10 Best Platformer Games of 2026

Celeste is the pick for players who care most about precise jumping. The Steam page lists only three moves, jump, air-dash and climb, and builds more than 700 screens of challenges around them, so the difficulty comes from level design rather than from new abilities. Deaths are fast to recover from: the developers describe lightning-fast respawns, which keeps tough rooms from feeling like a chore. After the main climb, B-side chapters open up for players who want a far harder test. The story follows Madeline up the mountain and deals with her inner struggles, backed by over two hours of original music. At $19.99 on the US Steam store it costs a third of a new Nintendo release, and 97% of 62,935 English Steam reviews are positive. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. The trade-offs are that it is single player only and its later content is built for experts, so casual players may stop before the end.

Super Mario Odyssey takes first place because it gives a jumping game the most tools to play with. Nintendo's store page explains the core idea: Mario throws his hat, Cappy, to capture enemies, animals and objects, then uses their abilities to reach Power Moons hidden around each kingdom. That turns every new area into a set of movement puzzles on top of the classic run and jump. Nintendo calls it the first sandbox-style 3D Mario since Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, and the levels are built to reward poking into corners for hidden collectibles. A friend can join on the same console by taking a Joy-Con, with one person as Mario and the other as Cappy. The game supports TV, tabletop and handheld modes, and a free Nintendo Switch 2 update adds sharper visuals, HDR and GameShare. The limits: it only runs on Nintendo hardware, and co-op is light, since player two cannot play as a second hero. For 3D platforming depth, nothing else on this list matches it.

Astro Bot is the best 3D platformer outside Nintendo hardware. Sony's PlayStation page sends Astro across more than 50 planets to rescue his scattered crew after the PS5 mothership is wrecked, with new powers that change how you move: Monkey Climber scales walls and big enemies, Barkster the Bulldog Booster smashes walls and flies over gaps, and Twin-Frog Gloves add spring-loaded punches. The game uses the DualSense controller's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, and outputs in 4K on a compatible TV. More than 150 PlayStation heroes are hidden as VIP bots to rescue. After launch, Team ASOBI added free challenge and speedrun levels with Time Attack and online rankings. The launch price on the US PlayStation Store is $59.99, and it was on sale when we checked. The limits: it runs only on PS5, it is single player, and the challenge levels require finishing the main game first.

Hollow Knight is the best value on this list for players who want platforming mixed with exploration. Team Cherry's Steam page describes a 2D action adventure across Hallownest, a vast interconnected world of forgotten highways, overgrown wilds and ruined cities, where you choose your own route. Platforming grows as you go: you gain spells, speed and wings to leap higher, and you equip charms that change your abilities. The page lists over 130 enemies and 30 bosses, and four free updates added more bosses, quests and charms. At $14.99 it ties Super Meat Boy as the cheapest game here, and 97% of 186,351 English Steam reviews are positive, the largest review count on this list. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. The costs are a steep learning curve, demanding boss fights and a map that leaves you to find your own way, so players who want short, self-contained levels may prefer Celeste or Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the strongest 2D Mario for groups. Nintendo's page centers the game on Wonder Flowers, items that change a course mid-run, for example making pipes come alive or turning a player into a giant Spike-Ball. New power-ups include Elephant Fruit, the Bubble Flower and the Drill Mushroom, and badges add extras such as a Parachute Cap that slows your fall. Up to four players can share one Nintendo Switch, share power-ups and revive each other, and online Friend Rooms hold up to 12 friends with four per course. That makes it the most social game on this list. It is also friendly to beginners: Nabbit and the Yoshis do not take damage from enemies, so a younger player can keep up. The downsides are that online play needs a Nintendo Switch Online membership, it only runs on Nintendo systems, and expert players may find the main courses easier than Celeste or Super Meat Boy.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the pick for players who want their platforming tied to a story. Moon Studios' Steam page sets it up as the sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest: the spirit Ori sets out after the owlet Ku is put in danger, in a vast world with new friends and foes. The studio stresses tightly crafted platforming action alongside emotional storytelling, hand-painted artwork and a fully orchestrated score. On PC it offers full controller support, Steam Cloud saves and HDR. At $29.99 on Steam, it costs more than Celeste or Hollow Knight but less than the console exclusives, and 96% of 32,293 English Steam reviews are positive. The trade-offs: the Steam version is Windows only, it has no co-op, and players who care only about pure jumping challenges may prefer Celeste or Super Meat Boy, which spend less time on story.

Rayman Legends is the best PC platformer for a group on one couch. Ubisoft's Steam page lists 4-player local co-op across five worlds, from a towering beanstalk to Mount Olympus, with boss fights against dragons and masked giants. Its musical levels stand out for a timing-focused audience: you jump, punch and zip-line in time with rock anthems and salsa rhythms. When the group wants a break, the Kung Foot mini-game turns the cast into a football match. Steam also lists Remote Play Together, so friends can join from their own homes. The $29.99 Steam price is mid-range for this list. The drawbacks are practical: the Steam version needs a linked Ubisoft account, it is Windows only, and its 86% positive rate on 4,376 English reviews is the lowest of the Steam games here, though still rated Very Positive.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is the hardest of the Nintendo picks and a strong choice for players who like demanding side-scrolling levels. Nintendo's page sets the story on a Donkey Kong Island taken over by arctic invaders. In Original Mode you play as Donkey Kong and team up with Diddy, Dixie and Cranky Kong, each with a unique ability, while Funky Mode swaps in Funky Kong with extra hearts for a more relaxed run. That choice of difficulty makes it easier to share with a less experienced player than Celeste or Cuphead. A second player can join on the same console, and online scoreboards and time trial tags give speedrunners a reason to replay. Retro Studios developed it, and the Switch version arrived on May 4, 2018. The limits: it is Nintendo only, has no online co-op, and as an older port it sits behind Super Mario Bros. Wonder for group play.

Cuphead earns its place for players whose favorite part of a platformer is a hard boss. Studio MDHR's Steam page calls it a classic run and gun action game heavily focused on boss battles, so jumping and dodging matter as much as shooting. Its look is the main draw: hand-drawn cel animation, watercolor backgrounds and original jazz recordings in the style of 1930s cartoons. You play as Cuphead or Mugman, alone or with a second player in local co-op, and Steam lists Remote Play Together for friends in other homes. It costs $19.99 on Steam, and 96% of 66,661 English Steam reviews are positive. It ranks lower here because it is more a boss rush than a level-design showcase, and its difficulty is high, which drags its ease of setup score. Players who want classic stages should look at Rayman Legends or Super Mario Bros. Wonder first.

Super Meat Boy is the purest test of timing on this list. Team Meat's Steam page describes a tough as nails platformer that strips classic NES difficulty down to twitch reflex jumping, as Meat Boy leaps from walls over buzz saws and through crumbling caves. Story mode has over 300 levels across five or more chapters, plus boss fights, warp zones and more than 16 unlockable characters from indie games such as Minecraft, VVVVVV and Machinarium. A full level editor extends it further, and Steam Leaderboards let you compare times. At $14.99 it ties Hollow Knight as the cheapest game here, and 93% of 14,012 English Steam reviews are positive. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. It sits last because it is the oldest game here, from 2010, its levels are short and punishing rather than varied, and the developers note cartoon blood, so families may prefer Super Mario Bros. Wonder.