Best Of
Platformers have come a long way.
In the past, most platformers were 2D sidescrollers.
They have since evolved into3D action adventuresand later into full-on open-world sandbox games.
Before, gamers would focus on pushing forward and executing perfectly timed jumps.
Today, though, platformers demand mastery of several skills.
The best platformers on PC have broken the mold to include fantastic additives from other gaming genres.
They put your navigation skills to the test, placing monsters and dangerous obstacles along the way.
Most of all, they incorporate up-to-standard visuals, controls, and design that offer the most rewarding experiences.
Super Meat Boy
Super Meat Boystarts off with an absolutely hilarious premise.
Perhaps curated to prepare you for a classic, deeply challenging platforming experience from back in the day.
Meet Meat Boy, a small, red, cube-shaped lad made of meat.
He needs your help to save his damsel in distress.
The damsel, who is Meat Boy’s girlfriend, is a girl made of bandages.
An evil fetus has kidnapped her.
And the evil fetus happens to be a jar dressed in a tux.
The gameplay involves leaping over buzz saws, and old needles, and escaping crumbling caves.
This gets much harder to navigate the more you play.
All along, Meat Boy explores various locations.
These include haunted hospitals and factories in the hopes of finding his damsel in distress.
Additionally,Super Meat Boyfeatures epic boss fights.
There are 33 achievements, more than 300 levels spread across 5+ chapters, and over 16 characters.
But with all of the niceties aside, the story still takes the win.
That’s because it’s such an illuminating, emotional journey that even the strong-hearted will shed a tear.
Celeste
Celestefeatures similar core gameplay toSuper Meat Boy.
The only difference is thatCelesteadds more charm to it.
Players run, climb, air-dash, and jump against walls for a limited time.
They play the character Madeline, a young woman who suffers from anxiety and depression.
The means justifies the end here, as players embark on a narrative-driven, single-player adventure of a lifetime.
They uncover hidden secrets in the depths of the mountain and encounter a charming cast of characters.
All along, Madeline learns to cope with her mental health.
Each screen presents interesting, hand-crafted puzzles.
you might launch higher into the clouds using bubbles.
Definitely keep an open mind, and dont be afraid to toggle the difficulty modes if you so choose.
Sonic Mania
Sonic Maniapresents an all-new adventure with the famous trio, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles.
The game pays tribute to the earlySonic the Hedgehoggames.
It uses rolling 2D landscapes and retro references while adding touches of modern platforming.
Together, they create a speedy side-scrolling run with over 13 levels.
These include five original ones and eight remixes from past games.
Further,Sonic Maniafeatures a compelling narrative.
Alternatively, you could bring a friend along to play as either Sonic or Tails.
Thereafter, youll run into various enemies and unique bosses at the end of each level.
Retro platforming has its nostalgic perks.
Still, it wouldn’t hurt to have a dash of advanced visuals and music.Sonic Maniaperfectly understands this.
Its a game that adds a good number of new experiences to the old.
Yet, still maintains the classic gameplay that feels like playing the originalSonic the Hedgehogall over again.
It Takes Two
It Takes Twodares to color outside the lines, merging several gaming genres into one.
Its an action-adventure 3D platformer that focuses solely on split-screen co-op gameplay.
The game features a coy narrative, too.
It starts with a couple working through a divorce.
However, their minds transfer into two of their daughters dolls, which take after their parents.
Right off the bat, its clearIt Takes Twois something quite out of the box.
Its hard to imagine how dolls can reinstall themselves into human forms.
Fortunately, It Takes Two has the how nailed out.
You must embark on a wild, unexpected journey filled with fantasy and hard-to-imagine things.
Furthermore, the developer strategically focuses on the influence that narrative and gameplay have on each other.
This results in perfectly culminating the full capabilities of platformers beyond side-scrolling and puzzle-solving.
Radlandia is a bold choice, at first sight, beaming with personality and weird delight.
Of course, there are no straightforward courses.
Alternatively, you may simply casually skate across the world, taking in the surroundings as you go.
When not writing, he can be found playing video games or watching F1.
