The best platformers you can play right now

3D platformers are rare these days, let alone sequels to ones as unique as Psychonauts. But, thanks to a Kickstarter and eventual purchase from Microsoft, DoubleFine was able to release Psychonauts 2 and remind everyone that platformers can be packed to the brim with fun, creativity, and heart. Each level takes you into the mind of a different character, leading to a series of stages so diverse that you will want to keep playing just to see what crazy new landscape awaits you in the future. There are tons of things to collect, interesting and quirky characters to meet, and a story that actually hits a bit harder than you might expect. Even if you never played the old original, Psychonauts 2 will catch you up and get you right into the action without missing a beat.

The surprising hit Ori and the Blind Forest left a strong impression thanks to a touching story, beautiful art, and the Metroidvania-style design that kept Ori’s movement abilities a joy to utilize. The sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, came later, and while it did suffer from a slightly rocky launch, is now firmly one of the best platformers you can get on Xbox. Visually, this game hasn’t lost an ounce of detail or care. The environments are lush and beg to be explored, with more details packed into the fore and background than you will probably notice while zipping through them. Speaking of which, Ori’s animations and control are so tight and fluid that you never feel bogged down even when treading back over familiar spaces. Ori and the Will of the Wisps ups the ante in every way. The world is larger, with more to explore and do, choices to make regarding progression, more varied environments, side quests, and even more exciting challenges that test all your abilities. You even build up a little hub town full of friendly NPCs to talk to for more story and characterization that will draw you deeper into the game’s world. No space or effort is wasted here. Every time you go off exploring will lead to something worth your time, and at no point does the game ever feel unfair.

Praised by critics when it originally releases on the WiiU for being one of the best 2D platformers on the system, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze finally got the chance to reach the audience it deserved when it was ported to the much more popular Switch. Just like the older Donkey Kong Country games on the SNES, Tropical Freeze is a tough platformer with tons of secrets, collectibles, and inspired boss battles that rival even the best 2D Mario titles. Every stage is immaculately designed, whether it’s one of the series famous minecart or barrel-blasting sequences, or more traditional ones. No two levels feel overly similar, and the game prides itself on strong attention to detail. The one downside some had with the original release was the difficulty. The game expects you to learn and get better as the stages go on, as any good platformer should, but ramps up to a level right on the cusp of frustration. Nothing is ever unfair thanks to well-telegraphed dangers and tight controls, but the level of execution the game asks for by the end can be a little daunting. If you’re up to it, that’s all the more points in the game’s favor, but if not, the Switch version included a new “Funky Mode” where you play as Funky Kong. This kong has more hits and can use his surfboard to glide slightly to help with precision platforming and avoid spike damage.

The Mega Man franchise arguably had an even more unpleasant shift when trying to go 3D than Sonic did. Aside from maybe Legends, all the 3D games just felt … bad to play and led to the series becoming mostly dormant for years. Eventually, the series came back with Mega Man 9 and 10, which went back to the original NES style of 2D platformers, pixel art and all. Those entries felt like they fit right in with the original games, but Mega Man 11 feels like a true step forward for the series in 2D. Whether you love or hate pixel art, it is hard to deny that Mega Man 11’s smooth, more cartoon-inspired look isn’t a treat for the eyes. If you’ve played any Mega Man game in the past then you will know the drill here. You have eight robot masters to take down in whatever order you want, claiming their abilities to use against the next boss. You can run, slide, jump, shoot, charge, and even call in your robot dog Rush for assists in platforming, but the new mechanic this game brings is the Gear system. You can use your Gear meter in two ways: Speed and power. Speed allows you to slow down time to make platforming and dodging easier, and power increases your firepower. While all the stages give you a blend of shooting and platforming challenges, this title adds in a ton of extra challenges for hardcore players, such as time trials, stages where you can’t shoot, or even ones where you can’t jump.