Summary
When Mario took his first leap into the third dimension, it was a game-changer for the platforming genre and the gaming industry as a whole. WhilstSuper Mario 64still retains many fans, revisiting it today on the Nintendo Switch can prove unwieldy and frustrating.
Exposing a fundamental flaw with 3D platforming that still plagues many ambitious titles reveals a lack of overall precision when accounting for 360° movement. With the advancement of next-gen consoles, however, many great titles have risen over the years that take full advantage of the extra axis to produce some excellent and varied platforming challenges. Here are thebest 3D platformers on the PS5.
This article will be giving preference to titles where the platforming provides the central challenge of the game. As opposed to popular titles that contain platforming elements but belong more prominently to another genre, likeTomb RaiderandRachet and Clank.
10Moss: Book 2
An Impressive Platformer That Relies On Virtual Reality
A quirky first entry,Moss: Book 2isheld back a little by being designed exclusively for VR, but there are no 3D platforming experiences that make better use of the technology. Players control protagonist Quill and also serve as the fourth-wall-breaking reader who controls elements of the world on a macro level.
Platforming involves a basic jump and a combination of Quill’s weapon-based abilities, like using the sword to dash and the reader shifting parts of the environment to create climbable walls and bridges.
Solar Ashboasts some of the most fluid and satisfying movement of any platforming game on the PS5. The game puts the emphasis on those movement mechanics, as the environments prove to be tons of fun to grind, grapple, and traverse across in a bid to remove the toxic ooze that’s plaguing the land.
Once an area is clear, a towering boss will emerge, and the fighting that ensues is reminiscent of that seen in Team Ico’s cult classicShadow of the Colossus. Players must climb atop the giant foe and platform around its body to strike designated weak points. The game has a lot in common withSonic: Frontiers,offering a tighter-paced indie alternative to the Blue Blur’s most prominent 3D outing.
8Blue Fire
A Platformer In Which Players Will Rarely Touch The Ground
When gamers first beginBlue Fire,it’s easy to dismiss the controls as floaty, something that would usually be an infuriating shortcoming in a platforming game. Thankfully, players will soon become accustomed to the movements of the intentionally fleet-footed protagonist.
Once new abilities begin to unlock, like dashes and wall runs, the game peels back a tremendous amount of control within the physics, where players will barely touch the ground as they rampage through rooms of enemies. The optional Void rooms alsoprovide some intense platforming challengesfor players to showcase those skills once they feel brave enough.
Neon Whiteoffers a uniquely frenetic experience that is heavily focused on speed. It basically involves three trigger buttons being used to jump,fire a weapon, and discharge a weapon for a one-time traversal ability. Players must not only find their way through the tricky platforming sections, but they must eliminate every enemy along the way to unlock the final gate to progress.
This adds a puzzle element to the game, with most levels offering multiple viable paths to exploit and several red herrings. Players will receive a rank based on their completion time, and diving back in to uncover ever-more efficient routes is a delightfully addictive premise.
Nikoderiko: The Magical Worldwears its influences on its sleeve and pays loving homage to classic platformers,Crash Bandicootand theDonkey Kong Countryseries in particular. VEA Games' love for the genre shines through and successfully modernizes a lot of the aspects of those old-school level designs.
The game shifts focus between 2D and 3D seamlesslyas players explore the levels, going from traditional side-scrolling action to the trademark 3D chase sequences that see the player running directly towards the screen and having to contend with obstacles in an instant.
Psychonautshas remaineda beloved classic of the sixth generationfor many fans, but it took sixteen years for a proper sequel to materialize. Thankfully, when it did, it did not disappoint, delivering a worthy follow-up to the zany and thought-provoking platformer.
The game is more lauded for its creative level design and captivating premise of exploring the psyche of troubled citizens through platforming-based dreamscapes.Psychonauts 2is not exactly a precision platformer, with some of the psychics being reminiscent of the older generation, but it offers a deep and unique world to explore.
Jusanttasks players with simply climbing a large mountain, equipped only with climbing gear and an adorable companion capable of breathing life into certain organic elements of the terrain, providing additional access points and quicker traversal opportunities.
There is no death inJusant; instead, players are simply punished by losing progress. Players have access to three pitons that they can stake as makeshift checkpoints in between climbing sections, adding another intriguing layer of puzzle-solving. It’s a zen and challenging experience that offers something different for long-term platforming fans.
Sackboy: A Big Adventuresuccessfully takes the charming arts and craft style aesthetic the series is known for and delivers it on a grander scale than before.
In this title, Sackboy is equipped with his traditional jump, grab, and swing mechanics, plus a few additional tools, such as a Jetpack and a ‘Grabinattor’ to help him navigate certain sections. The game offers all the same whimsy and character as the best entries in the series, resulting ina worthy return for the PlayStation mascot.
Crash Bandicoot has certainly had his ups and downs since the original beloved trilogy on the PlayStation. Taken on by a few developers and re-invented more than once, the verdict was out for this one, but Toys For Bob followed up their excellent remaster of those classic titles with a true sequel and the best game in the series.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Timeremoves a lot of the more spammy design choices of the older games that often saw players side-swiped by hidden dangers, but it retains the series' signature difficulty and modernizes theCrash Bandicootethos. The addition of new masks with reality-bending powers also add new dimensions to the platforming challenges, creating an experience that is able toconsistently throw out new challengesas the game progresses.
Astro Botproved to be a critical darling right out of the gate. Building on the tech demo,Astro’s Playroom, the game takes full advantage of the features the PS5 has to offer in order to create a truly memorable and dynamic next-gen experience.
It is also a love letter to PlayStation history, landing timely as the company celebrates their 30th anniversary. The game isfull of collectables and references to PlayStation staples, some of which even have entire levels designed around them. For those looking to experience only thebest 3D platformers on the PlayStation 5,Astro Botis a must-play.
