Summary
Platformers have long-since been dethroned as the most relevant video game genre.Games likeSuper Mario 64created innovative game design tropes others would loyally follow. Now, however, they can be considered niche. This presents a big problem when one wants to get into them. People might want to join in on the platforming fun, but their skills may not adequate enough to play any old platformer.
The 3D platformers below provide the perfect starting point for such gamers. Not only do they start off easy, providing a smooth difficulty curve, but they are also just great games in their own right. They will make newcomers better while also ensuring that they fall in love with the genre.
This is a good game for anybody who might have a hard time simply orienting themselves in a 3D space.Crash Bandicoot 2does not relinquish camera control to the player, and the levels are linear.
The first couple of worlds are simple but satisfying before the later levels provide a true challenge. It also teaches players the basics of going off the beaten path to find secret gems. The original PS1 game holds up, but those who prefer up-to-date visuals can play2017 remake as a part of theN. Sane Trilogy.
The originalCrash Bandicootis a brutally difficult platformer.Crash Bandicoot 3: Warpedis simple enough for newcomers as well, and it includes more vehicle sections.
It might be hard to believe, but 2022 markedthe first time Kirby starred in a proper 3D platformerwith free three-dimensional movement. The levels are small enough to not get lost in, and the challenge remains light throughout.
WhatKirby and the Forgotten Landslacks in difficulty, however, it more than makes up for in charm and imagination. Like the games released before it, Kirby is able to swallow up enemies and absorb their powers. The game is fully playable in co-op, too, so it is also great to play with someone else, introducing two gamers to platformers at once.
Kirby 64has 3D graphics, but the gameplay is side-scrolling.
The PS Vita had too many features for every game to use all of them. That said, Media Molecule’sTearawaysomehow managed to fit all of them into the game. At times, players had to use the camera, the back touch screen, and many other aspects of the unique handheld that few gamers even realized were there.
The platforming is simple, and some light puzzles break up the action between those segments, making it agreat 3D platformer for newcomersto check out.Tearaway: Unfoldedfor the PS4 is the alternative for anyone without a Vita. It is the same game, just with reworked mechanics to function on a controller.
Fully fledged 3D platformers with free movement and camera control were not as common on the PS1 as they were on the N64.This is what makesSpyro the Dragonso special and impressive. The purple dragon’s ability to glide through the air makes movement unique. On top of that, every dragon player freely also presents a small cutscene that gives the game and the protagonist a lot of personality.
The play areas are big, and enemies do not pose a huge threat. Spyro’s sidekick, Sparks the Dragonfly, gives players several hits before a game over, so it is kind enough to not make every threat a one-hit kill. The hardest part aboutSpyro the Dragonis finding all the gems and freeing all the dragons to achieve 100% completion.
The firstRaymanis one of the hardest 2D platformers of the 1990s.Rayman 2is a 3D platformer that still retains some of the challenge but is manageable by most with some experience.Rayman 3, however, significantly reduces the difficulty. The whole game is a cakewalk.
It is strange going through the whole series for them to become progressively easier, but newcomers looking to get into the world of 3D platformers are likely to appreciate the approach.Rayman 3might be too easy at times for those who have already played the first two games.
Rayman OriginsandRayman Legendsbring the series back to its 2D roots. They are difficult but provide forgiving checkpoints.
Sackboy: A Big Adventuredoes away withLittle Big Planet’s trademark level editor. The game is so good that most players will not miss the ability to make their own worlds. Despite the absence of the trademark editing tools,A Big Adventurestill feels in line with the series thanks to its dedication to quirky creativity.
The closest comparison toA Big AdventureisSuper Mario 3D World,including the 4-player co-op. Going through every level is a fairly straightforward task, and the platforming does not require the precision of more challenging 3D platformers.
It is hard to believe thatSuper Marioplatformers still manage to innovate with every new entry.Super Mario Odysseychanges up the formula by getting rid of lives and making each world a seamless playground that does not return Mario to the hub after nabbing each collectible.
These two changes make the game friendlier to newcomers. A game over does not throw players out of the level or even set them back far. If the player fails, they can try the challenge again almost instantly.
Longtime fans can rest assured knowing that the game ramps up the difficulty once they reach the credits and unlock the endgame challenges.
After years of people believing that Sony was only going to push outmature narrative-driven adventureslikeGod of WarandThe Last of Us, they releasedAstrobot, one of the most delightful 3D platformers in years. For a title like this, newcomers will not be frustrated by the approachable difficulty, and expert players will be drawn in by just how good it feels to play.
The playful cosmos where the worlds are holds dozens upon dozens of references to old and new PlayStation properties.Astrobotintroduces new mechanics in several levels, but it also manages to thoroughly explain the new powerups without slowing down the action.
