The platform genre has played a vitally important role in gaming history and is still going strong today, particularly thanks to indie studios that have kept the style of game alive and well at a time when open-world adventures and RPGs are starting to dominate sales charts. Platform games likeSuper Mario Bros.were fundamental in bringing the industry back fromits 1983 crash, while games likeSuper Mario 64andBanjo-Kazooieshowed the potential of 3D gaming.
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One of the many aspects of the platform genre that has made it such a success for multiple decades is how replayable it is. Platform games tend to compliment their main campaign with a generous amount of side content, which is perfect for completionists who want to keep returning to the game.
7Spyro Reignited Trilogy
After seeing the success ofCrash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, Activision decided to get the iconic purple dragon Spyro in on the act withSpyro Reignited Trilogy, which, like theN. Sanetrilogy, was a remake of the first threeSpyrogames. The set of games are beloved by collectathon fans for the plethora of collectibles that there are to find in levels, such as gems, eggs, and frozen dragons. Suffice to say, it’s easy to sink many hours intoSpyro Reignited Trilogyeven after beating the main story, and players will get a nice bonus in each game for doing so.
Another way that these collectibles make the trilogy so replayable is that, due to the huge amount that fill every level, players will soon forget many of their locations, so they can replay the trilogy every couple of years like it’s the first time again.
6Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Kazooiewas released on the Nintendo 64 in 1998. The game was clearly inspired bySuper Mario 64with its 3D open levels, though the game tookMario 64’s collectathon elements even further by cramming a ton of collectibles into each stage to ensure that completionists were kept busy for hours on end.
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LikeSpyro Reignited Trilogy,Banjo- Kazooieis a great game to replay every couple of years, as it’s easy to forget where everything is hidden.
5Celeste
Celestewas released in January 2018 and turned heads with its incredibleMetascore of 94 on Xbox One. The game doesn’t disappoint, thanks to its tight platforming controls,excellent level design, and instant resets that make its high difficulty level far more rewarding than it is frustrating.
Like any great platformer,Celestehas plenty of collectibles for players to find, such as strawberries that litter each level and the incredibly well-hidden crystal hearts. Players will be coming back toCelestetime and time again for not only the collectibles but also because the game just feels so good to play, making it ideal for speed running.
4Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends
When Ubisoft’sRaymanbegan making party games with theRaving Rabbids, it seemed as though his platforming days were over. However, the limbless hero made a grand return inRayman Origins, which had a sequel,Rayman Legends. Both games were hits with fans and critics and delighted completionists with levels full of collectibles.
Both games are great to replay thanks to their time trials, which are such fun due to how well-suited Rayman’s movement is to fast gameplay.
3Super Mario Odyssey
Following the disappointment of the Wii U, Nintendo was under pressure to impress audiences with the Nintendo Switch. Thankfully, the console smashed expectations with its excellent interchangeable design and fantastic main series entries into the iconicLegend of ZeldaandSuper Mariofranchises, which immediately set a high bar for the console.
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Super Mario Odysseysees the platforming series return to aSuper Mario 64style of level design, with large, open levels crammed with things to do and find. However,Super Mario Odysseyramps the size and scale ofMario 64through the roof, with enormous stages that are absolutely crammed with collectibles at every turn. Suffice to say, players who are looking to complete the game 100% will certainly be getting their money’s worth.
2Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
Following the success of theCrash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogyremake, Activision and Toys For Bob teamed up in 2020 to releaseCrash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, a sequel to 1998’sCrash Bandicoot: Warped. Toys For Bob did a fantastic job of modernizing the iconic platformer series, with beautifully and meticulously designed levels that are a joy to progress through.
TheCrash Bandicootfranchise has always been great for completionists, with gems available for breaking every box and relics for time trials.Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Timesignificantly expanded this side of the series, withflashback tapes to collectand complete, inverted stages, and a hidden gem in every level. The game received some complaints from fans for being too hard to beat 100%, but there’s no denying that the game offers plenty of replayability, particularly with the tantalizing challenge of platinum and developer time relics.
1Spelunky
Spelunkywas first released on PC in 2008 before arriving on numerous other consoles in the years that followed, including Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The 2D platform game is an obvious choice for this list, as itimplements a rougelike structurewith procedurally generated levels, making each run unique and ensuring that the game can be replayed forever.
There are many other procedurally generated platformers that could have made this list, thoughSpelunkygets the nod for its impact on the genre and addictive gameplay that never seems to get stale.
