Platformers represent the heart and soul of PlayStation gaming. As one of the most beloved and enduring video game genres, platformers have allowed PlayStation consoles to capture the imaginations of gamers across generations. From the early days of Crash Bandicoot on the PS1 to modern masterpieces like LittleBigPlanet, PlayStation platformers have left an indelible mark on the gaming industry.
In this definitive guide, we will countdown the 10 definitive best PlayStation platformers ever made. These games set the high water mark for the genre, feature best-in-class game design, and showcase why PlayStation remains the ideal home for platformers.
Judging Criteria: What Makes an "Absolute Best" PlayStation Platformer?
When analyzing PlayStation‘s historic platforming library to determine the "absolute best," several key factors come into play:
Game Design: Does the core platforming gameplay stand out as best-in-class? Is it exceptionally well-tuned and enjoyable? Does it introduce any new innovations or wrinkles on the traditional platformer formula?
Popularity and Impact: Did the game make an noticeable splash upon release or develop into a cult classic over time? Has it had a tangible influence on other games or the trajectory of the platforming genre overall?
Unique PlayStation Pedigree: Does the game take meaningful advantage of PlayStation‘s hardware or functionality? Is it closely associated with the PlayStation brand?
"Classic" Status: Has the game stood the test of time to be considered one of the definitive, must-play PlayStation platformers by critics and gamers alike?
Using this criteria, here are the 10 platformers that stand in a league of their own as the absolute best PlayStation has ever seen.
#10 – Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
Kicking off the list is the third entry in PlayStation mascots Ratchet & Clank‘s acclaimed series – 2004‘s Up Your Arsenal. While other R&C games may rival it in scope and features, Up Your Arsenal stands as the quintessential example of PS2-era Ratchet & Clank greatness.
The tight action platforming, varied weapons, charm, and series lore all hit their peak in Up Your Arsenal. It also received widespread perfect review scores upon release and is commonly listed among the best PlayStation 2 games ever. Nearly 20 years later, Up Your Arsenal remains the blueprint for success in modern R&C games.
#9 – Tearaway
Tearaway stands out as one of the most creative and inspired PlayStation platformers ever conceived. Developed by LittleBigPlanet creators Media Molecule, Tearaway tells an endearing meta-story actually set within the world inside the PlayStation Vita.
Players control the messenger " iota" as he quests to safely deliver a letter to the player watching from above. Everything from the papercraft aesthetics to touchpad controls leverage PS Vita functionality beautifully. Despite going underappreciated on the short-lived Vita, Tearaway deserves recognition as a crowning achievement in 3D platformer innovation and charm.
#8 – Spyro the Dragon
The Spyro the Dragon trilogy on the original PlayStation remains among the most beloved platformers ever created. Developed by studio Insomniac (of Ratchet & Clank fame), the first three Spyro games captured hearts with the fiesty purple dragon‘s delightful world and polished gameplay.
Despite the series taking a downturn in later years, these initial PS1 Spyro games still represent the character‘s peak. Their success cemented Spyro‘s status as a PlayStation icon and the 3D collectathon platformer genre as a whole. The reignited remake trilogy gives modern audiences a chance to re-experience Spyro‘s glory days.
#7 – Sly Cooper 2: Band of Thieves
Though often overshadowed by other PlayStation mascots, master thief Sly Cooper delivered platforming greatness with 2004‘s Sly 2: Band of Thieves. Improving on every aspect of the original, Sly 2 delivered a longer, funnier, and more varied adventure.
From Parisian heists to Rocky Mountain infiltrations, each level allowed players to flex their stealth skills in creative ways. Mini-games, unlockables, and diverse playable characters added even more replay value. With its blend of platforming challenges and compelling world/characters, Sly 2 remains the peak of the criminally underrated (no pun intended) Sly Cooper series.
#6 – LittleBigPlanet 2
While the original LittleBigPlanet broke ground on PlayStation 3 with its robust creation tools, the 2011 sequel is the more complete overall package. LittleBigPlanet 2 built on these features with enhanced depth, appeal, and accessibility for budding game designers.
More importantly, Media Molecule backed up these tools with a proper brilliantly fun single-player campaign. Unforgettably quirky characters, entertaining co-op quests, inventive concepts, and the signature DIY aesthetic all intermixed beautifully. Add on the potential for unlimited user-generated content, and LBP2 still stands as a hallmark PlayStation platformer over a decade later.
#5 – Guacamelee!
Drinkbox Studios spent years working on Xbox indie games before stunning the gaming world with 2013‘s Guacamelee! Exclusive to PlayStation consoles, the Mexican-inspired beat-em-up platformer astounded with its utterly unique style.
Blending Metroidvania level design with dimension-shifting platforming challenges, charming humor, and flashy wrestling moves, Guacamelee! remains one of the most audacious and exciting indie efforts. It even received the ultimate Sony honor with a crossover cameo appearance in 2018‘s Spider-Man on PS4.
#4 – Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Before developing modern masterpieces like The Last of Us, Naughty Dog cemented its status as PlayStation elite with colorful 3D platformers. And no game better encapsulates their talents in this genre than 2001 original Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy.
Accompanying the breakout duo in their quest to reverse Daxter‘s ottsel (half otter, half weasel) curse, The Precursor Legacy introduced all of the winning ingredients for a PlayStation mascot. The vibrant world, kid-friendly tone, slick platforming controls, smart collection elements, and charming leads set the stage for several acclaimed sequels. Yet none would ever quite match the magic of that inaugural Jak & Daxter adventure.
#3 – Crash Bandicoot: Warped
Naughty Dog‘s original Crash Bandicoot trilogy all deserve ringing endorsements. But the 1998 capper Crash Bandicoot: Warped stands above with its expansive scope and gameplay refinements. Transporting the whirling marsupial to settings from Ancient Egypt to the Great Wall of China opened new possibilities.
Flight levels, underwater segments, motorcycle races, animal riding, boss vehicles… Warped packed in more variety than ever before. Yet it remained steadfastly faithful to Crash‘s signature tight platforming and challenge. As the last wholly Naughty Dog-developed Crash, Warped played a key role in cementing his status as the face of PlayStation.
#2 – Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Some worried PlayStation‘s dependence on established IP risked staleness as the PS5 launched. But Rift Apart silenced doubters by confidently asserting why Ratchet and his robot buddy Clank belong in any "PlayStation platformer Mount Rushmore."
Catapulting the spacefaring duo into interdimensional chaos, Rift Apart leveraged the PS5‘s SSD loading speeds for near-instant multidimensional teleportation gameplay. Paired with insane weaponry, outlandish new locations, and endearing new Lombax costar Rivet, Ratchet has rarely been better. Reaffirming that PlayStation still boasts master class first-party studios, Rift Apart stands among the very best modern platformers.
#1 – Super Mario Galaxy 2
Just kidding. But now that I have your attention, our actual #1 pick is…
#1 – Ape Escape
The original Ape Escape earns the apex spot as the most innovative, influential PlayStation platformer ever released. The 1999 original exclusively supported the then-new DualShock controller, using its twin analog sticks for something never seen before: controlling a 3D platformer character. This setup would of course become standard, making Ape Escape the birthplace of modern 3D running/jumping controls.
Beyond pioneering contributions, Ape Escape also featured soft body physics, gadget-based puzzles, and the challenge of chasing down intelligent apes across vivid locales. Later entries built on these ideas, but that initial effort to push platforming forward cements Ape Escape‘s legacy. Despite recent obscurity, true PlayStation historians know its role as the definitive PlayStation platform trailblazer.
The Legacy Lives On
From avant-garde innovators like Ape Escape to beloved mascots like Sly Cooper to modern masterpieces like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, PlayStation platformers have always defined console generations. Even as the gaming landscape changes, PlayStation continues incubating all-time great entries keeping the genre alive.
By rewarding bold creativity, PlayStation has birthed some of the most influential platformer DNA in gaming history. As long as PlayStation keeps that spirit alive, platformers on the console have bright days ahead redefining gaming for new generations.
