Platformer

Looking for a genre that hasn’t changed much in concept over the years? When it comes to nostalgia and devotion to craft, the platformer genre covers a huge variety of games that still proudly showcase their roots in the earliest 2D side-scrollers. Platformers involve running, climbing, and jumping as the player explores and works their way through challenging levels.

Platform games feature a side view and simple controls, with Donkey Kong often considered the first true example. That game passed the torch to Super Mario Bros. and later Sonic the Hedgehog. Moving another several years forward, Naughty Dog’s first Crash Bandicoot title found its audience with a different camera angle (head-on) and loads of charm.

Platformers are extremely popular with indie studios and gamers, as well as legacy releases. There are also plenty of RPG crossovers and excursions into even more obscure niches as well. Ori and the Blind Forest is a popular example that incorporates puzzles and adventure elements, as is Cuphead, which is both beautifully animated and deeply challenging.

Platformer examples