2024 has been an interesting year forplatformers, as Nintendo hasn’t had a horse in the race for once, despite being known as the king of the genre.
That leaves the stage open for indies, smaller companies, and even some of the other major AAA companies to put their best foot forward without being overshadowed.
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There was no puzzle picking the games for this list!
I’ve found that the discussion around platformers this year has been far more interesting because of this, with great reworks on existing formulas, a lot ofMetroidvanias, and the PS5 getting a game.
We’ve polled everyone at DualShockers for their takes on the best platformers released this year, and this list serves as all of our thoughts compiled into one big opinionated mass.
While I’m writing about each of these games, I don’t have the final say in the placement of our selections. All of these picks come from votes by DualShockers staff, with the most voted-on game being number one. The only games considered will be from January through November,so sorry, AntonBlast.
Psychedelic ‘Vania Goodness
Ultroscame out way earlier in the year, and it didn’t get much recognitiondespite how immaculate it is, but I’m glad it could at least scrape its way onto this list.
It’s an incredibly colorful, psychedelic take on theCastlevaniaend of Metroidvanias, being partially a roguelite and partially a strange alien flower-planting simulator.
Every combat skill you get just makes the game feel even better, and the time loop elements mesh pretty well into the story, even if it’s noOuter Wilds.
I love experimenting with the various plant life in this game and seeing how it changes the level design on subsequent loops, it’s just about the only game that has made gardening seem incredibly exciting.
9Chained Together
Getting Over Each Other
Chained Together
Chained Together is another game in the style of Only Up orGetting Over It, but as a multiplayer experience where you and your friends climb out a hellish wasteland.
I think the pretty unique aesthetic direction and the inherent fun of watching your friends drag you back down to the depths is what propelled this game to the list.
It’s probably a bit easier than most other rage games, but having to be chained with your friends makes it significantly harder, and all the more hilarious.
That said, you won’t find much here in terms of mechanical depth and great platforming gameplay, but it’s a fun enough time to be one of the better platformers this year.
8Penny’s Big Breakaway
Slick Tricks
Penny’s Big Breakaway
Penny’s Big Breakaway was the long-awaited next game by the team behindSonic Mania, and I think it’s more than deserving of its spot here.
It’s an awesome, free-flowing 3D platformer where you use a Yo-Yo to roll, spin, and swing across every obstacle, able to conserve momentum to an insane degree.
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The movement feels about as free as Mario Sunshine, with level design akin to Mario 3D World, speed that rivals Sonic himself, and a metric ton of charm.
The visuals feel like they flew right out of the Sega Saturn, and despite the bumpy launch, it’s an incredibly polished experience now, and an incredibly good platformer.
7Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
A Lovely Blue Moon
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Ubisoft isn’t known for making the best games ever; in fact, this year,they’ve been gunning for the opposite, but when their smaller teams are allowed to cook on a platformer, they makean incredible full-course meal.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownis one of those rare Ubisoft games where they combine the best elements of Prince of Persia into a 2D Metroidvania, and it’s awesome.
You’ve got decent exploration, platforming that makes you feel cool, and badass cutscenes with the same energy as Metroid Dread.
It’s even a bit more platforming-heavy than the average Metroidvania, so it feels right at home as one of the best platformers this year.
6Nine Sols
Cyber-Sekiro, Now in 2D
Nine Solsfeels like an awesome cyberpunk amalgamation of Sekiro and Hollow Knight, and it’s an awesome combat-focusedMetroidvania with quite a unique edge to it.
The platforming segments often have you bouncing, dashing, wall-running, grappling, and trying to get through long combat encounters with intense parrying and minimal healing.
It’s got gorgeous hand-drawn visuals, an intense story, fantastic map design, and some of the best atmosphere I’ve seen, especially with the unique cyberpunk Tao aesthetic.
Everything just feels so smooth and satisfying, and the combat meshes with your movement, which will make you feel like you’re either fumbling or a god of platforming.
Howl at the Sky
Mixing somewhat intense platforming into a more atmospheric, floaty puzzle game feels like a pretty perfect fit, andNeva pulls off that lovely mixturereally well.
It’s an absolutely beautiful, stunning, and artsy game, with the platforming being more of a fun backdrop to the story of a dying world, and a woman following a wolf cub.
It can feel a bit overwhelming in the best way possible, and it grants you a few fun abilities over time, like an air dash or a dodge roll, and it feels pretty satisfying.
It’s not the most intense platforming experience you’ll find out there, but every single one of this game’s massive list of merits propels it up here.
4The Plucky Squire
Flying Off the Page
The Plucky Squire
One of the best games purely artistically,The Plucky Squirehas you running around a charming little storybook, and eventually running off the pages into the real world.
It’s one of those games like It Takes Two that is technically a platformer, but primarily just about going wherever the game takes you and enjoying the shenanigans.
This game decides to do Zelda-esque adventuring, proper 2D platforming, turn-based combat, or Bubble Pop whenever it feels like it,and it’s a fun ride.
It brings up that child-like whimsy, where you played games as a kid and didn’t know everything about them, and anything could happen, and I adore it for that.
3Sonic X Shadow: Generations
A Masterclass of New and Old
Sonic X Shadow Generations
Sonic Team has had a weird decade, but finally peaked again withSonic X Shadow Generations, a bundle of a great re-release with a new game that takes every lesson from the past few Sonic games.
Sonic Generations really didn’t change much, but it was already a great-looking and fun mixture of Classic and Modern Sonic, so that’s fine.
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Shadow Generations, on the other hand, is an all-new game that feels as fast-paced and fun to run through as Unleashed, with the open-ended level design of Sonic Adventure.
It’s hard to deny that this is one of the best Sonic games ever released, especially taking both sides of the equation into account, and it deserves its place on the list.
2Animal Well
Intensely Creative, Immensely Satisfying
Animal Well
The last Metroidvania on the platformers list,Animal Well, is easily one of the best games released this year. It’s a Metroidbrania where your knowledge and cool items combine for puzzles and platforming.
It’s one ofthe only platforming-forward Metroidbranias, with the Bubble item especially letting you get to just about any ledge if you’re skilled enough.
Every secret you uncover makes you feel like you’re an absolute genius, and it’s a great feeling combined with one of the most aesthetically interesting and mildly terrifying games.
Even if it’s more focused on exploration and puzzle-solving, it’s absolutely a great platformer, and I’m glad to see the DualShockers staff agree.
1Astro Bot
Firing on All Cylinders
In a shocking turn of events, PlayStation gave us the Mario game for this year,Astro Bot, a charming 3D platformer with gimmicks and level design that isvery reminiscent of the mustachioed paisano.
It has you running, hovering, and spinning through around 60 different incredibly creative and colorful environments, all featuring amassive cast of PlayStation cameos.
It feels like a joyous homage to the entire history of PlayStation, and it feels appropriate that it managed to top the list of DualShockers’ favorite platformers.
It’s hard to deny how charming, playful, and fun everything is, there’s never a dull moment, and as one of the very few PS5 exclusives that exists, it’s a damn good system seller.
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There are plenty of colorful characters to elevate these challenging platformer games and each title can be experienced for under $15.
