Summary
Platforming games, as their genre suggests, challenge players to navigate through a myriad of precarious cliffs and ledges while avoiding deadly obstacles byjumping preciselyat the right moment and landing on safe spaces en route to the end of stages. Over the decades, certain platformers have made it possible to make jumping from one place to another both difficult and fun to complete, thanks in large part to developments in controls and in-game mechanics.
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But which precision platformers are the best among the rest? Here are some titles that test the skill and timing of players to expertly dart through cleverly designed levels:
10Levelhead
Butterscotch Shenanigans’Levelheadhas players control GR-18, adelivery robottasked to complete a slew of training levels to improve its traversal programming.Levelheadhas over ninety levels in its campaign mode: GR-18 has to get past treacherous traps and enemies and collect diamonds without getting hit.
Apart from the precise controls, Levelhead also lets players design their own stages and have other players take a crack at completing them. This in-game feature breathes further creativity for its players to think on their feet as GR-18 and their stage-designing skills.
9N++
Also known asNPLUSPLUS,N++is the third game of theNfranchise. Players have to utilize the momentum to dodge enemies and projectiles to get high scores upon completing a level. Each level is designed by hand, and as players progress through the single-player campaign, they are greeted with more complex stages that test how well players have mastered the in-game physics.
N++can be played by up to four players in local couch co-op. There is also a leaderboard for each level that tracks the best players who complete them.
8Garlic
Garlicis a hardcore platformer about a boy with an onion for a head whose objective is to scale the Sacred Tower where the wish-granting Cyber Goddess resides. Players need to utilizeGarlic’s dash mechanic to get past various obstacles, daunting enemies, and tricky platforms.
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The pixel art in-game, as well as its cutscenes, are reminiscent ofearly Gameboy titles, and the 8-bit soundtrack adds more nostalgia with each thumping beat that plays as players navigate through levels. The zany humor and retro style complement its precise platforming gameplay to a tee.
7Slime-san
Slime-sanis a quirky 2D action platformer where players control the eponymous Slime-san, who gotswallowed by a worm. Slime-san needs to get out of the worm’s intestines which are filled with various hazards that Slime-san has to dodge, slide, slime, and jump over.
Being a slime allows players to cling to walls, get into cracks that lead to secret areas, and take out different in-game bosses in unique ways.Slime-sanhas a speedrun mode as well as a boss rush mode to test players’ reflexes and knowledge about the bosses’ attack patterns and weaknesses.
6Jump King
Jump King, as the title suggests, revolves around the titular Jump King on his quest to get the legendary Smoking Hot Babe, who happens to be at The Top. The only way to reach The Top is to jump around various platforms and hazards and discover secrets along the way.
Thejump mechanics in the gamerelies on momentum: players have to make the necessary adjustments to land effectively on the proper ledges and pathways. As players progress through the game, each stage gets harder and harder: mastering the correct timing to get the jump trajectory is essential to succeed.
5The End is Nigh
From the same publisher and developer who made the cult classicBinding of IsaacandSuper Meat Boygames comesThe End is Nigh, a solid action platformer where players control a mutated blob called Ash. As one of the few survivors of the “end of the world,” Ash seeks to find a friend from whatever bits and pieces of humans remain amid the bleak and post-apocalyptic wasteland.
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Sporting crisp controls and precarious levels that test how fast players’ twitch reflexes and timing are,The End is Nighis considered by many to be the spiritual successor toSuper Meat Boy.
4Hollow Knight
Hollow Knightis widely regarded as one of the best Metroidvania titles. This game combines action-packed platforming, memorable characters, andthrilling yet challenging combat. Players control the titular Hollow Knight, and using his trusty Nail, they explore the many locales of Hollow Nest.
On the platforming aspect,Hollow Knightdoes not skimp on difficult levels: the infamous Path of Pain located in the White Palace is the ultimate test for players’ mastery and timing of Hollow Knight’s traversal controls; this includes the patented Nail Pogo technique to get through thorn beds, spiky floors, and to bounce on some enemies.
3Super Meat Boy
One of thehardest platform games,Super Meat Boychallenges players to complete unforgiving levels by controlling Meat Boy and his physics-oriented traversal and platforming mechanics as he endeavors to rescue his girlfriend, Bandage Girl, from the evil clutches of Dr. Fetus.
As Meat Boy, players have to avoid getting shredded by roaring blades, fireballs, and other stage hazards. Completing each level as quickly as possible earns players a better letter grade: this is essential but harder to achieve in the latter levels since players need to overcome more difficult obstacles.
2Celeste
At first glance,Celesteseems to be a run-of-the-mill platformer, but those who get to actually play the game will be surprised to discover how crisp its traversal and movement controls are. Protagonist Celeste can climb, jump and dash in midair to cross cliffs, get onto ledges, and reach various platforms to get past cleverly-designed areas.
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Celestealso contains a gripping narrative that talks about Madeline, the protagonist, and their struggle to overcome their anxieties by metaphorically and literally climbing up Mount Celeste, one step at a time.
1Super Mario series
When talking about the best precision platformers, theSuper Mariogameshave to be part of the conversation. The granddaddy of the genre,Super Mariotitles laid the foundation for what a platformer game should provide to its players: a jump that can be adjusted based on how long players pressed the button and can be steered midair, a run button to help gain momentum before jumping over chasms, and a myriad of platforming hazards that players have to navigate through.
Whether 2D or 3D,Super Mariogames continue their tried-and-tested formula and have made some strides to keep the platforming genre fresh.
