Astro Bot is the 2024 Game of the Year, and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer game. In a world of ultra-realistic shooters, Astro Bot was a bright and colorful breath of fresh air.
Astro Bot: 10 Best Levels, Ranked
Every level is a blast, but these are just the ones we think are most special
Despite 3D platformers not being quite as big as they used to be, Astro Bot’s vivid visuals and tight level design earned it its place among the heavy hitters.
Astro Bot’s success is also a good reminder that the love of 3D platformers never completely went away.
In the last decade or so, there have been plenty of similarly upbeat and cartoony platforming games for players of all ages to appreciate.
10Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
It Certainly Was About Time
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
Between 1998 and 2020, Crash Bandicoot went through some… phases, let’s say. Phases thatweren’t quite to everyone’s taste.
Thankfully, in 2020, the bandicoot returned to his roots withCrash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. This game was a proper return to form for Crash and his friends, placing the emphasis back on tight 3D platforming while incorporating some modern quality of life features.
Compared to some of its contemporaries like Astro Bot, Crash 4 might be a bit more difficult than you’re used to. Still, the game keeps things fresh with varied environments and lots of cool stage and ability gimmicks.
9A Hat In Time
Rivals Astro Bot In Cuteness
In the mid-2010s, 3D platformers were only just waking back up from their long dormant period. One game that really helped speed that process along was indie darlingA Hat in Time.
A Hat in Time is all about freedom of movement in its sandbox worlds. Abilities like an air dash, a grappling hook, and more give you an impressive degree of control as you go.
Hat Kid and her adventure also rival Astro Bot in the cuteness department, with her rambunctious nature matching perfectly against a mildly sarcastic cast of lovable weirdos.
8Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Sony’s Favorite Dragon
Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Well before Astro Bot’s time, Spyro was one of the tentpoles of the PlayStation dynasty, right up there with Crash Bandicoot. Sadly, unlike Crash, Spyro hasn’t gotten a proper game in a hot minute.
Luckily, you may still scratch that 3D puzzle platforming itch with theSpyro Reignited Trilogy. This collection features all threeoriginal Spyro games rebuilt from the ground upwith updated graphics, physics, and gameplay.
If you’re looking to get a large volume of 3D platforming content out of a single game, you can’t get much more than three games rolled into one.
7New Super Lucky’s Tale
Nothing Says ‘Mascot’ Like Foxes In Shoes
New Super Lucky’s Tale
While 3D platformers are more Nintendo and PlayStation’s department, Microsoft has been known to occasionally throw its hat into the ring.
In 2017, that hat wasSuper Lucky’s Tale, upgraded to New Super Lucky’s Tale in 2019. This game is an old-school mascot platformer, complete with a mascot wearing nothing but a cape and sneakers.
Despite the simple premise, New Super Lucky’s Tale does all it can with its framework, employing both open and linear levels and both 2D and 3D platforming perspectives.
6Super Mario Odyssey
One Of The Best Mario Games To Date
Super Mario Odyssey
As Nicolas Doucet reminded us, when Astro Bot won Game of the Year, 3D platformers as we know them wouldn’t exist if not for the exploits of a certain plumber.
Mario has always been the gold standard of the platforming scene, and nowhere has that been made more apparent than inSuper Mario Odyssey.
Super Mario Odyssey features a similar freedom of movement and control to Astro Bot, albeit with more open, sandbox-style worlds.
Super Mario Odyssey Is The Most Accessible First-Party Game On Switch
If you’re looking for an accessible first-party Switch game, Super Mario Odyssey is it.
Not only can Mario himself pull off some impressive jumping feats, but with his Capture ability, he cantake control of various enemies and NPCsto utilize their abilities. It’s a game that always has another secret to uncover.
5Penny’s Big Breakaway
High-Speed, High-Style
Penny’s Big Breakaway
Part of the fun of 3D platformers is precision speedrunning. When you start jumping around on floating platforms, you can’t help but want to do it faster and more efficiently.
If speed’s your thing, you might enjoy Penny’s Big Breakaway, a 3D platformer from the team that brought us Sonic Mania.
With the help of her living yo-yo, Penny can perform all kinds of high-speed, high-flying tricks, all with the goal of racing to the end of each stage as quickly and stylishly as possible. It’s kind of like Sonic Adventure with a pinch of Devil May Cry mixed in.
4Psychonauts 2
An Action Platformer 16 Years In The Making
Psychonauts 2
If you enjoy some of Astro Bot’s stranger, more experimental gameplay segments, you might find your spark inPsychonauts 2, a long-awaited sequel to the 2005cult classic.
Compared to other 3D platformers, Psychonauts 2 has a greater emphasis on story and action, but there’s also plenty of jumping and exploring to do. With extrasensory feats like levitation and fire-starting, you’re able to get some serious verticality.
As you learn more psychic abilities, like slowing time or making mental connections, more of the hub worlds and mental levels will open up for progression and secret-hunting.
3Kirby And The Forgotten Land
Eat Your Fill Of Puzzles And Platforms
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
When the name of the game is 3D platformers, that lovable infinite void we know as Kirby is never too far away. Kirby really put on his best inKirby and the Forgotten Land.
Kirby’s signature Copy Ability gives you animpressive array of skill setsfor battling foes and uncovering secret items and passages. New to this game is Mouthful Mode, wherein Kirby gains additional abilities by swallowing and molding himself around large objects.
A standout for this game compared to its contemporaries is that it also has drop-in two-player co-op. If you’ve got a buddy who wants to help out, they can take control of the spear-wielding Bandanna Waddle Dee.
2Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Sony’s Previous Console Mascot
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Before Astro Bot stole all of our hearts, Sony had a different console mascot: LittleBigPlanet’s Sackboy. This lovable little lump of burlap was one of the most family-friendly characters PlayStation had to offer, and he finally got his own game in 2020.
Sackboy: A Big Adventurefollows the titular sack in a fully 3D platforming adventure, exploring a world made entirely of arts and crafts.
Besides just jumping, Sackboy can employ a variety of abilities like slapping, rolling, a grappling hook, and carrying objects to solve puzzles and uncover secrets.
1SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake
Bring It Around The Multiverse
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake
Licensed games can be a bit hit or miss, but if there’s one cartoon character that has proven he can carry a platformer, it’s SpongeBob SquarePants.
The sea dweller’s most recent endeavor,SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, takes you through a multiverse of wacky setpieces, complete withequally silly costumes.
In addition to the getups, SpongeBob has various abilities pulled from the show, such as gliding around with the Krusty Krab Pizza (the pizza for you and me).
The show’s full voice cast also appears, so you get that authentic episode feel. It’s not the most complex game, but it’s a good choice for younger players.
12 Amazing Niche References in Astro Bot
If you easily recognize the top 5, then you might be eligible for a veteran’s discount.
