Best Classic Platformer Games

Taito's beloved 1986 arcade classic on NES — Bubble Bobble puts two bubble-blowing dinosaurs (Bub and Bob) through 100 single-screen stages, trapping enemies in bubbles then popping them for points. Two-player simultaneous co-op, hidden secrets that unlock the true ending, and a charming design that became one of the most influential arcade games of the era.

Konami's 1992 NES platformer based on the Bucky O'Hare animated series — one of the NES's final year high-quality releases, with five playable characters (Bucky, Jenny, Willy, Dead-Eye, Deadeye), non-linear stage selection, and Konami's signature platformer polish in a game that most players discovered years after its 1992 release.

The definitive NES Castlevania — Dracula's Curse returns to linear stage action and adds branching paths and three playable partners, making it the most feature-complete classic Castlevania.

Rare's audacious, boundary-pushing platformer used the deceptively cute character of Conker the squirrel as a vehicle for adult humor, cinematic parodies, and surprisingly emotional moments. One of the N64's most technically impressive games and its most unexpectedly mature.

The commercial peak of the Crash Bandicoot series — Warped's time-travel premise introduces motorbikes, planes, sea-doos, and baby T-rex riding across 30 time-period stages, making it the most varied entry in the trilogy.

Nintendo R&D1's 1994 Game Boy platformer that begins as an arcade port before expanding into 101 puzzle-platformer levels — Donkey Kong GB is one of the finest Game Boy games and the origin of Mario's acrobatic platforming vocabulary later used in Super Mario Odyssey.

Eight games in one cartridge, each with a distinct mode — Spring Breeze, Gourmet Race, Great Cave Offensive, Revenge of Meta Knight, Milky Way Wishes, and more. Kirby Super Star's unprecedented content breadth, polished co-op, and satisfying copy ability system made it the most complete game on the SNES at launch.

Ubisoft's 1999 N64 3D platformer and Rayman's leap to three dimensions — Rayman 2: The Great Escape expands the limbless character's projectile-shooting combat across an interconnected open world of the Glade of Dreams, with Lum collection replacing Rayman 1's timed objectives, heli-riding environmental traversal, and a rich cartoon aesthetic that many consider the franchise's creative and technical peak.

One of the Genesis's most spectacular platformers follows Sparkster, an opossum knight with a jet pack, through five worlds of flame-blasting, dash-attacking action. With tight controls, inventive level design, and some of the best visuals on the platform, Rocket Knight Adventures was Konami at their early-90s peak.

The finest Shinobi game and one of the Genesis's greatest action titles. Joe Musashi's final adventure combines fluid wall-running combat, ninjutsu magic, and spectacular boss encounters in a near-perfect action package.

Insomniac's PS1 trilogy finale — Year of the Dragon adds four playable friends (Sheila the Kangaroo, Sgt. Byrd, Bentley, Agent 9) with unique gameplay sections, 37 worlds, and 150 dragon eggs to rescue.

Capcom's Genesis port of their 1989 arcade classic — Strider puts players in control of Hiryu, an elite ninja using a plasma sword (Cypher) to slash through Soviet-themed futuristic environments. The Genesis version is considered the finest home port of the arcade original, faithful to the CPS1 game with fast combat, wall-climbing, and the memorable encounters with General Mikiel's giant mech and other bosses.

The GBA port of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island with six new bonus stages — Super Mario Advance 3 delivers the SNES classic's egg-throwing physics, baby Mario transport mechanics, and crayon-illustration art style in portable form, with additional content including extra stages created specifically for the GBA version.

The most mechanically inventive Wario Land — Wario is completely invulnerable, and enemies transform him into states (zombie, invisible, tiny, flaming) that unlock new paths across the fully revisitable world.

The Genesis Aladdin — animated by the actual Disney animators who worked on the film, featuring fluid hand-drawn sprites, a throwing mechanic, and the Disney quality that made it the definitive console version over the SNES edition.

The ambitious Banjo-Kazooie sequel with nine interconnected worlds, a massively expanded moveset, multiplayer modes, and first-person shooter sections — bigger in every way than its predecessor.

Sunsoft's 1990 NES action-platformer based on the Tim Burton film — Batman follows Bruce Wayne as the Dark Knight through Gotham fighting Joker's gang with punches, kicks, Batarangs, and Batdiscs across five stages with tight platformer controls and Sunsoft's remarkable NES music. One of the finest licensed NES games.

Naughty Dog's refinement of the Crash Bandicoot formula — adding the slide, body slam, and super-powered spin makes Crash more capable, and 27 stages with expanded variety mark it as the series' most balanced entry.

Capcom's overlooked SNES masterpiece and one of the platform's most sophisticated action games. Demon's Crest gave players control of Firebrand — the gargoyle villain from Ghosts 'n Goblins — across a non-linear world with seven Crests that transform him into different elemental forms. Its dark aesthetic, exploration-based structure, and excellent soundtrack make it one of the SNES's most underrated games.

The animated platformer that took the 16-bit era by storm — Earthworm Jim's fluid hand-drawn animation, creative stage design, and irreverent humor made it the independent platformer sensation of 1994.

One of the most emotionally affecting platformers ever made. Klonoa's wind bullet mechanic and 2.5D layered stages create inventive puzzle-platforming, then the story builds to a conclusion that genuinely surprised players expecting a cheerful children's game — its final moments are among gaming's most unexpectedly affecting narrative sequences.

Mega Man 3 introduced Rush the Robot Dog and the Slide move while delivering a massive adventure with 24 stages. A strong entry that many fans consider the series' most ambitious NES installment.

Capcom's 1994 Game Boy exclusive — Mega Man V is the only original Game Boy Mega Man game not adapting NES or SNES content, featuring eight entirely new Stardroid bosses (aliens themed on planets), the Mega Arm attachment replacing the Mega Buster, and new mechanics including the Rush Space Item allowing space traversal. The most complete and polished of the Game Boy Mega Man series.

The worthy successor to Mega Man X that refined every element of the original. Mega Man X2 uses the Super FX chip to add smooth 3D cutscenes, introduces the X-Hunter storyline, and delivers eight memorable Maverick bosses. Collecting Zero's parts for the secret ending is one of the era's best hidden objectives.