before. In terms of gameplay, the game balances exploration, platforming, and combat well, along with even providing a co-op option. While the actual platforming is probably not as impressive as something likeSuper Mario Odyssey,Kirby and the Forgotten Landis nevertheless a well-rounded adventure.
